Designing for main street : analysis of design services provided to the North Carolina Main Street Program by Main Street Fellows at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Center for Community-Engaged Design

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Callista Mansell (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Travis Hicks

Abstract: The intent of this mixed methods study was to examine how Main Street Fellows’ design services and the resulting proposals were being used by North Carolina Main Street towns. The first phase quantified the characteristics of towns that have used the services, the types of design assistance requested, and the outcome of the proposed designs. These findings were analyzed to identify patterns of use and rates of implementation of the designs. The second phase of the study was a qualitative investigation, using interviews with a subset of Main Street managers to identify which circumstances contribute to or inhibit the implementation of the proposed designs by building owners. Of the 79 eligible North Carolina Main Street towns, 62% used the services during the study period, with most requesting from two to five design proposals. A new color scheme was the most requested design recommendation; however, it was the least likely to be implemented as specified in the proposal. Of the 190 design proposals issued, 40% were implemented to some degree. Two independent variables correlated with higher rates of design implementation. Accredited programs experienced significantly higher rates of implementation than Affiliate programs, and programs with longer tenured managers were more likely to see designs implemented than those with shorter tenure. Main Street Managers commonly noted three factors critical to design enhancements: 1) financial resources, 2) vision and motivation, and 3) conscious design planning. Disengaged building owners and a project’s scale were seen as inhibitors to design enhancements.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2022
Keywords
Center for Community Engaged Design, Facade design, Historic preservation, Main Street, Main Street Fellows, North Carolina Main Street and Rural Planning
Subjects
Historic districts $x Conservation and restoration $z North Carolina
Central business districts $z North Carolina
Urban renewal $z North Carolina

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