CITY OF SAN MARCOS
For the 25th year in a row, the city of San Marcos Main Street Department received national accreditation. Designated in 1986 as an Official Main Street by the Texas Historical Commission and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the department’s mission is to maintain the unique, historic nature of downtown and plan for the future.
National Main Street accreditation status is the highest tier of recognition within the organization. To receive it, programs are evaluated on a six-part assessment framework. Requirements to receive the recognition include an evaluation of programs’ commitment to revitalization, diverse funding, preservation efforts and inclusive leadership.
Since its inception in 1986, San Marcos’ Main Street program has recorded over $150 million of reinvestment into the downtown area, allocated $111,000 in façade grants to 75 businesses, and welcomed 210 new businesses downtown since 2013.
“For nearly 38 years, our program has worked to revitalize and strengthen the downtown commercial district,” said Downtown Manager Josie Falletta. “Implementing a balanced approach of economic vitality, visitor attraction and sense of place, our goal is to highlight downtown as a destination for residents, visitors, and businesses.”
Additionally, the program has allocated $18,000 in grant funding for fiscal year 2024 and cheered as 46 vacant spaces were filled with a business between 2022 and 2024.
Main Street’s focus goes beyond financial support and making downtown commercially friendly.
The program also aims to provide residents and visitors with a better quality of life. That’s why Falletta and her team are stepping up efforts to keep the downtown area clean and visually appealing. Since October of 2022, they’ve responded to 77 graffiti cases, and 116 biohazard cleaning cases, and spent a combined 20,800 hours picking up trash and installing or maintaining landscaping.
All of the effort the Main Street team is putting into downtown San Marcos is paying off. Since the start of 2024, there have been seven new business openings, and 11 more are in the pipeline to open by early 2025.
“Our hopes for the future are helping more people achieve their dreams of opening a business,” said Falletta. “As well as continuing to be a place residents and visitors enjoy for decades.”
For more about the City of San Marcos Main Street Program, visit: visitsanmarcos. com/downtown.
