By taking historic steps, Taos MainStreet and its partners are building new steps in the plaza

By Arcenio J. Trujillo

MainStreet Beat

What does a MainStreet program do, actually?

To answer this question, we have to take a step back in time to find out the reasons why MainStreets were founded in the first place.

Back in the mid 1970’s, a transformation of sorts was occurring throughout the entire United States, and historic commercial districts were being abandoned at an alarming rate. The literal pace of commerce entering and leaving cities had increased substantially; and the result was a veering away from tight urban centers to sprawling suburbs where wide throughfares, malls and fast-food franchises existed. The recognition of this hollowing out of downtowns led to the creation of a nation-wide movement by preservationists and other economic-development forerunners known as the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

By the late 1970’s, a strategy to quell the continued decline of downtown areas emerged, and three communities were selected to pilot the “Main Street Project.” Galesburg, Illinois; Hot Springs, South Dakota; and Madison, Indiana tried out the new revitalization suites and, consequently, showed measurable improvement after just three years.

Owing to the success of this pilot program, the National Trust instituted the “National Main Street Center” in 1980. This led to the creation of the “Main Street Four-Point Approach,” which became the standard-bearer for all subsequent programs throughout America. 

And though, a MainStreet program can be described generally as a nonprofit-driven partnership that works to revive a historic downtown district – and guided by this firm principle – no two MainStreet programs are exactly the same. The core ideas are relatively clear-cut, in that, through concerted efforts, cities and towns can make their respective downtowns economically strong, culturally vibrant, and great places to live, work, and visit. This is done through a structured, long‑term economic development strategy that places emphasis on the notion that public investment will spur private investment, and nice things will ensue.

MainStreets first appeared in our state in 1985 with the New Mexico state legislature funding the program within the Economic Development Department (EDD). Gallup is credited as being the first community to participate in the program, though Las Vegas, Silver City, Socorro and Raton also joined in that same year. According to the New Mexico MainStreet website’s timeline of participating communities, Taos entered the MainStreet program in 1987 – only to exit in 1990. Taos reentered in 2012 and exited again in 2015. This latest iteration of Taos MainStreet began in 2018 and has functioned as a 501c3 non-profit organization to present day.

By being housed in the EDD, the current 32 MainStreet districts in New Mexico can seek capital outlay funds for revitalization projects in their respective downtown districts. This matters greatly because of the way it can boost local economies; preserve the unique historical character of a community; promote a sense of regional identity and pride; and improve the walkability and bikeability of several downtowns in our state.

This was the impetus for Taos MainStreet when it sought and secured $1 million in New Mexico MainStreet Capital Outlay funding for the Plaza Improvement Project. 

This work has also required targeted investment and coordination from the Town of Taos, Taos County, and New Mexico MainStreet. Together, these partners have made possible, the most significant investment and improvements to the Plaza in decades. 

Since 2023, across three distinct phases, the inner ring of the Plaza has seen long-needed upgrades to the infrastructure and public spaces that symbolically support daily community life. With construction now wrapping up on the hardscapes and vegetation zones, Taos Plaza will soon have a solid underfoot for a literal support of community life.

Moreover, Taoseños will gain a dazzling and functional downtown area that can be shared with kids, grandkids, parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, guests, tourists, merchants, public servants and pets. The plaza has been the center of Taos life for centuries, and efforts to keep this up are ongoing. Surely, more nice things are yet to come.

Arcenio J. Trujillo is community engagement coordinator of Taos MainStreet, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the economic vitality and historic preservation of downtown Taos. Contact Trujillo at community@taosmainstreet.org. Learn more at taosmainstreet.org.