By MACKENZEE SIMMS | Staff Writer
MONROEVILLE – Calera Main Street earned recognition for its milestone achievements at the 11th annual Main Street Alabama Awards of Excellence Banquet on Thursday, Aug. 15 in Monroeville, Alabama.
Calera Main Street is a nonprofit organization that seeks to stimulate revitalization in downtown Calera with public/private partnerships. The organization was designated as a Main Street Alabama community in 2019 and is an accredited member of the Main Street America Network.
According to Calera Main Street Vice President Markus Snowden, the organization has opened 12 new businesses, reduced downtown vacancy from 84 to 24 percent and created downtown events such as Married on Main and the Calera First Friday festival series.
At the 2024 Awards of Excellence, Calera Main Street was recognized for being one of five programs with over $5 million of economic impact on its main street district.
In addition, the event also recognized individuals that made positive impacts on their local communities. Each local main street program nominated a member of their community to receive the Hero Award at the Toast to Heroes Reception prior to the awards banquet.