Main Street Marion

     Formerly the Historic Marion Revitalization Association, Main Street Marion is a volunteer organization established to enhance Marion's business environment while preserving the history and beauty of the downtown core of the city. Main Street Marion strives to stimulate economic development within the context of historical preservation.

     Beginning in 1992, local citizens, merchants and city officials sought guidance from the South Carolina Downtown Development Association. This led to Marion's acceptance in 1993 to the Main Street Program sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and administered through the National Main Street Center.

     The foundation of the Main Street program is the preservation and management of change in the "built" environment. HMRA is committed to sponsoring programs and activities which fulfill the following purposes: historic preservation, community education, lessening the burden of local government and combating community deterioration. 

     Simply put, the mission of Main Street Marion is to preserve our historic essence through preservation, while stimulating and promoting the economic vitality of the Historic Downtown District of Marion, South Carolina.

     Main Street Marion, HMRA, works actively and closely with the City of Marion and the Marion Camber of Commerce to see that the master plan, first developed in 2005 and revisited in early 2010, continues to move forward in the downtown area. This plan is the result of the Charrette completed in the Fall of 2005. One part of that plan underway now is the coming S.C. Department of Transportation grant-funded Streetscape that will update a six-long block section of downtown.

     Main Street Marion also awards matching grants of up to $2,000 for work done on commercial facades located within the Historic Business District. We have awarded grants totaling $7,400 this year.
Any business or property owner interested in applying for a grant should contact our office for more information.

     One of our main goals is to obtain grant monies for the Historic District of downtown Marion. After completing the Streetscape to enhance the look and feel of Main Street, which will include painted brickwork at corner crossings on downtown Main Street and pleasing landscaping between Bobby Gerald Parkway and Godbold Streets, our next step is the continued beautification of our city. We will also be working to encourage newcomers, including tourists, families and retirees, to visit and to relocate to Marion. Presenting a downtown that is viable and pleasing to the eye is part of that plan.

     Another of our more ambitious goals is to continually seek and bring new businesses into the downtown, filling empty properties, and to continually help existing businesses on Main Street in Historic Downtown Marion to grow and reach their full potential. Empty storefronts do not encourage tourists to stop and spend their money and keep Marion residents from patronizing the local businesses. It is our goal to recruit and retain viable businesses.