Corbin Main Street prepares for new year

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Andy Salmons, Corbin Main Street Manager Photo by Jeff Noble

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February 1, 2012

Anonymous Times-Tribune The Times-Tribune Wed Feb 01, 2012, 09:50 AM EST

CORBIN — By Jeff Noble / Staff Writer

The man who heads Corbin’s Main Street Program says it’s time to do some exciting things. And they run from starting the early stages of master planning for the downtown area, all the way to introducing a new, user-friendly website for his organization.

Main Street Director Andy Salmons pointed out Tuesday that the first thing people will notice will be the website, which you can log on to at www.dowtowncorbin.com

“It’ll be a central place to see what we’re really doing. For those who go online, they can participate. They can volunteer. And they can give feedback to us,” said Salmons.

He added the program’s improvements on the Internet would be an ongoing work during the year, which will help residents connect better with the Main Street Program, no matter where they are. “It’ll be a centralized program to provide us a very clear channel of communications with the community. Later in the year, we’re hoping to launch an iPhone and smartphone application. When that happens, we can say, ‘There’s an app for that.’”

Salmons also noted some popular events are being planned by Main Street for the year ahead, including some that a few folks might remember. “We want people to know that we’re working on our event calendar, and we want to bring back some of those great events that have been very popular in years past.”

But to also bring people back downtown, Salmons said you need to make the area livable and attractive. “And that’s why we’re now working on the master planning stages. We’re in the very early phases to restructure downtown Corbin, to make it a more inviting place. It’s all based on complete street principles championed by urban planners, which endorses pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and streets, mixed-use infrastructure which has residential and commercial properties in the same place. We hope to bring people back downtown to work, live and play.”

To do that, Salmons said Main Street follows a four-point approach that’s endorsed by the Kentucky Heritage Council. First, it emphasizes promotion and event planning. Second, it stresses design through the “Streetscape” program and visual identity. Third, economic restructuring is brought in to encourage business downtown. And finally, there’s organization, which keeps the first three steps on track.

“The overall goal is to create attractive and business-like places which the community can be proud of,” Salmons said.

To help do that, Salmons is seeking volunteers to serve on committee-based groups, as well as to help with downtown events. If you’d like to be a part of it, you can shoot an email to the Main Street Program in Corbin at contact@downtowncorbin.com.

After signing on as Corbin’s Main Street director six months ago, Salmons says he’s settled down in his new position. Now, he wants to light up downtown as a place to be seen, heard and be vibrant once again.

“I’m getting into the groove. I had to learn what the job entails, I had to learn the ropes, meet the people and see how to connect with what works for downtown. Stay tuned. It’s going to be an exciting year in 2012,” said Salmons.

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