Two local organizations have teamed up to revitalize the downtown community.

The Ames Main Street District, a volunteer organization consisting of merchants in the area, has endorsed a proposal submitted by the Ames Community Arts Council, chaired by Kathy Svec.

“Kathy saw the vision to enhance the cultural aspects and vibrant retail downtown,” through the creation of the Ames Downtown Cultural District, said Joyce Durlam, chairwoman of the Ames Main Street District Association.

The Main Street Cultural District will expand the current organization and capitalize on things already in existence, including events such as the FACES Festival and places such as the Octagon Center for the Arts. The new group will also expand the membership from strictly those located in the district to anyone with a passion for the area, Durlam said.

“The new group will help achieve the potential of Main Street,” she said.

The idea for this group emerged in 1999 after a $10,000 National Endowment for the Arts Grant was awarded to the Ames Community Arts Council for cultural planning in the city. The Ames City Council matched funds and the arts council undertook the development of a cultural plan.

Planning and surveying took place in 2000, and five major goals were developed.

One of the goals was to designate Main Street as a formal cultural district, Svec said.

The two organizations have been working diligently for two years and there will be two key changes as a result of the new organization.

One will be a part-time, paid director. Similar to the marketing manager at North Grand Mall, the downtown district needs a cheerleader to be a driving force, “taking the district from where it is to where it could be,” Durlam said.

Main Street has a number of things in place; it seems logical to build on what exists, but doesn’t have a high profile. Elements that already exist, such as the Octagon, City Hall, the Depot and local farmer’s market, need a coordinator who will help create a more compelling area, Svec said.

The creation of a Unified Advertising Fund will help promote the amenities of the downtown district through advertising, signs in the area and on nearby highways, a calendar of events and printed brochures, maps and guides.

“We’ll market the whole experience of downtown,” Svec said.

Main Street Iowa, a main street resource center that is part of the Iowa Department of Economic Development, cites 33 communities where downtown revitalization has become a reality, including local towns such as Story City and State Center, and larger cities such as Cedar Falls.

According to the organization’s Web site, www.mainstreetiowa.org, “Communities have realized the benefits of a significantly increased job and business base and millions of dollars in private investment to purchase, construct and rehabilitate downtown property.”

Information will be presented to the public at a meeting to be held 7 p.m. Tuesday in the ballroom at the Octagon Center for the Arts.

The Oct. 7 meeting will serve as a kick-off for the membership drive of 2004.

“The group needs a critical mass of support to be successful in its goals,” Durlam said.

Membership in the group will be annual, beginning in January and lasting through December. Dues will remain similar to those of the current Main Street District structure, based on the volume of business, but new categories for those outside the downtown district have been added, ranging from $25 to $1,000.

The new district will be a good way for anyone to be a supporter, similar to being a “supporter of the arts,” Durlam said.

By the end of the year the two joint organizations will know if they are in a financial position to seek and hire an applicant for the role, Svec said.

The applicant would need to possess a myriad of skills, from strong public relations to general creativity, she said.