The Silver City MainStreet Project and the New Mexico MainStreet Program are both celebrating their 40th anniversaries. New Mexico MainStreet was funded in 1985 by the New Mexico state legislature.
The Silver City MainStreet Project is accredited by Main Street America and New Mexico MainStreet. The organization is one of five original affiliate MainStreet programs in the state of New Mexico. Founded in 1985, it is the only continuously operating program.
For forty dedicated years, Silver City MainStreet Project has accomplished many downtown improvements. With teams of volunteers, staff members, and board members led by a series of enthusiastic executive directors, projects range from tree planting to streetlights, façade improvements to festival and parade planning.
The first farmers market and lighted Christmas parade were in 1992. The Big Ditch Park site development in the 1990s transformed a deteriorating 1930 WPA construction. Improvements included accessibility, erosion control, architectural features, landscaping, safety and signage.
The Main Street Plaza site was developed to add parking and event venues. The Big Ditch Park project continues today with tree removal and the addition of native plants.
One of the largest and ongoing MainStreet projects is the historic Silco Theater. Converted to a used furniture store, the Silco was rescued in 2006 by the MainStreet Project. Current executive director Lucy Whitmarsh started as a volunteer in 2006 working on the Silco project. She continued with more projects as executive director from 2011-2017.
Today, the Silco is Silver City’s downtown gem. First-run movies are featured on weekends, with family and themed movies during the week. Lighting and sound equipment allows for music events and presentations. A modern retractable screen, curtains, and backstage improvements have recently been funded and will open the venue to theater productions.
The second annual Silver City Community Film Festival took place Oct. 1-5. The festival welcomes the diversity of the Southwest Borderlands region in an intimate yet powerful festival, highlighting the talented filmmakers of this area and providing opportunities for valuable connections and collaborations. For more information, visit silvercityfilmfest.org.
In 2012, the Silver City Gateway Arch was dedicated. Executive director Frank Milan spent 5-1/2 years working with funders, structural engineers, designers and contractors to create an entry arch that looked like it had always been there and to create the entrance to historic downtown. The arch, which covers four lanes, was created from four original street light poles mounted on a base covered with Silver City’s syzygy tiles.
Executive director Charmeine Wait continued on the tradition of MainStreet projects and programs from 2017-2022. A partial list of her accomplishments includes developing the pocket park by Main Street Plaza, renovation of Lion’s Park, launched Entrepreneurs Story Time, and the Kelly/Yankie Street interpretive signage and wall murals. Charmeine was responsible for many grants awarded to Silver City.
"Being the oldest continuously-running local program in the state is not only a testament to the strength of our organization and its volunteers, board members, and staff, but to the nature of our community,” said current executive director Sharla Lefkowitz-Oberg. “Our community is full of creative, passionate, dedicated, and supportive people.”
Sharla has been instrumental in the grant award for the design phase of the infrastructure project to improve pedestrian safety, New Mexico Clean and Beautiful Grant, and grant awards to make the Silco Theater a multi-use performing arts accessible space. She has successfully continued projects close to everyone’s hearts including Community Collaboration, Love Local, Entrepreneurs Story Time, and Small Business Saturday.
MainStreet manages the Murray Ryan Visitor Center and Sharla says she “is proud of the exemplary visitor services which provide promotion for downtown businesses, as well as destinations and businesses throughout the region.” Sharla sees positive movement downtown with new and relocated businesses. A downtown with locally-owned businesses strengthens the regional economy.
New Mexico MainStreet is a program of the New Mexico Economic Development Department, and works throughout the state to help affiliated local organizations create an economically viable business environment while preserving cultural and historic resources.
New Mexico MainStreet uses a community-asset-based approach to economic development in partnership with local revitalization organizations to rebuild the local downtown economy. The program’s core objective is downtown revitalization and redevelopment, and the mission is to develop local capacity to engage people, rebuild places and revitalize economies resulting in economically thriving downtowns, greater business and employment opportunities and a higher quality of life.
The Silver City MainStreet Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1985. In addition to its core MainStreet work, the organization operates the Silco Theater and manages the Murray Ryan Visitor Center. Management of the Murray Ryan Visitor Center is provided by the Silver City MainStreet Project on behalf of the Town of Silver City. For more information, visit www.silvercitymainstreet.com and www.visitsilvercity.org.
