Downtown Marion

The warmer air will soon have the trees and flowers here in Downtown Marion in glorious bloom. A great time to get out and take a short walk to one of the fabulous stores and restaurants here in Downtown Marion.

Downtown Marion, where there is always something just for you!

Mission: Downtown Marion, Inc. mission is the revitalization of downtown Marion as a central hub of the community to its former state of functionality, accessibility and profitability- Downtown Marion - You'll Feel Right At Home!

Overview of the Downtown Marion Organization

The Downtown Marion organization was formed in 2000. It was a division o Marion CANDO, but had its own 12 member Advisory Board. The advisory board consisted of downtown property and business owners, city and county government, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, Marion CANDO(an industrial development non-profit organization) and citizens from the community at large. Downtown Marion was set up utilizing the Main Street approach to downtown revitalization, utilizing four committees, Organization, Promotions, Design and Beautification, and Economic Restructuring.

In December, 2000, Downtown Marion hired its first paid staff member, a downtown manager. This was a full time position until July, 2003 when funding issues made it necessary to temporarily eliminate the position.

Currently, the Downtown Manager's position is done on a contract basis.

The four committees, Organization, Promotions, Design & Beautification, and Economic Restructuring, have regular monthly with between 4-20 active members. The committee chairs report to the Downtown Advisory Board on a monthly basis. This group of volunteers is a cross section of Downtown property and business owners, along with representatives of local government and other non profits, local large industry, small business owners located both within the DT and the outlying areas, and average citizens purely interested in the success of Downtown.

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