Main Street Cultural District (Downtown)

The Main Street Cultural District (MSCD) in Ames was established on January 1, 2004. It is the result of a 2-year local initiative to create a unique identity and focus for downtown. The presence of key cultural institutions in the Main Street area - along with unique, locally owned businesses - made this move a logical development. The MSCD mission is to advance and promote downtown as the destination district in the heart of the Ames community. The concept has been strongly embraced by numerous community businesses, organizations, and individual residents. MSCD is an investor based organization, open to anyone in the community that would like to support its development and enjoy its benefits.

In November 2005, the Main Street Cultural District in Ames became an official, State of Iowa Certified Cultural and Entertainment District. Certification provides improved highway signage and access to state programs that enhance the growth and development of the District. MSCD is also a certified Main Street Program. The MSCD operates using the National Trust for Historic Preservation's four-point economic revitalization approach for improving a downtown area. These four economic improvement points are Business Improvement, Design, Promotion, and Organization. Each of these points are enacted through volunteer-based committees that carry out their own objectives.

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