About the Bangor Main Street Coalition and its Partners
“A Guiding Light for Progress in the Slate Belt”
In the spring of 2007 business, developers and public leaders in the Bangor, Pennsylvania area formed an alliance in an effort to help revitalize Bangor Borough and Slate Belt Region. Through the effort of this leadership the Bangor Main Street Coalition (“BMSC”) was formed. The BMSC has taken the Main Street Four Point Approach as its structure of organization. This structure includes:
Design Committee – Responsible for the enhancement and physical appearance of the business district of downtown Bangor, Pennsylvania. Oversight includes building; physical improvements including streetscape, signs and decoration; planning & zoning; parking and transportation; visual merchandising; and graphics.
Promotion Committee – Responsible for the marketing and unique characteristics to shoppers, investors, new business, tourists and others in the Bangor Downtown Business District. Oversight includes retail sales, special events including community heritage, special holidays and social events; and downtown image including image-building events, media relations, collateral materials and image advertising.
Organization Committee – Responsible for building consensus and cooperation among the groups that play roles in the entire Slate Belt region including all ten Municipalities to the degree they wish to participate. Oversight includes Partnerships, Volunteers, Communications and Funding from resources throughout the Lehigh Valley and State.
Economic Restructuring Committee – Responsible for strengthening the existing economic base of the industrial and business districts throughout the Slate Belt region while diversifying it. Oversight includes business retention, business recruitment, new economic uses, financial incentives and market information. This coalition includes four economic development organizations throughout the Slate Belt region including the Bangor Area Economic Development Corporation, Bangor Economic Development Corporation, the Economic Development Committee of the Slate Belt Chamber and the Green Knights of Pen Argyle. Also included are the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and the Northampton County Economic Development Organization. Other coalition partners include local and county public officials, regional business leaders, local developers and investors, local school districts and local chambers of commerce.
More information on the BMSC can be accessed at our Slate Belt Economic Development Organization website www.SBED.org, thanks to the designer of the site, John Gisolfi of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. in Bangor who sponsors the site along with the Law Offices of David J. Ceraul, Esquire in Bangor.
The BMSC leadership meets at 8:00 AM on the second Thursday of each month at the Merchants National Bank of Bangor, 25 Broadway, Bangor PA.
If you are interested in participating or learning more about the BMSC and its vision for the future, please do not hesitate to contact myself, Laura McLain, Manager of the Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce or Mark Hartney, Manager of the Borough Business Revitalization Program provided by the Lehigh Valley Chamber. Contact information is available through the contact page on our website (www.SBED.org).
Sincerely,
Anthony J. Biondi
BMSC Board Chairman
|