Downtown:
The downtown districts of Livingston County are the “Front Porches” of our communities. They are one of the aspects that make living in Livingston County unique. These downtown districts are where the community gathers for special occasions, festivals, and parades. Where neighbors meet. Where visitors have a bite to eat and learn about local history. Our downtowns are filled with historic architecture and commercial buildings are clustered together to create walkable, pedestrian-friendly districts.
Downtown Partnership
Small Towns, Big Deals
It was with an understanding of the importance of downtown that the County established a Main Street revitalization program – the Downtown Partnership – with the goal of preserving and enhancing the businesses, buildings, and public spaces that are emblematic of what “Living in Livingston” is all about. The Downtown Partnership is an award winning community revitalization program that has had remarkable success in creating and expanding businesses and renovating historic properties. The mission of the Downtown Partnership is to promote and enhance the unique, authentic, and vibrant villages of Livingston County. Combining a mix of innovative incentives with the presence of a full-time downtown coordinator has resulted in a commitment from both the public and private sectors that is visible in renovated buildings, new storefront businesses, apartments, and increased activity in the downtowns. All nine downtowns contribute to the partnership.
Livingston County has been acknowledged as a leader in downtown revitalization projects in New York State. These projects have been accomplished through grants, loan programs, and technical assistance funding. We’ve made a lot of progress over the years including adding residential units on 2nd and 3rd floors of Main Street corridors, remodeling facades, adding new lighting, windows, and doors, and installing branded, eye-catching signs to draw in foot traffic. All of this has made a difference to the visual appeal and sustainability of our downtown districts. The Downtown Partnership enhances economic growth through programs and assistance in:
Downtown Revitalization + Community Development in Nine Villages
Preservation + Enhancement of Historic Downtown Buildings
Entrepreneurship Development + Recruitment of Businesses
Integrated Marketing of Existing Businesses + Community
Downtown Factoids:
240
Projects Funded
$10.5
Million Invested in Nine Downtowns
135
Commercial Buildings Renovated
Our Nine, Unique Downtowns:
Avon
Geneseo
Livonia
Caledonia
Leicester
Mount Morris
Dansville
Lima
Nunda
District Maps
Our district maps specifically outline the boundaries of downtowns and which spaces are considered part of those areas. This information is especially important for businesses looking to use some of our incentive programs. Some funds are specifically for businesses that lie inside a district. When considering where you want to start your business, our downtowns tend to be a hub for visitors, locals, and customers, an ideal location for retail shops and restaurants. Programs under the Downtown Partnership apply to buildings and businesses within the boundaries of the designated downtown district which has been determined, for each member community, by a local committee with guidance from the Downtown Coordinator.
LivCo Wayfinding
We worked to develop a Wayfinding Master Plan to improve the pedestrian and visitor experience navigating our nine downtowns.
Design Guidelines
Our Design Guidelines were previously developed individually for each of the nine downtown districts. We have since reinvented them into a single, comprehensive, user-friendly, highly visual format to ensure visitor comfort and a high-quality downtown image. The document includes quick references to signage and awning codes from all nine villages. Each section has been broken up and is downloadable below as well as the full document.
Invested in Innovation + Ingenuity
A vibrant downtown with destination businesses is key to economic health of the entire region. We work to have a mix of downtown businesses that attract both locals and visitors.
Destination Downtown
There’s nothing like an excellent conference to generate new ideas and build new networks. Since 2006, Destination Downtown has become a top conference for business owners and community figures in Livingston County to develop concepts and expand knowledge. This conference is our opportunity to work with a variety of people and share important messages about creating downtown destinations; a gathering for business owners, local officials, and citizens who want to make their downtowns or businesses attractive for tourism.
The goal of Destination Downtown is to gather business owners, stakeholders, and partners together to hear about the critical elements of downtown revitalization. It is an opportunity to learn why our downtown districts are vital to our economy and what the fundamental strategies are for growing businesses on Main Street. This has included bringing nationally known speakers that can take us to the next level in our journey to cultivate vibrant downtown districts. Livingston County Economic Development is proud to bring such an important message to business owners and community leaders. We recognize the crucial role that small business plays in economic, industrial, and community development.
Creating a destination is indeed the road to economic growth.
Frontdoor Back
Jon Schallert + Rich Carraro
Success Stories
Avon Inn
Coffee Cup + Caffe Tazza
The Riviera Theatre
Transforming Our Downtowns
We have worked hard to execute changes to our downtowns. Check out these before + after transformations.
