Exploring New Frontiers or Returning to the Mothership?

Ross Currier Going West

Tomorrow, I head to Seattle in order to attend a National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference, focusing on their Main Street Program. This year the theme is Sustainable Design and, over the past few years, Seattle has conceived and implemented many projects based on these concepts.

There are a number of sustainable design concepts that guide the NDDC’s current work, including protecting the Cannon River, reusing existing infrastructure, increasing leverage from our built assets and green development techniques for the Building for Creative Professionals. I’m hoping to learn more about cutting edge projects from my peers around the country at the conference.

On the other hand, as I’ve mentioned before on this website, when Bardwell Smith, Brett Reese, Jim Braucher and Keith Covey started the NDDC back in 2000, much of their conceptualization was based on the 4 Points of the National Trust’s Main Street Program. These concepts have continued to guide our work as we prioritize our initiatives today and I look forward to sharing experiences with folks who have been implementing these ideas going back as far as 1977.

Fortunately, Downtown Northfield has helped prepare me for this exciting experience. From my shoes purchased at Rare Pair, through my pants picked up at Ragstock and my shirt discovered at Rocky Top, to my hat acquired at Tiny’s Dogs All Day, I am fully outfitted for a Main Street adventure… thanks to Division Street.