Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced New Castle as the 2023 PreservINg Main Street community. The PreservINg Main Street grant will provide the community with $2 million to revitalize historic buildings in the downtown district.
“We always celebrate new development for our Main Street Communities,” said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “But it is equally important that we recognize where those communities have come from and preserve their rich histories. I look forward to seeing how New Castle will breathe new life into its iconic downtown district through historic revitalization.”
PreservINg Main Street is a joint effort between OCRA, Indiana Humanities and Indiana Landmarks. The multifaceted community development program is designed to build a sustainable historic preservation community ethic, increase local capacity for Main Street programs and serve as a comprehensive downtown revitalization model.
“During their site visit, it was evident the New Castle community was excited about the opportunity to receive this downtown development grant,” said OCRA Executive Director Denny Spinner. “I congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to seeing all they will achieve through the PreservINg Main Street grant program.”
PreservINg Main Street helps communities implement downtown preservation projects through Community Development Block Grants. The grant program enhances the community’s Historic Preservation Commission and designs guidelines in conjunction with Indiana Landmarks to better tell New Castle’s story with the help of Indiana Humanities.
“Celebrating history and providing opportunities for Hoosiers to learn about their heritage are some of the most important things we do at Indiana Humanities," said Indiana Humanities President and CEO Keira Amstutz. "We're thrilled that a dynamic city like New Castle will be able to implement programs that do just that through our PreservINg Main Street Grant, and we look forward to seeing them come to life."
Through this grant, New Castle Main Street and the City of New Castle are able to continue the momentum of downtown redevelopment already taking place and gain the energy needed to bring residents and visitors to the Main Street district.
“The PreservINg Main Street program will enhance New Castle’s commitment to its historic downtown,” said Indiana Landmarks President Marsha Davis. “This will demonstrate that historic preservation functions a powerful tool for community revitalization.”
All PreservINg Main Street projects must be completed by December 2025.
