Main Street Initiative

The mission of the EMSI is to promote/encourage/enhance the economic strength and vitality of Easton's central business district through volunteer and community driven efforts. These efforts will focus on enhancing the quality of life in the downtown, solidifying Easton's identity as a "college town" and promoting the uniqueness of our community's history, architecture, diverse culture and riverfront location. Through these efforts the EMSI aims to increase consumer business, build the retail, restaurant and professional services base and make downtown Easton the natural gathering place for the greater Easton community

Easton Main Street is a Subsidiary of

Main Street Committees

Economic Restructuring Committee: - Meets: 8:00am, third Wednesday of each month, Chaired by Peter Brohl

Promotion Committee:

Events Committe: Meets 5:45pm, second Wednesday of the month- Chaired by Missy McGinley
Marketing Committee: Meets 6:00 pm, third Tuesday of the month- Chaired by Cliff Ross

Design Committee: - Meets: 8:30am on third Thursday of each month, Chaired by Liz Rosen

Organization Committee: - Chaired by Suzanne Walsh-Rheiner
Meets: 6:00 pm on second Monday of each month

The Main Street District

The Easton Main Street Initiative covers a 20 square block area bound by the Delaware River on the east, the Lehigh River to the south, the Bushkill Creek to the north and Sixth Street to the west.

The Four Points

Organization involves getting everyone working toward the same goal and assembling the appropriate human and financial resources to implement a Main Street revitalization program.
Promotion sells a positive image of the commercial district and encourages consumers and investors to live, work, shop, play and invest in the Main Street district.
Design means getting Main Street into top physical shape, while capitalizing on its best assets.
Economic Restructuring strengthens a community's existing economic assets while expanding and diversifying its economic base.

The Main Street Approach

The National Trust Main Street Center offers a comprehensive commercial district revitalization strategy that has been widely successful in towns and cities nationwide. Described below are the four points of the Main Street approach which work together to build a sustainable and complete community revitalization effort.

Main Street Vision Statement

Downtown Easton’s riverfront location and wealth of historic architecture are constant reminders of its prominent role in the nation’s founding and its establishment as a place of business. In keeping this architecture preserved, Easton will continue to attract a creative and innovative group of community members to explore a variety of business, restaurant and art enterprises.

The Easton Main Street Initiative (EMSI) works with the business and building owners, city government, the Chamber of Commerce and the community to promote Downtown Easton as a shopping and browsing destination by encouraging a healthy business mix. Eason’s riverfront will be better recognized as a city focal point and gathering place. With a stronger pull to shop and browse, the flow of traffic from the riverfront will follow to Centre Square, the shopping destination. The EMSI also intends to place occupants in the abundant office space and to increase the number of people living and working in the downtown district. The development of upper floor space for market rate housing will promote Downtown Easton as a desirable living community.

Downtown Easton is a central hub of arts and entertainment in eastern Pennsylvania. Within this creative district, arts tourism will continue to flourish. Lafayette College faculty and students alike explore all downtown has to offer, frequenting shops, restaurants, galleries and gathering places. By holding special events and targeting retail business to interest young adults, EMSI continues to foster the town-gown relationship and sense of community between Lafayette and Easton.

The Easton community continues to maintain its current level of safe, clean and green initiatives. By adding more kid-friendly businesses, family tourism will strengthen. Business and event promotions aimed at Crayola traffic and held during Crayola hours of operation will offer families with children more opportunities in Downtown Easton.

In offering more venues and opportunities for families, artists, business owners, building owners, and residents, EMSI will create a more visible and livable Downtown Easton.