Help Main Street, not Wall Street.

This has been the rallying cry for many for nearly two years as the economy tumbled and legislators fight for Wall Street reform.

However, for more than a quarter century, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has quietly worked to aid downtown business communities with money and educational resources to give them an opportunity to thrive.

The program began in 1977, but downtown business advocate Go Downtown! Salem is a relative newcomer in instituting the four core program principles.

The goal is to make the downtown core more inviting for pedestrians and businesses alike.

Go Downtown! Salem Executive Director Suzi Bicknell said the downtown boundaries consist of 26 square blocks including Ferry Street to the south, Riverfront Park to the west, Cottage and Marion streets to the north and Church Street to the east.

Go Downtown isn’t alone in its efforts for revitalization and has two nearby cities to serve as mentors in the process.

Both McMinnville and Corvallis have used the Main Street Program tenets since the early 1980s and have seen their downtown cores thrive despite the economy.

The Main Street model has four equal parts that need to be followed for success:

Organizations must have a staffed non-profit dedicated solely to downtown businesses. They must facilitate physical and design improvements including signage, sidewalks, trees and more. They must be able to have an economic structure in place that will allow the organization to maintain its presence and work. Lastly, each organization must have a marketing and promotion strategy to attract customers and business owners.

When looking at various strategies for Go Downtown, Bicknell said the Oregon Main Street Program was a good match.

“It is a proven model with proven success not only in Oregon but throughout the United States,” she said. “It is a collaborative effort with public and private partnership, and it is a community-based program where the community as a whole can invest and benefit from the success of a revitalized downtown.”

Go Downtown is funded partly through an economic improvement assessment within the district that is paid by property owners. It receives funding from the City of Salem through the parking tax, through the transient occupancy tax (TOT) fund and event sponsorships. It operates on a $300,000 yearly budget.

A trip through downtown McMinnville reveals a stark contrast with downtown Salem. The streets are lined with full-grown trees and most of the historic buildings have been restored or improved. Boutique stores, coffee shops and restaurants fill storefronts and retro streetlamps light the roads and sidewalks in the evening hours. McMinnville Downtown Association Manager Kris Gullo said vacancies hover near 6 percent, much lower than the 17 percent vacancies when the program started.

“It doesn’t happen overnight,” she said “We’ve made these improvements over time and there is still plenty of work to be done.”

In Corvallis, the downtown core sits against the banks of the Willamette River. Its design encourages people to get out of their cars and walk along streets filled with bakeries, flower shops, trendy bars and restaurants and more.

Downtown Corvallis Association Executive Director Joan Wessell said part of the success has come from three things.

One, businesses are clustered with similar or complimentary businesses. There are clusters of clothing shops, restaurants and more scattered throughout. Second, she credits the zero interest loan program for small business and property owners. This has led to facade improvements, second floor renovations and interior design. Third, marketing has focuses on bringing people of all ages downtown.

“We do things to bring kids downtown,” she said. “They bring their families and we recognize that they are our future customers.”

Go Downtown has many obstacles still to overcome in Salem. Both Corvallis and McMinnville are smaller cities than Salem, but the importance of a strong downtown core is something everyone can agree on.

One obstacle is participation among downtown business and property owners. Salem Weekly interviewed 30 downtown businesses and found that 43 percent of those surveyed were either not members of the organization or were not sure of their membership standing.

In order to be eligible for membership, Go Downtown Board Member Doug Vande Griend said downtown businesses must meet four criteria. One, they live in the country naturally or legally, own real property or operate a business within the downtown parking assessment or EID assessment districts and pay the associated tax and ask to become members. There are no fees, dues or other obligations.

However, he noted, "Go Downtown! Salem considers itself responsible to work for all downtowners eligible to be members, whether they are members are not.”

While Go Downtown does hold monthly meetings, Vande Griend said few downtown stakeholders attend. Instead, he said Go Downtown isn’t considered a “meeting organization” and that attending meetings are not high on the priority lists of business owners.

“Salem downtowners don’t really attend meetings very well, unless there is a highly controversial issue that sparks, e.g., parking,” said Vande Griend.

Those who were surveyed felt that either they did not have time to attend meetings or were unsure of when meetings were being held.

Vande Griend said: “For [Go Downtown], Suzi, and individual directors, meeting one-on-one with many downtowners is a much more productive way to have ‘meetings.’”

Jim Normandy of Normandy Guitars, had a suggestion for how to get more people to attend meetings: "If they served alcohol at the meetings, or if they had mandatory naked meetings I'd go."

David Ballantyne of Ranch Records said that his store would support a real change in the noise ordinance downtown. He said, "The city needs to grow up. It needs to become a city if it wants to. Let's invite some clubs downtown."

Although there are few details, Vande Griend said discussions have started with the City of Salem to address multi-use zoning. He also didn’t mince words about bringing more entertainment downtown and the noise ordinance, although he said changes must be made carefully.

“I think it is a no-brainer to say the noise ordinance should be changed,” Vande Griend said. “That it needs to be changed is evidence that there is a growing vibrancy in downtown. Peoples’ usages are starting to run into each other. In a real way, that’s a good sign. But the devil will still be in the details as the downtown community decides exactly how to change the status quo.”

Despite the current movement on the noise ordinance, one critique is that the organization does not engage in the politics of running a downtown business enough.

"If you're going to fund Go Downtown then we're all a part of it, but they need to listen to what the merchants need," said Alan Schechtman of Sid's Home Furnishings. Instead he feels that its currently "taxation without representation."

Sylvia Dorney of Greenbaum's Quilted Forest adds, "They are missing downtown issues. They don't stand for parking issues or other political/policy issues. I think it's the composition of who is on the board," she said.

Others feel like the organization is bringing more people downtown - drawing attention by hosting events like First Wednesday and Summer in the City.

Larry Delapp of Coffee House Cafe said that the organization has brought awareness of downtown to the community.

"I think they have worked really hard to promote downtown and I just like their effort for being involved in First Wednesday. It's nice to have someone that truly takes charge. The reality is they make things happen," said Mary Grace West, co-owner of The Arbor.

Other problems faced by Go Downtown are accusations of favoritism and not appealing to the variety of businesses downtown. Many of the businesses close to where events are centralized feel that they see more traffic generated from Go Downtown activity than others.

Tyke Hagedorn of Where the Sidewalk Begins would like to see them incorporate more of the outlying areas, like Commercial Street where her store is located.

The sentiment is echoed by many others: "Honestly, [Go Downtown] treats us like a redheaded step child here at the end of State Street. They don't include us in their festivals and they use our parking," said Jim Normandy of Normandy Guitars.

Mike Snook, co-owner of Academy of Hair Design, said that events do not help his business. In addition, he said that event days are the lowest producing days he has.

"It's not like people come and see my business and it gets more busy in the following days. It doesn't spike," he said.

When asked what she would like to see Go Downtown do to help her business, Sandy Salchenberg owner of The Brick said, "[I hope] that when they have Summer in the City they don't block me off. Hopefully they won't this year."

"They could bring more music over this way ... they all stay on Liberty," said La Margarita Manager Federico Herrera, which is located on Ferry Street.

Dave Chessman of ABC Music agrees. "When they have First Wednesday, it draws people down. Unfortunately in my case, people park in front of my store and walk up to where the events are going on."

But most businesses surveyed mentioned the events as accomplishments of Go Downtown whether they were directly helped their businesses or not.

"It has helped my business a lot and I like the events. They really work hard to bring people down here. I cannot think of anything else they can do. They really go above and beyond," said Teresa Standish, owner of Bittersweet Boutique.

While all projects are subject to change due to the economy and other factors, Bicknell said the strategic plan may include building membership in the organization, enhancement of streetscapes and amenities, new business recruitment and retention and helping small business owners take advantage of Chemeketa’s Center for Business and Industry.

One of Bicknell's next goals is to get every board member up to task on Go Downtown’s goals. She also wants to put various committees to work.

According to Bicknell, the newly elected board members will be starting in July. When asked about the new members that were voted on recently, Vande Griend had this to say:

"I don’t have the three new members yet. No one does (well, maybe Integrity [First] Financial, but they won’t be telling you and we don’t know from them yet, at least not that I know of."

It's unclear when the results of the vote will be announced, but the nominees are: Chip Conrad of Capitol City Theatre, Christi Finholt, a downtown property owner, Michael Less of De Wolky Shoes, Teresa Maurmann of Arbonne International Property Management, Steve Narkaus of Elsinore Framing, Sandy Powell of Olivia's Boutique, and Dana Vugteveen of Salem Center.

Three of the nominees will join the existing board that consists of: Doug Vande Griend, Paul Gehlar, Kathy Goss, Kevin Lafky, Chuck Johnson, and John Gallagher.

Bicknell hopes to move forward by involving community partners to serve on committees, who will set priority projects and action work plans over the next year.

“The more community involvement, the more expertise and experience downtown can benefit from," she said.

Her goal is to eventually make downtown Salem a destination for people throughout the mid-valley.

"Currently, we need more day to day on the street pedestrians shopping local who recognize downtown as the largest shopping destination in the valley, larger than Bridgeport, Washington Square, and Clackamas," Bicknell said.

“Revitalization doesn’t produce results overnight. We need more people involved and we need sustainable funding to keep the momentum going.

"In our first two years we have put a lot of attention into building awareness of what downtown has to offer," she added. "It's just the beginning of all the opportunities that exist, but to build the bigger picture we encourage people to jump on and join the fun."

Emily Cahill of Addictions Body Piercing and Tattoo wraps it up best.

"Downtown itself should be the product. I would like to be a component in what it is that goes on the marketing. I don't expect [Go Downtown] to do anything at all. We've got an amazing group of eclectic people down here."

Michelle Andujar contributed to this story.