Louisiana Main Street has officially accepted the city of Winnfield as the newest member of the Lagniappe Community Program, an 18-month capacity-building process establishing a pathway to becoming a designated Louisiana Main Street community.
“With a strong political history, Winn Parish is home to three Louisiana governors and the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame. Winnfield is the heart of Winn Parish, and the history held in the buildings of the city needs to be preserved. I look forward to the journey of Winnfield Main Street and their progress in creating an area where people can experience the small town charm and historical past,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.
“As Mayor, I am excited for what this could do for our city! Every city has its own unique charm and the Main Street program will help us preserve and restore our rich history. This opens the door in bringing our history back to life and in doing so hopefully attracting more tourist and locals,“ said Winnfield Mayor Gerald Hamms.
“It is an honor and privilege for Winn Parish to be accepted back into the Main Street Program. Winn Parish is thankful to Mayor Hamms, the City Council, Lindlay Howell, the Governor’s Office and Lt. Governor’s Office for their continued work and investment in Winn Parish,” said Winn Parish Police Jury President Josh McAllister.
According to the city of Winnfield, the downtown area has multiple vacant buildings that could be transformed into businesses such as restaurants, boutiques, or markets. Additionally, the second floors of these vacant buildings could restored and converted into living spaces. Revitalizing the downtown area will open the door for more small business opportunities.
Business owner Karly Hubbard Steward said, “As a business owner, I am excited to be accepted into the Main Street Program. Winnfield is such a charming and historic little town, having the resources now allows us to bring the life back into this town that I love to call home!”
Acceptance into the Lagniappe Community program provides communities with an intensive 12-18 month capacity-building process to establish a pathway to the National Main Street Center’s Main Street America program. Failure to complete Lagniappe benchmarks within the 18-month period results in termination of the Lagniappe process. The application process begins with a Letter of Intent (LOI) being sent to Louisiana Main Street advising of the community's intent to submit an application for participation in the Lagniappe Community program. Once the letter is submitted, the community has 30 days to submit all application materials.
Additionally, Winnfield must complete a set of benchmarks in order to apply for full designation. The most important benchmarks include creation of a local historic district ordinance and local historic district commission, and develop and show a strong level of community support for downtown revitalization.
The city of Winnfield would become the third designated Main Street community to complete the Lagniappe Program, joining West Monroe in 2020 and New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward in 2021.