Downtown St. Charles has seen substantial renewal and redevelopment in recent years. The public and private sectors are working together to bring about the most desirable future for the downtown area. From 1995 to 2000, more than $35 million was invested in downtown infrastructure, public and private improvements.

In 2000, St. Charles was named a winner of the Great American Main Street Award, sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Main Street Center. The award serves to recognize the strong public-private partnership and exceptional volunteer efforts that have defined each evolutionary phase of the community’s downtown revitalization initiative.

Encouraged by the progress made to date, our community’s leaders and downtown advocates remain convinced that well-defined community based strategies are needed to manage future growth and development, both public and private.

Unlike the challenges faced by most communities considering various downtown redevelopment strategies, “survival” is not the issue. Rather, the key to Downtown St. Charles’ future lies in the adoption and effective application of community-based growth management strategies, market-driven development policies and marketing tactics that:

Capitalize on downtown St. Charles revitalization program’s momentum.

Promote quality design and construction that respect the community’s values and complement the historic district’s integrity.

Maximize public-sector resources devoted to redevelopment efforts.

Stimulate private-sector investment and entrepreneurial ventures.

Capture a market share adequate to support a quality mix of businesses.

The Community's Vision for Downtown
St. Charles

Residents, business people and civic leaders all played an active role in creating this plan. This plan is the synthesis of our community’s ideas and creativity, as reflected in the community’s vision for downtown St. Charles.

The future downtown St. Charles will be a place treasured by those who live, work, shop, and play there. It will have maintained its architectural and historical integrity, small town qualities, and pleasing, safe environment. At the same time, it will be a place of vitality where people go to engage in cultural, social, recreational, entertainment and commercial activities.