Main Street named one of 10 'great streets' in America

Annapolis' Main Street has been designated one of the nation's 10 "great streets" for 2008, the American Planning Association announced this morning.

To celebrate, Mayor Ellen O. Moyer, Gov. Martin O'Malley and House Speaker Michael E. Busch, D-Annapolis, are holding a celebration at 3:30 p.m. today at the top of Main Street near the Maryland Inn, according to the mayor's office.

"Wow!" John W. Guild, Historic Annapolis Foundation's president and chief executive officer, said when told of the award. "It is great for Annapolis, and for the folks who have put in all the effort over the years to maintain the downtown. It is definitely a community effort."

In announcing the selection, APA Executive Director Paul Farmer praised Main Street "not only for remaining physically and visually connected to its history, maritime culture and architectural character, but also its significant contributions to Annapolis' economy."

The brick-paved street has 65 historic buildings, which include the Maryland Inn at the corner of Main Street and Church Circle.

The inn houses the Treaty of Paris Restaurant, named for the treaty that ended the American Revolution. The U.S. Congress was housed in the Annapolis State House in 1784 when it ratified the agreement, and several signers of the treaty, including John

Adams and Benjamin Franklin, stayed at the inn.

Mr. Busch praised the street for its many small businesses.

"Small businesses are the lifeblood of every community," he said in a prepared statement. "Across the country, small businesses drive our nation's economy, providing over half of the private sector jobs in the United States."

Ms. Moyer spoke of the street's historical nature, and called it "one of the few streets anywhere where one can truly follow in the footsteps of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other great leaders, past and present."

She went on to note the street's "human scale," where buildings don't dwarf people.

APA said the annual award is meant to honor streets that combine "many unique criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality and community involvement."

The five-block-long Main Street originally was named Church Street and was part of the 1696 plan created by Gov. Francis Nicholson. The design was based on the baroque urban planning scheme that was popular in Europe at the time.

Nicholson's plan used the existing topography to accentuate the city's two most important buildings: the State House, located on downtown's highest point of land, and St. Anne's Episcopal Church, located on the second-highest spot.

The Church Circle end of Main Street offers views of the Chesapeake Bay.

The city's preservation efforts date back to 1952 when Historic Annapolis was created following earlier unsuccessful attempts.

The foundation pioneered the use of historic preservation easements, and the city adopted a historic district zoning ordinance in 1969 that included facade restrictions. The seven-member Historic Preservation Commission oversees the law's applications.

The city sweeps Main Street twice a day, and rain gardens at Susan Campbell Park near City Dock reduce the stormwater that flows into the bay.

The city's Planning and Zoning Department entered the street in the APA selection process.

"It is a place of exceptional character and a lot of people have worked hard to make it the place it is," the department's director, Jon Arason, said this morning.

In making the award, APA stated the organization seeks to recognize "unique and authentic attributes … of great communities."

The closest community to be honored was Arlington, Va., where Clarendon and Wilson boulevards were named a top 10 area.

The eight other APA 2008 Great Streets are: Mill Avenue, Tempe, Ariz.; Seventh Avenue, Tampa, Fla.; West Main Street, Louisville, Ky.; Commercial Street, Portland, Maine; Washington Street, Boston; Summit Avenue, St. Paul, Minn.; South Broad Street, Philadelphia; South El Paso, El Paso, Texas.