Newport gains Tennessee Main Street designation, opens door to downtown grants

Newport officials announced the city has been accepted into the Tennessee Main Street program, a state designation officials say will make the downtown eligible for several state and federal downtown improvement grants aimed at private-sector revitalization.

City Administrator James Finchem and local volunteers credited multi-year work by staff and community volunteers. “Gary worked on it for years. Monica came along and was helping him a little bit,” Finchem said, noting the designation is a step toward leveraging private investment in downtown redevelopment.

Why it matters: Tennessee Main Street status typically makes municipalities eligible for downtown-improvement grants that can be awarded to private business owners for facade or building improvements. Gary, a city staff member who led the local Main Street efforts, said other Tennessee towns have received six-figure packages through the program; he referenced a nearby city that obtained about $400,000 in downtown improvement grants.

What officials described: Gary and Monica told the council the designation is the product of several years of planning and board training, and that it can help attract private investment to complement recent public infrastructure work such as storm drainage. Gary outlined a phased plan to extend downtown improvements from the Dry Goods building and the former Clock Company site down to Cope Boulevard, and he described prospective private projects including small-suite hotel stays in the Dry Goods building and retail tenants for the ground floor.

Officials also discussed the First Baptist Church property as a potential public-private redevelopment opportunity that could create downtown parking if investors and preservation considerations align. Gary said some buildings are beyond repair and may be demolished as part of reinvestment incentives; final concepts and any reinvestment dollars would return to council approval.

Council reaction: Vice Mayor Connie Ball and several aldermen congratulated staff and volunteers, noting the designation’s prestige and potential to accelerate downtown reinvestment.

Next steps and caveats: Gary said the city is “not done yet” and that the designation is an early victory; the city still needs to pursue grant opportunities, board training, concept plans for redevelopment projects and private investment agreements before funds are requested or expended. Any reinvestment dollars or grant-funded projects would require subsequent council approval.

Ending: City staff said they will keep the council updated on grants, concept plans for downtown redevelopment and any formal applications tied to the Tennessee Main Street program.