Tom Gilbert/Rogue Monkey Media for the 2026 Main Street Now Conference

• National honor recognizes Farmington’s transformation into a vibrant, walkable downtown.
• Public-private investment, historic preservation and small business growth drive sustained success.
• Community-led placemaking fuels economic momentum and appeal.

Farmington, Mich. – Main Street Farmington has earned a 2026 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA), the top national honor from Main Street America recognizing excellence in preservation-based commercial district revitalization.

The organization presented the award to Farmington - one of just three winners nationwide - during the April 13 opening of the Main Street Now Conference in Tulsa, Okla.

A national jury of place-based economic development professionals selected Main Street Farmington for transforming a once car-oriented corridor into a vibrant, walkable downtown through strategic public space investment, historic preservation and grassroots leadership.

"Farmington’s success shows what’s possible when a community invests in its people and places.” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “This national recognition reflects years of partnership with our Main Street communities, smart planning and a shared commitment to building a downtown that works for everyone.”

Main Street Farmington operates within the city’s Downtown Development Authority in partnership with Main Street Oakland County. Vacancy rates have dropped from nearly 15 percent to under five percent, reflecting sustained reinvestment and strong business development.

A defining milestone in the district’s transformation was the conversion of a central parking lot into Riley Park, a civic green space that now draws more than three million visitors annually and fuels continued investment downtown.

Historic preservation has anchored the resurgence, including the restoration of the 1921 Farmington State Savings Bank building, the 1939 Farmington Civic Theater and the 1876 Masonic Hall at Masons Corner. Streetscape improvements and a 2017 Public Art Blueprint have further aligned public and private investment.

Since 2003, Main Street Farmington has generated more than $38 million in public and private investment, supported 80 net new businesses, created 770 net new jobs, and rehabilitated 123 historic buildings.

“We are incredibly honored to receive the Great American Main Street Award and to have more than two decades of Main Street work recognized on a national stage,” said Jessica Westendorf, executive director of Main Street Farmington DDA. “By investing in thoughtful public spaces, supporting small businesses and celebrating our historic character, we have shown how place-based development can create a vibrant and resilient downtown. It is exciting to celebrate how far we have come and the momentum that will carry Downtown Farmington into its next chapter.”

Downtown Farmington has evolved from a corridor of national chains into a thriving ecosystem of independent businesses. Through pop-ups, incubators, façade grants and state-supported programs, the district has created a pipeline that helps small businesses grow and succeed.

Inclusion remains central to the district’s work, with accessible public spaces, community-driven programming, and initiatives that celebrate diversity and belonging. More than 80,000 volunteer hours and strong public-private partnerships have helped shape a connected, people-centered downtown.

“Main Street Farmington demonstrates how bold placemaking and preservation can reshape a community’s trajectory,” said Erin Barnes, president and CEO of Main Street America. “By reclaiming parking lots as gathering spaces, restoring landmark buildings and fostering an inclusive culture of entrepreneurship, Farmington has created a downtown where history fuels innovation.”

Collectively, the three 2026 GAMSA winners have generated more than $184 million in local reinvestment, supported 295 net new businesses, created 1,801 net new jobs, rehabilitated 465 historic buildings and leveraged more than 124,000 volunteer hours.

About Main Street America

For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Its network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities — rural and urban — shares a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. For more information, visit mainstreet.org. 

About Main Street Oakland County

Main Street Oakland County (MSOC) is the county’s unique economic development program for downtowns, with a historic preservation philosophy and an emphasis on "sense of place." They help local governments develop their downtowns as vibrant, successful districts that serve as the heart of their communities. MSOC is the nation's first and only county-wide coordinating Main Street program. To learn more, click here./p>