5 East Market St Corning, NY 14830  607.937.1946 overview portfolio assessment  preservation planning downtown revitalization  grants code work context: inside & out  historic paint colors Downtown Revitalization Municipalities in which a collection of historic buildings exists have a special opportunity to capitalize on history for commercial gain. Large and small, many cities throughout North America have been able to attract residents and visitors through a downtown revitalization effort based on preserving historic buildings and using them to create compelling reasons to be in the heart of the community. Creating the right retail and commercial mix, planning and presenting entertainment, and developing exciting living space all contribute to the revitalization of communities where suburban sprawl and homogenous malls have left the town center empty and deteriorating. During her tenure as Executive Director of Corning’s Market Street Restoration Agency, Elise Johnson-Schmidt not only advanced commercial programs through persistent collaborative efforts with city government and merchants’ groups, but she also introduced handsome upper-story housing to the community – helping to build daily traffic for the retail and restaurants, day and night. She frequently provides public lectures on upper-story housing to communities throughout New York State.