This award honors the legacy of state Rep. Quentin “Q” Williams. Q was a great friend of CMSC and a champion for all of Connecticut’s downtowns. This award honors those who embody his greatest strengths, including tireless advocacy, working collaboratively to achieve common goals, bringing a multitude of voices to the fore, and working to create downtowns that are inclusive and welcoming to all.

CMSC is honored to present the 2026 Downtown Hero Award to Lauren Coakley Vincent, President + CEO, Bridgeport Special Services District (DSSD) for her transformative leadership in Downtown Bridgeport. Through many initiatives, such as the delightfully inclusive Colorful Bridgeport content series, she has elevated local voices, supported small businesses, and created vibrant, welcoming experiences that celebrate the city’s diversity and creativity.

“Lauren represents everything this award was created to recognize,” said Michelle McCabe, CMSC Executive Director. “She leads with authenticity, builds genuine partnerships, and consistently ensures that community voices are not just heard—but centered—in the work. Lauren is both passionate about elevating Bridgeport’s downtown and compassionate about the residents who will be using and enjoying these spaces. She invites everyone to the table while ensuring forward progress continues—even when that work takes time.”

Reflecting on her work, Ms. Coakley Vincent is quick to credit Bridgeport’s deep well of talent and her many partners and collaborators: “The most enriching component of my work is that it is based in collaboration and partnership with the community members of Downtown Bridgeport. The single thing that makes me most proud is that everything Colorful Bridgeport produces is locally sourced and made in Bridgeport—from the artists and entrepreneurs to the print shop. Everything good here comes from within the community.”

I have been honored to assist with these projects over the years:

Colorful Bridgeport Content Series: Our creative director, Marcella Kovac, and the members of the Special Events & Marketing Committee have come up with and supported several series that uniquely promoted what is special about the people, places, and experiences that make Downtown Bridgeport the welcoming, inclusive, and creative community that it is. My favorites have been:

• People of Colorful Bridgeport: this combined a gallery portrait wall that activated a vacant storefront on Main Street with a video interview series that was shared on social media. 
• Jane & Laurayne’s Walk: this short film and neighborhood walk project was an idea from our Special Events & Marketing Committee to modify the national Jane’s Walk event concept to celebrate a local civic hero, Laurayne Ferrar-James, while connecting the concept of civic engagement with city planning and development. We had a lot of fun walking around to the places that Laurayne influenced and connecting her work with the concepts made famous by Jane Jacobs. Downtown residents Gemeem Davis and Alicia Cobb directed and starred in the short film, with cinematography by Bridgeport filmmaker Daniel Recinos. We were fortunate to receive a CT Humanities Quick Grant to pay the creatives involved in creating the short film.
• Colorful Melting Pot: Local photographers and filmmakers Brandon Smith and Gary Judkins approached us about an artful look at Downtown’s best dining destinations. The selection that they captured in Colorful Melting Pot showcased a dynamic, multicultural food scene that has grown tremendously in size and stature since their coverage.
• Colorful Nights Similarly, Jessica Maria (A Day With Jess) proposed a collaboration to highlight the nightlife in Downtown Bridgeport. The series followed partygoers to multiple Downtown venues and gave our lesser -known nightlife scene a real bump in social media presence.
• Shop Locally, Give Colorfully: Each year we partner with a new content creator for a fresh take on the best spots for holiday shopping each year. Whoever the content creator is, whether it’s Daniel Recinos, Edwin Escobar, Brysen Moore, or our own Marcella Kovac; brings their own point of view, flair, and following to our page. 

Color It In public art program: Color It In was designed to activate different sites with public art as a means to enhance the experience of residents, business owners, workers, and visitors to Downtown Bridgeport, while welcoming those individuals to explore different areas of the neighborhood. Over the course of our four years, we commissioned 28 artists to complete an astounding 35 projects that have spread color and joy while transforming Downtown Bridgeport into a vibrant center of community activity. These projects invested over $625,000 in the arts community here, with 85% of projects being completed by local, minority, and/or women artists. This unprecedented public investment made a statement to the regional creative community – Bridgeport is a place that celebrates and invests in the arts.

Of the many Color It In projects, the two that I love the most are Peacock Alley and Color Rain. Peacock Alley began as a simple idea, when Christina Smith said, “hey I have some paint left over from a grant, do you think we could paint the alley behind the Arcade Mall?” A few phone calls and meetings with property owners, and a fun, playful design from Razul Branch later, we had an unnoticeable grey concrete walkway that had been transformed into a destination for creativity and play. The story behind Color Rain, which features members of CIRI’s youth program, is beautifully told by the artists themselves in our artist feature video, created by Gary Judkins.

DSSD and partner events: As a neighborhood steward and placemaker, the DSSD has a role in shaping how welcoming (or not) and inclusive (or not) Downtown Bridgeport can appear. We have invested dollars, team member hours, and supplies into making it clear that our neighborhood flourishes when community, culture, and commerce intersect. From our support of the Bridgeport Art Trail, Skateport, Pride, Downtown Thursdays, #100GirlsLeading, and others to the Downtown Farmers Market and our other signature events; I have always advocated to support the diverse and representative cultural producers who draw in new and old audiences to the neighborhood.

This award recognizes individuals and organizations that champion a comprehensive, strategic management approach to revitalizing historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

CMSC proudly names Elizabeth Donius, Executive Director, Westville Village Renaissance Alliance as the 2026 Founder’s Award recipient for her outstanding leadership in Westville Village and her deep commitment to Main Street principles. As one of only three programs in the state to be accredited by the national Main Street America organization, Lizzy consistently demonstrates to communities around Connecticut what high performing main street managers can accomplish. 

“Lizzy exemplifies what it means to be a Main Street leader in today’s environment,” said McCabe. “She blends creativity with strategy, ensuring that Westville is not only vibrant today but positioned for long-term success. Her ability to cultivate partnerships, stay ahead of national best practices, and maintain Main Street America designation speaks to both her dedication and expertise. She has helped make Westville a model for how arts, culture, and community engagement can drive economic growth,” said Ms. McCabe.

My favorite parts of my job all involve bringing the community together. I love our events, like the Annual ArtWalk, the Hi-Fi Pie Fest summer concert series and pie-baking competition, and the Giant Puppet and People Making Mayhem Parade. While they are ephemeral, these events are central to Westville’s identity. Even during the pandemic, dozens of volunteers came together to make sure these events happened—a virtual ArtWalk, a giant puppet car caravan through multiple neighborhoods, a pie contest with pre-cut slices for pick-up. Because the need for community was so strong, we found ways to adapt.

Creativity and strong community spirit is Westville’s superpower, and it has also been its growth engine—attracting vintage shops, cafés, and arts-related businesses that have made Westville a destination. Our ongoing work in partnership with the New Haven Parking Authority and the City of New Haven to develop a Central Square in the heart of the village are informed and inspired by the critical role Westville Village plays in the civic life of our community.

I see my role as a convener, facilitator and cheerleader for the creative expression and engagement of everyone who is searching for those opportunities: small business entrepreneurs, artists, restaurateurs, gardeners, bakers, and even real estate developers. Main Streets are THE place where EVERYONE in a community comes together, and THAT has never been more important.  

This award is presented in recognition of individuals and organizations who dedicate themselves to promoting an awareness of the necessity of a comprehensive management approach to the revitalization of Connecticut’s historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

Kim is being recognized for her 20+ years of service to Connecticut’s downtowns and Main Streets, having spent two decades at CMSC where she provided technical assistance to members, developed CMSC’s educational programming, and served as interim Executive Director before moving to DECD, where she continues to help downtowns by administering the Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant.

Kim joined CMSC in 2001, shortly after the then-Connecticut Light & Power Company (now Eversource) restructured the original CT Main Street Program into the Connecticut Main Street Center, an independent non-profit. Kim contributed enormously to the growth and success of CMSC, helping grow membership to over 80 communities, more than doubling the staff, and most recently serving as Interim CEO.

Says Carl Rosa, CMSC Field Services Director,  “During her time with Connecticut Main Street Center, Kim represented all that is dynamic and inspiring with our downtowns and main streets across the state with the utmost of professionalism. She was an invaluable source of guidance for me during my time as Main Street Waterbury’s Executive Director.  She is both a mentor and good friend and I couldn’t be happier that she is receiving the CMSC Founder’s award this year!”

This new award honors the legacy of state Rep. Quentin “Q” Williams. Q was a great friend of CMSC and a champion for all of Connecticut’s downtowns. This award honors those who embody his greatest strengths, including tireless advocacy, working collaboratively to achieve common goals, bringing a multitude of voices to the fore, and working to create downtowns that are inclusive and welcoming to all.

For several years, Sarah has exemplified excellence in Main Street management.  She approaches the work with the entire ecosystem in mind, building partnerships with all stakeholders, creating innovative programs to support businesses and build excitement, applying her vast knowledge to help developers and businesses navigate regulation and permitting, and working round the clock to keep Simsbury on the map as a wonderful place to work, live and play. 

However, it was during the uncertainty and upheaval brought by COVID where Sarah’s acumen was critically important to the survival of many businesses in her downtown.  Sarah worked tirelessly to get PPE out into the community, to help businesses apply for special loans and grants, problem-solving ways to continue operations during lockdown like creating a curbside delivery system on the fly, advocating for support from the state, interfacing with public safety and public health to make reopening easier, and keeping the entire main street community constantly apprised of new information through regular communication.  Sarah’s availability, her support, and her ability to make things happen were key not only to the survival of her main street businesses but bolstered their spirits during an incredibly challenging time. Heroes show their mettle in times of crisis and Sarah, a downtown hero before COVID, certainly saved the day for Simsbury when she was most needed.

Established in honor of Jack Shannahan, the former director of the Connecticut Historical Commission and State Historic Preservation Officer; and a founder and first Board Chair of CMSC, the Jack Shannahan Award for Public Service recognizes public and private sector individuals and organizations that exemplify a high standard of leadership with a deep commitment to the success of Connecticut’s Main Streets.

Many Connecticut Main Streets are anchored by arts organizations. From the performing arts theaters to museums and galleries to cinemas and public art,  the arts draw residents and tourists to downtowns and village centers, bringing foot traffic to small businesses and restaurants and life to the streets.  Liz Shapiro, as the Director of Connecticut’s Office of the Arts, recognizes this important symbiotic relationship and has created two important programs to further develop the connection between the arts and business – Connecticut Cultural Districts and the AIR Collaborative. 

The Cultural District program, established in 2019, designates a specific area of a city or town that has a concentration of cultural facilities, activities and/ort assets that are within a walkable area and easy for visitors to recognize.  The creation of the districts, which inevitably are on main streets and downtowns, offer an opportunity for cross-sector collaboration that benefits all stakeholders and a statewide platform to showcase these exciting destinations.  

Similarly, the AIR Collaborative is an approach to economic and community development that brings the arts and business community together to collaborate on revitalization efforts.  Bridging these two worlds also result in the kind of main street vibrancy that CMSC champions.  By bringing both the Cultural District and the Air Collaborative to Connecticut, Liz has strengthened the ability of our main streets to bring people together and to shine.

Photo credit: New London Cultural District; Eat in the Street Scavenger Hunt, mural design by WORMO

Managing a vibrant downtown is complex work, requiring consistent effort and tireless commitment. This award honors CMSC members – the people, communities and organizations – whose exceptional efforts are contributing to thriving downtowns across the state.

Main Street is the spine for the Downtown Norwich Historic District which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Amazing 19^th Century architecture includes a magnificent City Hall prominently overlooking the business district and the historic Carroll Building which greets visitors at the confluence of the Shetucket, Yantic and Thames Rivers in the picturesque Chelsea Harbor. These assets lay the foundation for Norwich’s Main Street revival, where eight summer cultural festivals were hosted in 2022, and restaurants and breweries created a walkable “party under the lights” for St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas. Their parklets and murals have enhanced this welcoming and vibrant downtown where people enjoy coming together. The next 12 months will see a $20 million investment produce a 20-room boutique hotel, brewery, coffee house, and 60 market rate apartments all with Main Street addresses along a 300-yard stretch where downtown residents can live, work, and play.

NCDC has utilized the Four Point Approach to improve the downtown in the following ways:

• Economic Vitality: The pandemic created a difficult situation for the food & beverage industry but also set the conditions for revival. Outdoor dining became a solution to the pandemic problem, but has evolved into an opportunity. Norwich’s investment in parklets has created permanence to what was a temporary condition, and allowed not only increased business for downtown restaurants and breweries, but also created a vitality that draws in more business.
• Design: Outward facing symbols that create a welcoming and vibrant community are at the center of their parklet and mural improvements. Prior to acquiring and placing the parklets, outdoor dining space was haphazard and ad hoc. The quality of design of the Archatrack parklets, enhanced by floral displays and lighting, results in a Main Street “feel” that is attractive and stands alone as a service option and not just a “solution to a problem”.  The murals throughout the downtown attract interest and visitation as well as reducing the toxic stress that can come from a lack of vibrant outdoor space.
• Promotion: Acquiring assets is only step one. NCDC’s efforts to bring people together through festivals coordinated by Global City Norwich (an arm of NCDC) and their partners in the Norwich Events Organization have added people to the assets!  Promoting struts, strolls, and parades through the downtown space, particularly at night under the lights, has brought people’s attention directly to the efforts to create outdoor communal space in the parklets and the evolving work at Jubilee Park.  Additionally, NCDC’s ongoing work to reach out to the community through the EnvisionNorwich360.com online engagement tool has given them extra reach.
• Organization: Community partnerships with business owners have made this parklet effort successful.  Business retention requires sustained face-to-face with downtown business owners and these efforts have created a spark for those conversations.  The Jubilee Park effort is a case study in public-private cooperation to take a privately owned asset and create public space. Though still underway, NCDC’s ability to organize and synchronize the efforts of the municipality, their economic development organization and a private building owner with a study by the Yale Urban Design Workshop is an example of how Main Street efforts require “many hands” as opposed to one organization.

How has CMSC influenced your efforts?

Says NCDC, “Our initial visit with CMSC leaders inspired us to make a concerted effort to do the daily work of reviving what has been a tired downtown. The workshops and newsletters distributed by CMCS sustain our motivation and refresh us when we get caught up in the daily grind of the hard work that is Main Street revival.” 

Managing a vibrant downtown is complex work, requiring consistent effort and tireless commitment. This award honors CMSC members – the people, communities and organizations – whose exceptional efforts are contributing to thriving downtowns across the state.

Farmington Avenue in Berlin is a very non-traditional Main Street, as it’s not just a state highway but also serves as a major vehicular passageway.  In 2019, Berlin joined the CT Main Street Program and named this area Kensington Village through a local contest.  At the same time, the state and federal investment into CT Rail as Berlin and the new Berlin Train Station began the shift in the area.  This brought about Steele Center, an $18 million mixed-use project developed by Southington-based Newport Realty Group.  Steele Center is being constructed on formerly town-owned land that shares a property line with the train station property.  When complete in 2024, Steele Center will boast over 60 apartments, 15,000 square feet of commercial space, and become the core to this new village center.  These two major investments have spurred additional investment in the form of new businesses including Coles Road Brewing, Provision State Coffee, new restaurants and a renewed spirit of entrepreneurship.

How Berlin is utilizing the Four Point Approach to improve their downtown:

Kensington Village has become the place to be in Central Connecticut!  The incredible amount of new and growing businesses (during COVID) have created an Economic Vitality not seen in this area of Berlin for many decades.  In fact, there is a shortage of space on Farmington Avenue for new firms, so the brand new buildings at Steele Center are eagerly awaited for occupancy.  Promotion has been an important key to this area as they hold a few events every year to bring people to the area.  The most popular and successful one is their Halloween Trick or Treat.  In only their 4^th year, they had over 70 business give out candy and close to 500 participants who dressed up and enjoyed the day.  In addition, they held a number of events with outside groups including CREW and the CT Homebuilders Association to highlight the forward progress in the area including.  Design is something that has not been focused on, but an effort is planned for 2023-2024 to add decorative and functional benches along Farmington Avenue to give people a spot to sit while providing something for local artists to use to show off their creativity.  A core group of business and property owners have been the driving force behind the success of the Kensington Village.  This organic, ground-up approach has been key to helping the Town of Berlin in making decisions on use of marketing dollars as well as the best use of the time of Town staff.

How CMSC is influencing their efforts:

Says Berlin’s Chris Edge: “CMSC has been a valuable resource as they were instrumental when discussions began in 2018 and 2019 on creating a Main Street Program in town.  In partnership with the Greater New Britain Foundation for Public Giving, the Town of Berlin and CMSC, we received a grant which helped us to work together to look at the area and determine if a Main Street Approach would work in town.  Thankfully, the work and research done laid the groundwork for where we are today.  The programs (both in person and virtually) have helped me personally to bring ideas to our Kensington Village, as well as to spur conversations on where we are, where we are headed, and ways to get there.  We are not there yet, but hope to have a separate non-profit set up for the Kensington Village which will be run and managed by the property owners and businesses that call it home.”