[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 72 (Thursday, May 26, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6015-S6016]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING NEW IBERIA MAIN STREET

 Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, today I rise to honor a city from 
my home State of Louisiana and am delighted to recognize its 
achievement before this body.
  The City of New Iberia, LA, was recently selected by The National 
Trust for Historic Preservation to receive a 2005 Great American Main 
Street Award. New Iberia won this prestigious award because of its 
successful downtown revitalization. In addition to being recognized as 
one of only five winning communities nationwide, New Iberia is the only 
community in Louisiana to ever receive this distinction. As a champion 
of sustainable and quality community development, I can personally 
attest to this well-deserved honor. New Iberia's Main Street creates a 
unique sense of place through the beauty of its architecture, 
landscaping, and natural integration with Bayou Teche. The residents of 
New Iberia identify with this special place, and it contributes to the 
quality of life and sense of community pride shared by them.
  Founded in 1779, New Iberia was a prosperous antebellum community 
that matured into a modern city. By the mid 1960s, New Iberia's Main 
Street began experiencing decline typical of many communities in the 
United States at that time. Recognizing the role of Main Street in the 
life of a community, New Iberia's business leaders, elected officials, 
and citizens started a progressive downtown revitalization effort known 
as Operation Impact in the early 1970s. This focus on Main Street 
continued, and in the 1990s, New Iberia further enhanced its efforts by 
initiating an officially designated Main Street Program. The unified 
commitment, hard work, and enthusiasm of the people of New Iberia over 
nearly 40 years has reestablished their downtown as a vibrant nucleus 
of culture, commerce, and tourism. It has also fittingly earned them 
national acclaim.
  In the few years since the Main Street Program began in New Iberia, 
the city has seen over 115 new businesses established, over 420 new 
jobs created, and more than $19 million in private investment with 
total investment exceeding $24 million.

[[Page S6016]]

  Downtown development and Main Street revitalization efforts have 
contributed significantly to building safer communities, stronger 
economies, and better quality of life across America. New Iberia, LA, 
is a superb example of how these cooperative efforts can improve 
communities. Today, I give the people of New Iberia my thanks and 
praise.

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