A stroll down Main Street in Lennox feels different today than it did just a few years ago. Freshly updated storefronts line the blocks, businesses are reinvesting in their spaces, and there’s a renewed energy downtown. What was once a corridor at risk of being overshadowed by growth along Highway 17 is now a hub of pride and possibility.

Behind this transformation is the Main Street Façade Improvement Program, a project born directly out of strategic planning Lennox undertook with Dakota Resources in 2021. What began as community conversations and visioning sessions has now become a visible investment in downtown Lennox.

In the fall of 2021, the Lennox Area Development Corporation (LADC), in partnership with the City of Lennox, worked with Dakota Resources to conduct a comprehensive strategic planning process. Residents shared both concerns and aspirations through surveys and visioning sessions. The message was clear: Main Street needed attention. In the community survey, 25 respondents specifically mentioned amenities and aesthetics, with six calling out the need to improve downtown. At the visioning sessions, Main Street revitalization, grants for renovation, and a façade program all surfaced as priorities for the community.

The planning process unfolded in phases. It began with surveys to understand community perceptions, followed by visioning sessions where residents imagined what Lennox would look like if it were thriving. “What we discovered is that nothing was currently being done to support Main Street businesses or improvements to Main Street,” said Paula Jensen, Vice President of Program Development and Community Coach at Dakota Resources. “Following those visioning sessions, the LADC board and a few city council members took all they had learned and created an LADC Strategy Plan.

Their #1 Priority was Fostering Business Opportunities with a goal to create a small business incentives program by March of 2022.” Out of that work came one of the first tangible results: the launch of the Façade Improvement Program.

The program gave property owners a structured way to apply for financial assistance in updating storefronts, with projects reviewed and approved by the LADC board. The impact since then has been significant. Nine façade projects have already been completed, with one more active in 2025, and a total of $123,170 invested in improvements downtown. Josh Chase, Economic Development Manager for the LADC, explains, “The Façade Improvement Program added a clean new feel to Main Street. There is still work to be done, but since the program has started, Lennox has even seen four new businesses pop up on Main Street. These businesses have matched the energy that’s already there by improving their new locations as well.”

The program has not been without its challenges. Initially, participation was slow, but outreach through direct mail, in-person conversations, and celebrating early successes on social media helped build momentum. Today, the program is entering a new phase. Many of the most obvious projects are already complete, and as a community of less than 3,000, applications have naturally slowed. Still, the foundation is strong, and the program remains ready for the next group of business owners in Lennox who want to invest in Main Street.

As The Façade Program continues today, LADC leaders look forward to the future of their downtown. “The Lennox Area Development Corporation is committed to creating the best environment for a thriving Main Street to exist,” Chase said. “We are still offering the Façade Improvement Program at this time, and will continue to work towards making downtown Lennox an ideal home for businesses.”

The Façade Program is more than a downtown facelift. It’s proof of what can happen when local leaders, community members, and statewide partners work together in a shared vision. At Dakota Resources, we believe the Lennox story shows what’s possible when a community’s vision is paired with the right tools and support. We’re honored to be their partner in that journey, and it’s exactly why we do this work.