LEWISTON – The city has won an international award for its work on the Southern Gateway.

The Strategic Leadership and Governance Excellence Award was bestowed by the International City/County Management Association, a professional and educational organization for chief appointed managers, administrators and assistants in cities, towns, counties and regional entities throughout the world.

Lewiston was selected as a program excellence winner due to the revitalization of its Southern Gateway, described as a “Strategic Municipal Image Campaign.” Once known as the Bowery of Lewiston and the topic of jokes, the gateway is now being touted as an example of public-private partnerships.

“I am honored to accept this award on behalf of Lewiston’s tremendous progress within the gateway,” City Administrator Jim Bennett said in a prepared statement. “That area of the city is now a place where people want to be and do business. Clearly, the revitalization has been successful due to community involvement, collaboration, and visionary decisions, and the success has also sparked growth and development throughout the rest of the community.”

Bennett noted that for many years Lewiston had suffered with “a bleak image that hung over the city like a dark cloud, remaining there until Lewiston started believing in itself.”

The former condition of the Southern Gateway was one of the reasons for that image, he said.

“Lewiston has experienced a renaissance throughout the community that is best exemplified by the successes in the Southern Gateway, surpassing anything ever dreamed possible,” Bennett added, reflecting on the siting of Oxford Networks, VIP Auto Parts, an already expanding Andover College, Northeast Bank, the Pontiac Parking Garage, the renovation of The Public Theatre, and the soon-to-be-open Central Business Service Center. Infrastructure and streetscape improvements have also added to the gateway’s new appeal.

The award will be presented to Lewiston at ICMA’s 91st annual conference in September.

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