by Nikola Tzenov
photography by Nikola Tzenov
Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman visited Sykesville on Wednesday, June 10, to recognize the town’s nationally acclaimed downtown revitalization efforts, presenting certificates of recognition to town leaders during a ceremony at Sykesville’s Town Hall.
Lierman presented the awards to Sykesville Mayor Stacy Link and Downtown Sykesville Connection Executive Director Julie Della-Maria in recognition of the town’s designation as a Great American Main Street by Main Street America. The prestigious award, presented in 2025, has been granted to just over 100 communities nationwide since its inception in 1985.
The ceremony highlighted years of collaboration between local government, business owners and community organizations that transformed downtown Sykesville into one of Maryland’s most celebrated Main Street districts.
“Sykesville has demonstrated the power of partnership between the local government, the business owners, and the nonprofit Downtown Sykesville Connection,” Lierman said. “When all of the interested parties can come together around a common vision and understand that there’s going to be sacrifice sometimes along the way, but they’re going to get to a place where it’s best for everyone, that’s when magic happens, and I think that’s what you see happening in Sykesville.”
Della-Maria said the recognition represents a milestone rather than a conclusion for the community’s ongoing revitalization efforts.
“The Main Street effort is never finished,” she said. “What we have done for the past over 10 years has been validated and recognized. So now we’re going to leverage that award to continue doing the hard walk and continue making this place a reflection of what our community is, and a place for everyone to strive and feel welcome.”
Link reflected on the town’s investment in downtown infrastructure and public spaces, saying she first saw the impact of those efforts during community events held after years of construction projects.
“I looked around and people were standing in spaces that didn’t exist before,” Link said. “The space that they were in was more than a physical space, it was a feeling that it gave them to be in that space.”
Following the award presentation, Lierman, Link, and Della-Maria toured downtown Sykesville. During the walking tour, Della-Maria highlighted historic landmarks, community gathering spaces and local businesses that have contributed to the area’s revitalization, including The Local Motive, Unwined Candles, Cowboys & Angels Boutique, BotaniGal, Tidal Salt on Main, Uncle Joe’s Main Street Market & Deli and Patapsco Distilling Company.
The visit underscored the continued partnership between state and local leaders as Sykesville builds on its national recognition and pursues future economic development opportunities in its historic downtown district.
