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The ceremony focused on the results of Main Street efforts around the state, and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Jim Cheng spoke to the audience of downtown revitalization volunteers and professionals about the visible results of their leadership. “The Virginia Main Street program not only contributes to the economic revitalization of its designated and affiliated communities, but the program has also contributed to the historic preservation of the architecture, spirit and uniqueness of Virginia’s downtowns,” said Cheng. “The work that you do every day to promote, reinvigorate and revitalize downtown through not only façade and physical enhancements, but through event planning, marketing, promotions and more, is making real progress for Virginia.” Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Director Bill Shelton pointed to downtown progress through the numbers. “In the last five years, Designated Main Street Communities have sparked more than $236 million in private investment in their districts,” said Shelton. “As a result, last year there was a net collective gain of 826 jobs across the 25 Main Street downtown districts.” “The rapidly-shifting economy has intensified the pressure on small businesses everywhere, particularly on Main Street,” said National Trust Main Street Center Director Doug Loescher. “For communities interested in capitalizing on their unique local enterprises, the ‘buy local’ campaigns are a great start, but just part of the equation. To our community economic development strategies of ‘shop locally,’ ‘live locally’ and ‘eat locally,’ it is now time that we add ‘invest locally’ as well. Main Street is the perfect place to make that happen.” In Staunton, revitalization strategies continue to reinvigorate the Downtown Service District to create a sustainable economy the benefits the entire city. The Staunton Downtown Development Association was designated as a Virginia Main Street Community in 1996. Since its inception, the District has seen the creation of 362 businesses and 1,142 jobs. Property values have risen by 300% and 487 rehabilitation projects have been completed through private investments of over $53 million and 54 public projects have been completed at a cost of $38 million. “The private-public partnership is one of the cornerstones of the Main Street model,” said Julie Markowitz, Executive Director of the Staunton Downtown Development Association. “As our volunteer award suggests, no single organization can succeed without the support of their community and their City government.” In addition to Staunton, Virginia, Virginia Main Street recognized the following communities for excellence. • Altavista Currently there are 25 designated Virginia Main Street communities: Abingdon, Altavista, Bedford, Berryville, Blackstone, Bristol, Culpeper, Farmville, Franklin, Harrisonburg, Hopewell, Luray, Lynchburg, Manassas, Marion, Martinsville, Orange, Radford, Rocky Mount, Saint Paul, South Boston, Staunton, Warrenton, Waynesboro, and Winchester. The Virginia Main Street program, managed by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, provides assistance and training to help communities increase the economic vitality of their downtown commercial districts. Virginia Main Street uses the National Main Street model to help communities revitalize their downtowns by focusing on their unique heritage and attributes. The program helps communities implement a comprehensive revitalization strategy that creates economic growth and pride in downtowns. For more information about the Virginia Main Street program, call (804) 371-7030 or visit: www.dhcd.virginia.gov/MainStreet. March 16, the Staunton Downtown Development Association received a Virginia Main Street Milestone Achievement Award for the investment of more than 65,000 Volunteer Hours since 1997. The awards were presented at Richmond’s historic Jefferson Hotel. The ceremony focused on the results of Main Street efforts around the state, and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Jim Cheng spoke to the audience of downtown revitalization volunteers and professionals about the visible results of their leadership. “The Virginia Main Street program not only contributes to the economic revitalization of its designated and affiliated communities, but the program has also contributed to the historic preservation of the architecture, spirit and uniqueness of Virginia’s downtowns,” said Cheng. “The work that you do every day to promote, reinvigorate and revitalize downtown through not only façade and physical enhancements, but through event planning, marketing, promotions and more, is making real progress for Virginia.” Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Director Bill Shelton pointed to downtown progress through the numbers. “In the last five years, Designated Main Street Communities have sparked more than $236 million in private investment in their districts,” said Shelton. “As a result, last year there was a net collective gain of 826 jobs across the 25 Main Street downtown districts.” “The rapidly-shifting economy has intensified the pressure on small businesses everywhere, particularly on Main Street,” said National Trust Main Street Center Director Doug Loescher. “For communities interested in capitalizing on their unique local enterprises, the ‘buy local’ campaigns are a great start, but just part of the equation. To our community economic development strategies of ‘shop locally,’ ‘live locally’ and ‘eat locally,’ it is now time that we add ‘invest locally’ as well. Main Street is the perfect place to make that happen.” In Staunton, revitalization strategies continue to reinvigorate the Downtown Service District to create a sustainable economy the benefits the entire city. The Staunton Downtown Development Association was designated as a Virginia Main Street Community in 1996. Since its inception, the District has seen the creation of 362 businesses and 1,142 jobs. Property values have risen by 300% and 487 rehabilitation projects have been completed through private investments of over $53 million and 54 public projects have been completed at a cost of $38 million. “The private-public partnership is one of the cornerstones of the Main Street model,” said Julie Markowitz, Executive Director of the Staunton Downtown Development Association. “As our volunteer award suggests, no single organization can succeed without the support of their community and their City government.” In addition to Staunton, Virginia, Virginia Main Street recognized the following communities for excellence. • Altavista • Bedford • Culpeper • Franklin • Harrisonburg • Lynchburg • Manassas • Martinsville • Orange • Radford • Rocky Mount • South Boston • Staunton • Winchester Currently there are 25 designated Virginia Main Street communities: Abingdon, Altavista, Bedford, Berryville, Blackstone, Bristol, Culpeper, Farmville, Franklin, Harrisonburg, Hopewell, Luray, Lynchburg, Manassas, Marion, Martinsville, Orange, Radford, Rocky Mount, Saint Paul, South Boston, Staunton, Warrenton, Waynesboro, and Winchester. The Virginia Main Street program, managed by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, provides assistance and training to help communities increase the economic vitality of their downtown commercial districts. Virginia Main Street uses the National Main Street model to help communities revitalize their downtowns by focusing on their unique heritage and attributes. The program helps communities implement a comprehensive revitalization strategy that creates economic growth and pride in downtowns. For more information about the Virginia Main Street program, call (804) 371-7030 or visit: www.dhcd.virginia.gov/MainStreet. |
