Governor Timothy M. Kaine, his cabinet and members of his senior staff conducted their sixteenth and final Cabinet Community Day on a sundrenched, autumn Tuesday, Oct. 20 in downtown Lynchburg.  The Governor holds four Cabinet Community Days every year, visiting eight regions of the state twice over the course of the administration.  Executive Director Angela Hamilton of Lynch’s Landing enjoyed showing off the inspiring results of the local revitalization efforts.

After helping administer H1N1 flu vaccines to students at a local elementary school and lending a hand to the James River Association’s Extreme Stream Makeover, Kaine and his crew lit up downtown for lunch at the Depot Grill, a long-time local favorite and former train depot on Lynchburg’s Historic Riverfront, followed by a walking tour. 

Hamilton led the group up a steep 9^th Street incline from the waterfront to the shops on Main Street.  Once there, they were rewarded with a warm greeting from 9^th Street Parlor owner, Ralph “Chopper” Wilson, and the sweet aroma of fresh cupcakes from the new Taste Selects Confectionery.   Chopper recently completed work on the Parlor Lofts residential space above these storefronts.  For the residents, that baked goodness must be a temptation not easily refused. 

The tour continued down to a neighboring storefront under renovation, where the Market on Main, a downtown grocery owned by Rodney Taylor, will be located.  Nearby, the recently-opened Celebration Bridal and High Peak Sportswear demonstrated a thriving retail presence that has returned to Lynchburg’s Main Street.  When asked by the Governor what incentives were used for the rehabilitations, the property owners gladly praised the Historic Rehabilitation and New Market Tax Credits as essential.

Special thanks to Angela Hamilton and Lynch’s Landing for advocating a vibrant vision for downtown Lynchburg and representing the potential of Main Street efforts for Virginia.