Month: February 2012

Can your Main Street Pass the Walkability Popsicle Test?

February 28, 2012

In his recent blog post, What Pictures Can Teach Us About Walkability, Kaid Benfield suggests that we can use some very simple techniques to determine how well our downtown is doing.  Benfield’s emphasis is on sustainable communities, which, he argues, are perhaps best described as communities that are walkable. Benfield asks, “is [the community] safe, … More Can your Main Street Pass the Walkability Popsicle Test?

Attracting, Developing and Retaining Main Street Entrepreneurs

February 23, 2012

Entrepreneurs are generally pretty imaginative people, but some may need a creative venue and an audience to help them articulate their ideas. Staunton Creative Community Fund’s (SCCF) recent Ignite Staunton! campaign proved to be the creative outlet that entrepreneur Michael Reeps needed to make his unique business concept a reality. Last fall’s Ignite Staunton!, partly … More Attracting, Developing and Retaining Main Street Entrepreneurs

Culpeper – 2012 Great American Main Street Awards Semi-Finalist

February 9, 2012

Congratulations to the Town of Culpeper, which was recently named by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the top 10 semi-finalists for the 2012 Great American Main Street Awards (GAMSA). The semi-finalists have demonstrated their ability to preserve their unique history while creating and maintaining vibrant, successful commercial districts that serve as the heart … More Culpeper – 2012 Great American Main Street Awards Semi-Finalist

Staunton in Preservation Magazine

February 7, 2012

The recent history of one of Virginia travelers’ favorite Main Street  communities was recently showcased in Preservation – The Magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Secret of Staunton’s Success explains how the city used historic preservation as an economic engine to transform the downtown. Starting with the restoration of a handful of … More Staunton in Preservation Magazine