Launch LYH: Forging Building Owner Relationships for Long-Term Success

Posted on by Department of Housing and Community Development

*be sure to check out FY25 CBL How-to-Apply Webinar registration details at the bottom of this post

It’s a story all too familiar to those who work in downtown revitalization. Unengaged property owners allow buildings to remain vacant. Buildings fall into disrepair. Buildings become too expensive or cost-prohibitive to repair, restore, and return to active use. Community misses out on opportunity to increase tax base through activation of vacant space…and on and on and on.

Downtown Lynchburg Association (DLA) can relate, although a little less after the completion of their Launch LYH program. After receiving a Community Business Launch (CBL) award in 2023, DLA hosted a business planning course for entrepreneurs tied to grant funding to jumpstart their business ventures. Prior to application, DLA created a building inventory of downtown, identifying spaces that were vacant, how much work would need to be done to be “move-in” ready, and built strong relationships with their building owners downtown.

DLA also did something no other community receiving CBL funds had done before! They forged a transformative partnership with a local contractor, Jamerson Lewis Construction, who provided pro-bono consulting services to support entrepreneurs in the design and upfit of the vacant storefronts they hoped to fill with their business. Offering this service on properties that can be extremely expensive to renovate provided valuable assistance to the businesses, in addition to removing a huge barrier to their future development.

At the end of the program, Launch LYH awarded $115,000 worth of reimbursable grants to five businesses, including Mosaic Collective + Threaded, Wolfbane Productions, Super Rad!, PREAM, and Easy Speak Dance Hall. DLA filled 5 storefronts, with over 18,000 square feet of previously vacant space, created and retained 22 jobs, and generated $1.6 million in private investment for downtown. DLA is now seeing new investments being spurred from its resulting new and expanded businesses. Four of the businesses have located in properties with multiple levels, only occupying the first level, storefront space. This has catalyzed owners and developers of the properties to renovate the second floors into residential units or office spaces. One building owner has even decided to restore a building adjacent to one of the new businesses, to create more, viable move-in ready space for other businesses to locate.  

Is your community ready for a CBL program? Applications are now open! Those interested in learning about the program and how to apply are encouraged to attend the FY25 How-to-Apply webinar taking place on Wednesday, February 7 at 11 a.m. To register for the webinar, click here!