Since 1985, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) program has been helping to pave the way for successful and enduring community revitalization driven by the National Main Street Center’s (NMSC) Main Street Approach.

Currently housed under the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Community Vitality Office (CVO), VMS integrates seamlessly with the greater work of the agency as it supports and promotes healthy, vibrant and sustaining downtowns and business districts across the Commonwealth. As a Main Street America State Coordinating Program, VMS offers a range of services and assistance to communities interested in revitalizing their historic commercial districts. While the program was designed to address the need for revitalization and on-going management of smaller to mid-sized downtowns, aspects of the Main Street Approach may be applied successfully in other commercial settings.

The Main Street Approach provides a flexible framework that puts the traditional assets of downtown, such as unique architecture and locally-owned businesses, to work as a catalyst for economic growth and community pride. Like thousands of communities across the country, VMS communities have successfully used the time-tested Main Street Approach and embraced a comprehensive, incremental approach to revitalization to address the complex and changing issues facing their downtown business environment and stimulate long-term economic growth and pride in the traditional community center.

To learn more, click here to view the VMS Program Guidelines!