Author: Brad Belo - Virginia Main Street

Virginia Main Streets make it into the “Best of VA” – we’re not surprised

July 10, 2012

Virginia Living has just released its “Best of VA” list and many Main Street communities had businesses that made the list.  Below are some of the first place winners from Virginia’s Main Street communities. Virginia’s Main Street communities also had numerous second and third place winners that can be viewed here.   FIRST PLACE (Central/Living … More Virginia Main Streets make it into the “Best of VA” – we’re not surprised

A State Park Runs Through It

June 29, 2012

The Designated Virginia Main Street community of Farmville has a unique asset that few other Main streets in Virginia, or probably the entire country, can claim.  Virginia’s newest state park, the linear 31-mile-long High Bridge Trail State Park, passes right through Farmville’s Main Street district. And the highlight of the trail, the 2,400-foot-long bridge that towers … More A State Park Runs Through It

A Census of Microenterprise in the U.S. and Virginia

April 20, 2012

Microenterprises, businesses with five or fewer employees, are probably some of the most common business start-ups on Virginia’s Main streets. These scrappy entrepreneurs bring energy and new ideas to empty store fronts and formerly boarded up buildings. So, it’s probably a good idea to know how the organizations that assist microentrepreneurs are doing.  And that … More A Census of Microenterprise in the U.S. and Virginia

Culpeper – 2012 Great American Main Street Award Winner

April 16, 2012

Congratulations to Culpeper Renaissance, Inc., a 2012 Great American Main Street Awards® (GAMSA) winner.  Recognized as a leader in implementing the Main Street Four-Point Approach®, embracing sound historic preservation practices and building strategic partnerships, Culpeper Renaissance, Inc. (CRI) was honored at the Main Street Awards Ceremony at the 2012 National Main Streets Conference in Baltimore, Md. The National Trust … More Culpeper – 2012 Great American Main Street Award Winner

2012 Virginia Main Street Milestone Achievement Awards

March 27, 2012

Congratulations to the 14 designated Virginia Main Street communities that received Milestone Achievement Awards at this year’s annual luncheon. The luncheon, attended by nearly 100 members of the Virginia Main Street community, was hosted by DHCD Director Bill Shelton. Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Jim Cheng applauded the hard work and accomplishments of the Virginia Main … More 2012 Virginia Main Street Milestone Achievement Awards

2012 Downtown Improvement Grants Awarded

March 21, 2012

This past February, Virginia Main Street awarded seven Downtown Improvement Grants ranging from $6,000 to $25,000. The grants are intended to help local Main Street organizations implement economic restructuring strategies that will have measureable local and regional economic benefits, establish and strengthen partnerships in the community and increase the capacity and involvement of local Main Street … More 2012 Downtown Improvement Grants Awarded

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?