Category: Design

Public Art: Making downtown a joyful, active, and social place

June 9, 2017

May 15-19, 2017 marked Art Week @StrongTowns and, while those days have come and gone,  public art catalyzes Main Street’s unique vitality throughout the year. Old Town Winchester, host of the upcoming Virginia Main Street Downtown Intersections, creates an outdoor gallery experience through the Artscape program. An annual, juried art competition, Artscape  reproduces selected artwork on … More Public Art: Making downtown a joyful, active, and social place

Local Incentives Drive Community Development

January 24, 2017

One of the most important ways that a municipality can support it’s small business community is through targeted financial incentives. A recent Potomac Local article touted the expansion of the city of Manassas’ business incentive programs, including Façade Improvement Grants and Landscape Improvement Grants. These incentives will assist with the exterior renovations and landscaping of existing … More Local Incentives Drive Community Development

Webinar: Creating Your Community Transformation Strategies – Oct. 25

October 14, 2016

On October 25, 12-1 PM, Virginia Main Street is offering a free webinar with everything you need to know about getting organized and catalyzing investment for real change. How do you take your downtown vision from concept to reality? The vision establishes the ultimate target toward which all Main Street efforts are directed, and it requires that major … More Webinar: Creating Your Community Transformation Strategies – Oct. 25

Three Steps to Refresh Your Main Street Strategies for Visible Results

August 10, 2016

How can your local Main Street program better use limited resources to create vibrant, people-centered places? The Main Street Approach has been a successful model for older commercial district revitalization for more than 35 years and is used to revitalize and manage downtowns in more than 2,000 communities across the U.S.  The Four Point approach offers … More Three Steps to Refresh Your Main Street Strategies for Visible Results

Three Upcoming Opportunities to Rev up Your Downtown Revitalization Efforts

August 8, 2016

Is your downtown ready for new businesses and residential investment? In order to meet new challenges and ensure a strong Main Street, communities need ongoing training.  Whether the community is just getting started with Main Street activities or well-seasoned in managing a prosperous commercial district, staff and volunteers need different skills in different phases of … More Three Upcoming Opportunities to Rev up Your Downtown Revitalization Efforts

Tips for a Wonderful Experience at Downtown Intersections, Staunton, Virginia

July 6, 2016

Guest Blogger Julie Markowitz, director of Staunton Downtown Development Association, started with Main Street in 2006, armed with 10 years of experience in mall marketing and promotions. Staunton Downtown Development Association is delighted to host the first inaugural Virginia Main Street Downtown Intersections workshop in Staunton, Virginia on July 11-13, 2016. Welcome to Staunton, Main Street … More Tips for a Wonderful Experience at Downtown Intersections, Staunton, Virginia

Hello from Milwaukee: Main Street Now Conference this week

May 23, 2016

Beginning May 23-25, Virginia Main Street (VMS) staff and more than 25 staff and volunteers from the VMS designated communities are in downtown Milwaukee for Main Street Now, the National Main Street Center conference. Main Street Now is the largest nationwide gathering of commercial district revitalization professionals and community leaders in the nation. This year, the conference will bring together more … More Hello from Milwaukee: Main Street Now Conference this week

Virginia Main Street Grant Opportunities

April 25, 2016

Virginia Main Street is currently accepting grant applications for FY 2017. Grants are available only to designated VMS communities and must be administered through the designated local VMS organization. Downtown Investment Grants (DIGs) allow Main Street organizations to take on unique, one-time projects that measurably, creatively and sustainably advance the organization’s goals and strategies. FY … More Virginia Main Street Grant Opportunities