Main Street efforts are already bringing together economic, social and environmental goals in pursuit of fostering quality in their communities. To push it a step futher, 70 participants gathered in Staunton in July for two days of conversation on and the examination of sustainability models in Virginia. Speakers included Andrea Dono of the National Trust for … More Sustainable Main Street resources available
Governor McDonnell announced yesterday that four new communities can now tout their distinction as Designated Virginia Main Street Communities. The new communities are the cities of Hopewell and Bristol and the towns of Farmville and St. Paul. They were chosen based on a combination of factors that included need, readiness, community support and appropriateness of their … More Virginia Main Street designates four new communities
Five Designated Virginia Main Street (VMS) Communities have been awarded 2011 Downtown Improvment Grants. This year, VMS communities served by CSX Transportation rail lines were eligible for a match of up to $5,000 from the corporation, pushing the awards from $2,500 to a total of $7,500. Waynesboro and Winchester will receive CSX Transportation VMS Downtown Improvement Grants. Communities … More Downtown Improvement Grants Awarded
Governor McDonnell has announced that Waynesboro, a Designated Virginia Main Street Community, will receive a $770,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for its Downtown Revitalization Project. The Virginia CDBG program is administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The grant was one of only 12 successful applications from among the 30 which competed for nearly $9 million in … More Waynesboro awarded Community Development Block Grant for downtown project
Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway is now open. The facility welcomes visitors to the region and connects lifelong residents with the artisans and musicians that surround them in the 19-county region of Southwest Virginia. Perched on a knoll adjacent to I-81 on the campus of Abingdon’s Virginia Highlands Community College, the unique structure, by Roanoke’s Spectrum Design, should attract curious … More Heartwood opens doors as regional gateway
Sustainability is more than a code word for environmental stewardship. Going well beyond the “greening” of individual buildings and recycling, it’s a comprehensive strategy that can foster vibrancy in a community today while ensuring that resources are available for tomorrow’s needs. But just how can communities care for their corner of the world and its … More Online Registration Now Open for Sustainability Toolkit
Kathy Frazier of Frazier Associates loads her presentations with lots of great pictures, and her shots of simple tips to make your downtown look its best really brought her May 2011 webinar to life. If you or your design committee missed “The Downtown Spring Spruce-Up,” don’t worry, you can catch it in reruns. Watch the full webinar here. If … More “Downtown spruce-up” webinar available online
In a time of tight public budgets and program cuts, the most important task a publicly-funded program can do is show results. Bring people downtown, attract private investment, increase sales and fill vacancies; i.e. increase the tax base. These are the hard, quantifiable outcomes that a Main Street program should be working toward and that … More Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance named “Best Use of Taxpayer Money”
The creative spirit of the Downtown Staunton community is driving a playful public engagement strategy around the restoration of the Sears Hill Bridge. The pedestrian bridge, which had linked the Sears Hill neighborhood and Downtown Staunton for more than 100 years, was condemned in January 2010. Restoration of the bridge will cost about $200,000, and the community is pulling together to make … More Staunton rallies for the Sears Hill Bridge
Nominations are being accepted through June 30 for the 2011 Tayloe Murphy Resilience Award. The award, given by the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, is a unique competition honoring entrepreneurial businesses that demonstrate sustained vitality and commitment to Virginia communities facing high unemployment, high poverty and low entrepreneurial activity. Each year five Resilience Award winners receive … More Nominate a business for the 2011 Tayloe Murphy Resilience Award
Virginia Main Street 