Waynesboro awarded Community Development Block Grant for downtown project

July 1, 2011

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 opens doors as regional gateway

June 29, 2011

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

Online Registration Now Open for Sustainability Toolkit

June 20, 2011

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

“Downtown spruce-up” webinar available online

June 17, 2011

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

Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance named “Best Use of Taxpayer Money”

June 3, 2011

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”

Staunton rallies for the Sears Hill Bridge

May 31, 2011

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

Nominate a business for the 2011 Tayloe Murphy Resilience Award

May 31, 2011

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

Town and gown topic of VDDA Annual Workshop June 7-8

May 19, 2011

Lexington, Virginia has served as the home of Washington and Lee University since 1780 and Virginia Military Institute since 1839. This historic downtown is a great location to ponder the nexus between downtown revitalization, community development, and higher education. On June 7 and 8, Virginia Downtown Development Association (VDDA) will do just that at its Annual Workshop, this year titled, “Melding Town and … More Town and gown topic of VDDA Annual Workshop June 7-8

One way to earn a Scooby Snack: “Stay Exempt” tools clearly communicate IRS rules

May 2, 2011

Those vaguely familiar looking characters at the right aren’t from a lost Scooby-Doo episode. They’ve been freshly created by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as part of the micro site http://www.stayexempt.irs.gov, and they’re here to help you meddling kids keep your charitable status. The IRS has gotten tougher in recent years on both the organizational … More One way to earn a Scooby Snack: “Stay Exempt” tools clearly communicate IRS rules

Virginia Main Street Announces Community Designation How to Apply Workshops

May 2, 2011

Virginia Main Street (VMS) will be accepting applications, due June 16, for up to four additional communities to be designated in FY2012.  This intensive approach to downtown revitalization is ideal for DHCD Commercial Affiliates and other smaller localities with pedestrian oriented historic commercial districts that are committed to community-based revitalization strategies. In this expansion round, VMS … More Virginia Main Street Announces Community Designation How to Apply Workshops