Staunton/Augusta/Waynesboro In Top 20 “Micropolitans” Nationwide

Staunton/Augusta/Waynesboro’s economy ranked among the country’s strongest micropolitan areas, reports the March issue of Site Selection Magazine.  The Staunton/Augusta/Waynesboro area is tied at #13 in the national ranking and is top-ranked for Virginia. The only other Virginia locality to make the list, Martinsville, came in at #32.   The U.S. Census Bureau defines a micropolitan region as [...]

Hopewell Celebrates Virginia Main Street Designation

A kickoff event celebrating Hopewell’s designation as an official Virginia Main Street (VMS) community was held Thursday, January 12 at the Beacon Theater in downtown Hopewell. At the event, the VMS staff presented the town with road signs signifying its designation as a Main Street Community and joined with local officials in remarking on the [...]

Altavista On Track arts incubator effort spotlighted

Lynchburg station WSET recently featured Altavista’s efforts to build business downtown.  The community’s Main Street organization, Altavisa On Track, has helped in the coordination and implementation of a DHCD-awarded Community Development Block Grant, and recently created an arts and antique incubator to spark entrepreneurship in the historic district. The strategy was the result of a Virginia Main Street-sponsored economic-restructuring plan facilitated by [...]

Sustainable Main Street resources available

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 [...]

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

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 [...]

2011 Virginia Main Street Downtown Improvement Grants to include new CSX partnership

Applications are now being accepted from Designated Virginia Main Street (VMS) Communities for the 2011 Downtown Improvement Grants. Traditionally capped at $2,500 for special Main Street  projects, Downtown Improvement Grants will be available in amounts up to $7,500 for the four Designated VMS Communties served by CSX Transportation lines, thanks to a generous matching grant from the corporation. CSX Transportation operates a [...]

Congratulations Milestone Achievement Award Recipients!

On March 31, 2011, community leaders from the 21 Designated Virginia Main Street Communities met to celebrate achievements built over the course of their efforts.  The crowd of 95 gathered for the Milestone Achievement Awards luncheon and ceremony at Richmond’s historic Jefferson Hotel. At the ceremony, Mary Rae Carter, Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade for Rural Development congratulated the communities [...]

Martinsville Courthouse Historic Virginia Site of the Month

The Department of Historic Resources (DHR) posted a new slide show for their web feature “Historic Virginia, Site of the Month.”  This month DHR features images and highlights of the changing nature of the circa-1824 Henry County Courthouse, which found new life in 2010 thanks to grants from Save America’s Treasures and the local Harvest [...]

Sustainability in Your Community: Main Street Center Member Resources

The National Trust Main Street Center has adopted sustainable development as a key issue in 2010. The Center takes a holistic approach to sustainability, encompassing not just green building but economic and social sustainability as well. The Center provides a variety of resources to help you make sustainability a reality in your community: Free Publications [...]

Greening Your Downtown

On November 3 and 4, the Virginia Downtown Development Association (VDDA) hosted their annual conference, this year focusing on sustainability in a traditional downtown environment. The conference was held in Charlottesville, where the 40 participants were able to witness first-hand the benefits of employing “green” development strategies. Charlottesville is committed to having a green downtown [...]