One of the many services that Virginia Main Street (VMS) provides designated Main Street communities is access to the technical expertise available from the National Trust Main Street Center (NTMSC). Although the work of the NTMSC is always community specific, the observations and recommendations that are included in the reports are valuable resources for any community in Virginia that is attempting to implement the Main Street Four-Point Approach® as a strategy for downtown revitalization.
Economic Restructuring Technical Assistance Visit Reports
Since 2010, VMS has worked with the NTMSC to help designated Main Street communities evaluate and improve their economic restructuring strategies through technical assistance visits with NTMSC Senior Program Officer Todd Barman.
The economic restructuring technical assistance service was designed around the NTMSC’s reassertion that all of the Main Street Four Points (design, promotion, economic restructuring and organization) play an economic development role. It emphasizes the role that Main Street programs play as nonprofit commercial developers charged with leveraging the assets that are common to historic commercial districts – heritage assets (built and cultural history) and human assets (entrepreneurs and an engaged public) – for economic development. The reports are developed with the philosophy that Main Street programs, as credible, trusted and well-run nonprofit commercial developers, can attract entrepreneurs and investors by understanding how the local Main Street marketplace functions and by proactively designing their dream marketplace.
Final Economic Restructuring Technical Assistance Visit Reports have been completed for eight of Virginia’s 25 designated Main Street communities. Three additional Main Street communities will receive technical assistance visits during spring 2012.
Final Economic Restructuring Techncial Assistance Visit Reports
- Altavista On Track, Altavista, Virginia (February 2010)
- Downtown Blackstone, Blackstone, Virginia (July 2010)
- Believe in Bristol, Bristol, Virginia (August 2011)
- Downtown Farmville, Inc., Farmville Virginia (March 2012)
- Downtown Franklin Association, Franklin, Virginia (September 2011)
- Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, Harrisonburg, Virginia (June 2012) – report not yet available
- Hopewell Downtown Partnership, Hopewell, Virginia (April 2012) – report not yet available
- Luray Downtown Initiative, Luray, Virginia (August/September 2011)
- Main Street Radford, Radford, Virginia (August 2011)
- St. Paul Tomorrow, St. Paul, Virginia (March 2012)
- Destination Downtown South Boston, South Boston, Virginia (September 2011)
- Old Town Development Board, Winchester, Virginia (September 2011)
Upcoming Visits
- 3-5 economic restructuring and technical assistance visits and reports will be completed in FY 2013.
