The designation of a Virginia Main Street community Photo courtesy of Virginia Main Street Program

Since 1985, Virginia Main Street, a program of the Department of Housing and Community Development, has been helping localities revitalize the economic vitality of historic downtown commercial districts and the results have been remarkable. Entrepreneurs are opening new businesses, investors are putting their money into once vacant buildings, tourists are visiting new shops and restaurants and residents are enjoying renewed community pride. The program's most recent statistics show that from 1985 to present, designated Main Street communities in the Commonwealth have generated more than $299 million in private investment, completed more than 4,500 rehabilitation projects and created more than 9,600 new jobs and 3,400 new businesses. The Virginia Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program and the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program have proven to be important economic tools for the successful revitalization of these communities.

East Radford Historic District, c. 1950 Photo courtesy of Virginia Main Street Program

Virginia Main Street's approach to assisting communities with their revitalization efforts was developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center. This national model began as a three-town demonstration project in 1977 at a time when retail sales were shifting from downtown to shopping centers and malls at the outskirts of communities. "Main Street America" was deteriorating and the future of our historic downtowns appeared bleak.

Highly successful, the demonstration projects helped downtown advocates realize several facts: buildings needed to be adapted for new economic uses; merchants needed training and coaching; exciting and new promotional efforts were needed to reposition historic downtowns in consumers' minds; and like malls, "Main Street" needed a market strategy. The strategy, developed by the National Main Street Center and adopted by more than 1,600 communities in 40 States, is known as the Main Street Four Point Approach™.

Culpeper Historic District Photo courtesy of Virginia Main Street Program

The guiding principles of the Main Street Four Point Approach™ are Design, Promotion, Economic Restructuring and Organization. Design promotes the enhancement of the physical appearance of historic downtowns through the rehabilitation of historic buildings and the encouragement of new construction that reinforces the character of downtown. Promotion helps create and market a positive image based on the unique attributes of downtown districts. Economic Restructuring strengthens the districts' existing economic base, yet expands to meet new opportunities and challenges from the changing business environment. Organization establishes consensus and cooperation among all downtown stakeholders, whether they are local government officials, banks, merchants, civic organizations, civic-minded individuals or downtown property owners.

Ribbon cutting ceremony at a business in Franklin Photo courtesy of Virginia Main Street Program

In Virginia, there are 20 designated communities that were competitively selected by Virginia Main Street. Designated communities have populations of 75,000 or less and their local Main Street organizations have a variety of budget, population, volunteer and staff sizes. To cite only a couple of success stories out of many across Virginia: since being designated in 1988, Culpeper has had some level of restoration or improvement of nearly all of its downtown businesses; and Warrenton, designated since 1989, today boasts a 100 percent downtown retail occupancy rate.

Virginia Main Street
Cumulative Statistics 1985 - 2004

Source: Virginia Main Street Program monthly reports.
Notes: + Volunteer Investment figures for 1997-2004 only.
* Adjusted for inflation and expressed in current dollars.

For more information about Virginia Main Street or to receive a copy of the 2004 Annual Report with additional Main Street success stories, please contact: Virginia Main Street, Department of Housing and Community Development, 501 N. Second Street, Richmond, VA 23219, 804-371-7030, e-mail: mainstreet@dhcd.virignia.gov or visit the web site at: www.dhcd.virginia.gov/mainstreet.

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