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Bristol receives Virginia Main Street Milestone Awards

June 03, 2016

Believe in Bristol and the City of Bristol, VA were presented with a Virginia Main Street Milestone Regional Rev Up award for creating the climate for more than $5 million in private investment in the City of Bristol, VA. These private investment numbers show that Believe in Bristol and the City of Bristol, VA are creating jobs and preserving downtown’s vitality for generations to come.

“Our Virginia Main Street communities are revitalizing these beautiful downtown districts,” said Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Director Bill Shelton. ”In the last five years, designated Main Street communities have sparked more than $161 million in private investment in their districts, and as a result, last year, there was a net collective gain of 2637 jobs across the 25 Main Street downtown districts.”

In addition to Bristol, Virginia Main Street recognized the following communities for excellence.

  • Ashland
  • Bedford
  • Berryville
  • Bristol
  • Farmville
  • Fredericksburg
  • Orange
  • St. Paul

Currently, there are 29 designated Virginia Main Street communities: Abingdon, Altavista, Ashland, Bedford, Berryville, Blackstone, Bristol, Culpeper, Danville, Farmville, Franklin, Fredericksburg, Gloucester, Harrisonburg, Hopewell, Lexington, Luray, Lynchburg, Manassas, Marion, Martinsville, Orange, Saint Paul, South Boston, Staunton, Warrenton, Waynesboro, Winchester and Wytheville.

The Virginia Main Street program, managed by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), provides assistance and training to help communities increase the economic vitality of their downtown commercial districts. Virginia Main Street uses the National Main Street model to help communities revitalize their downtowns by focusing on their unique heritage and attributes. The program helps communities implement a comprehensive revitalization strategy that creates economic growth and pride in downtowns.
For more information about the Virginia Main Street program, call (804) 371-7030 or visit www.dhcd.virginia.gov/MainStreet.