Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Trust Main Street Center®. Each year, the National Trust and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street® programs that have built strong revitalization organizations and demonstrate their ability in using the Main Street Four-Point Approach® methodology for strengthening their local economy and protecting their historic buildings.
“We congratulate this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs for meeting our established performance standards,” says Doug Loescher, director of the National Trust Main Street Center. “Accredited Main Street programs are meeting the challenges of the recession head on and are successfully using a focused, comprehensive revitalization strategy to keep their communities vibrant and sustainable.”
The organization’s performance is annually evaluated by Virginia Main Street, which works in partnership with the National Trust Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 performance standards. These standards set the benchmarks for measuring an individual Main Street program’s application of the Main Street Four-Point Approach® to commercial district revitalization. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as developing a mission, fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking economic progress, and preserving historic buildings. For more information on the national accreditation program, visit http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/about-main-street/the-programs/national-programs.html.
Revitalization strategies in Harrisonburg have included attracting more retail businesses, restaurants, and housing options while promoting beautification efforts, historic preservation, and special events.
Harrisonburg is not only a designated Virginia Main Street Community, but also a designated National and Virginia Historic District, a Preserve America Community, a Tree City USA, and an Appalachian Trail Community.
“Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance is honored to receive National Main Street accreditation for our downtown revitalization progress and projects,” says Eddie Bumbaugh, Executive Director of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. “We share our success with the efforts of city government, downtown businesses, committed volunteers, and the general public who support our downtown.”
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing downtown Harrisonburg using the four points of the National Main Street approach – economic development, design, promotion, and organization. For more information about Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, please call 540-432-8922 or visit www.downtownharrisonburg.org.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (www.PreservationNation.org) is a nonprofit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., eight regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories.
Established in 1980, the National Trust Main Street Center® helps communities of all sizes revitalize their older and historic commercial districts. Working in more than 2,200 downtowns and urban neighborhoods over the last 30 years, the Main Street program has leveraged more than $51.1 billion in new public and private investment. Participating communities have created 436,909 net new jobs and 99,508 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 221,775 buildings, leveraging an average of $16 in new investment for every dollar spent on their Main Street district revitalization efforts.
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