By Carol Vaughn —
A Virginia Main Street official, speaking at a kickoff for newly designated Main Street community Onancock, said a healthy downtown is a reflection of how a community sees itself.
“That’s a critical factor in business retention and recruitment efforts; so if downtown looks good and is vibrant, it makes it a lot easier to attract a new business or to have a business that wants to stick around and thrive,” said Kyle Meyer, community revitalization specialist with Virginia Main Street, who led the meeting.
Additionally, employees of larger businesses located outside the town look to vibrant downtowns when deciding where to live, according to Meyer.
Downtown districts also are a significant part of a town’s tax base, he said.
Lastly, “it’s a historic part of your community. It’s where your stories start,” Meyer said.
Around two dozen people, including Onancock business owners, property owners, and others, attended the virtual event Oct. 26.
Meyer will be working with Onancock as it moves forward with its Main Street program.
He gave an overview of the state program, which assists designated communities with grants, design services, promotion, signage, and technical assistance, among other benefits.
The Virginia Main Street program has existed since 1985 and includes 30 designated communities, including Onancock and Cape Charles, both recently named, as well as more than 90 affiliates.
Being named a designated community is “the highest level of participation, which gets the most services because of your commitment — the resources locally that you’re putting into this program,” Meyer said.
Being designated a Virginia Main Street community also gives Onancock access to resources of the National Main Street Center, at the national level, Meyer said.
Meyer said the Main Street program is a grassroots, comprehensive approach to improving downtown areas.
“You have to come at these historic buildings or this historic commercial district comprehensively. You have to hit it thinking about the physical environment. You have to approach it with a strategy that includes the community and all the human resources. You have to promote it and you also have to embrace those small businesses,” Meyer said.
In Onancock’s case, Meyer said the town’s farmer’s market, which is already established, can act as an incubator for small businesses.
Janet Fosque, Onancock Main Street board of directors president, said results of a community visioning effort showed a marketing study is among the top needs.
“It would benefit those with empty buildings and possible entrepreneurs to have a pulse on the marketing — a marketing study that could be done that would let us know what kind of businesses our community could sustain, so that we could ensure that entrepreneurs will be successful if they try to open up here,” she said, adding, a marketing study also would help owners of empty buildings know who to reach out to.
Signage and streetscaping, such as plantings and benches, and facade improvements were other needs participants mentioned.
The kickoff event included examples from other Main Street communities, such as the River City District Association in Danville, which led a community business launch program, offering classes and grants to startup businesses.
“For some communities that have gone through that, you see the start up of five to seven businesses within the district, which is extraordinary to see. It changes the mix of businesses,” Meyer said.
Onancock as a new Main Street community will receive intensive services through Virginia Main Street over the next three years.
Grants and scholarships available to Onancock Main Street through the state program include downtown investment grants of up to $25,000 for one-time projects to advance the organization’s goals; financial feasibility grants of up to $25,000 to provide resources to new or beginner developers of significant “white elephant” buildings in the downtown district; and scholarships to state and national Main Street trainings and other professional development.
“It starts with the community — you guys. The more involved you are, the more work you can get done,” Meyer said.
Information about Onancock Main Street is at onancock.com/community
Contact Onancock Main Street at [email protected] or call 757-693-3003.
