By Chelsea Gilman
With an increase in empty storefronts downtown, Lexington merchants have asked the City Council to rejoin the Virginia Main Street Program in an effort to revitalize the downtown area.
The Virginia Main Street Program, which began in 1985 through the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development, helps participating communities encourage economic growth in their historic downtown areas.
Lexington joined the program in 1988, led by the Lexington Downtown Development Association (LDDA). But in 2006, LDDA disbanded and the city opted out of the program following what seemed to be a lack of interest from local business owners.
Lexington City Council voted 3-2 last Thursday to rejoin the program, in response to local business owners’ requests. The application will be submitted right in time for the March 15 deadline, according to Lexington city manager Jon Ellestad.
Although there is no fee to join, cities must have enough funds set aside to support the program before applying to become a member, said the state program’s community revitalization specialist, Brad Belo.
Program directors assigned to participating communities “help local organizations create as friendly an environment as possible to encourage new business to move in,” Belo said.
Bringing in new business to downtown Lexington is important to many business owners.
Brenda Gregg, owner of Blue Sky Bakery on Nelson Street, explained that she has seen this program work in another town and believes that Lexington can benefit as well.
When Brenda and her husband, Mike, were looking for a place to settle and open a restaurant, they looked at Morganton, N.C., a town that participated in the North Carolina Main Street Program. Gregg recalls that the program provided someone to lead the town through the process of revitalization.
“We saw how the program can be very effective,” she said. “It’s nice when you have someone who has a vision for your town.”
Gregg acknowledged that the local chamber of commerce has a very full plate because it oversee
s Lexington, Buena Vista and the rest of Rockbridge County.
If Lexington joins the Main Street program, she said, then a representative from the state program will oversee the economic development of the city’s downtown area,
Another aspect of the program that Gregg said would be beneficial is its goal to aid not only Main Street, but also all of downtown Lexington.
Gregg said she feels that most of the economic problems lie on the city’s side streets, where her restaurant is, rather than on actual Main Street.
Diana Trio, owner of The Cutting Edge Salon, just a few doors down from Blue Sky, shares these sentiments.
Trio said she feels that many of the buildings that are left empty are not being cared for, creating what she calls an “eyesore” on the same street as many growing businesses.
“Lexington is a little bit quirky,” Trio said. “If you have a hot commodity item, then you’ll have business. But if you have something that people don’t look for, than you will stay stagnant.”
Trio said she hopes the Main Street program can provide something similar to “a neighborhood watchdog” and give downtown Lexington a figure who is watching out for the city and making sure that everyone is invested in success.
Plans to rejuvenate downtown Lexington are already under way for one Main Street business owner.
Ugo Benincasa, owner of the Sheridan Livery Inn and the nearby Robert E. Lee Building, said he is excited about the city’s potential revitalization efforts. Renovation began last year on the Robert E. Lee building to convert it from apartments to a hotel.
Benincasa said he is optimistic that the new hotel along with its restaurant will bring business to Main Street, but the Main Street program will be essential in bringing people to Lexington.
The program will create more awareness of the signage needed to could draw tourists to historic downtown, he said.
However, Benincasa said he believes the program could become very political when it comes to budgeting for the chamber and the city’s Main Street program.
To ensure that the program brings success, the city will have to be sure to set aside sufficient funds to rebuild the downtown, Belo said.
All community applicants should receive notice from the Virginia Main Street Program by July 1, according to Belo.