Main Street Program

Becoming a Virginia Main Street Community

The Fredericksburg Economic Development Authority (EDA) in May 2011 appointed a six-member Main Street Exploratory Committee. The EDA in its 2010 - 2015 Strategic Plan identified the Main Street program as a model for strengthening the economy and vitality of our downtown. The Main Street program is a national network of over 1,600 towns and cities in over 40 states organized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Main Street model for building economic vitality downtown is based on the Main Street Four Point Approach:

• Promotion, creating a positive image that will enhance community pride and improve consumer and investor confidence in our commercial district.
• Economic Restructuring, strengthening our community's existing economic assets while diversifying our economic base.
• Organization, establishing consensus and cooperation by building partnerships among the various groups that have a stake in the commercial district.
• Design, getting downtown into top physical shape and creating a safe, inviting environment for shoppers, visitors, and workers.

Fredericksburg was selected in June of 2013 as a Main Street Virginia community. The Fredericksburg Virginia Main Street is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and a chapter of the Main Street America™ Program. For more information on Fredericksburg’s Main Street program, please visit these links:

Fredericksburg VA Main Street (FVMS) is a chapter of the Main Street America™ Program, an initiative originated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that focuses on the revitalization of traditional downtowns to enhance the appearance and economic stability of the commercial district, and to improve community pride and quality of life for residents and visitors.

The Virginia Main Street Program is a preservation-based economic and community development program that follows the Main Street Four-Point Approach™ developed by the National Trust Main Street Center. Virginia Main Street offers a range of services and assistance to communities interested in revitalizing their historic commercial districts. While the program was designed to address the need for revitalization and on-going management of smaller to mid-sized downtowns, aspects of the Main Street Approach™ may be applied successfully in other commercial settings.Since 1985, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) program has been helping to pave the way for successful and enduring community revitalization driven by the National Main Street Center’s (NMSC) Main Street Approach.

As a Main Street America Affiliate™, Fredericksburg Virginia Main Street is part of a national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development.