Fourteen communities will receive awards for excellence in downtown revitalization this evening at the North Carolina Main Street and Small Town Main Street Awards Ceremony. The ceremony began today, Wednesday, March 13 at 6:00 p.m. Chief Deputy Secretary for the North Carolina Department of Commerce Liz Crabill and Assistant Secretary of Rural Economic Development Kenny Flowers will present the awards in categories that include economic vitality, design, promotion and organization.
“We are pleased to recognize these important projects around the state,” said Kenny Flowers, Assistant Secretary for Rural Economic Development. “They demonstrate the kind of vision that local governments and their economic development partners, private developers, business owners, and private citizens need to improve their downtown districts and grow the local economy.”
“This year’s award-winning projects represent some of the state’s best downtown revitalization success stories. The projects being recognized are notable building rehabilitation projects, extraordinary public art projects, creative promotional activities, and public-private partnerships formed to make significant downtown changes and improvements,” said Liz Parham, Director, N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center, part of the Rural Economic Development Division at N.C. Commerce.
The North Carolina Main Street program helps small towns create vibrant central business districts by preserving their historic fabric and building on their unique characteristics using local resources. A panel of judges chose this year’s award winners from more than thirty nominations submitted by Main Street communities throughout the state.
The following projects will receive Awards of Merit:
2018 SMALL TOWN MAIN STREET AWARD
Economic Vitality
- Wilkesboro - The 1915
2018 MAIN STREET AWARDS
Organization
Best Public-Private Partnership in Downtown Revitalization
- Goldsboro – Made on Main in Goldsboro
Best Innovation
- Lenoir – Moving Lenoir to the Second Floor - Mixed Use Redevelopment Program
Best Volunteer Recruitment, Training and Recognition
- Lenoir – Be a Part of What Makes This Work- Volunteer Development Program
Promotion
Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series
- Lenoir – Carolina Tattoo and Arts Gathering
- Mocksville- Twas the Night Before Bed Race
Best Retail Promotion
- Morganton – F.A.B. Crawl
Best Image-Building Campaign
- Lenoir – TOGETHER WE CREATE Downtown Lenoir Branding Campaign
Best Economic Development Incentive Program
- Marion – Growing Entrepreneurs Marion- G.E.M.
Economic Vitality
Best Adaptive Reuse Project
- Fuquay-Varina – Cultivate Coffee Renovation
- Goldsboro – The Old Fire Department Building Rescue & Rehabilitation
- Shelby- Historic Campbell Building
- Wake Forest – Unwined on White
Best Infill Building Project
- Brevard – 43 South Broad Development Project
Best Endangered Properties Rescue Effort
- Elkin – Rock Façade “Make a Wish” Project
Best Business Retention, Expansion or Recruitment Effort
- Brevard – DDB Outdoors
Design
Best Historic Rehabilitation Project
- Elkin – The Reeves Theatre Renovation
- Goldsboro - 151 North Center Street
Best Outdoor Space Improvement
- Mount Airy- The Whittling Wall
- Sanford- Downtown Sanford Mural Trail
- Wilson- Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park