CLAYTON – Commerce Secretary J. Keith Crisco presented 21 awards to participants in the N.C. Main Street Program. Award winners were recognized for excellence in downtown revitalization efforts in categories such as promotion, organization, design and economic restructuring.
“Our successful Main Street programs have proven that revitalizing our downtown areas can help grow local small businesses, attract new investments and create jobs,” said Sec. Crisco. “Congratulations to this year’s winners for their efforts to improve communities across North Carolina.”
The North Carolina Main Street program helps small towns preserve their historic fabric and, using local resources, build on their unique characteristics to create vibrant central business districts. This year’s award winners were chosen by a panel of independent judges from dozens of applications submitted by Main Street participants throughout the state.
The North Carolina Small Town Main Street program is designed to provide downtown revitalization assistance to small towns (under 7,500 populations) that are not likely, due to size or resource limitations, to pursue the regular North Carolina Main Street program. Admittance into the Small Town Main Street program is through an annual, competitive application process
2011 N.C. SMALL TOWN MAIN STREET AWARDS
- Organization: Downtown Branding Charrette, Waxhaw
- Economic Restructuring: Town of Burgaw Incubator Kitchen, Burgaw
- Promotion: Downtown Cows, West Jefferson (Special Recognition to Stars on the Square, Burnsville)
- Design: West Jefferson Downtown Property Enhancement Collaboration, West Jefferson
2011 N.C. MAIN STREET AWARDS
- Organization
- Best Public-Private Partnership in Downtown Revitalization: Company Shops Market Co-op, Burlington
- Best Innovation: Greenway Transit Center, Hickory
- Economic Restructuring
- Best Infill Building Project: Wake Forest Town Hall, Wake Forest
- Best Business Retention, Expansion or Recruitment Effort: Development Incentive Grant (DIG) Challenge, Morganton
- Promotion
- Best Downtown Special Event: Wedding Belles Promotion, Edenton; Pops at the Post, Salisbury; Downtown Hickory Art Crawls, Hickory
- Best Downtown Event Series: Norvell Theater Inaugural Youth Season, Salisbury (Special Recognition to Paramount Theatre Performing Arts Series, Goldsboro)
- Best Downtown Branding and Image-Building Campaign: Come and Discover Downtown Elkin, Elkin
- Design
- Best Façade Rehabilitation Project for $15,000 or Less: 109 E. Broad Street, Statesville (Special Recognition to 126 E. Main Street, Clayton; 110 E. Main Street, Garner; Fine Frame Gallery, Salisbury)
- Best Outdoor Space Improvement: Home Square, Clayton; Kaleidoscope, Morganton
Main Street Champions are nominated by their local N.C. Main Street programs for the remarkable contributions they have made to the downtown revitalization process in their communities. Thirty-one individuals were honored for their contributions in 2011.
“Whether volunteers, business or property owners, corporate citizens, civic leaders, municipal employees or public officials, Main Street Champions are the stewards of downtown, who go the extra mile to restore vibrancy and vitality to the hearts of the communities they love,” said Liz Parham, Director of the Urban Development Division.
2011 N.C. Main Street Champions
- Floyd Eudy, Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation
- City of Brevard Employees, Heart of Brevard, Inc.
- Company Shops Market Board of Directors, Burlington Downtown Corporation
- Town of Clayton Operations Center Employees, Clayton Downtown Development Association
- David and Jeanie King, Clinton Main Street Program
- American Legion Post 254, Twin Rivers Downtown Development Corporation (Eden)
- Destination Downtown Edenton, Inc. Promotions Committee, Destination Downtown Edenton, Inc.
- Deborah Malenfant, Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc.
- Teresa Smith Ray, Elkin Main Street Program
- Kelly and Sammy Dale, Forest City Main Street
- Ann Marie Amico, Fuquay-Varina Downtown
- Magdy Saad, Garner Revitalization Association
- Randy Guthrie, Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation
- Susan Cox, Historic Hertford, Inc.
- Gloria Farr, Hickory Downtown Development Association
- Larry Hamrick, Sr., Mountaineer Partnership, Inc. (Kings Mountain)
- Jeanne Leonard, Uptown Lexington, Inc.
- Crystal Gettys, Downtown Development Association of Lincolnton
- Bruce and Barbara Brown, Marion Business Association
- Nathan Kirby, Downtown Monroe
- Greg Smith, Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation (New Bern)
- Anne Abernethy Wepner, Downtown Newton Development Association
- Sheila Brame, Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro
- Bill Davis, Reidsville Downtown Corporation
- David W. Treme, Downtown Salisbury, Inc.
- Alan Button, Downtown Sanford, Inc.
- Tim Blackwell, Uptown Shelby Association, Inc.
- Chris Kinkade, Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation
- Nancy Davis, Downtown Statesville Development Corporation
- Sharron Donnahoe, Downtown Waynesville Association
- Henry Walston, Wilson Downtown Development Corporation
For more information about the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Main Street program, visit www.nccommerce.com.
DDC should sponsor the Ducky Derby. Thats a homerun for the promotion awards.