Main Street WV and ON TRAC

Background - Downtown Revitalization Programs

Main Street West Virginia and West Virginia ON TRAC are downtown revitalization programs that follow the National Main Street Center’s community-based approach to preservation and development. A subsidiary of The National Trust for Historic Preservation, Main Street is a successful community development model used in thousands of communities across the country.

West Virginia Development Office staff provide training, technical assistance, and ongoing support to designated West Virginia communities in implementing Transformation Strategies using the Main Street Four Point Approach.

This comprehensive method uses local and regional market data and meaningful community engagement to assist communities in getting started with revitalization, and then grows with them over time.

The Four Points:

ECONOMIC VITALITY focuses on economic and financial tools to assist new and existing business, catalyze property development, and create supportive environments for entrepreneurs to drive local economies.

DESIGN supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical and visual assets that set the commercial district apart.

PROMOTION positions the downtown or commercial district as the center of the community and hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases a community’s unique characteristics.

ORGANIZATION involves creating a strong foundation for a sustainable revitalization effort, including cultivating partnerships, community involvement, and resources for the district.

Local Main Street organizations follow the Main Street National Accreditation Standards and are certified every year. There are 13 certified Main Street organizations in West Virginia.

ON TRAC is a West Virginia created program for pre-Main Street communities to learn the basics of the Main Street Approach. A community must participate in ON TRAC for at least 2 years before being eligible for Main Street certification.

Applying for Main Street and ON TRAC:

Applications for ON TRAC and Main Street West Virginia are accepted every 3 – 4 years. For more information, and to join the MSWVOT e-mail list, please contact the WVDO office.