For the first time since the ON TRAC program was created, two new members have been accepted for Main Street West Virginia designation. The City of Elkins in Randolph County and the Town of Wheeling in Ohio County are the first ON TRAC communities to make the transition to Main Street status.
The communities were selected in a competitive application process.
“West Virginia’s historic downtown areas are the heart of our local communities and the commercial core for our state’s small businesses,” Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said. “The revitalizing work of ON TRAC and Main Street West Virginia not only help to restore our state’s beautiful downtown areas, but also adapt historic structures to support business development and overall neighborhood growth. I extend my sincerest congratulations to Elkins and Wheeling on this great achievement.”
Main Street West Virginia is a program of the West Virginia Development Office and focuses on economic development of historic downtown and neighborhood commercial districts using the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Four-Point Approach®.
Main Street West Virginia created ON TRAC — which stands for Organization, Training, Revitalization and Capacity — to help the state’s communities boost economic growth with evaluation, education and training in downtown or neighborhood revitalization. ON TRAC communities also receive mentoring from certified Main Street programs.
A community must be a successful member of ON TRAC for at least two years before applying for Main Street status.
Main Street members receive more advanced technical services, using the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Four-Point Approach®. The Four-Point Approach includes comprehensive work in organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring.
With the two members, the state’s Main Street communities are Charleston East End; Charleston West Side; Elkins; Fairmont; Kingwood; Mannington; Martinsburg; Morgantown; Philippi; Point Pleasant; Ripley; Ronceverte; Wheeling; and White Sulphur Springs.
The West Virginia ON TRAC cities are Belington; Beverly; Charles Town; Kenova; Marlinton; Parkersburg; Parsons; Romney; Rowlesburg; Shinnston; and Sutton.
