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NC Main Street Awards
Each year at the NC Main Street Annual Conference, The NC Department of Commerce and The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center announce the NC Main Street Award Winners. The NC Main Street Awards recognize the hard work, dedication, and success of our NC Main Street communities and their achievements in the Four Points of the Main Street Approach® to downtown revitalization: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization
NCMS Economic Vitality Award Winners
Depot Plaza: Sylva
The Sylva Depot Plaza is a project that proves small-scale infrastructure can have a big impact — not just on a town’s functionality, but on its identity, its economy, and its sense of place.
Downtown Hendersonville Opportunity Fund: Hendersonville
The Downtown Hendersonville Opportunity Fund exemplifies innovation, collaboration, and a deep commitment to small business resilience.
The Harvey: New Bern
The restoration of the Harvey has not only restored a beloved landmark but redefined what’s possible for downtown revitalization in New Bern.
The View at Wayne National: Goldsboro
2023 NC Main Street Award: Economic Vitality Best Endangered Properties Rescue Effort Rehab Development Level 2 Development Rehab Builders Rehab Engineering Dunn & Dalton Architects Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation City of Goldsboro Wayne County Watch The Award Video This project began in 2015 with six unused, underutilized, and vacant buildings, located at two 100% corners in downtown Goldsboro. 200, 204, and 206 East Walnut Street, 102 South John Street, 135 and 1
The Jenkins Building: Statesville
2023 NC Main Street Award: Economic Vitality Best Adaptive Reuse Project LMY, Inc. The Bogle Firm Architecture Farmers and Merchants Bank Downtown Statesville Development Corporation Watch The Award Video The Jenkins Building, located at 212 South Center Street, is a three-story, 10,500 square-foot building in downtown Statesville, built in 1922. The large open floor plan was ideal for retail, and it was originally the home to Nichols Furniture Company. The Downtown Statesvi
Church Street Lofts: Asheboro
2023 NC Main Street Award: Economic Vitality Best Adaptive Reuse Project Landmark Development Randolph Senior Adults Association City of Asheboro Dunn & Dalton Architects Rehab Engineering KMW Builders Fearnbach History Services, Inc. Watch The Award Video In 2017 Landmark Development embarked on a project to rehabilitate the former Parks Hosiery Mill-McCrary Hosiery Mill Number Two, located at 170 North Church Street in downtown Asheboro, into apartments to serve the senior
The Salisbury Building: Salisbury
2023 NC Main Street Award: Economic Vitality Best Adaptive Reuse Project Josh Barnhardt The Bogle Firm Architecture Vertex Construction Watch The Award Video The Salisbury Building, located at 121 West Council Street in downtown Salisbury, is a 1928 Art Deco office building that was rehabilitated into twelve apartments. The building was built to house the Southern Bell telecommunication center and had most recently been used as office space. The three-story building is 18,000
415 South Broad Street: Edenton
2023 NC Main Street Award: Economic Vitality Best Upper Floor Redevelopment Dee and Scott Spruce Down East Preservation Jennifer Harriss Consultation Watch The Award Video In March 2020, Dee and Scott Spruce purchased 415 South Broad Street in downtown Edenton. The previous owner had used the first floor for her hair salon and the second floor was used for storage. The underutilized property offered an opportunity. On behalf of the Spruce’s, Destination Downtown Edenton, re
NCMS Design Award Winners
Elm Street Pocket Park: Lumberton
Elm Street Pocket Park in downtown Lumberton has redefined what’s possible for downtown revitalization through art, collaboration, and economic vision.
Holland Building: Statesville
The Holland Building rehabilitation began with a simple need—a new home for the Statesville Historical Collection—and ended with the rediscovery of a powerful piece of our shared past.
Downtown Concord Streetscape: Concord
Downtown Concord’s Streetscape project was designed with a bold goal: to reimagine their historic center city as a vibrant, walkable, and economically resilient destination.
Old Cherry Inn: Tarboro
The Old Cherry Inn beautifully bridges Tarboro’s past with its future — a shining example of how historic preservation can fuel economic growth, community pride, and creative entrepreneurship.
Osage Mill: Bessemer City
Osage Mill in Bessemer City is a shining example of historic preservation, community revitalization, and economic innovation.
Pittsboro Pop Up Park: Pittsboro
The Downtown Pittsboro Pop-Up Park has redefined what’s possible for public space in a small town.
Sanford Savings and Loan: Sanford
The rehabilitation of the Sanford Savings and Loan Building exemplifies the powerful intersection of historic preservation and economic innovation.
Sky’s the Limit All-Inclusive Park: Reidsville
2023 NC Main Street Award: Design Best Outdoor Space Improvement City of Reidsville Reidsville Kiwanis Reidsville Rotary Reidsville Area Foundation Carolina Park & Play ToyMakerz Smith Carolina Corporation Elizabeth Hester Ward Watch The Award Video Sky’s the Limit All-Inclusive Park is located at 119 North Main Street in downtown Reidsville. It began with a citizen who contacted the city’s marketing director and offered to give the city an Aircoupe airplane. Soon after tha
NCMS Organization Award Winners
Pine-Nash Redevelopment: Wilson
The Pine-Nash Redevelopment is a partnership that exemplifies the power of collaboration.
Manteo Downtown Market: Manteo
2023 NC Main Street Award: Organization Best Healthy Communities Initiative Manteo Main Street Town of Manteo Watch The Award Video The Manteo Downtown Market, located along the waterfront and boardwalk on George Washington Creef Park, is the longest-running farmers market in Dare County, with up to 65 participating vendors each year. What the market was missing was an opportunity to engage the youth of the community, connecting young entrepreneurs with a more mature generati
Pedestrian Improvement Project: Waxhaw
2023 NC Main Street Award: Organization Best Healthy Communities Initiative Town of Waxhaw Downtown Waxhaw Association Nassiri Development Volkert, Inc. Gresham Smith & Partners NC Department of Transportation Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization Union County Water Watch The Award Video A key to having a healthy community is to provide better connectivity through sidewalks that are accessible for all. Connecting neighborhoods to commercial districts makes f
Main Street Volunteer Meeting & Appreciation: Belmont
2022 NC Main Street Award: Organization Best Volunteer Recruitment, Training, and Recognition Downtown Belmont Development Association Belmont Main Street Program Watch The Award Video Volunteers are essential to every Main Street organization. In the fall of 2021, the Downtown Belmont Economic Vitality Chairman and members of the Promotion Committee decided to set up shop in a downtown coffee shop at noon and 6:00 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month with the hope of at
Pivots, Participation, & Patronage (PPP) with Digital Platforms Initiatives: Lenoir
2022 NC Main Street Award: Organization Best Economic Recovery Initiative City of Lenoir Main Street Program Lenoir Tourism Development Authority Watch The Award Video COVID-19’s shifting mandates and gathering restrictions made creating the 2021 Downtown Lenoir promotions schedule challenging. In response, the Promotions Team and City of Lenoir Main Street staff created its own “PPP” program consisting of the Leprechaun Chase Scavenger Hunt, Haunted Halloween Heist, and
Transylvania Tomorrow: Brevard
Transylvania Tomorrow
2021 NC Main Street Award: Organization
Best Economic Recovery Initiative
Pfeiffer University Center for Health Sciences: Albemarle
Pfeiffer University Center for Health Sciences
2021 NC Main Street Award: Organization
Best Public-Private Partnership in Downtown
Laurinburg DAC/Scotland County Economic Development Corporation Partnership: Laurinburg
Laurinburg DAC/Scotland County Economic Development Corporation Partnership
2021 NC Main Street Award: Organization
Best Public-Private Par
NCMS Promotion Award Winners
Bassmaster Elite Series – Hooked on the Harbor: Elizabeth City
Downtown Elizabeth City was the host of a groundbreaking event that redefined what’s possible for their waterfront, the Bassmaster Elite Series Fishing Tournament and Hooked on the Harbor Festival.
Buck Wild: Morganton
“Buck Wild” is a creative, high-impact retail promotion energized downtown Morganton and delivered real results for local businesses.
North Carolina Freedom Fest: Goldsboro
2023 NC Main Street Award: Promotion Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series NC Freedom Fest, Inc. City of Goldsboro Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation United Way of Wayne County Goldsboro Elks Watch The Award Video North Carolina Freedom Fest is a military and first-responders’ appreciation festival designed to bring those groups together with the community to thank those who serve, in a family-friendly setting in Downtown Goldsbor
The Pilot Mountain Outdoor Adventure Festival & Expo: Pilot Mountain
2023 NC Main Street Award: Promotion Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series The Parenting PATH White Elephant Beer Company Pilot Mountain Main Street Coordinating Committee Town of Pilot Mountain Watch The Award Video The Pilot Mountain Outdoor Adventure Festival & Expo is a multi-day, multi-location event meant to highlight vendors and small-scale manufacturers from the outdoor recreation industry in a street festival setting, while highlighting the unique characteristi
Moonlight on Main: Belmont
2022 NC Main Street Award: Promotion Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series Belmont Main Street Program Downtown Belmont Development Association City of Belmont Belmont Tourism Development Authority Gaston County Tourism Elements of Empowerment Gaston County Arts Guild Watch The Award Video During three consecutive weekends in October and November 2021, Moonlight on Main took place in Downtown Belmont. This event series resulted from the partnership of numerous orga
2021 Award of Merit: Wilson
Electric Light Fantasy-A Holiday Laser & Music Extravaganza
2021 NC Main Street Award: Promotion
Best Downtown Special Event or Event Serie
The 2019 Cheerwine Festival: Salisbury
2020 NC Main Street Award: PROMOTION Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series Cheerwine and the City of Salisbury Watch The Award Video The Cheerwine Festival, held in May, is a street festival that celebrates all things Cheerwine, a unique, fizzy, wild cherry-flavored soft drink created in Salisbury. The event is a collaborative effort between Cheerwine, owned by the Carolina Beverage Corporation, and the City of Salisbury. They work together to coordinate all festival
Belmont Al Fresco Dining: Belmont
2020 NC Main Street Award: PROMOTION Best Retail Promotion City of Belmont Belmont Main Street Creative Solutions Watch The Award Video The City of Belmont traded vehicle traffic for foot traffic last summer when it closed Main Street on weekend evenings to take dining out under the stars. Belmont is a culinary destination, and the Al Fresco Dining promotion was created to continue and bolster that status throughout the unprecedented challenges of the past year. The Belmont
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