DBI Newsletter

 DBI Update

DBI Committee Reports

 

Downtown Blackstone Inc.
P.O. Box 417
Blackstone, VA 23824
434-292-3041

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        From the Director's Desk

                                                                          

As you can see, our intern has been very busy. Have you seen the youtube videos completed by Dawn Van Ness? If not, just click the thumbnails below. Wonderful things continue to happen in Blackstone! The work is exhilarating and like a roller coaster ride at times but well worth it in the end. I get comments all the time that our town is looking great and I will add that the future looks bright! The new era has officially begun but don't take my word for it, come downtown and see for yourself! Experience it firsthand.

                                                                   MERCHANT VIDEOS

                    

                   

                     

                   

 

CLICK FOR PHOTO GALLERY OF COMPLETED FACADES (Mission Accomplished)!!!!

These include the H.L. Jackson Building, the Allman properties at 105 and 107 W. Broad Street, Blackstone Emporium, the Blackstone Antiques Mall, and 106 N. Main, the Blackstone Herb Cottage and many more.

Town Square Plans (Have you seen them? Here they are)

BIG NEWS: New Apartments and Commercial spaces being built in the downtown district

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION UPDATE

JUNE

MAY

APRIL

MARCH

FEBRUARY

January

If you haven't been downtown in a while, be sure to notice the new awnings that have been put up!

THE VERY LATEST HAPPENINGS

Notable accomplishments in 2009

1. We played a major role in increasing the level of participation in the CDBG project ultimately achieving a total private investment of 1.6 million dollars into the Downtown District of Blackstone!

2. DBi helped recruit Town & Country Cleaners to Blackstone after Cavalier Cleaners left and a local property owner helped by recruiting a tenant, Just Sew Embroidery, formerly Mary Lou's of Farmville, and renovating a space for them in an existing building.

3. DBi partnered with the Rotary Club to pick up litter, paint faded curbing and plant shrubs for beautification of the Historic District.

4. The Design committee helped a local business resolve an awning problem they couldn't on their own, in similar fashion to "12 on your side".

5. We oversaw and approved every detail of the Facade Program and loaned out $100,000 to local businesses under the CDBG Loan pool, 100% of the available proceeds! This created jobs and enabled local businesses to purchase equipment for start up or expansion.

6. DBi designed an attractive Recruiting packet for businesses looking to locate here in Blackstone.

7. We are developing a visitor map to show the location of downtown businesses and parking. We are also creating a detailed "Google" map that can be added to our website for the same purpose.

8. We produce and distribute colorful newsletters that detail our activities in hard copy and electronic form.

9. DBi has increased our presence on the Virginia.com tourism website from 2 to 17 listings!

10.  If your business has a website, we have added an icon beside the name of your business on the business directory page of the DBi website. Clicking on the icon opens a links to the website of the your business.

11. DBi has added Blackstone to the National Park Service website of Main Street Communities which literally puts the town on the map as a tourist destination!

12. DBi has partnered with the Chamber and local merchants to organize the Grand Illumination, Holiday Open House, and the annual Blackstone Christmas Parade.

CLICK FOR MORE DETAILS

 

Blackstone has a full service dry cleaners now. Have you taken them any business? Check them out at 116 E. Broad which is next door to the J.C. Penney Catalog Store.

 

Archived DBI Updates For 2010

Events from 2009

 

The procedure for signs and property improvements (Design Guidelines)

Below is something new that I recently added to the site that might interest you. This is a link to many pictures of what Blackstone looked like back from the early 1900s up through the early 80s. It is interesting to see some of the buildings that are still here and some of those that have been lost or altered over time. If you are up for a little nostalgia click the thumbnail and take a trip to the past.

Old Photos of Historic Blackstone

            

MONTHLY CONTRACTOR'S MEETING

MESKER SHEETMETAL STOREFRONTS

NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION (click thumbnail for photos showing the progress of work)

              

    116-118 W. Broad St.      113 E. Broad St.             103 W. Broad St.      115-117 S. Main St.

 

        

113-115 North Main Street                                      119 S. Main St.  110 S. Main St.   100 S. Main St.

                   

D.B.I. Update

WHAT NEW BUSINESS WILL MOST LIKELY SUCCEED IN DOWNTOWN BLACKSTONE?

I get asked this a lot and it is a very good question. The research done by the marketing firm of Arnett Muldrow seeks to answer that very question in the following summary:

THE ANSWER

                                                    

D.B.I. Newsletter

The D.B.I. Newsletter, Downtown Happenings is published quarterly, and distributed throughout the district. Copies are also available at the D.B.I. office and for download below. If you would like to contribute to this publication, please contact the D.B.I. office or D.B.I. Press Secretary Lucia Malon.

Lucia Malon, Benchmark Community Bank

434-676-2666 x1114

lucia.malon@bcbonline.com

Downtown Happenings March '08 Edition

                                        

Downtown Happenings November '08 Edition (pdf 640kb)

                                          

Downtown Happenings March '09 Edition (pdf 818kb)

                                          

Downtown Happenings Summer '09 Edition (pdf 1,406kb)

                                          

 

 

 

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