Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance

Hdr specializes in people-based and placed-based economic development. Our strategies focus on matching entrepreneurs with vacancies and strengthening existing businesses so they can attract customers and grow their bottom lines. Our work creates and retains jobs, creates opportunities for entrepreneurs, as well as boosts the city's tax base. Our programs include grants, customized technical assistance, placemaking, networking opportunities, information and resources. By the end of 2024, downtown continued to enjoy its lowest vacancy rate since hdr got started. Downtown saw $6.4m in private investment and $668,000 in public investment. Since 2020, hdr has provided over $324,000 in grants and technical assistance. In 2024, we provided $125,800 in grants and business assistance through our bricks & clicks program that was partially funded by a $100,000 virginia main street resurgence grant. It allowed us to offer three $10,000 grants to attract businesses to fill three vacancies. We provided almost $5000 in commercial composting grants. We also designed a new downtown pocket park and secured a $75,000 grant to seed its construction in order to create another attraction to bring people downtown. We completed another eye-catching beautification project by working with the city to fund artist stipends and vinyl wraps for 10 traffic cabinets around the district.

Hdr produces free public events to build community, enhance quality of life for residents, attract tourists, boost foot traffic and exposure for small businesses, generate tax revenue and sales at businesses, and strengthen community pride and cohesion through togetherness. Annual events include downtown happy hour, a charcueterie board workshop, bestweekendever, independence day fireworks, block party in the burg, skeleton fest, veterans parade, and winter wonderfest. We also hosted 10 free community concerts thanks to a $30,000 grant from the levitt foundation and sponsor support. The first concert in july was paired with independence day fireworks. We strive to make our events welcoming to all by selecting bands that represent diverse musical genres and cultures and by translating our event posters into multiple languages. We hosted our first low-sensory programming during skeletonfest with special trick or treating and activities in calm spaces so all families could attend. Bestweekendever saw more than 4000 additional attendees than in past years and featured a downtown wide putt putt course. Our outdoor street festivals encouraged participants to circulate throughout the downtown to discover businesses to support during the event and to visit on return visits and to enjoy free entertainment in the heart of the community. Total attendance for hdr's 25 events this year exceeded 97,000 people. Our events were supported by volunteers who contributed over 7,200 hours, which has a market value of $241,000.