building and transformed it into one of the most sought-after living spaces in the city.That developer has now gone across the street and turned an old middle school into another beautiful living location. In other locations that were once run down and blighted, we have breweries downtown, we have restaurants there. And it’s one of the most beautiful things in the world to see on a First Friday.” (Every first Friday of the month, downtown studios, eateries, and businesses stay open late and downtown comes to life, with music, art exhibits, and more.) Elizabeth City is also part of the national and state Main Street Programs, first created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1980 to promote downtown revitalization in communities across America. Today, over 2,000 towns and cities in over 40 states coordinate with the Main Street Program in their efforts to improve the viability of their central business districts. The Main Street Program has four main pillars: Design – enhancing the physical appearance of the commercial district by rehabilitating historic buildings, while encouraging new construction; Organization – building consensus and cooperation among constituencies; Promotion – marketing the district’s assets to local citizens, visitors, and potential investors and new businesses; and Economic Revitalization – strengthening and expanding the district’s economic base. Elizabeth City’s Main Street Program is the oldest one in the state. It is administered by Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc. (ECDI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is managed by a volunteer board of directors, volunteer committees, and one fulltime paid staff person, Deborah Melenfant, who works closely with the City Manager to implement goals. ECDI provides a return on investment to taxpayers through increased tax generation, while local governments receive increased tax revenue from improved property values due to property enhancements. Anya Davis, the President of the Elizabeth City area Chamber of Commerce declares, “Our downtown is our shining star. But growth is happening all across our city and in our county – not just downtown. Of A REVITALIZED DOWNTOWN COMES TO LIFE Downtown Elizabeth City has been a huge drawer for both new businesses and residences for several years -- the result of public spending, private sector investment, and intense community involvement. “For some time, our downtown was extremely blighted,” Freeman recounts.“Buildings were in bad shape. Then, one developer bought an old, blighted 160 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 10
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