The Vermont Downtown Program was established in 1994 to provide technical assistance and training to communities and help them develop skills and strategies for their downtown revitalization efforts. It is part of the Vermont Department of Historic Preservation.
The 1998 Downtown Development Act provides substantial support for downtown revitalization. Towns that receive downtown designation under the Act are eligible for a number of benefits, including tax credits, loans and grants from various state agencies. To qualify, towns must develop a comprehensive revitalization strategy for the downtown district and demonstrate broad-based community support. The strategy must involve a long-term commitment to enhancing economic opportunities, preserving historic buildings, and improving public spaces and infrastructure in the commercial district. Interested communities should contact the Vermont Downtown Program for more information. While participation in the Vermont Downtown Program's Comprehensive Training Program is recommended, it is not required for downtown designation.
The Second Downtown Development Act (2002) created a new level of designation for Village Centers. Village centers are eligible for benefits including tax credits and priority consideration from other state programs and agencies.
TRORC can help you apply for Downtown or Village designation. Most of the towns in our region are of a size where Village Designation is most appropriate. To date we have applied for and successfully received village designation for 18 villages throughout our region. We can assist you with the entire process, including education about the program, application and mapping. For more information on how TRORC can help you, please contact Chris Sargent at 802-457-3188 ext.12 or email him at csargent@trorc.org.
Designations in the TRORC Region
The following towns have Downtown Designation status in our region:
The Following Towns have Village Designation status in our region:
For more information on the Downtown/Village Designation program use the following links.
Vermont Downtown Program
Application guidelines and publications