Designated Villages & Downtowns
Vermont Downtown Program
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.
Downtown Designation
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 following towns have Downtown Designation status in our region:
| Town Name | Expiration Date |
|---|---|
| Hartford - White River Junction | September 2024 |
| Randolph | October 2024 |
Village Center 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.
The Following Towns have Village Designation status in our region:
| Town Name |
|---|
| Barnard |
| Bethel |
| Bradford |
| Brookfield |
| Chelsea |
| Corinth: Cookeville |
| Corinth: East Corinth |
| Fairlee |
| Hancock |
| Hartford Village Center |
| Hartford: Quechee |
| Hartland: Hartland 3 Corners |
| Hartland: Hartland 4 Corner |
| Hartland: North Hartland |
| Lower Granville |
| Newbury: Newbury Village |
| Newbury: Wells River Village |
| Pittsfield |
| Plymouth: Tyson |
| Plymouth: Union |
| Randolph |
| Rochester |
| Royalton |
| Sharon |
| South Royalton |
| Strafford |
| Strafford: South Strafford |
| Thetford Village Designation: East Thetford |
| Thetford Village Designation: North Thetford |
| Thetford Village Designation: Post Mills |
| Thetford Village Designation: Thetford Center |
| Thetford Village Designation: Thetford Hill |
| Topsham Village Designation |
| Topsham Village Designation: Waits River |
| Topsham Village Designation: West Topsham |
| Tunbridge |
| Tunbridge: North Tunbridge |
| Upper Granville |
| Vershire |
| West Fairlee |
| Woodstock |
| Woodstock: Taftsville |
For more information on the Vermont Downtown and Village Designation program, go to the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Community Revitalization web site. Instructions on how a community can apply for Downtown or Village Designation can be downloaded from this site.
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 34 villages and 2 downtowns throughout our region. We can assist you with the entire process, including education about the program, application and mapping free of cost.
Staff Contact
Sarah Wraight