DANVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) – The city of Danville has seen a complete transformation over the past couple decades.
In the 1980s, Danville’s economy was booming with success from tobacco and textile industries. What’s now known as the River District was once the tobacco warehouse district.
“That was kind of the heart and the nucleus of where it all started for the city of Danville,” said Samantha Bagbey, Office of Economic Development Project Manager.
But when the Great Recession hit in 2007, things took a turn for the worst. Dan River Mills, Danville’s largest employer, shut down along with much of the tobacco industry in the heart of the city – nearly cutting the population in half.
“Our downtown was a ghost town,” said Lee Vogler, City Council member. “I mean, you used to be able to lay down in the middle of the street in the daytime and could not have a car come near you.”
Lee Vogler has been on City Council since 2012. Growing up in Danville and seeing the city’s downfall, he and other leaders agreed, changes needed to be made.
It was in 2015 when city leaders adopted a 30-year comprehensive plan. The first step was to invest in streetscape improvements like widening sidewalks and improving traffic patterns.
“We had heard from other localities that had success and they said, this is not an overnight fix. This is a 10-, 20-, 30-year process. You’ve got to be willing to do things that not everyone’s going to understand right away,” added Vogler.
But Danville native Rick Barker was one who did understand.
“I always marveled in what used to be called the Danville Tobacco Warehouse district,” said Rick Barker, CEO of Rick Barker Properties. “It had that ghost town quality. I had an appreciation for the what some refer to as the urban decay. They didn’t quite look like ancient ruins, but it seemed like it was going that way.”
After seeing the potential and hearing about the Comprehensive Plan, Barker decided to make his own investment into the River District. His target was the 500 block of Craghead Street.
“When we opened this building as our headquarters, I told my staff internally, ‘we are making an investment in the worst block, on the worst street, in a rotten downtown. Before we’re finished, we’re going to make this a destination,‘” explained Barker.
Reporter Makayla Shelton: “Did anyone back then think you were crazy?”
“Everyone thought I was crazy,” said Barker.
But his crazy plan paid off. Fast forward 10 years and today the block is unrecognizable. He turned the buildings into Airbnbs, apartments, restaurants and more.
Early believers who invested in the downtown area, like Barker, combined with the city’s comprehensive plan, seemed to be a catalyst for drawing in major developments.
Outside developers have since turned the White Mill into Dan River Falls – a massive apartment complex with office and retail spaces. Another former Dan River Mill site in the Schoolfield District has also been redeveloped into the Caesars Casino.
“In most places, you’re lucky if you get one project like that. To have two properties like that come back, I think is pretty astounding,” said Vogler.
Vogler says they used to look to other cities for advice and inspiration, but now, cities across the U.S. are looking to Danville as a roadmap to success.
The city has won countless awards in the last few years, including the Great American Main Street Award – a national recognition for a successful downtown revitalization.
“When I started saying Comeback City several years ago, it was almost more aspirational at first, but it became reality. So, now it’s, yes, we are the comeback city. What’s next?” added Vogler.
Danville has a lot in store for the future. Work is already underway to revitalize North Main, the Schoolfield District, and the Old West End historic district – all efforts to spread the revitalization of the River District throughout the entire city.
Read the original article here (Makayla Shelton, WDBJ7)
