PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth is working to transform High Street into a downtown destination through a revitalization effort city leaders call the Main Street Initiative.
The city is part of the Main Street America program, with the local initiative focused on revitalizing High Street. Since launching in January 2025, leaders say the effort is gaining momentum.
At Cure, a coffee shop downtown, owner Chris Shelton says improvements along High Street have already brought more people through the door.
"It has led the city to fix all the upturned bricks and missing bricks on the sidewalks, upgrade the lighting along the street and that enhances the safety and people wanting to come down here because of course they feel more safe," Shelton said.
Director Liz Pasqualini says the initiative is built on proven revitalization strategies.
"We're taking proven principles of revitalization and implementing them here in our district," Pasqualini said. "Being a historic, economic corridor here, we want to focus on historic preservation, placemaking, way finding, events, things that attract people to our district."
One project involves wrapping vacant storefronts with imagery showing what businesses could one day move in.
"We are projecting imagery of what could be here. So you're seeing a wonderful candy shop, sweet shop something we'd like to see come into our district," Pasqualini said.
The group also secured a $70,000 grant to help fund future improvements.
Shelton says he is excited about what comes next.
"Looking forward to more High Street festivals where they close down the street and you can get a frosty beverage from any of our fine restaurants down here. You go out on the street and walk down to see some festivities and bands play," Shelton said.
As the initiative continues to grow with more funding and grants expected, city leaders hope more businesses, events and visitors will come to see High Street as the heart of downtown Portsmouth.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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