Invest in Downtown Albemarle

In his book, “Walkable City” Jeff Speck, one of the leading city planners in the country, concludes his book; “The downtown is the only part of the city that belongs to everybody.  It doesn’t matter where you may find your home; the downtown is yours, too.  Investing in the downtown of a city is the only place-based way to benefit all of its citizens at once. . . Every relocation decision, be it a college graduate’s or a corporation’s, is made with an image of place in mind. . . And, with rare exception, that image is downtown.”

We are affiliated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation Main Street Center through the North Carolina Main Street program. The purpose of the Main Street program is to encourage economic revitalization through historic preservation.

Please consider coming alongside the efforts of ADDC, our board, and our committee members as we work toward our goals of economic revitalization through historic preservation and a strong and vibrant downtown business district.

We encourage you to be a part of the future of downtown Albemarle.  ADDC is an independent non-profit organization, and needs your support to help downtown Albemarle reach its full potential.

Why invest in  Downtown? Downtown districts are prominent employment centers. Even the smallest commercial district employs hundreds of people, and often the district is collectively the community’s largest employer. The downtown district is a reflection of community. Image, pride, prosperity, and level of investment — critical factors in business retention and recruitment efforts. Downtown represents a significant portion of the community’s tax base.  If the district declines, property values drop, placing more of a tax burden on other parts of town. The traditional commercial district is an ideal location for independent businesses, which in turn:

• Keeps profits in town with local owners
• Supports other local businesses and services
• Supports local families with family-owned businesses
• Supports local community projects
• Provides a stable economic foundation with direct ties to the community

Downtown is the historic core of the community. Its buildings embody the community’s past and its visual identity. Historic buildings attract businesses, residents, and visitors. Retaining the character of these buildings can be an important asset to a community revitalization program. A healthy downtown core protects property values in surrounding residential neighborhoods. Downtown provides an important civic forum, where members of the community can congregate. Special events and celebrations held downtown reinforce intangible sense of community. Downtown represents a huge public and private investment. Imagine how much it would cost to re-create all of the buildings and public infrastructure in Albemarle’s downtown.

If you would like to financially contribute to continue our goal of creating a strong downtown community, please contact the ADDC office at 704-984-9415 to learn more.