Leaders in the DARRE program are walking alongside residents in small towns to: redevelop Main Street and downtown properties; connect building owners with commercial tenants; and help community teams develop the kinds of capital – including economic & financial capital as well as social & relationship capital – that is necessary for each town to thrive as a rural tourist destination.
The central partners leading the program, the WV Community Development Hub, Partner Community Capital, Woodlands Development Group, and the Northern WV Brownfields Assistance Center at WVU, are collaborating to bring high-impact services to each community.
There are currently 8 West Virginia communities participating in the program: Cowen, Elkins, Franklin, Marlinton, Parsons, Petersburg, Richwood, and White Sulphur Springs. These communities are also part of the Mon Forest Towns Partnership service area.
(To learn more about the communities DARRE serves, check out our stories below!)
Participating communities have access to technical assistance services to tackle persistent challenges like:
- Redeveloping historic properties;
- Attracting new and renewed investments into Main Streets and downtowns;
- Connecting services to support small business growth with building development to help ensure that tenants are placed in properties;
- Creating community engagement strategies that ensure long-term involvement from residents; and
- Making the kinds of visible improvements to communities that create a sense of positive momentum for local residents.