Mathews Main Street board members welcomed a delegation from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development on Monday, leading a community tour that focused on downtown revitalization, economic development, and long-term resilience in Mathews County.
The visit follows Mathews Main Street’s reentry into the Virginia Main Street program, a preservation-based economic and community development initiative that provides a framework for revitalizing historic commercial districts, along with training, design assistance, and access to grants. The program helps communities leverage the character and assets of their traditional downtowns to support small businesses, tourism and local job creation, a release stated.
As a rural coastal community with a small population, limited tax base, and lean county staff capacity, Mathews must rely on strong partnerships and local initiative to advance meaningful change, the release stated. Through Mathews Main Street and the Mathews County Visitor Information Center, and with a deep bench of volunteers, the community is well positioned to assist county growth and development efforts in practical, collaborative ways, according to the release.
The shared economic goal is to strengthen and grow the county’s tax base by investing in community vibrancy, welcoming public spaces, tourism, and the development of new and existing businesses that create jobs and support long-term fiscal health. Virginia Main Street and related DHCD programs provide tools and resources that align with these objectives.
The DHCD delegation included Brandon Archer, who administers the Industrial Revitalization Fund and brings expertise in economic development, historic preservation, adaptive reuse and commercial real estate; Jessica Hartness, who administers DHCD’s Microfinance Programs and has experience in community development, business growth, and small business financing; Billy Gammel, who leads GO Virginia program administration with a focus on economic development, workforce readiness, industrial sites and entrepreneurship; and Clinton Joseph, who supports GO Virginia initiatives with experience in economic development, local capacity building, and prior federal service with USDA and FEMA.
The purpose of the visit was to familiarize DHCD leaders with Mathews’ historic downtown district and surrounding assets, and to highlight opportunities to improve visual presentation, strengthen branding and promotion, and support long-term economic resilience through strategic investment and alignment with state resources. Virginia Main Street offers guidance and catalytic support for downtown improvement projects, while GO Virginia invests in region-led initiatives that grow and diversify Virginia’s economy and build long-term resilience.
The delegation visited Lily Valentine Antiques, a downtown merchant since 2017; the second-floor space at Sibley’s General Store; Kingston Housing Initiative’s Rectory Project focused on workforce housing; Williams Wharf Landing’s Maritime Building, and Oyster Seed Holdings facility on Gwynn’s Island.
“Mathews County’s future depends on making the most of our assets through collaboration, creativity, and sustained investment,” said Tom Bowen, chairman of the Mathews County Board of Supervisors. “By building relationships with DHCD and related state initiatives, we are creating pathways to support local business development, expand housing opportunity, strengthen community identity, and help chart a more resilient economic future for Mathews.”