Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Information

Downtown Harrisonburg, Va., is a Great American Main Street Award-winning town. This historic district is a dramatically different place today than it was 15 years ago when HDR was founded to revitalize the heart of the community. Businesses and property owners are investing in once vacant buildings; the steady and vigorous growth of historic renovation projects are attracting new businesses; and our strong community assets are receiving regional and national recognition. As local developer Barry Kelly states, “The heart of our city is beating vibrantly again.” Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR) is a non-profit organization helping to lead this transformation. Revitalizing downtown into a vibrant city center is at the heart of our mission, and we strive to promote downtown through events, attractions, marketing, and promotions that set us apart from other communities. To achieve this, HDR works in collaboration with public and private partners: government officials, businesses, property owners, residents, James Madison University and other key stakeholders to develop and implement a comprehensive vision and master plan that preserves downtown's historic charm while making it a destination for people to live, work, shop, dine, and play.