FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. – The Fuquay-Varina Revitalization Association today announced that a local project was recognized for its excellence in the 2009 N.C. Main Street Awards competition. Hunt 100: The Centennial Challenge won top honors in the category of Best Downtown Special Event, receiving an Award of Merit.

The N.C. Main Street Program’s annual awards competition recognizes the outstanding achievements of particpating communities in categories reflecting the four areas emphasized by Main Street: organization, design, economic restructuring and promotion. This year’s entries were judged by a panel that included staff from the Appalachian Regional Commission, Division of Community Assistance’s piedmont regional office and the N.C. Main Street program.

Following the judging, Office of Urban Development Director Liz Parham remarked, “The Main Street Awards represent North Carolina’s finest examples of downtown revitalization initiatives. Main Street and Small Town Main Street communities understand how to leverage partnerships, incentives and investment in an effort to strengthen the local economy. These projects serve as exemplary models as the best in downtown redevelopment and are celebrated for their accomplishments.”



As part of Fuquay-Varina’s Centennial Celebration, the Hunt 100 took participants on a photographic scavenger hunt where they used clues garnered from old photos to answers questions about downtown Fuquay-Varina’s history. According to Susan Weis, Executive Director of the Fuquay-Varina Revitalization Association, “The goal of the project was to create an original way to celebrate the milestone of turning 100 and pay homage to Fuquay-Varina’s rich past for life-long residents while also educating our newcomers. We are very honored to have received Main Street’s Best Downtown Special Event Award.”

On Thursday, January 28, 2010, Parham, N.C. Secretary of Commerce J. Keith Crisco, Deputy Secretary Dale Carroll, Assistant Secretary for Community Development Joseph D. Crocker and Division of Community Assistance Director Gloria Nance-Sims presented the N.C. Main Street Awards during the North Carolina Main Street Annual Awards Program at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, New Bern, N.C. Twenty projects received Awards of Merit, and 7 outstanding non-winning entries garnered Certificates of Special Recognition. Projects receiving these honors are:

Best Public-Private Partnership in Downtown Revitalization

▪ Marion - Historic Marion Farmer’s Market Shade Shelter AWARD

▪ New Bern - Broad Street Improvements and Trent River Bridge Replacement AWARD

▪ Sanford – East Depot District Development Special Recognition

Best Innovation

▪ Wake Forest - South White Street Streetscape Enhancement Project Weekly Updates AWARD

▪ Rutherfordton – History and Heritage Displays/Visitor Center Special Recognition

Best Economic Development Incentive Program

▪ Salisbury – DSI, LLC Partnership AWARD

Best Adaptive Reuse Project

▪ Reidsville – Mr. Kones Ice Cream Shop AWARD

▪ Salisbury – 101 S. Main Street AWARD

▪ Albemarle – Lillian Mill Special Recognition

Best Endangered Property Rescue Effort

▪ Albemarle – Central Elementary School AWARD

Best Infill Building Project

▪ Waynesville – Police Dept., Development Office & Town Hall AWARD

▪ Roxboro – Roxboro Police Department Special Recognition

Best Historic Rehabilitation Project

▪ Clayton - HTR Commercial AWARD

▪ Salisbury – 128 E. Innes Street AWARD

▪ Statesville – 105 E. Broad Street AWARD

Best Façade Rehabilitation Project

▪ Clayton - 104 W. Main Street AWARD

▪ Salisbury - 110 S. Main Street AWARD

▪ Statesville – 110 W. Broad Street Special Recognition

Best Public Building Improvement

▪ Goldsboro – Historic City Hall AWARD

Best Outdoor Space Improvement

▪ Reidsville – Market Square AWARD

▪ Salisbury – Salisbury Station Passenger Platform Special Recognition



Best Downtown Special Event

▪ Fuquay Varina – Hunt 100 Centennial Challenge AWARD

▪ Hickory – “Swinging Under the Stars: A Tribute to the Big Band Era” AWARD

▪ Smithfield – Ava Gardner Independent Film Festival Special Recognition

Best Printed Promotional Item: Text and Graphics

▪ Eden – Eden Riverfest Promotional Materials AWARD

Best Printed Promotional Item: Graphics

▪ Clayton - Town Square Concert Series Logo/Branding AWARD

▪ Wake Forest – Dining and Shopping Rack Cards AWARD

Fuquay-Varina was named a North Carolina Main Street Community in October 2006. Based on economic revitalization within the context of historic preservation, the Main Street program was created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to share an effective downtown revitalization strategy which they had developed for smaller towns. Selected as an original Main Street state in 1980, North Carolina has seen its program grow from five communities to 61. The economic impact of the program has grown as well. Combined public and private investment in North Carolina Main Street downtowns totals more than $1.4 billion dollars.

The North Carolina Main Street Program provides technical assistance, education and networking opportunities to its communities. The program is part of the Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Assistance.