CLINTWOOD, VA.

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PHOTO BY TERESA MULLINS

Haysi area residents packed the Haysi Kiwanis building Monday night to listen to details about a plan
to revitalize the town's downtown area.

Haysi revitalization process will be long, but worth it

BY TERESA MULLINS
STAFF WRITER

HAYSI A crowd of nearly 100 people filled the Haysi Kiwanis build ing Monday evening to learn about a
plan to revitalize the town. They found out that while the

Haysi's revitalization process began when the town was recently accepted as a
Commercial District

model relies on a comprehensive, incremental approach to build eco

nomic vitality using a community's

unique heritage and attributes as a

foundation.

Jim Baldwin, Executive Director

process will likely be a long one, it

should be well worth the effort.

Haysi's revitalization began when the town was accepted as a Commercial Affiliate through the

process recently District Virginia

Affiliate through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

with the Cumberland Plateau Planning District, was on hand at Monday's meeting to discuss the process and
answer questions. Baldwin said in an

interview yesterday that the Haysi

meeting was one of the largest crowds

Department

of

Housing

and state and national downtowm develop

ment experts.

Community Development. The affili

ate option allows communities that

don't meet criteria for the Virginia Main Street program to still benefit

The program uses the National

Main Street model to revitalize small er, traditional business districts. The

he had ever seen at an initial meeting for a downtown revitalization project. At Monday night's meeting, Baldwin stressed the importance of community support during the process, as well as the cooperation of
PLEASE SEE HAYSI, PAGE 2

from its resources, such as training by

Haysi
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

'We will get thousands

of ideas during the Haysi

business and property owners. The pro gram takes an incremental approach, meaning that change won't be immediate. While the process is a long and deliberate one, he assured those present it will pay
off in the end.

revitalization project, and

no idea is a bad idea. With

He compared Haysi's revitalization process to that of Honaker. a similar town

that has been under revitalization for the past two years.

this kind of start, I don't

see how we can fail.'
Jim Baldwin

Baldwin said through the revitalization process, many unexpected benefits are
born, this time using Clintwood as an

example. Baldwin explained that Clintwood went through a revitalization process several years ago, and through the project, the exterior of an historic threestory home known as the Chase House
was renovated. The town then obtained

Many of the requirements are already in

the works, however. The steps include:

Holding an initial public meeting. That step was completed Monday night.
Holding the first management team meeting. On Monday night several com munity members volunteered to partici pate on the management team and will meet Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Haysi Kiwanis building. Beginning the process of selecting a facilitator for the community visioning
step.

grant funding to convert the house into the Ralph Stanley Museum and
Traditional Mountain Music Center, which is now a world-wide tourist desti nation, Baldwin said.

From thai project stemmed the idea for

The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage
Music Trail, a connection of mountain

Conducting an inventory of local

music tourist destinations in the region.

businesses, which is already under way.

That spawned the creation of Round The Mountain, a network of crafters along The
Crooked Road. That in turn led to the cre

Identifying local and regional busi

ness assistance resource providers and potential flinders. Contacting the Virginia Department
of Historic Resources to let them know

ation of Heart Wood, which directs

tourists to area attractions.

Those ideas all stemmed from revital

Haysi is entering the revitalization

process.

ization. Baldwin said. "We will get thou

sands of ideas during the Haysi revital

ization project, and no idea is a bad idea," he told the group. "With this kind
of start, I don't see how we can fail."
Baldwin stated.

Holding a second management team meeting.

Once those steps are finished, the town

can continue into the next phase.

BEGINNING STEPS

Baldwin said there are seven steps in the first phase of revitalization, and the deadline to have those steps completed is only a little more than a month away.

Though few members of the public spoke at the meeting, those in attendance listened intently as Baldwin explained the process. Haysi Mayor Larry Yates said he is looking forward to the project. "1 can see some great things coming down the
road for Haysi," he noted.