About Us
Who WE ARE
Downtown Waynesville Commission's goal is to undertake revitalization activities within the service district and downtown area based on the guidelines of the North Carolina and National Main Street Programs, while preserving and sustaining the social, cultural, economic and historic role of the downtown as the center of the Waynesville community. The Executive Board meets monthly on the third Tuesday of each month in the Town Hall Conference Room located at 16 S Main Street. For more information contact the office of Downtown Waynesville Committee.
This Downtown Waynesville is the primary civic, retail, commercial, cultural and entertainment center of the community. It provides a “Sense of Place” and a “Sense of Community” through a shared memory of our past and commitment to the future with emphasis on quality planning and design, a balanced economic sector, mixed use development, residential opportunities and the creation of a vibrant entertainment and cultural arts community. Building design, second floor residential housing, high density in-fill development, parking and transportation improvements are designed for the comfort and enjoyment of the pedestrian and preservation of historic and civic space.
OUr Mission
No matter which direction you walk down the red-brick sidewalks on Main Street, mountains rise up ahead of you. It’s a reminder that in Waynesville, an adventure is never too far away. For more than 200 years, this town has been a gateway to the beauty that surrounds it.
The DWC supports sustainable economic development by fostering a vibrant downtown where local businesses, entrepreneurs, and cultural opportunities can thrive.
We are committed to caring for downtown’s shared spaces and resources, ensuring a welcoming, safe, and accessible environment for all who live, work, and visit.
By honoring Waynesville’s history, architecture, and unique character, we protect the charm and authenticity that make our downtown a special place to gather and connect.
North Carolina Main Street Rural Planning Center
The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center is a Main Street America™ Coordinating Program. Main Street America™ is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. As one of the first Main Street America™ Coordinating Programs designated in 1980, NC Main Street inspires placemaking through building asset-based economic development strategies. The NC Main Street staff is charged by the NC Department of Commerce to facilitate downtown economic development using the Main Street America Four-Point Approach. The Main Street Approach™ focuses on economic development strategies to transform downtown. These strategies articulate a focused path to revitalizing or strengthening a downtown economy. Designated NC Main Street community's work is organized around the Four-Point Approach: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization.
The National Main Street Program | Main Street America™
Main Street America™ has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts since 1980. Today it is a network of neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, that share both commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Main Street America™ is a movement. It is the leading voice for preservation-based economic development and community revitalization across the country. Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, Main Street America represents the broad diversity that makes this country so unique. Working together, the programs that make up the Main Street America network help to breathe new life into the places people call home.
Resources
Downtown Waynesville thrives on a spirit of collaboration, where residents and business owners work together to keep our downtown vibrant and welcoming. Please see below for our community resources. Please direct questions to our contact page.