

Action Plan Downtown Revitalization Travel & Tourism in Bertie
Hello Bertie Municipalities, Non-Profits, and Downtown Revitalization Committees!
We created this Downtown Revitalization page to keep everyone updated and to share the many resources we continue to find.
We'll continue working together on your specific needs, but this general information can help all of us keep our eyes on the target - vibrant downtowns.

The images to the left are snapshot examples of future online promotion using the newly designed Bertie Travel & Tourism logo. See Brand Guide.​
See Bertie's Downtown Visions
By DBD Planning
Full descriptions available in the Bertie Travel & Tourism Master Plan scheduled for release February 2025. Click here to see all Downtown Concepts.

Learn about small-scale development and historic tax credits.
Or do you have a building that has boarded up windows, a caved in roof, chipping paint, crumbling facade?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, we have an opportunity for you! Open to ANY community in the state of NC.
​
Topics Include:
-How has Historic Preservation Leveraged Economic Development?
-What is the Role of Local Main Street/Economic Development Staff in Spurring Downtown and Neighborhood Commercial Economic Development?
-Understanding the Codes and Ordinances for Developing Downtown and Neighborhood Commercial Properties.
-Understanding How to Use the Historic Tax Credit Program
-How to Develop Small-Scale Projects in Small-Mid-Sized Cities
-Tour of Historic Tax Credit Projects in the Host Community
​

Are you interested in obtaining a National Register listing for your downtown or home?
Click here to see status of historic structures in Bertie County. Contact Robin Payne to learn more.
​

Pictures of Success In NC Towns



Typical Steps Towards Revitalization
Planning
-
Your town’s history and memories = your story
-
Inventory structures: Take a photo of the front/street entrance
-
Organize into Government, Nonprofit, or Privately owned.
-
Historic Designation – National Register or Study List?
-
Organize into available for sale (as is or renovated), available for rent (as is or renovated, absent landlord, public safety issue.
-
Some towns have a National Register historic district in place (NR) others are on the study list (SL). Here is the link to see all of Bertie County’s historic areas and structures. https://nc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=d2d04d8d7e03403f889419526e682529
-
Structural Assessment necessary on some buildings
-
Utility or roadway needs?
-
What type of businesses are needed/enjoyed by locals AND by travelers? What businesses are NOT welcome?
-
Façade and plan view/streetscape design and estimates
-
Work with the Town Government to develop a façade improvement program and ordinance.
Market the Vision and Availability
-
Create an informational online "Recruitment" package to promote the availability, local vision, County Travel & Tourism planning.
-
Outreach to developers, realtors, entrepreneurs, etc.
-
Restoration Underway
Travel & Tourism Promotion
-
Destination Bertie and the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) promote Bertie and its unique downtowns.
Updated 6/30/24
“The Better Business Bureau’s national statistics show that when you spend $100 at a local business, roughly $68 stays within the local economy, compared to a non-local business where $43 of that $100 dollars stays in the community.
Most small businesses also participate in volunteer work, charitable donations, community festivals, local sports teams, and benefits. In fact, their data shows 52% of small businesses support charitable contributions, and 90% donate to local causes.
The vibrancy of any small town can be measured by the economic health of their small businesses. These community assets generate long-term economic development that meets authentic community needs. By supplying jobs to their communities, these entrepreneurs promote economic self-sufficiency to help reduce poverty, according to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, which supports entrepreneurial efforts in low and moderate-income areas.
Local small businesses also provide character and individuality to a community. They are a community’s unique brand. Walking along a thriving business district can create a sense of value and identity for visitors. It’s an impression of vitality and wealth, producing a positive image of the overall community."
​
Deborah Kaufman. (2023, May 8).
Small Businesses—the Heart and Soul of Today’s Rural Communities. My Little Falls.
https://mylittlefalls.com/small-businesses-the-heart-and-soul-of-todays-rural-communities/​
​