On Danville’s North Main Hill, new additions are complementing familiar features.
The historic North Theatre, which opened in 1947, still stands tall on North Main Street, but its marquee is changing more often, with new shows coming to the area on a more regular basis.
A dilapidated building across the street still has its recognizable light yellow paint, but now there are construction workers, wearing a brighter yellow, moving throughout the building and across the roof.
A book box, a pollinator garden and neighborhood events around the holidays are also new, and all part of a plan to revitalize the area, spearheaded by a group of engaged community members called the North Main Visionaries.
Revitalizing a neighborhood doesn’t happen overnight — especially when the neighborhood lost investments and attention over the years.
Now, community engagement is a priority. That’s how the work began in North Danville several years ago, and now, those projects are gaining traction and speeding up. As evidence: More than $2 million in seed money has been made available.