Fourteen years ago, Wayne Alan took a gamble on Danville’s North Main Historic District when no one else would.
He purchased the Historic North Theatre on Jan. 13, 2012, originally figuring he’d operate it while still living in Annapolis, Maryland.
“When I came here 14 years ago, it was a roll of the dice,” he told the Danville Register & Bee on a chilly Wednesday afternoon.
Eventually, Alan not only became a resident of the district but one of its most vocal champions for revitalization.
Dr. Gary Miller, a member of Danville City Council, said Alan was “like a bulldog” in his efforts to get North Main noticed.
On Wednesday, the city hosted a kickoff celebration for a new phase of redevelopment in the long-neglected area just north of the River District. The Danville Industrial Development Authority is investing $1.7 million into a building there, technically with two numbers, 624 and 626 N. Main St. — to redevelop it.
“I think it’s great,” Alan said at a gathering of city and community leaders. “I think it’s another step toward what I want this area to become: a theater and arts district.”
The world champion illusionist joined a few dozen others there to mark what seemed like a milestone moment. The project is being developed by Solex Architecture with the help of Quality Construction.
It’s expected to be finished by spring of 2027, offering a new commercial space for an interested tenant and also a residential area upstairs.
“This project represents a visible commitment from the city of Danville to invest in the North Main Hill,” Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones said.
Last year, a mural and pollinator garden marked the beginning of beautification efforts that first started in 2023.
That’s when state group provided an outside look at what needed to be done to redevelop the area known as North Main, building on an explosion of growth in the downtown area.
The River District Association — a downtown nonprofit that’s been around since 1999 — took the lead in the efforts to extend its footprint beyond the confines of certain streets.
A council-style group — dubbed the North Main Visionaries Collaborative Group — meets monthly to continue the momentum of redefining the historic part of the city.
“It was once the commercial heart of an independent town, and it remains a nationally recognized historic district, a place that reflects Danville’s working class and industrial heritage,” Jones said of the new energy that’s shaping the district.
Takita Walker, part of the North Main Visionaries group, said that revitalization is more than just buildings and business.
“It’s about people,” she told those gathered for the Wednesday ceremony. “It’s about ensuring that the voices, values and vision of this community are not only heard, but reflected in every step forward.”
Walker said that progress only happens when the redevelopment is inclusive to lift up those who call the area home and create more outlets for others to thrive.
“And we’re just getting started,” she said, teasing that two more murals are on the way. “This is our community, this is our vision, and this is only the beginning.”
Kitt Mayo — who wears many hats, including being on the visionaries board and the chair of the Danville Health Collaborative — was glad to see the light yellow building fronting North Main Street get some attention.
“I think it’s wonderful,” she told the Register & Bee. “Because it’s an eyesore.”
Mayo says it gives a boost to economic development and the resurgence of North Main, where she would eventually like to see a farmers market to give community members access to fresh vegetables.
Kristen Barker, a member of the Danville Industrial Development Authority, said the project shows the commitment to all of the city’s historic districts.
She said supporting economic development is more than just a building.
“It means investing in our story,” Barker said. “By preserving the places that shaped our past, we honor the generations who built this community while creating a foundation for sustainable growth and future opportunity.”
Barker said the building will be a true mixed-use redevelopment, giving the street-level floor commercial space and housing options on the upper level.
“By transforming underutilized and blighted structures into spaces that serve today’s needs, we preserve the character that makes Danville unique,” Barker said. “Our historic properties are the thread that connects yesterday to tomorrow.”
Although Alan has rallied for support for North Main, he knows the downtown area of the River District needed attention first.
“And because they did such a good job, and it has blossomed as it has, it has given us all the realization that we can now expand and come up here,” he told the Register & Bee.
As the building renovation marks the next step in a process to transform the area Tina Leone, the new executive director for the River District Association, explained that the organization is committed to supporting businesses and entrepreneurs.
“The momentum building here on North Main reflects the same growth and energy we’re seeing throughout the River District,” she said.
“Projects like this ensure that the North Main corridor is part of our overall downtown’s continued success,” Leone went on to say. “It reinforces the importance of the North Main District and its strong connection to the heart of downtown.”