-We did it - Aberdeen is a North Carolina (NC) Main Street Affiliate!

-Oh…neat; so what does that mean exactly?

-We are glad you asked!

Aberdeen is now part of a national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and towns that share a commitment to building stronger communities through healthy development of the downtown area. New Main Street communities are selected by the NC Department of Commerce through a competitive application process.

Eligible communities must have a certified population under 50,000 and commit to hiring a full-time downtown manager and provide funding for program operations. Aberdeen was selected as a program affiliate in 1990 but unfortunately lost “active” status due to a lack of support. A renewed interest in the program began in 2013 when town leaders voted in favor of reapplying. Town staff is fortunate to now receive strong support from our current leadership and the community.

In order to be re-designated as a Main Street Affiliate, Aberdeen must demonstrate a commitment to achieving meaningful economic, social, physical, and organizational improvements in the downtown commercial district. In Aberdeen, that district is known as the Downtown Retail Overlay District (DROD) and surrounding properties in the heart of our town center. Downtown Aberdeen is committed to comprehensive revitalization and undertakes ongoing efforts to achieve meaningful community outcomes, including some very exciting projects to improve the walkability and streetscapes in the coming 1-2 years.

One of our goals is to keep the community aware and involved in upcoming projects and events. We created a social media platform to spread current information for the area. Please like us on Facebook @DowntownAberdeen and/or follow us on Instagram @Downtown_Aberdeen to stay up to date. A “Downtown Aberdeen” website is coming soon.

We are in the process of forming a Downtown Development Committee to get the community involved in town projects. If you have an interest in serving on the committee so you can be on the front lines of meaningful change in Downtown Aberdeen, contact Jen at [email protected] or 910.944.4506. Please feel free to contact Jen with any other questions regarding downtown development.