DANVILLE, Va. – A state grant is helping improve the downtown areas of two local cities.
On Thursday, the governor's office announced that Danville's River District Association has been awarded $25,000 from the Virginia Main Street Downtown Investment program.
The money will be used to update the outside of buildings.
The Downtown Lynchburg Association also received $25,000.
It will be used to create new programs to help attract businesses.
Ashley Kershner is the association's executive director and said a recruitment program and a business-friendly marketing environment downtown will be created.
"The River District is actually a very safe place to be, but unfortunately sometimes we equate things that don't look fresh to, maybe, being unsafe. This will help us overcome that," River District Association Executive Director Diana Schwartz said.
"Obviously, people want a more vibrant downtown with amenities," Kershner said. "We want more stores to open, we want more restaurants to come, more things to do. We hear it all the time. So we hope our efforts help make that happen."
This is the second year the association has received grant money from the program.
South Boston received $15,000 for its Keep Entrepreneurs program.