Portsmouth Partnership asks council to endorse Virginia Main Street 'Mobilizing' cohort for Old Town revitalization

Representatives of the Portsmouth Partnership told the Portsmouth City Council at a work session that the city has been accepted into the Virginia Main Street Mobilizing cohort and requested a council resolution required to participate.

The Partnership’s presenter, Michelle Wynne, said the effort grew from meetings of Old Town business owners, the Old Town Civic League and city departments that began in August 2024 and aims to reconnect the Old Town district to the waterfront and the emerging Innovation District. “Without a vision plan, it’s hard to make change, and it’s hard to stay on track without a plan,” Wynne told council during the presentation.

The request matters because the Mobilizing stage is a two-year, state-supported cohort that provides planning assistance and access to some grant opportunities; after Mobilizing, communities may apply for the Advancing Main Street accreditation and additional…