Editing Lynchburg, Virginia (section)

=== Modern revitalization ===
[[Liberty University]], founded in 1971 as Lynchburg Baptist College and renamed in 1985, is one of the country's largest institutions of higher education and the largest employer in the Lynchburg region. The university states that it generates over $1 billion in [[Economic impact analysis|economic impact]] to the Lynchburg area annually.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tyree|first=Elizabeth|date=2018-09-24|title=Study: LU's local, state impact is more than $1 billion annually|url=https://wset.com/news/local/study-lus-local-state-impact-is-more-than-1-billion-annually|access-date=2021-09-14|website=WSET}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Moody|first=Josh|title=Liberty University passes $3B in gross assets, report says it generates more than $1B annually in economic activity|url=https://newsadvance.com/news/local/liberty-university-passes-3b-in-gross-assets-report-says-it-generates-more-than-1b-annually/article_f381c060-c659-11e8-95f3-9f603d2fc836.html|access-date=2021-09-14|website=NewsAdvance.com|date=October 2, 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Study--494174351.html|title = Study: Liberty University's local and state impact tops $1 billion annually| date=September 24, 2018 }}</ref>

Lynchburg has ten recognized historic districts, four of them in the downtown residential area.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/tax_credits/Historic_District_Maps/Lynchburg_20120927.pdf |title=Lynchburg's Listed Historic Districts |publisher=Virginia Department of Historic Resources |access-date=January 23, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223234206/http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/tax_credits/Historic_District_Maps/Lynchburg_20120927.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Lynchburg's Downtown Residential Historic Districts&mdash;Virginia Main Street Communities: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary |url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/vamainstreet/lyn.htm|access-date=2021-09-14|website=www.nps.gov}}</ref> Since 1971, 40 buildings have been individually listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Lynchburg, Virginia|National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2008a}}</ref>

Downtown Lynchburg has undergone significant revitalization, with hundreds of new loft apartments created through adaptive reuse of historic warehouses and mills. Since 2000, downtown has attracted private investments of more than $110&nbsp;million, and business activity increased by 205% from 2004 to 2014.<ref name="Downtown Lynchburg Our Story">{{cite web |title=About Downtown Lynchburg |url=http://www.downtownlynchburg.com/our-story/ |website=www.downtownlynchburg.com |access-date=December 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223105722/http://www.downtownlynchburg.com/our-story/ |archive-date=December 23, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2014, 75 new apartment units were added to downtown Lynchburg, with 155 further units under construction, increasing the number of housing units downtown by 48% from 2010 to 2014.<ref name="Downtown Lynchburg Our Story" />

In 2015, the $5.8-million Lower Bluffwalk pedestrian street zone opened.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lower Bluffwalk Grand Opening Article |url=http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/recreated-water-bearer-statue-unveiled-in-downtown-lynchburg/article_169254cd-e180-5d19-b46f-c950ebd21517.html |access-date=December 22, 2015 |publisher=News and Advance |date=August 12, 2015}}</ref> Notable projects underway in downtown by the end of 2015 include the $25-million Virginian Hotel restoration project, a $16.6-million restoration of the Academy Center of the Arts, and $4.6-million expansion of Amazement Square Children's Museum.<ref>{{cite web |title=Greater Downtown Lynchburg Projects |website=Google Maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zNzRFEH1zBJc.kp9ZCr_fTePI}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Academy Center of the Arts Article |url=http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/lynchburg-city-council-approves-million-for-academy-theatre-restoration/article_9fa5f760-71ff-11e5-a225-fb5d159cc9f2.html |access-date=December 22, 2015 |publisher=News and Advance |date=October 13, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Announcement of Hilton Curio Branded Virginian Hotel |url=http://www.newsadvance.com/news/business/the-virginian-lynchburg-will-be-part-of-hilton-boutique-hotel/article_db103cfc-8fa5-11e5-a291-2f246703226d.html |access-date=December 22, 2015 |publisher=News and Advance |date=November 20, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Amazement Square Education Center Expansion |url=http://www.amazementsquare.com/education-center/ |access-date=December 22, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219021714/http://www.amazementsquare.com/education-center/ |archive-date=December 19, 2015}}</ref>