Secretary Detzner Selects Three New Main Street Communities

Tallahassee –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner today announced the designation of Cocoa Beach, EDGE Business District in St. Petersburg, and LaBelle as the newest Florida Main Street communities. Designation requires three years of intensive training and technical assistance from the statewide Florida Main Street Program to support local revitalization and historic preservation efforts in the community’s traditional commercial area.

 “I am proud to welcome Cocoa Beach, EDGE Business District, and LaBelle to the Main Street Program,” said Secretary Detzner. “This important program encourages economic development of Florida’s traditional commercial areas within the context of historic preservation. Its efforts foster a return to community independence, emphasizing the traditional assets of downtown—local ownership, personal service, and a sense of community.”

 Secretary Detzner’s designation was based on the August 28, 2014 recommendation of the six-member ad hoc Florida Main Street Advisory Committee. Organizations represented on the Advisory Committee included Florida Division of Historical Resources, Main Street DeLand Association, Inc., Florida Department of Economic Opportunity,1000 Friends of Florida, Florida Redevelopment Association, and the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.

 Cocoa Beach is located on the central east coast with a population of 12,632.  The city was established in 1925.  Between the decade 1950 and 1960 there was a 1,000 percent population increase as a result of NASA’ John F. Kennedy Space Center which offered numerous jobs for the space program.

 EDGE Business District is an urban business district located in the City of St. Petersburg. The name EDGE is actually an acronym for Entertainment, Dining, Galleries, Etc. It will be the third Main Street community to join the St. Petersburg area. 

 LaBelle, the county seat of Hendry County, had its beginning as a settlement in the 1880s when it was populated by cattle drovers and trappers.  Located on the Caloosahatchee River in south central Florida, LaBelle has a population of 4,460.

 Florida Main Street is administered by the Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State. The Bureau of Historic Preservation conducts statewide programs aimed at identifying, evaluating, and preserving Florida's historic resources. Main Street, with its emphasis on preservation, is an effective strategy in achieving these goals in Florida's historic retail districts. For more about Florida Main Street and other programs conducted by the Division of Historical Resources, visit flheritage.com.

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About Florida Main Street

Florida Main Street is a program administered by the Division of Historical Resources under the Florida Department of State, which currently oversees 45 communities throughout the state. By implementing the National Main Street Center’s Four-Point Approach®, Florida Main Street encourages economic development within the context of historic preservation through the revitalization of Florida’s downtowns – the community’s heart and soul. Since the program’s inception in 1985, the Florida Main Street programs have cumulatively created 22,487 jobs, 6,442 new businesses and produced $2.3 billion in reinvestment.