Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee Designates Lake Wales Main Street as the Florida Main Street Program of the Month

Tallahassee, Fla. –

Today, Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee announced that Lake Wales Main Street has been designated the December 2021 Florida Main Street Program of the Month.

“Lake Wales Main Street’s dedication to revitalization is inspiring,” said Secretary Lee. “By connecting the public and private sectors to create a new vision for their downtown and nearby neighborhood, Lake Wales Main Street has proven to be a vital player in the community-based revitalization and economic development of their city.”

Building upon their strong relationship with the City of Lake Wales, Lake Wales Main Street was a crucial partner in the development of Lake Wales Connected, a strategic plan for the revitalization of their historic downtown and the Northwest Neighborhood. The plan calls for more pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, adaptive reuse of historic properties, the expansion of existing trail systems, installation of electric vehicle charging stations, and the creation of a new town square which would ultimately transform historic downtown Lake Wales and the Northwest Neighborhood into a people-centric community. Phase I of Lake Wales Connected is currently underway and construction is slated to begin within the next six months.

Photograph courtesy of Lake Wales Main Street

Since its designation in 1987, Lake Wales Main Street has reported approximately $7,414,799 in public and private reinvestments and welcomed 115 net new businesses and 415 net new full-time and part-time jobs to the district. The organization has also reported approximately 4,200 volunteer hours.

Lake Wales Main Street hosts a variety of events throughout the year, such as the bi-weekly Farmer’s Market, annual Wine.Down.Town, the Rockin’ Main Street outdoor concert series, and the Making It Magical Christmas celebration.

For more information on Lake Wales Main Street, visit LWMainStreet.com or Facebook.com/LakeWalesMainStreet. To learn more about the Florida Main Street program, visit FloridaMainStreet.com or Facebook.com/FloridaMainStreet.

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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 54 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.