Attending the Florida Main Street Conference was one of the best things I did this summer. I only wish I could have attended all the sessions. Quarterly mini-conferences are offered for Main Street Board Members and Executive Directors. If you are interested in the program, it is easy to follow Florida Main Street on Facebook. I truly believe Pine Hills, Lockhart, and Apopka need to start a “Main Street". So, together let’s keep taking a deep dive into the role and benefits of Florida Main Streets. They take will, staff, and volunteer board members.
I am going to write about some of the sessions. Remember utilizing history, economic development, art, fully functioning CRAs, great chambers of commerce, and strong local governments are the secret sauce to improving downtowns. Great downtown areas also reduce the need for suburban sprawl and the degradation of the natural environment. I hope my series of columns on the Florida Main Street Conference in Ocala will provide ideas and hope.
Tax Credits and Incentives for Historic Properties – Ben Leverage of DTRedevelopment, Inc. spoke on how downtowns can retake their rightful places and help fill a gap in housing. Over the past 50 years, the United States has not followed this simple and efficient cycle, leaving massive gaps in available housing. There are times in our lives when we do not need a large suburban home. Downtown housing options can fill the gap for singles, young workers, and aging citizens.
Aligning Community Action Through a Main Street Master Plan: DeFuniak Springs Main Street Case Study - I learned rather quickly that sometimes you need a professional to write a comprehensive plan. There is never enough money, and integrating a community-wide planning process with the purpose of maximizing the effect and leveraging funds is powerful. The “electeds” must hold staff accountable to the plan, budget, and will of the people. The plan is the tool. The DeFuniak Springs Main Street Master Plan project created effective cross-collaboration with city leaders, departments, residents, and external agencies. The speakers highlighted the process.
Placemaking in the Palm Beaches: Historic Buildings as Anchors – Placemaking is something I absolutely love to do. While serving on the School Board, I was instrumental in remaking new prototype schools into special places by creating exhibits, sculptures, school histories, and art.
Speaker Rick Gonzalez, AIA with REG Architects, Inc., used Palm Beach County as his example for placemaking. Palm Beach has a rich concentration of historic and new buildings that respect historical precedent. Early mixed-use projects from the 1920s are models for today’s live/workspaces. Remember, place-making uses historic preservation as a tool for existing buildings, as well as new construction. It involves a purposeful effort to serve ALL people, encourage social interaction, and promote well-being that builds upon the special assets of a community and strengthens them through thoughtful design.
Historic Cemeteries as Cultural Resources - Alisa Slade Lotane, Florida State Historic Preservation Officer, and her team led a session on the importance of local cemeteries. The goal of the session was to learn how to use historic cemeteries in research, providing information, and how to clean properly and them. She also updated attendees on recent legislation pertaining to cemeteries.
Recollecting Memories: Florida’s Last Fish Camp – Professor Charlie Hailey, Ph.D. from the University of Florida, is an author, philosopher, and architect who has studied the interconnection of fish camps. Fish camps witness the hanging ecology and important lifeways of Florida’s people. We have some buildings reminiscent of fish camps remaining on Lake Apopka in Paradise Heights. I hope I can get a historical marker or something done to utilize these previous fish camps. Paradise Heights could use some revitalization.
As you can see, there are many ways to use history, design, planning, art, cemeteries, beautification, and other tools to improve communities. I hope reading this series of columns on the Florida Main Street Program inspires you to action.
Editor's Note: This is the fourth of a four-part series from Commissioner Moore about effective downtowns and preserving history.
