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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-118RESOLUTION NO. 03-118 A RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING MAIN STREET FORT PIERCE ON ITS "15?" YEAR ANNIVERSARY" IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida, has made the following determinations: 1. During the late 1970's, the future looked bleak for the traditional, commercial districts, called ~downtowns". 2. As shopping malls popped up everywhere, larger retail shops left the downtowns and smaller "mom and pop" stores were forced out of business. From there the domino effect continued. Downtown theaters closed, restaurants pulled out, and private investment diminished. Historically valuable districts became across the nation commonly crime havens as property values continued to drop, and to make a bad situation worse, historic architecturally significant buildings were slowly decayir~ and/or razed to the ground. 3. Cities nationwide were searching desperately for a solution to bring back commerce to their commercial districts. In response, the National Trust for Historic Preservation created several programs to be tested in different cities around the country. After five years, one program outshined the rest when it encouraged revitalization, redevelopment and reinvestment by creating a four-step approach consisting of promotions, economic restructuring, design, and organization to the needs of each individual downtown. to spur reinvestment 4. In 1987, Finally, the National Trust had a viable tool and named it the Main Street program. the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency, city commissioners, and concerned citizens completed a long application process to compete for one of three Main Street designations awarded to select Florida cities that year. In 1988, out of the nine cities that applied, Fort Pierce won its designation and officially became a Main Street community. 5. Main Street Fort Pierce has come a long way from its inception in 1988. Under the direction of Tom Kindred Jr., the first Fort Pierce Main Street manager, and the original Main Street Board, design tools such as decorative light posts and benches were purchased and installed, popular promotional events such as Friday Fest, Sights and Sounds on Second, and the Backus Festival were developed and facade improvement grants were offered to local businesses. 6. When Tom Kindred Jr. resigned in 1991, Doris Tillman was hired to fill the v~cant position. As the success of Main Street Fort Pierce grew, sD did the scope of its projects. In 1993, the fate of the original Fort Pierce City Hall, built in 1926, was questionable. Main Street formed St. Lucie Preservation Association, Inc. to serve as a restoration branch responsible for securing grants to restore historic buildings located in the Downtown Fort Pierce area. St. Lucie Preservation secured several state grants and a loan to restore the historic City Hall building. 7. The success of Main Street Fort Pierce over the past fifteen (15) years is due to the faithful commitment of current and past members of the Main Street board of directors, the city of Fort Pierce, local community organizations, local businesses, and general public support. Currently, the program consists of fourteen volunteer Doard members and two full-time employees. Over the past fifteen ~15) years, Main Street Fort Pierce has held approximately twenty-six downtown promotional events each year, educated public school children about the history of the area, won numerous local, state, and national awards, saved historic buildings from destruction, recruited businesses to the downtown area, held downtown charrettes to encourage the public participation in revitalization efforts, created outdoor art programs, and helped fund an award winning image campaign along the Downtown Business Association, the Community Redevelopment Agency, and the City of Fort Pierce. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida: 1. This Board does hereby congratulate Main Street Fort Pierce on its "15th Year Anniversary" in St. Lucie County, Florida. 2. This Boar~ urges the citizens of St. Lucie County to continue to participate in the activities sponsored by Main Street Fort Pierce; and congratulates Main Street Fort Pierce for a job well done. PASSED ~ DULY ADOPTED this 6tn day of May, 2003. ATTEST: BOARD OF COUNTY COM~I~SIONERS ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA BY: ~ __ APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM AND ./~ORRECTNESS: