Winners of the Secretary of State’s 2013 Florida Main Street Awards Announced

Tallahassee, Florida –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced the recipients of the Secretary of State’s 2013 Florida Main Street Awards. These awards were presented on September 19, 2013, at the Florida Main Street 2013 Annual Conference held in Vilano Beach.

"I am proud to recognize the activities and accomplishments of this year’s honorees," said Secretary Detzner. "Their sincere focus on preservation and contributions to Main Street programs across the state are essential to the revitalization of Florida’s traditional commercial districts."

The Secretary’s awards are based on the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Florida Main Street Awards Committee, which convened earlier to consider the applications received for 2013. The Committee included three local Main Street program managers: Laird Gann, Melbourne Main Street, Charles Rudd, Palatka Main Street, and Doris Tillman, Main Street Fort Pierce and Alex Carlson, Florida Main Street Program Assistant Coordinator.

The awards program encourages and acknowledges local Main Street program accomplishments that advance the goals of the Florida Main Street Program. Florida Main Street is a technical assistance program of the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, Bureau of Historic Preservation. The Bureau conducts statewide programs aimed at identifying, evaluating, and preserving Florida's historic resources. Main Street, with its emphasis on preservation, is an effective strategy for achieving these goals in Florida's historic retail districts. Since 1985, the Bureau has offered manager training, consultant team visits, design and other technical assistance, as well as the benefit of experience gained by other Florida Main Street programs.

Twenty-four honor or merit awards were presented for exceptional accomplishments within Florida Main Street communities.

This year’s award recipients are:

Outstanding Local Florida Main Street Supporter:  Honor Award— Sandy Chavez, (MainStreet DeLand Association); Merit Awards— Vivian Browning (Vilano Beach Main Street) and Scott Locke (St. Cloud Main Street)

Outstanding Florida Main Street Private-Public Partnership:  Honor Award— Magic Beach Motel (Vilano Beach Main Street, St. Johns County, North Shores Improvement Board, North Shores Corridor Design Review Board, Harry Scherwinski, Les Thomas)

Outstanding Florida Main Street Rehabilitation Project:  Honor Award— Robert Ikard, Wareing Enterprises, LLC (Newberry Main Street Organization); Merit Awards— Ink Trax, Inc. (Panama City Main Street) and Platts/Backus House (Main Street Fort Pierce)

Outstanding Florida Main Street Public Improvement:  Honor Award— Historic Train Depot (Peace River Explorations and City of Wauchula Community Redevelopment Agency); Merit Award— West New York Avenue Streetscape (City of DeLand)

Outstanding Florida Main Street New Construction Project:  Honor Award— CenterState Bank (Okeechobee Main Street); Merit Award— All Florida Management (Grand Central District Association, St. Petersburg)

Outstanding Florida Main Street Special Event:  Honor Award— Plastic Bottle Boat Race (Vilano Beach Main Street); Merit Awards—Tenth Annual Friday Fest (Panama City Main Street), Top of the Lake Art Fest (Okeechobee Main Street) and First Floridians First Americans Conference (Main Street Monticello)

Outstanding Florida Main Street Retail Sales Promotion:  Honor Award— Battle of the Burg(er) (Grand Central District Association, St. Petersburg)

Outstanding Florida Main Street Business of the Year:  Honor Award— Café da Vinci (MainStreet DeLand Association)

Outstanding Florida Main Street Economic Restructuring Project or Program:  Honor Award— Small Business Incubator Program (Newberry Main Street Organization); Merit Award- Breakfast with the Pros and Economic Analysis (St. Cloud Main Street)

For more information on the Florida Main Street Program, visit flheritage.com