Secretary Detzner Designates Main Street Vero Beach as Florida Main Street Program of the Month

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced today that Main Street Vero Beach has been designated the July 2018 Florida Main Street Community of the Month. Communities are selected based on their development achievements and participation in the Florida Main Street Program.

“For over 20 years, Main Street Vero Beach has worked to revitalize downtown with an array of historic preservation projects and events,” said Secretary Detzner. “This historic Florida community retains small town charm while offering a city core that features beautiful scenery, endless shops and restaurants.”

Vero Theatre, Vero Beach, Florida

Main Street Vero Beach was designated a Main Street program in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the program has revitalized downtown through notable preservation projects. Most recently, the historic Vero Beach Diesel Power Plant was opened as the American Icon Brewery. With the help of the Federal Historic Tax Incentives Program, developer Michael Rechter and his team were able to transform this 92-year-old building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, into a thriving commercial property.

Like other cities on the east coast of Florida, Vero Beach owes its beginnings to the creation of Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railroad. The railroad inspired growth and accelerated development along Florida’s Atlantic coast. In 1912, businessmen from Iowa and Illinois saw great opportunity in the area and purchased the land that is now Vero Beach. The city of Vero was incorporated in 1919 and renamed Vero Beach in 1925. Two of the biggest contributing factors to its growth were the development of residential air conditioning and mosquito control efforts.

Main Street Vero Beach recently welcomed new executive director, Katherina Paliwoda, who hopes to bring a new sense of excitement to the community. “Main Street Vero Beach had a great start to 2018,” said Paliwoda. “We are currently going through a rebranding and education campaign, with new program logos to teach the entire community about the Four Points of Main Street and the history of Vero Beach.”

This month, Main Street Vero Beach will host the Florida Main Street Annual Conference from July 30 through August 1. The conference is a chance for Vero Beach to show off their thriving downtown. “We are very excited to share our wonderful downtown with visitors from all over Florida,” states Paliwoda. Attendees will participate in presentations on topics ranging from economic vitality to cultural placemaking with the end goal of taking pride in local Main Streets. To register for the Florida Main Street Annual Conference visit https://bit.ly/2I5BqbN.  

For more information about Main Street Vero Beach visit mainstreetverobeach.org. For more information on 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 49 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.