Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee announced today that Melbourne Main Street has been designated the April 2019 Florida Main Street Program of the Month. Programs are selected based on their development achievements and participation in the Florida Main Street Program.
“Melbourne Main Street has shown an exemplary commitment to the revitalization of Historic Downtown Melbourne,” said Secretary Lee. “The downtown area has grown to become a special place that nurtures its talented businesses owners, unique restaurants and rich historical resources.”
Historic Downtown Melbourne is located along Florida’s Space Coast just west of the Indian River Lagoon. The city was formerly known as Crane Creek and later changed its name to Melbourne in honor of the home of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector, who was a Melbourne, Australia native. Development in the Melbourne area began shortly after the Civil War due to its proximity to the Indian River Lagoon and easy access to seaports. Its waterside location was a source of great economic growth.
In 1919, most of the downtown was destroyed during a fire. Rebirth of the city began two years later when a bridge was constructed across the Indian River Lagoon sparking a new wave of economic development.
Melbourne Main Street revitalization efforts began in 2002 when Downtown Melbourne became a designated Main Street. Since that time, they have successfully carried out Florida Main Street’s mission of bringing businesses, jobs and people back to their downtown historic district.
Some of the most recent excitement comes from the development of the Highline urban apartment project, which is a $30 million investment project that will provide 171 luxury apartments in the heart of downtown. In addition, Melbourne expects to open its first downtown hotel by the year 2020.
Melbourne Main Street is also proud to host an array of exciting events throughout the year that draw in visitors from near and far. They recently held their annual Downtown Melbourne Botanical Fest, which attracted more than 4,000 people and showcased local plant and garden vendors.
For more information about Melbourne Main Street visit downtownmelbourne.com or facebook.com/MelbourneMainStreet. For more information on the Florida Main Street program visit floridamainstreet.com or facebook.com/FloridaMainStreet.
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 46 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.
