Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced that the EDGE District Main Street in St. Petersburg has been designated the May 2018 Florida Main Street Community of the Month. Communities are selected based on their development achievements and participation in the Florida Main Street Program.
“The EDGE District has made a big impact in the four years it has been a Main Street program,” said Secretary Detzner. “Their Main Street team has worked hard to preserve the community’s history and to create a vibrant district with a variety of retail, restaurants and activities.”
Since its designation in 2014, the EDGE District has received eight outstanding Florida Main Street awards. EDGE is an acronym for “Entertainment, Dining, Galleries and shops, Etcetera.” Nestled between First Avenue North and Central, from MLK to 16th Street, the area was once almost deserted but has been revitalized to one of the fastest growing and most popular destinations in the region.
The EDGE District Main Street, operated by the EDGE Business District Association (EBDA), has spearheaded this revitalization with active district advocacy, community-building, business assistance, and a highly effective marketing campaign that started with branding the district as the EDGE and gaining widespread visibility through its promotional programs and district-wide events.
The EDGE District also spearheaded a district improvement plan that was approved by St. Petersburg City Council last year and is now in its implementation phase. The EBDA’s current projects under the Plan include new streetscape furnishings, new landscaping, public parking infrastructure, trash compactor sites, new banners, and district gateway markers. The latter are being created by artist James Brenner and will celebrate the community’s industrial heritage and its edgy character.
One of the most popular EDGE Main Street events is the EDGE District Sip & Stroll, which is upcoming on Sunday, June 17 and will feature sips and food at 20 of the district’s favorite eateries, boutiques, bars, and galleries. All proceeds support the Main Street’s community improvement projects.
The mission of the downtown historic EDGE District is to plan, promote, and advocate to sustain an eclectic, vibrant EDGE District community while preserving its unique character. Florida Main Street is a self-help program. The Bureau of Historic Preservation supplies technical assistance, but the credit and responsibility for success rest with the many community leaders who offer their time, expertise, and enthusiasm to revitalizing downtown. For more information, please visit edgedistrict.org. For more information on the Florida Main Street program, please visit floridamainstreet.com.
Photos and logo provided by the Edge District. Release provided by the St Pete Chamber of Commerce.
For more great things happening in St Pete look at this article on helping entrepreneurs.