History repeats itself; DeLand looks back to the future

There is something about DeLand. One cannot travel through the downtown area without experiencing a feeling of Southern charm and hospitality. In a sense, it has gone back in time to capture the essence of Florida the way it used to be. This is all part of a grand plan that by all accounts is a great success.

DeLand City Manager Mike Abels noted that what residents and visitors experience in downtown DeLand today is the result of years of effort by the city, the county, preservationists, and an organization known as Mainstreet DeLand.

Visitors and residents enjoy an appealing mix of shops and businesses in DeLand's historic district.

What people experience downtown is a sense of history. Several historic renovation projects have been completed. Streets are accented with brick and paver areas. Streetlights are reminiscent of the gaslight era. Walkways are made more interesting and inviting with landscaping. Even the commercial establishments have renovated their storefronts to be more in keeping with the historic look.

"We made significant progress two years ago when a $3-million streetscape was completed downtown on Woodland Boulevard," said Abels. "This year, we wrapped up a $400,000-streetscape along E. Indiana Avenue that was financed in a partnership between the city and the county."

Renovation of the historic Athens Theater got a boost from a $200,000 federal grant along with funding from the county's ECHO grant program. The city has made funds available for improvement of facades and revitalization of underused buildings. There is also an annual allowance to create more historic murals downtown.

A $2.1-million federal transportation grant has been approved to create an intermodal transportation facility just south of the historic district. This will help to create shuttle service to help people travel about in the downtown area. A $500,000 Florida DOT transportation enhancement grant will help to establish a greenway bicycle route that will allow bicyclists to traverse the city from E. Euclid Avenue to the Painters Pond area near the campus of Stetson University.

"We are planning to issue requests for proposals for redevelopment of city properties," Abels continued. "It's a great way to engage entrepreneurs and solicit new ideas on how to improve our historic district further." Improving the historic district has had more than an aesthetic benefit.

The downtown area, where property values were declining just a few years ago, are now rising steadily, Abels said. Since the decline in values stopped, they have increased an average of 3.36 percent a year since, a good start on a trend likely to continue. Along with this, historic homes near the downtown area are among the most sought after in the county and are increasing faster in value than most properties in Volusia County, according to Property Appraiser Morgan Gilreath.

Abels credits Mainstreet DeLand for its vigilance in restoring the historic district. Taver Cornett, Mainstreet's executive director, said the die was cast long before he took the reins. He cited the creation of a tax increment district as one tool in restoring the historic district. It began small in 1985 but has accumulated about $175,000 from properties that are in areas once considered blighted. Funds are isolated for use in that district, providing concentrated redevelopment efforts.

Sidewalks are lined with stores,
boutiques, restaurants, galleries
and offices.

The program has had a positive effect. Street level commercial space in the district has gone from an occupancy rate of 40 percent to 98 percent, according to Cornett. There are now 130 businesses downtown with a waiting list for available space.

"We don't compete with so-called 'big box' stores and chains," said Cornett. "Our emphasis downtown is on personal service and attention to detail. This commitment, coupled with the right mix of stores, boutiques, restaurants, galleries and offices is making a big difference."

Cornett is not the only one who has noticed. In 1985, DeLand was the first Florida city selected as a Mainstreet Community.

In 1997 the Mainstreet DeLand Association was presented with the Great American Mainstreet Award, which has resulted in widespread coverage including PBS Television, the Wall Street Journal, Southern Living, Where to Retire Magazine and other national and regional media. Also attracting attention is the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority, which features downtown DeLand in many of its marketing materials. "We hear wonderful things from our visitors about DeLand," said Renee Wente Tallevast, director of tourism for the ad authority. "We also get a great response from visiting writers and travel professionals who come to the area on familiarization tours."

These visits often result in positive stories about DeLand and West Volusia County. "We are fortunate to live in such a wonderful community," said Mainstreet's Cornett. "We have a rich history that is coming alive again. As the home of Stetson University, the Fifth District Office of the Florida Department of Transportation, the Seventh Judicial District, the Volusia County School Board, City of DeLand offices, Volusia County Courthouse and administrative complex, we have lots of visitors. Add to this the fact that our West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority has been successful in attracting an increasing number of tourists and we have plenty of occasion to show off our historic district."