Grand Central District Gets National Main Street Status

Last week, according to the Grand Central District Association, the Grand Central District has been has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Program.

“This is an exciting time for the Grand Central District, and we are thrilled to once again receive National Main Street Accreditation,” says Lauren Ruiz, Executive Director/Main Street Manager for the Grand Central District in a news release. “It is a testimony to the dedication our business owners and volunteers have to the District’s continued revitalization.

"That dedication has led to several new businesses moving into Grand Central this year, leading to both new construction and the rehabilitation of existing buildings," Ruiz added. "From St. Petersburg’s first Net Zero office building to the 1926 Mari-Jean Hotel building, the Grand Central District is home to innovation and creativity as well as history and preservation.”

Areas get the designation after evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such "as developing a mission, fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking economic progress and preserving historic buildings," a news release said.

“We congratulate this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs for meeting our established performance standards,” says Valecia Crisafulli, acting director of the National Main Street Center in a news release. “Accredited Main Street programs are meeting the challenges of the downtown in the economy head on and are successfully using a focused, comprehensive revitalization strategy to keep their communities vibrant and sustainable.”

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