Vilano Beach The Vilano Beach Community Redevelopment Area plan reflects extensive input from the community to create redevelopment programs that address the priorities expressed in public meetings of the Vilano Beach Main Street Group, Vilano Beach Waterfronts Florida Community Group, North Shores Improvement Association, and other members of the community. The programs created for this community will be phased in according to future community input and future revenues available for redevelopment from tax-increment revenues, County funding, grants, and other public or private resources. The tax increment mechanism established for this area provides dedicated revenue for up to a thirty-year period. The Vilano Beach Community Redevelopment Area program has been created to organize, design, promote and economically restructure the commercial district in Vilano Beach since it was bypassed by the relocation of the Vilano (Usina) Bridge in 1995. The primary focus of the plan addresses infrastructure improvements, economic development incentives, and encourages the development of activities which impact the quality of life of the people who live and work in the Vilano Beach neighborhood. The Vilano Beach community is located on a barrier island peninsula area, which lies two miles north of St. Augustine on the east side of the Usina Bridge which crosses the Intracoastal Waterway. 16
Vilano Beach Vilano Beach Main Street & Vilano Beach Waterfronts Florida Community Executive Committee Vivian Browning, President of the Board and Chair of CRA Executive Committee Phone: 904-501-5891 viviancbrowning@bellsouth.net Dylan Cadwalder, Vice President and Treasurer Phone: 904-217-3765 vrem2@comcast.net Sacha Martin, Promotions Committee Phone: 904-824-1212 sachamartin@msn.com Sallie O Hara, Program Manager Phone: 904-540-0402 tarahill@bellsouth.net www.vilanobeachfl.com 17
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Vilano Beach Vilano Beach Main Street & Vilano Beach Waterfronts Florida Community Grants: Vilano Beach Main Street was awarded a $10,000 grant from The Community Foundation Crisp-Ellert Fund to engage community school partners in designing, creating, and installing art panels along the Vilano Board Nature Boardwalk. Six mosaic panels of nature, wildlife, history and habitats will be created by blind students from the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. The panels will be completed in the school art department and installed by the St. Johns County Recreation and Parks Department by September 2013. Vilano Beach is situated along the A1A Scenic & Historic Byway. The Friends of A1A Scenic Byway, a nonprofit organization, is a citizen advocacy group which collaborates with municipalities, governmental agencies and civic groups to protect, preserve, and enhance resources along the A1A National Scenic Byway. They were pleased to receive the following grant awards this year: The Federal Highway Administration awarded the Friends of A1A Scenic Byway $600,691 for a wayfinding signage design/build project. 19
Vilano Beach Vilano Beach Main Street & Vilano Beach Waterfronts Florida Community Grants: For the fourth consecutive year, VISIT FLORIDA has awarded grants to the Friends of A1A. This year they received three cultural heritage grants: The Art of A1A a marketing grant to enhance web site promotions, develop and distribute collateral materials, and stimulate regional interest among diverse art communities along the Byway. Along the Byway an image grant to develop a series of short video commercials, public service announcements and web promotions highlighting routes, events, and trails along the A1A corridor, including bicycle and pedestrian safety tips. WAVE Hospitality Program a tourism education grant to develop hospitality training materials and conduct hospitality workshops targeted to service industries, including lodging, recreation, restaurants and visitor information center staff and volunteers. Some grants must be matched and funds are raised through various fundraising events throughout the year. 20
Vilano Beach Vilano Beach Main Street & Vilano Beach Waterfronts Florida Community Awards & Distinctions: Atlantic Land Realty (Vilano Town Center Partners LLC) of West Palm Beach shared honors for an award for OUTSTANDING NEW CONSTRUCTION at the Annual Florida Main Street Conference held in Dade City September 12-14 this year. The construction of a Publix-anchored commercial center resulted in becoming a catalyst for sustainable commercial development in the Vilano Beach Town Center and a driving force for additional commercial development and new jobs. The additional tax base generated by this development will help pay for the CRA bond issue. This award follows a 14 year journey of economic revitalization. Town Center leaders have nurtured the original vision into a reality to create a sustainable, pedestrian friendly, unique sense of place. The local citizen initiative employed land use analysis and specific Overlay District zoning to design the Vilano Beach Town Center infrastructure which includes underground utilities or stormwater maintenance system, streetscape, angle parking, landscape architecture, lighting, and signage, while at the same time preserving and celebrating the natural and recreational environment on two waterfronts. Additionally, in 2012 Vilano Beach Main Street, which was under the umbrella of the North Shores Improvement Association, responsible for improving the quality of life in the area since 1938, received its own separate not-for-profit 501c3 corporation status. 21
Vilano Beach Vilano Beach Main Street & Vilano Beach Waterfronts Florida Community 2012 Infrastructure Improvements: January Upgrade of Wayfinding Sign System June Completion of floating dock for temporary dockage ($300,000+ project) August Completion of pier end cap signage Vilano Beach Pier November Demolition of derelict Town Center building December Enhancement to traffic light for safety at Coastal Highway & A1A 22
Vilano Beach 2012 Highlights Notable Events, Programs, and Services Sunset Celebrations are held the first Saturday of every month from 2 p.m. to dusk at the Vilano Beach Pier and Pavilion. This special event includes artistic performers, local arts and crafts, music, dancing, and food. The mission of the Sunset Celebration is to encourage locals and tourists to come enjoy community activities within Vilano Beach Town Center. 23
Vilano Beach 2012 Highlights Notable Events, Programs, and Services Dressing of the Palms Palm trees were adopted and dressed to promote a school, a business, or just for the fun of it. Trees remained dressed from November through January and judging took place on November 10 th. 24
Vilano Beach 2012 Highlights Notable Events, Programs, and Services The 2012 Florida Pro/Am Crossover Skimboard Tournament was held August 24-26th on Vilano Beach. 25
Vilano Beach 2012 Highlights Notable Events, Programs, and Services Annual Easter Egg Hunt Dedication of the Vilano Pier Public Dock (which now makes the Vilano Beach Town Center accessible by both land and water) 8th Annual Bob Conroy Charity Inshore Fishing Tournament benefiting the St. Augustine Youth Center Restoration of the 1950s Bluebird of Happiness and relocation to the Vilano Beach Pier Plastic Bottle Boat Race Third grade elementary school students 26
Vilano Beach 2012 Highlights Notable Events, Programs, and Services 72 Mile A1A Super Scenic Garage Sale Fishing Tournament & Silent Auction to benefit the National Foundation for Transplants Jeep Ride & Parade on A1A to benefit veterans and their families Kiwanis K-Kids Town Center and beach clean-up Vilano Beach Inlet Maritime Festival Friends of GTM Trail Run Turtle Town Beach Clean-up Art Breakers and StAR Council Bra*tini Cancer Fund Raiser Surf s Up Camp Bike Run for the Babes Poker Run benefiting the Child Cancer Fund 16th Annual Vilano Bridge 5K Run/Walk 27
Vilano Beach 2012 Highlights Looking Forward Vilano Beach will host the Florida Main Street Annual Conference and Awards Dinner to be held September 18-20, 2013. The FMS Annual Conference will offer strategies for historic commercial district revitalization with educational sessions presented by professionals from around the nation. Located in downtown Vilano Beach with nearby venues in Ponte Vedra Beach and historic St. Augustine, the conference will provide attendees the opportunity to experience many aspects of our beautiful area. The conference will celebrate Vilano s 10 th anniversary as a Main Street Community, showcase the Town Center, and include a walking tour of the Vilano Beach Town Center and a bus tour of historic St. Augustine. The group will be headquartered in the multimillion dollar Environmental Education Center of the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) in Guana State Park (about 5 miles north of the Town Center). Attendees will visit the newly erected statue of Juan Ponce de Leon (to be erected and dedicated the first week in April 2013) as part of the statewide Viva Florida 500 Celebration, commemorating the 500 th year of the founding of La Florida by Juan Ponce de Leon. 28
Vilano Beach 2012 Highlights Looking Forward Vilano Beach Community Garden ~ More than 25 Vilano area residents have shown an interest in taking advantage of the opportunity to create an organic community garden. The proposed 145 x 33 foot garden will be located on the east side of the ball field near the tree line on the four acre property owned by the North Shores Improvement Association. A plan for the garden boxes and compost space has already been designed. The first community gardeners meeting will be held in January or February, 2013. 29
Vilano Beach 2012 Highlighting New & Existing Businesses ** 180 Vilano Grill & Pizza Bay Ray Boat Rentals & Charters * Beaches at Vilano Deck Expansion * Fire Wok Haley s Pub Hampton Inn & Suites St. Augustine-Vilano Beach Inlet Marina at Vilano Beach * Magic Beach Motel Restoration OceanView Lodge * Publix Grocery Store & Pharmacy * Puccini s Pizzeria * Rainbow Shades * 2012 New Businesses ** 2013 Construction Commences * Salon Balance * St. Augustine Beach House Renovation St. Augustine Marina ** The Palms at Vilano Beach * Venus Nails & Spa ** Vilano Beach Garden Inn Vilano Beach Town Center Realty * Vilano Beach Water Taxi & Tours * Vilano Dry Cleaners Vilano Extended Stay Vilano Surf Hut * YoCool Yogurt 30