Bill Partington
Photo credit: David Castagnacci
ORMOND ' S MAINSTREET MAGIC Decades of Dedication Turn Granada Boulevard into a Local Treasure
by David Castagnacci
Downtown Ormond Beach has been transformed in the last 30 years. Aging, historic buildings have been restored to their unique grandeur— housing locally-owned restaurants, boutiques and shops, art galleries, museums, businesses and offices.
Landscaped medians and crosswalks have been added to Granada Boulevard, the main corridor through the heart of town, helping to slow traffic and accommodate pedestrians.
Throughout the year, thousands of visitors are
drawn downtown for special events, as well as a weekly farmers market.
Add public art and other beautifications and downtown has become a desirable and walkable place to go.
Creation of a MainStreet
It wasn’ t always this way. Longtime downtown business owner Bill Partington remembers when Granada Boulevard was a wide thoroughfare, typically used by motorists to travel from one side of the city to
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