The voting round is now open to the public until September 25

STUART, Fla. (September 9, 2020) – The Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA FL) recently announced Historic Downtown Stuart has been selected as a finalist for the 7th annual Great Places in Florida award program.

The initiative celebrates Great Places in Florida and the communities that sustain them, including neighborhoods, downtowns, streets, and public places. The three finalists were selected from a pool of nominations across the state by a panel of multidisciplinary experts. Great Places focuses on unique, memorable places that work for the good of their community and attract people to visit them.

“We are truly honored that Historic Downtown Stuart has been selected as a top-three finalist for this year's Great Places in Florida award,” said David Dyess, Stuart City Manager. “Our city has always offered residents and visitors a diverse range of desirable attractions, and our recent revitalization project further elevates our position as one of Florida's premier destinations.”

The award is an annual selection of places that represent the gold standard of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow. Each finalist is recognized for contributing to the greater community's social, economic, and environmental well-being for the long term

“Historic Downtown Stuart is a vibrant and resilient community, embodying all the aspects that make Martin County such a fantastic place to live and visit,” said Martin County Administrator Taryn Kryzda. “We are very proud and humbled to be recognized alongside such an esteemed collection of nominees and previous winners across the state.”

The Great Places in Florida winner will be chosen by the public in the People's Choice voting round, beginning on September 8 through September 25. People can visit the American Planning Association Florida Chapter website to read more about Historic Downtown Stuart and votes can be cast through the dedicated Survey Monkey link. Following the voting round, the winner will be announced on Monday, October 5 to kick off National Community Planning Month activities.

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Press Contact:

Ian Centrone
Tourism Public Relations and Community Liaison
Office: (772) 320-3157 | Mobile: (772) 361-2276 | icentrone@martin.fl.us

Encompassing the communities of Port Salerno, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Indiantown, Jupiter Island, Hobe Sound, Sewell's Point, Rio, Ocean Breeze and Hutchinson Island, this hidden gem is a place for unwinding and reconnecting. The Martin County Office of Tourism and Marketing is the official tourism marketing arm of Martin County, Florida, whose goal is to provide information to those interested in Martin County and to spread the word about this one-of-a-kind destination. 

This notification can be reproduced in an alternative format upon request by contacting the County ADA Coordinator (772-221-1396), the County Administration Office (772-288-5940) or Florida Relay 711.