The Story
It was a common story in the 1980s: downtowns were dying.
Stuart was right there with the ill-fated. Businesses had largely abandoned Stuartâs historic buildings, leaving the streets deserted. The St. Lucie River, which should have been an asset, was more of a liability, befouled with pollution, some of it from the cityâs sewer system. The southernmost leg of Interstate 95 hadn't been completed yet, meaning US 1, the townâs main thoroughfare, was clogged with traffic that had no intention of stopping in this dirty backwater. Indeed, downtown was in such bad shape that Martin County government was thinking of relocating its courthouse. But the city had one thing going for it: a core group of citizens who fought back to restore downtown into an award-winning showpiece. Author Blake Fontenay shares the story of Stuartâs revitalization.
Description
It was a common story in the 1980s: downtowns were dying.
Stuart was right there with the ill-fated. Businesses had largely abandoned Stuartâs historic buildings, leaving the streets deserted. The St. Lucie River, which should have been an asset, was more of a liability, befouled with pollution, some of it from the cityâs sewer system. The southernmost leg of Interstate 95 hadn't been completed yet, meaning US 1, the townâs main thoroughfare, was clogged with traffic that had no intention of stopping in this dirty backwater. Indeed, downtown was in such bad shape that Martin County government was thinking of relocating its courthouse. But the city had one thing going for it: a core group of citizens who fought back to restore downtown into an award-winning showpiece. Author Blake Fontenay shares the story of Stuartâs revitalization.
