DOWNTOWN STUART
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Stuart preservationist gives new life
to historical downtown buildings
hen Steven Vitale first laid eyes on downtown
Stuart in the 1990s, it was love at first sight. His
father, Otto, who lived in the area couldn’t wait
to show the town to him while he was visiting
from Miami.
“I remember driving in the car and he said, ‘You’re not
going to believe this downtown Stuart — it’s so charming,’”
he recalls. “He loved this downtown so much and he was so
proud to show it off.”
It wasn’t long after that that Vitale and his wife, Ashley,
relocated to Stuart. They had tired of big city living and were
looking for a hometown with a slower pace to start their
lives together.
“We didn’t have children at the time and we envisioned
ourselves growing a family, so we thought, ‘Hey, let’s go up
to this beautiful Treasure Coast area where we can work and
raise a family,’” he says.
It was only a matter of time before Vitale became a leader
of historical preservation in downtown Stuart. His fondness
for the area led him to acquire and renovate some of the
city’s most iconic buildings.
With a love for history, good business sense and a lot of
determination, Vitale transformed his properties into a collection
of historical vacation rentals that include the Old Colorado
Inn, Ernie Lyons’ home and the Clifton Guest and Fishing
Lodge. His properties from yesteryear are highly sought by
tourists who want to experience the charm of Old Florida.
EFFORTS HONORED
Vitale’s passion for preserving the past has not gone unnoticed.
In 2019, he received the Historic Preservation Award
from the Martin County Historic Preservation Board that
celebrated his outstanding work and contribution to the area.
Shortly after Vitale moved to Stuart, the Post Office Arcade
in downtown went up for sale. Vitale’s father, a seasoned real
estate broker from Staten Island, had a good eye for historical
gems. Not wanting an opportunity to get away, the father and
son teamed up to purchase and renovate the arcade.
Vitale points out that downtown Stuart had not fully come
into its own at that time. There was considerable turnover
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TOM WINTER
Steven Vitale, who preserved the historical Old Colorado Inn in downtown Stuart, received the Historic Preservation Award in 2019 from the Martin
County Historic Preservation Board for his contribution to the area.