DOWNTOWN
PRIZE-WORTHY
ED DRONDOSKI
The downtown Fort Pierce Farmer’s Market, celebrating its 15th year, has become an institution, drawing thousands of shoppers and strollers each Saturday,
year ‘round. Its other purpose is to introduce people to the restored historic downtown area, its waterfront, restaurants, shops and attractions such as
Main Street Fort Pierce has brought downtown
national recognition by the National Trust
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for Historic Preservation
BY SUSAN BURGESS
Downtown Fort Pierce is blooming, thanks to
Main Street Fort Pierce and the efforts of Main
Street Manager Doris Tillman. Twenty years at
the helm of the organization has not quenched
her enthusiasm or dimmed her drive to take the
downtown area to new heights.
Today, downtown Fort Pierce is on its way, with the Renaissance
luxury condominium development on the rebound, the
Sunrise Theatre breaking its own attendance records, and the
15-year-old Farmer’s Market and 23-year-old FridayFest drawing
more than 300,000 people to the downtown each year.
Main Street took on the city’s downtown in 1989, when it
was just a shell of its former self. Shoppers and businesses
unrelated to the law and the downtown courthouse had fled
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the Manatee Center and Backus Museum and Gallery.