Our Impact
Revitalized Reception
The Gateway Project at 8th & Lime Streets in Fernandina Beach
What was once a drab and deteriorating welcome sign at the intersection of 8th and Lime streets has been rejuvenated into a vibrant gateway that warmly welcomes residents and visitors alike.
The Gateway Project - a collaborative effort between the city, Nassau County, Keep Nassau Beautiful, and Fernandina Beach Main Street - is a shining example of what can be achieved when a community comes together. Local volunteers, businesses, and city staff all played a vital role bringing a touch of beauty and community pride to this important intersection, which sees an average of 12,000 vehicles per day.
The project began as a vision to create a welcoming and eye-catching entrance to Fernandina Beach, showcasing the town's unique character and charm. At the heart of the project stands the newly restored Welcome Sign. While several design options were presented to the community, nostalgia won the day, making the new sign an inspiring combination of old and new; the sign’s original design has been reimagined by modern, local craftsmanship.
Once the sign’s design was chosen, the project began to blossom – literally! The revitalized landscaping testifies to the project's commitment to sustainability and local ecology. Gerbing azaleas - a nod to local horticulturist Gustav George Gerbing - were specifically selected to provide a burst of color that harmonizes with the natural surroundings. Trees, donated by Keep Nassau Beautiful, frame the area, promising not just hues of color, but also years of tranquil shade. Work continues westward across 8th Street to unify both sides of the road into a true gateway to our city. New flag poles, lighting, irrigation, and additional landscape elements are being integrated to complete the envisioned design.
Butterfly Garden
Our downtown Butterfly Garden outside the tourism office is the 2020 winner of the Secretary of State award for public improvement. We took a space which was underused, unsightly and publicly owned, and we worked with private and public partners to make it a very appealing destination in our downtown. Main Street provided design, project management services, and funding for plantings. These partners provided the components that make it beautiful:
City of Fernandina Beach: Bricks from our historic Centre Street which had been in storage since the 1970’s
Imetry: Donated labor to lay the bricks
Liberty Landscaping: Donated labor for planting
FB High School Key Club: Donated partial funding for planting
Camellia Garden Club: Donated an educational sign explaining why our plantings appeal to butterflies.
Memorial Benches
These benches located in historic downtown Fernandina Beach offer a unique opportunity to honor a person or event you'd like to memorialize. Or simply say, "A Gift From ..." and add your name. We'll help you choose the site and the inscription.
The price for each bench in the downtown area is $3000. Please pay using the link below then contact Patti Clifford at phclifford@gmail.com regarding details for the bench. (Note: If you are looking to sponsor a bench outside of historic downtown, please contact the City of Fernandina Beach. We only handle the downtown benches.)
The Preservation Award
Historic structures contribute to the identity of our community, and sensitive treatment of these resources ensure future residents and visitors will experience the same community character. In an effort to recognize the efforts of those involved in preserving our unique architectural resources, the City of Fernandina Beach, in collaboration with Fernandina Beach Main Street, the Amelia Island Restoration Foundation, and the Amelia Island Museum of History, hosted the bi-annual Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 9, 2019. Award categories included:
Craftsmanship - Recognizes traditional method of construction, included but not limited to wood working, wrought-iron work, framing, or plastering, and recognition of the craftsperson that completed the work.
New Construction - Awarded for sensitive design and careful construction of a new structure in either the Old Town or Downtown Historic Districts.
New Construction - Awarded for sensitive design and careful construction of a new structure in either the Old Town or Downtown Historic Districts.
Beacon of Hope - Recognizes projects that embody the spirit of preservation through the ongoing care and maintenance of its historic structures.
Storefront Façade Renovation - Projects that demonstrate sensitive treatment of historic storefronts.
Preservation Innovation - Awarded to projects that demonstrate sensitive and creative solutions incorporating issues of sustainability, adaptive reuse and integration of accessibility improvements.
Preservation Champion - Celebrating an individual dedicated to preserving Fernandina Beach’s heritage.
Keystone Award - Presented to the project that best represents Historic Preservation.
The 2019 Wayfinding Project
In the late 1970s a group of community visionaries headed a series of projects to revitalize downtown. This came at a time when some businesses were moving out of downtown to be more accessible by all island residents, many to shopping centers being built on 14th St. Among other things, the revitalization project restored the Court House, created the historic district and the Historic District Council along with redesigning Centre St. The redesigned street introduced lighting in keeping with the historic setting, new sidewalks and trees, and implemented signage that used historic fonts and colors. Over the years, the consistency of design has been blurred with different projects that did not address the entire downtown area. The 2019 signage was designed to project a new identity through the use of various types of signs and graphic standards, while helping pedestrians find their way through our historic business district. Through the efforts of Fernandina Beach Main Street, new signage which looks much more like the signage from the 70s project, was put in place in downtown. This project, along with landscaping efforts, event planning and sponsorship and marketing for downtown all support the Main Street mission.
