SEBASTIAN – If Captain Hiram’s owner Tom Collins had his way visitors coming into Sebastian would see a selection of signs highlighting the city’s retail district.
“Somehow we need to get people to slow down and focus on getting them to come into these businesses,” said Collins Wednesday night at a Community Redevelopment Area workshop. “Signage is very critical, and there can’t just have one sign as people approach — you have to have a series of signs.” Much of the discussion at the meeting centered on installing consistent signage and improved landscaping to showcase the city’s Community Redevelopment Area, comprised of many small businesses.
“If we have some signs that say ‘scenic riverfront bypass next left , . . . three miles’, or whatever, this would drag some people over to Indian River Drive,” said Collins. “It would make people more focused on coming to the area. We as small business owners don’t have the right to put up signs, but this would direct people to the retail district.”
Collins said the city needed to build on the improvements it has already put in place in the district.
“There have been some major accomplishments over the past 20 years,” he said. “We’ve got sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting, landscaping — slowly but surely, we’re getting the job done. You’ve just got to continue to take care of what you have on your plate and get it done. “
In addition to the publicity campaign, Mayor Richard Gillmor added the city should do some work on the CavCorp property located north of Riverview Park to upgrade parking for special events at the park, including adding on-street parking on Cleveland and Coolidge streets.
As part of the workshop Council members and those in attendance put together a set of priorities, with landscaping along U.S. 1 and development of the Working Waterfront projects heading the list.
The City Council has hired Outlier Planning to provide an estimate of the costs of the projects under consideration.
