Melbourne – Eau Gallie Boulevard detour, paving about to kick off

MELBOURNE — An Eau Gallie Boulevard resurfacing project designed to improve stormwater drainage and aesthetics through downtown Eau Gallie is about to kick into high gear. The $2.1 million undertaking will upgrade 1.7 miles of the bustling east-west roadway, extending from Pineapple Avenue near Squid Lips Overwater Bar & Grill past U.S. 1 to Mosswood Drive. Work started in late November. Improvements…

The revival of two downtowns

Paul Thorpe has received warranted credit recently for his efforts to improve downtown Sarasota. As historian Jeff LaHurd wrote in the Herald-Tribune, Thorpe long ago earned the moniker “Mr. Downtown” in recognition of his volunteer and professional work with the Downtown Association he helped create and operate — and the city has appropriately agreed to…