Daytona Beach and the surrounding community are right to think big when it comes to economic development. Attracting shiny new hotels and high-end retailers, condominium complexes and other multi-million-dollar projects would inject much-needed capital into this area and raise its public profile.
But to succeed, officials need to focus on the smaller, disheveled things first.
That’s why it was good to see Daytona Beach city commissioners recently discuss new efforts to combat the blight that plagues the city’s beachside and gateway corridor. It’s by no means the first time the city has attempted to get a handle on the dilapidated and abandoned properties that make the area less inviting to potential investors. But it’s an encouraging sign that officials are continuing to seek the best methods of eradicating blight.