The economy slowed in the latter part of the 1950s, and everything stayed the same for a while.

The economy began to pick up in the 1960s. DeLand began adding homes again further from the city coreand shopping centers were built.

The downtown business district showed a drastic change during this time. Grocery stores moved out to the shopping centers, as did some of the retail businesses. Suburban residents began to practice a new style of shopping.

The central business district would not recover until the 1990s. By the early 1980s, 75 percent of Downtown DeLand's storefronts were vacant. In 1985, forward-looking business and government leaders formed a Community Redevelopment Agency, a mechanism for directing tax revenue to the city's core.

Also, DeLand applied for and was accepted by the Florida MainStreet Program. The state program offered guidance to cities interested in revitalizing their downtowns. DeLand was among the first Florida cities to take part.

Today, Downtown DeLand is Florida's leading MainStreet city, with a shelf full of state awards. In 1997, it was recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as the Great American Main Street winner ... the best downtown in the entire United States.

Presenting the prestigious award, the National Trust commented, in 1997:

"Today, Downtown DeLand's ground-floor retail and office spaces are fully occupied. With a modest public investment of $2 million from local government and about $2 million in state grants, the MainStreet DeLand effort has spurred $50 million-plus in private downtown investment."

"High-quality shops, galleries, and restaurants are housed in beautifully restored historic buildings and line downtown avenues. Eighty-five new businesses have sprung up, and 425 new jobs have been created. ...

But DeLand's single greatest strength may rest in its ability to form solid, innovative, collaborative partnerships to maximize its resources and explore new avenues for change. We invite you to be part of the collaboration that makes DeLand great."

» See Conrad Realty's Place in the Community