Committee members report takeaways from Chamber trip to Delray Beach: pedestrian experience, preservation and curated retail

Several committee members who took part in a recent Sarasota Chamber delegation to Delray Beach reported observations and possible lessons for downtown Sarasota.

Will Louera described the trip as a study in pedestrian connectivity and historic preservation, noting a preserved historic neighborhood that "was folded into the downtown" and a Main Street corridor with a deliberate mix of restaurants and retail. "I really enjoyed the historic preservation aspect of it," he said.

Chris Volcker and Melissa Laughlin highlighted the pedestrian experience and the way Delraycurated ground‑floor retail and dining to create a safer, more walkable downtown. "The pedestrian experience — how it felt to be a pedestrian there and how easy it was to get to the water — struck me," Laughlin said. She noted raised, bricked crosswalks and low‑rise storefronts that encourage walking.

Jennifer Jorgensen and other members described Delray's public‑private partnerships and a strong community development authority (CRA/CRA analogue) with a leader who combined private‑sector experience and public oversight. Members contrasted that structure with Sarasota's existing arrangements and discussed whether different governance or funding tools could improve downtown execution.

Committee members also flagged several execution issues for the master plan to address: curating downtown retail and services (local businesses vs. national chains), creating events and programs to support off‑season visitation, and leveraging public‑private partnerships and CRA tools for catalytic projects.

Next steps: members suggested compiling examples and case studies (including Delray and Pasadena) for the consultant and requested that staff include any relevant metrics about downtown seasonality and retail occupancy to inform the consultant's work.