Allapattah Main Street

On May 5, 2021, The Allapattah Collaborative, CDC, celebrated the designation of NW 17th Avenue in Allapattah as a Main Street by the Florida Department of State. The Main Street Ribbon Cutting Ceremony took place at Juan Pablo Duarte Park, considered by many the heart of the Allapattah neighborhood, which abuts NW 17th Avenue and is a vital business corridor for the community.

The Allapattah Collaborative, CDC, local business owners, and dignitaries celebrate after cutting the ribbon for Allapattah’s Main Street designation of NW 17th Avenue.

But what’s a Main Street, and why is it important to Allapattah?

The Main Street America™ movement comprises more than 1,600 small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, along with thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

“The movement grew out of a recognition that a community is only as strong as its core. In an era when many people had given up hope about the commercial and cultural viability of downtown, and when suburbs, shopping malls, and big-box retailers were dominating the American landscape, this seemed like an unlikely proposition.” -- The National Main Street Center

Main Street empowers communities to set their own destinies. While revitalization is challenging work, the Main Street program offers a roadmap for locally owned, locally driven prosperity. Across the country, thousands of communities have used the Main Street Approach to transform their economies, leverage local leadership, and improve the overall quality of life.

The Allapattah Collaborative, CDC, is the result of more than 3-years of hard work by Executive Director Mileyka Burgos-Flores, who wants to preserve the rich cultural history of Allapattah while helping local businesses and the community thrive.

The collaborative underwent a stringent 2-year application process to obtain the Main Street designation for NW 17th Avenue and the Allapattah community. They received the Main Street designation from The National Main Street Center in December 2019, which the Collaborative submitted to the Florida Department of State for formal recognition.

Because the Main Street™ program is a preservation-based economic development framework driven by a locally adopted, market-based strategy, The Allapattah CDC has implemented the Main Street Approach’s Four Points strategy for Community Transformation

The Allapattah Collaborative’s board, in conjunction with partners and volunteers, work across a broad range of activities that include:

1. Design to improve the physical environment (e.g., streetscapes, facades).

2. Promotion to market the district (e.g., events, social media, image-building).

3. Economic Vitality to reposition the district (e.g., business assistance, new business development, economic strategy).

4. Organizational Development to build a strong organization that represents a diverse set of stakeholders (e.g., human, and financial resources).

Since its formal incorporation as a non-profit in January 2020, The Allapattah Collaborative, CDC, has continuously been at the forefront of helping Allapattah business owners and residents. The collaborative helped more than 50 businesses, secured over $700,000 in loans & grants for small businesses, and partnered with 20 organizations to help the community.

Business owners like Julio Diaz, of The Sixth Borough Clothing shop in Allapattah, have received aid to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and joined the collaborative’s Small Business Resilience Cohort, which has helped local business owners grow their businesses.

At the May 5, 2021 event, The Allapattah Collaborative, CDC’s efforts were also recognized by The City of Miami, Florida Legislature, and the office of U.S. Representative Frederica Wilson with a proclamation.

Board Chair Jaqueline Pena, Executive Director Mileyka Burgos-Flores, and Karla Fortuny, Chief of Staff for City of Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla.

“The best is yet to come for Allapattah,” said Charles Scott (center), who presented a letter from U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson to The Allapattah Collaborative, CDC, recognizing the designation of NWS 17th Avenue as a Main Street. From left to right: Sherly Granado, Francesca Escoto, Mileyka Burgos-Flores, Charles Scott, Santander Arguelles, and Elysa Delcorto.

To learn more about the National Main Street program, visit Main Street America™.