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HOLIDAY 2021: 55
Jarnes expects to break ground this
year for the two-year project.
That’s not all.
Across the street from the little Ginter
Building, a restaurant or distillery will
replace the Foosaner’s education wing.
“We’re vetting a bunch of different
brands to find the right fit,” Jarnes said.
ANOTHER PROJECT
Jarnes is also working with the city
on a 500-spot public parking garage.
The city is additionally working on
another major EGAD project, expected
to be completed early this year. The
Pineapple Avenue Complete Streets
Project includes construction of a
multi-use trail on the east side of
Pineapple Avenue, from Montreal
Avenue to Pineapple Park.
The project includes pedestrian safety
and corridor aesthetic enhancements,
including upgrades to curb ramps,
sidewalk replacement, enhanced
decorative patterned pavements at
key intersections, decorative lighting,
speed cushions for traffic calming
and pedestrian-activated beacons for
two midblock crosswalks.
“The hotel and surrounding area
will present a more contemporary
atmosphere,” Lewis said.
Like many of Eau Gallie’s fans, Lewis
hopes the district does not lose its
artistic vibes.
“I like the small-town quaintness of
the area, and I am afraid it will lose
its artistic flavor if it becomes more
commercialized,” said artist Nancy
EGAD MAIN STREET
Festivals ranging from French films to whiskey tastings are part of the fabric of the arts district.
JASON HOOK
Larry Jarnes and his Northboro Builders have huge plans for Melbourne’s Eau Gallie Arts District.
Longtime district
resident Nancy
Dillen fears
aggressive
commercialization
of her beloved
district may
affect its smalltown
quaintness.
NANCY DILLEN
Dillen, who has lived in Eau Gallie for
31 years and is one of its biggest fans.
MISSES THE MUSEUM
Like many residents, she is still
mourning the loss of the Foosaner.
“The museum gave the Eau Gallie area
a special identity, something special no
other area in Brevard had,” she added.
Eau Gallie, an independent city from
1860 until 1969 when it merged with
Melbourne, has always attracted artists
and other nonconformists. Even its
name is unusual, for while eau means
water in French, gallie is not a word. It
may be derived from galet, or pebble, in
French and might refer to the coquina
rocks so prevalent in the area.
“There’s no other spot like it in Brevard
County,” said Renee Decator, a member
of the Fifth Avenue Art Gallery, an
EGAD fixture for 33 years.
“It’s a neighborhood that still values
the historical homes and buildings, but
also has a very artistic, modern vibe.”
Decator is optimistic that visitors
drawn to the new development will
value the surroundings.
“The gallery’s patrons are very often