The Dunedin City Commission on Thursday signed off on the final design review for the long-planned Main Street Exchange, clearing the decks for a major remake of the former Ocean Optics site at 830 Douglas Avenue. The project calls for a three- and four-story mixed-use complex with an 89-room boutique hotel, food hall, theater and retail. In the same meeting, commissioners took care of board appointments, approved a license for a downtown St. Patrick’s celebration and quietly moved along business like new carpet tiles for the library. Put together, it was a nuts-and-bolts meeting that still carried big implications for downtown’s future and the city’s spring event calendar.
Main Street Exchange Clears Key Design Hurdle
The commission’s vote moves the Main Street Exchange, which the developer and city staff have framed as a signature downtown destination, into its final review phase. As reported by the Tampa Bay Times, the plan would replace the vacant office building at 830 Douglas Avenue with an 89-room boutique hotel, marketplace, theater, food hall, restaurants and supporting retail space.
Commissioners devoted a sizable chunk of the meeting to traffic and valet circulation, drilling into how guests, delivery trucks and everyday downtown drivers will all share the same streets. Their approval came with conditions and requests for additional information that will have to be satisfied before anything gets built…