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Downtown Winter Park, Florida is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

June 15, 2011

The Pottery Barn currently occupies the historic Colony Theater.

Downtown Winter Park, Florida has recently been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation is a big deal for Main Streets as pointed out in the Orlando Sentinel. It can be a boon for tourism as travelers actively seek out spots on the list to visit. Also, building owners can receive tax credits for performing restorations. But it's important to note that these Main Streets--even the ones on the National Register--are still active places where people live and work. However, the nature of that work may be different today. Gift shops and boutiques occupy many of the buildings that once contained general stores and theaters. Speaking of theaters, the town's first preservation battle came when the owner of the Colony Theater unsuccessfully tried to get rid of the large Colony sign jutting from the front of the building. This perfectly illustrates the thin line Main Streets have to walk between historic preservation and adapting buildings for new uses.