DEBARY, Fla. – DeBary’s brand-new downtown is about to “go vertical.”
After two and a half years of laying underground infrastructure, the city says developers are now ready to start building the homes and businesses that will form DeBary’s first walkable downtown district — right next to the SunRail station off U.S. 17-92.
What looks like basic land today has roads, lighting and sidewalks already in place. Underneath the surface, crews have installed stormwater, telecommunications, sewer and gas systems to support what will become DeBary’s Main Street. News 6 was there for the original groundbreaking in 2024.
The downtown is being developed in two phases. The first will bring townhomes and commercial space — construction that is expected to begin soon. A second development team will then move in, clear the adjacent property and build apartments along with additional retail and commercial space.
City Manager Carmen Rosamonda says the project is already triggering a domino effect, with a list of small businesses ready to move in and larger retailers like Publix preparing to set up shop nearby.
“It’ll be a great mix — small mom and pops, specialty high-end restaurants and bars and taverns on Main Street and then on 17-92 will be our hopefully larger restaurants and everything else that comes along with it,” said Rosamonda.
Rosamonda expects the first phase to be mostly complete by the end of the year, clearing the way for Phase 2 to get underway.