Three local organizations linked together Thursday to get the City of Stuart on track and chugging along for increased economic development and activity in its downtown.

The Stuart Chamber of Commerce, Stuart Enterprise for Economic Development, and Midwest Partnership Economic Development Corporation hosted the first ever Start-Up in Stuart Available Buildings Tour, and they used the City’s railroad history as inspiration for the free event. Entrepreneurs, developers, and other business people registered and received materials on about a dozen spaces up for lease or sale at the Stuart Depot. From there they toured the buildings that were labeled after various locomotives. The event concluded with a social hour at the Depot with several Stuart business owners.

Chamber Director Brenda Dudley comments on the tour, “I think it went pretty well, I was somewhat disappointed that we didn’t have a better turnout than what we had. We had 12 signed up and I think we had possibly nine that showed up and went through the buildings, but a lot of good feedback. We had our greeting time from 5-6:30 and that went well. There was most of the business owners came and shared some good suggestions for if we do this again and we’re hoping to in the spring.”

Economic Development Director Kristen Renslow shares what the participating building owners thought, “From their input I think they appreciated that we did the event. Just some little tweaks that we need to do, it was kind of long so maybe making it a little shorter, combining it with another event was another suggestion.”

While some attendees voiced their interest in helping promote the next available buildings tour, Midwest Partnership Director Sarah Gomez says a possible short-term goal that came out of the event’s discussion is to focus on bringing one desired type of business to a vacant space.