DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Discussions on safety improvements along Seabreeze Boulevard continued Tuesday, as Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry outlined several projects aimed at keeping residents safe. 

Mayor Henry said there have been more than 14,000 calls for service in the area over the last two years.

Most recently, four people were shot outside of the Razzle’s nightclub on July 22. Henry said this latest instance of violence has become all too common on Seabreeze Boulevard.

Lyle Trachtman remembers a time when Seabreeze was a family-friendly area.

“I remember where Molly Browns is now — it used to be a bank. And I remember going back and forth to the bank with my coin collection and I’d give them a $5 bill, and they’d give me $5 worth of pennies and I would go through them,” he said.

Trachtman has owned Seabreeze Fine Jewelry since 1986. But he used to frequent the store when his dad worked there at 5 years old.

As an adult, he said he enjoyed hanging out on Seabreeze with his friends, but he’s watched as things have changed.

“It wasn’t like it is late at night here,” he said. “It does impact the reputation of the area. Thank goodness we’ve been very fortunate through it all, but truthfully, I would not want my son down here after midnight.”

Henry said city officials are making changes to combat crime in the area by reviewing requirements for bars that stay open late, while exploring additional safety measures like metal detectors.

He also said the city is working with FPL to increase lighting in the area and should have more cameras in the area thanks to an FDOT project within the next 28 weeks.

A new police substation will also open by Sept. 1.

“This is a good step that they are going to put their own cameras up, in addition to whatever we may have. I think that is a great step and the police presence opening up the substation — all these things are good,” said Trachtman. 

Tratchman mostly wants to see more police in the area, but hopes these efforts will help bring Seabreeze back to what it used to be. 

“It has to have some type of impact and I think if they can make Seabreeze better and it gets a better reputation, that can only help,” he said.

The city will also hold a "Put the guns down: No more lives lost" community meeting on Thursday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m. at the Julia and Charles W. Cherry Sr. Midtown Center.

City leaders, the NAACP and other organizations will take part in the meeting.