VERO BEACH — Developer Michael Rechter’s hopes for a downtown microbrewery are as heady as a pint of beer, though like beer, they could still go flat.
For now, though, things look promising that Sailfish Brewing Company of Fort Pierce may expand production, moving into Rechter’s latest acquisition, the Compass Therapeutic building, a former physical therapy clinic on 14th Avenue across from Avanzare restaurant.
And if Sailfish grows, there’s a space two blocks away for eventual expansion: the historic diesel plant.
That space now has the interest of developer Scott Parker who put a bid on the property in May, even though it is still tied up in litigation and could be for months to come.
Parker developed the Three Aves project; according to Rechter, they “own some things together.”
Sailfish would need a change of zoning to move into the downtown area since currently breweries are approved only in industrial areas like the zone around the Vero airport.
But Vero Beach Planning Director Tim McGarry thinks a change would sail through the city’s zoning process.
“I don’t see a problem with that at all,” he says, adding microbreweries are going into commercial districts around the country.
In addition, Rechter has to find a restaurateur willing to handle the food service end of the brew pub. And the state has to make sure the plans comply with all its regulations.
“We’re a couple of weeks away” from knowing if the project is a go, says co-owner Nick Bischoff.
He and Rechter were to meet with the city Wednesday to go over plans.
“A couple of things need to happen and I want to make sure all our ducks are in a row,” says Bischoff.
As for the prospect that the brewery might someday move into the long-abandoned diesel plant, Parker mentioned a brewery in the diesel plant when he put in his bid of $650,000. That’s higher than the appraised value of $500,000 and higher than any other bids to date.
The diesel plant, owned by the City of Vero Beach, is currently tied up in litigation involving its tenants, developers Phil Barth, David Croom and Charles Croom.
A suit and countersuit may take many months to resolve.
“That’s where I wanted to go originally,” says Bischoff. “I was going to call it Diesel Brewery. I even had my logo done.”
Meanwhile, a plan floated earlier this year by the Cultural Council to turn the plant into an arts center was abandoned when it became clear that the estimated $4 million it would take to rehab the place was out of reach.
