It’s a marathon, not a sprint, the Port St. Lucie City Council heard late last week as it received a preliminary report from a land consulting firm that spent a week studying the jobs corridor south of Tradition Parkway.
“There is not a quick solution,” said John Walsh, CEO of Urban Land Institute. He cautioned the City Council that the four-mile corridor along Interstate 95 could take two or three decades to develop – not three years.
It was a message delivered by many on land institute’s panel during the presentation.
“Plan on a 30-year build-out,” said Page Bolin. “We can’t stress that enough.”
ULI informed the council that the 1,200-plus-acre corridor is essentially under water – financially speaking. Assessments and other fees tied to the land make the property cost more than it’s worth, which will continue to hinder development.
ULI is encouraging the city to find ways to mitigate the assessments and pay down the debt on the land in order to make it more financially appealing to would-be developers.
The city took ownership of the jobs corridor earlier this year when Tradition Land Co. walked away. Taxes and assessments must still be covered, which the city is now bearing.
Originally, Port St. Lucie leaders had hoped to forge a public-private partnership to sell off and develop parcels. Doing so would have lessened the burden on the city.
But that plan is not feasible, according to ULI, due to the financial restrictions on the land.
Bolin told the council that ULI strongly recommends crafting a master plan for the entire 1,200-acre area before selling off the parcels. Doing so would ensure the jobs corridor would be developed in a manner consistent with the city’s vision.
ULI had some suggestions for what should be included in the master plan, including a civic center, a cultural arts and entertainment district, and diverse housing options.
The city currently has two civic hubs – the Civic Center on the east side of town off U.S. 1; and City Hall and the Community Center in the center of town off Port St. Lucie Boulevard and Airoso Boulevard.
Bolin suggested a third on the west side of town near I-95 would be good to have as the city continues to grow and public spaces get squeezed.
The proposed civic center could be a cultural arts and entertainment area. Bolin envisions a deep 75-acre lake that could pull double duty as both stormwater management and recreation.
“If you can’t get to the beach,” she said, “bring the beach inside the city.”
The lake could offer sail-up dining, water activities and, yes, even a beach.
There could be a market square, retail establishments and even programmed sports space including various sports fields based on community need.
An amphitheater could help the area become a destination for entertainment, too, according to Bolin.
The civic center and entertainment district would enhance Southern Grove – the name for the area where the jobs corridor is located. It would help draw shoppers and other consumers to the area as well as provide support for those businesses that decide to locate to the jobs corridor.
ULI recommends a diverse offering of businesses, including industrial, office, research and development, and retail. The firm noted that 30,000 skilled workers leave St. Lucie County daily to go to work elsewhere and then come back home to the county after their shifts.
Attracting those types of businesses to the jobs corridor could help keep those skilled workers from leaving for their commute.
ULI is finalizing its report, which will be provided to the city in the coming weeks. That report is expected to have some action steps the council and city can start working on immediately.
The firm has suggested the council revisit some of its land development codes and update its traffic forecasts, both of which impact how much buildable land there could be.
The company suspects that if the city were to adopt nationwide standards for road right of way and make other changes in keeping with such standards, the city could gain another nearly 50 acres of land for development.
ULI again pushed the City Council to reconsider its desire to pursue a joint venture partnership.
“It’s our conclusion – pretty strongly – that’s not going to happen,” said Craig Seymour of finding a willing partner. “It’s too big a project. It’s too complex. The timeframe is too long. And the risk is too great.”