Florida Community Health Centers plans to build a three-story facility overlooking U.S. 1 in Port St. Lucie’s long-dormant City Center.
It would be the first new private development at City Center since at least 2001, when the city decided to redevelop the Village Green Shopping Center into a downtown with shops, restaurants, a hotel, offices and apartments.
In addition, another offer is expected on 21 acres of land at City Center seized by the federal government in November 2015 as part of a fraud investigation of the prior owner, said City Manager Russ Blackburn.
The new plans for one of the privately-held lots at City Center and the new bid on the federally-held land shows developers are interested in the community redevelopment area at U.S. 1 and Walton Road, Blackburn said.
“We’re seeing a lot of interest in this property now,” Blackburn said May 16 during a speech at the annual Treasure Coast Business Summit and Expo at the Civic Center.
“I know that the receiver is considering one letter of intent and believe another is coming,” Blackburn told the crowd of about 300 business leaders. “I think there is a good chance something will happen soon.”
AHS Residential LLC offered $750,000 for the 21 acres on April 18 subject to negotiations to reduce $24 million-plus in back property taxes and assessments, city records show.
While he’s been told a second offer is in the works for the 21 acres, Blackburn said he had no details about the proposal.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission seized the 21 acres from previous owner Lin “Lily” Zhong and US1 Real Estate Developments LLC in November 2015 as part of a fraud investigation.
The SEC receiver overseeing the 21 acres, Michael Goldberg, has repeatedly refused to address questions about City Center.
The director of Florida Health Care Centers, Dr. Wilhelmina Lewis, did not respond to several phone messages and emails.
Biscayne Atlantic, a distressed real estate firm based in Hollywood, made an offer on the 21 acres in August 2018, but let the deadline expire.
Port St. Lucie formulated its redevelopment plan for City Center in 2001, city records show.
But the only projects that have been completed have been public works such as the City Center, a St. Lucie County administrative office, a parking garage, two warehouses, an amphitheater and a children’s splash fountain.
A grid of streets at City Center with oak trees, decorative street lamps, sidewalks and on-street parking has remained mostly vacant for more than 15 years.
“This is a major node of economic development for our city,” Blackburn said about City Center. “We are 100 percent committed, as soon as we can sort through the ownership issues with the SEC and get it out of their control, we’re going to make it work as a city because this is a jewel of Port St. Lucie.”
Florida Community Health Centers, which operates 12 facilities including six in St. Lucie County, has a contract to purchase and develop a 4/5th-acre lot at 9300 S. U.S. 1, city records show.
The vacant lot is just north of a vacant office building at 9576-9584 S. U.S. 1 that once housed a skin cancer center, a dermatologist and an insurance brokerage. The lot is owned by the Biggs Family, owners of the Riverwatch Marina in Stuart. It has a market value of $159,400, St. Lucie County property records show.
The City Council set the stage for the sale by terminating reciprocal easements encumbering 42 acres at City Center, including the Biggs Family lot, the vacant office building and the Beall’s Outlet Store.
“As soon as we get rid of them, we can move into the future,” Mayor Greg Oravec said about the easements. “It’s outstanding that this is going to facilitate the first multi-story building at City Center, a three-story building coming to City Center right on U.S. 1.”
Florida Community Health Center already operates two facilities within a mile of City Center; the Port St. Lucie Children’s Health Center, 1701 SE Hillmoor Dr., and the St. Lucie Women and Children Center, 1871 SE Tiffany Ave. “This area of the city has vitality, it has energy and things are going to happen,” Blackburn said in an interview after his speech.
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