$110 million King's Landing project moves ahead; Fort Pierce residents grumble over height changes
Olivia McKelveyFORT PIERCE— Nearly two years after the city greenlighted the King's Landing project, it's finally moving forward with some changes despite residents' qualms about the city losing its "small-town charm."
In a 6-1 vote Monday, the Planning Board approved new site plans for Audubon Development.
Board member Michael Broderick cast the lone vote against site-plan approval. He said he had concerns over parking and was uncomfortable approving it without the Historic Preservation Board's secondary review.
"I look at this from, 'Where does Fort Pierce want to go by 2024, 2025 or 2030?'" Planning Board Chairman Frank Creyaufmiller said. "Do we still want to be stuck where we're at? I don't think that's healthy for the city. This city is growing."
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The Historic Preservation Board is to review the updated project in November before the City Commission takes a final vote, city officials said.
The revised King's Landing — on 7½ acres between Indian River Drive and Second Street, formerly the H. D. King Power Plant — include:
- A three-story restaurant, retail and residential building
- A two-story restaurant building
- An 11-story restaurant, retail and residential building
- And eight-story restaurant, retail and residential building
- A five-story, 140-room hotel
- A one-story restaurant and retail building
- An eight-story retail and residential building
One of the restaurants would be a partnership with Indian River State College for a culinary program called The Kids are Cooking, according to Audubon Development CEO Dale Matteson.
Eight townhomes, 106 condos, 35,085 square feet of restaurant space and 17,290 square feet for businesses also were included in new plans.
The biggest changes appeared to be increasing the height of the tallest building from eight stories to 11, which would make it the tallest building downtown; and constructing a three-story, 107-space parking garage. That would bring the total spaces at King's Landing to 299.
Increasing the garage to five stories would get the city even more parking, according to Lee Dobbins, the developer's legal representative.
Many residents said they supported the now-$110 million project, but not with the increased building heights presented Monday.
"You really are going to be losing that small-town feel, which is what a lot of people, not just those who were born and raised here, love about Fort Pierce," said resident Jeanne Arias. "It's a small town. That's what people are moving here for."
Developers argue the buildings need to be taller to increase square footage of the condos. The best way to do that was to add two more floors to the tallest building and add one more floor for amenities, which have not yet been determined, Matteson said.
"If we go lower in height, the cost per square foot and the cost of each unit can outprice the market," Matteson said.
It was a "a matter of economics" he added, noting that the the old power plant's smoke towers were 15 stories tall, still higher than any King's Landing building would be.
“I think of this development as having that 'Old Florida' charm,” Matteson told TCPalm. “We want to keep that feel here. We’re not trying to build Miami in Fort Pierce."
In June 2019, the city selected Audubon over Virgin Trains USA to transform the area into a mixed-use project.
Roughly one year later, the city discovered it needed to pay $170,000 for additional environmental cleanup of the site.
Since then, there's been a lot of behind-the-scenes work, Dobbins said.
One example was working with Florida Department of Environmental Protection to ensure that the state wouldn't take ownership of any submerged lands on the site, Dobbins said.
Next steps call for changing certain construction timeframes that were previously decided, Dobbins said. That hopefully will happen in December, Matteson added.
Overall the project will take about three to four years to complete.
"I don't see much difference between eight stories or 11 stories. I don't think it's going to change the character of Fort Pierce," said Planning Board member Marcia Baker. "... I would strongly urge and hope that this developer, and every other developer of any development anywhere, put some portion of their attention and funds into workplace housing. ...We have to stop being blind to the future and more conscious of our past problems."
Olivia McKelvey is TCPalm's watchdog reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach her at olivia.mckelvey@tcpalm.com, 772-521-4380 and on Twitter @olivia_mckelvey.