DOWNTOWN
attracted the annual conference of the Florida Association of
Public Art Administrators to our city in May.”
Cited up and down the streets as an economic engine for
the city, the restored 1923 Sunrise Theatre opened a Black
Box Theatre in November, and it has been drawing crowds
ever since.
“The Sunrise had a significant increase in ticket sales and
attendance over last year,” says its executive director,
John Wilkes.
The meticulously restored 1923 Sunrise Theatre opened a new Black Box theater in
November that is already hosting several regular shows.
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A black box theater has no permanent seats or stage. Everything
can be rearranged to suit the occasion, so it can be used
for anything from a wedding reception to a concert.
The Black Box offers Groucho’s Comedy Club every second
and fourth Saturday, and the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society
every Tuesday, giving it regular events people can count on.
Events are key to downtown, including a new series of
monthly brainstorming sessions with merchants, the Fort
Pierce Area Council of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce,
and Main Street Fort Pierce, which is likely to
yield new events for the public, Doris Tillman says.
“I really feel good about this year. I think people
have learned to adapt, and we’re expecting a good
year in 2010,” she says.
A drawing shows how the new federal courthouse on U.S. 1 is
expected to look.
American flags fly in front of and above the new federal courthouse under construction at U.S. 1 and Orange Avenue. The courthouse is expected to be a
boon to businesses on both sides of U.S. 1.