If you’ve lived in Florida
any length of time, one of
the ways you’re likely to
measure milestones is in
hurricanes. When did the last
hurricane hit? What’s happened
since then?
It’s been more than 10 years
since Jeanne and Frances
delivered one-two punches to the
region. Despite their devastating
blows, consider the remarkable
transformations that have taken
place in Fort Pierce since:
• The glorious 1,200-seat
Sunrise Theatre, built in the
days of vaudeville, reopened,
attracting tens of thousands of
people into downtown each year
to enjoy national touring musical
acts, Broadway shows, comedy
acts, ballet and opera companies
with full orchestras, country stars,
rock icons and much more.
• A new five-story, $42-million
federal courthouse opened, creating scores of jobs and pumping millions into the
economy each year.
• Renaissance on the River, a $28 million Mediterranean-style building in the heart of
downtown, opened, bringing additional retail space and 38 luxury condominiums.
• And due to be completed soon: the $30-million expansion of the Fort Pierce Marina,
sure to further enhance Fort Piece’s recreational fishing economy.
And then there’s the window dressing — the construction of several new city parks
and the comprehensive improvements made to the roads and landscaping to our
Atlantic gateway, South Beach.
Despite these significant changes, Fort Pierce wisely clung to its identity as an Old
Florida city known for its incredible natural resources, the Indian River Lagoon and the
Atlantic Ocean, its cultural diversity, its rich agricultural and fishing traditions and its
devotion to the arts as the birthplace of artist A.E. “Bean” Backus and the Highwaymen
movement and as the final stop for writer Zora Neale Hurston.
To be sure, there have been obstacles along the way — a housing crisis and the Wall
Street collapse of 2008. And then there were the naysayers who refused to see the
promise of the city.
Thankfully, the efforts of so many are finally coming to fruition and the city is
rightfully being recognized. First came the City of Excellence Award from the Florida
League of Cities in 2005 and then a Great American Main Street Award in 2011 from
the National Trust for Historic Preservation. And now, the national press is recognizing
what Fort Pierce has to offer. Just last August, USA Today named Fort Pierce as an idyllic
main street town.
Fort Pierce has a good story to tell, and we are glad to share it. We hope you enjoy
the stories in this issue highlighting the significant developments, rich history and
outstanding personalities in our fair city.
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
4
Publisher & Editor
Gregory Enns
772.940.9005
enns@indianrivermag.com
Associate Publisher
Allen Osteen
Contributing Writers
Susan Burgess, Greg Gardner,
Willi Miller, Jerry Shaw,
L.L. Angell,
Siobhan Fitzpatrick Austin
Copy Editors
Jay Goley, Judith Collins
Photographer
Ed Drondoski
Design Editor
Michelle L. Burney
Cover photo
Ed Drondoski
Sales Coordinator
Laurie Cox
772.466.3346
laurie@indianrivermag.com
Advertising Representative
Sunny Gates
772.204.5043
sunny@indianrivermag.com
Distribution Coordinator
Robert Macchia
To subscribe
Send a $20 check with
recipient’s mailing address to
Indian River,
308 Ave. A,
Fort Pierce, FL 34950
or visit
www.indianriverstore.com
On the Web
www.fortpiercemagazine.com
Fort Pierce Magazine is
published annually by
Indian River Magazine Inc.,
a locally owned company based at
308 Ave. A, Fort Pierce, FL 34950.
All material contained herein
is copyrighted by
Indian River Magazine Inc.
Member of the St. Lucie County
Chamber of Commerce.
Reach Associate Publisher Allen Osteen at
772.466.3346 or osteen@indianrivermag.com
Reach Publisher Gregory Enns at
772.940.9005 or enns@indianrivermag.com
M A G A Z I N E
Clear skies for our fair city
These significant events occurred in downtown in the last decade:
the reopening of the Sunrise Theatre, the opening of the
federal courthouse, the opening of the luxury condominium
development Renaissance and the expansion of the Fort Pierce
City Marina.
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