DOWNTOWN
BY
ANTHONY
WESTBURY
New restaurants, retail, office, residential development and a hotel are coming to downtown Fort Pierce under the King’s Landing plan that would develop the
grassy area shown in this photo. These additions have been described as being potentially “transformative” in breathing new life into the city’s historic core.
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JOE SWEAT/CITY OF FORT PIERCE
A massive residential and retail complex,
combined with the arrival of new businesses,
will transform the heart of Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce possesses so many natural assets other
cities would die for — expansive public access to the
waterfront, the Atlantic Ocean only a short boat ride
away. The city has retained its own unique, funky
style, it has a rich and celebrated history and a lovingly restored
downtown.
And yet, while neighbors to the north and south have
expanded and prospered over the past two or three decades,
Fort Pierce has too often seemed in the doldrums. Investment
in downtown — aside from some city efforts — has been
patchy at best.
That may be about to change. A new mixed-use development
scheduled to break ground this summer could be
“transformational’’ and two new large seafood restaurants,
Crabby’s and the Thirsty Turtle, are certain to lure more
people to visit downtown. These advances come as the retail
base continues to expand, propelled by the arrival nearly two
years ago of the Galleria at Pierce Harbor, which included the
Rooster in the Garden restaurant and the high-end Braford
Steakhouse. >>