Fort Pierce is moving forward with plans to develop the Kings Highway jobs corridor, a project leaders say could become a major hub for businesses and employment.
Leslie Olson, co-principal at District Planning Group, described the scope of the proposed corridor and its potential impact on the community.
“The Kings Highway jobs corridor is really a fantastic asset for the city of Fort Pierce and all of the area within the phase one corridor which extends from the turnpike entrance where Kings Highway starts up to just north of Orange Avenue. All of that area is either already in the city of Fort Pierce or will be annexed into the city. It has the potential, if we do it right, to be a major economic engine for this community,” Olson said.
Before that growth can occur, Olson said the area requires significant preparation, particularly when it comes to land use.
“This area is not set up for success right now. It's either commercial, which makes it ideal for the Home Depots and the Walmarts and those types of things, not for job creation, or it is agricultural future land use or residential future land use,” she said.
Officials are weighing how best to support industrial expansion while maintaining long-term standards for the corridor’s appearance.
“Which is not a great way to have a long-term high quality corridor that's going to drive and sustain economic development over the long haul,” Olson said.
Planners have proposed adopting a voluntary special overlay that would establish unified design requirements aimed at encouraging cohesive, higher-quality buildings. Developers who opt in could receive faster approval if they meet those standards.
Infrastructure capacity is another priority as the project advances, Olson said, particularly as it relates to utilities and surrounding roadways.
“Working with FPL and FPUA to ensure adequate electrical capacity to support this future growth is a very key consideration of Phase 2, and advocating for the necessary roadway improvements, not necessarily to Kings Highway itself, although you can see there are a couple of areas where we're looking at potential failures, but Orange, Okeechobee, Graham, Picos, Brock, all of those ancillary roadways will need to be studied for what those needs will be when we get to full build-out,” she said.
Mayor Linda Hudson later noted that some land within the corridor is not yet owned by the city and could be affected by pending state legislation.
“I think we all need to be cognizant of that because that is the growth engine for the city of Fort Pierce, and we believe in that philosophically, that is a legitimate thing for us to do,” Hudson said.
An independent economic study highlighted the scale of the project’s potential returns.
“That together would create 21,000 direct jobs, a total economic output of nearly $6 billion, county tax revenues of $45 million, and municipal, i.e. Fort Pierce, tax revenues of $35 million a year,” Olson said.
Wes McCurry, president of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County, said the concept was influenced by development seen elsewhere in the region, including Southern Grove in Port St. Lucie.
“The success of that area is something that we see as a huge potential for the Kings Highway Corridor, and frankly, we need it. And it is home to companies like Cheney Brothers, Amazon, Costco Depot, Oculus Surgical, Tamco, and others, which are all major industrial manufacturing and distribution companies that have brought hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs to that area at well above average wages,” he said.
Some city leaders voiced strong support for the project’s financial implications. Commissioner Michael Broderick emphasized the possible fiscal benefits.
“Candidly, this jobs corridor, from a tax and employment basis, is potentially the salvation of the city's financial woes and employment woes. $35 million, half our operating budget, is recaptured in one area. This is the answer. We need to be 100% behind this,” he said.
Olson said work is now shifting into phase two, with a workshop scheduled for March 6 that will bring city and county staff together to discuss the proposed overlay.