FORT PIERCE — City commissioners approved plans for a massive refrigerated warehouse along the Kings Highway corridor, clearing the way for a project expected to bring hundreds of jobs to the area.
The development, proposed on roughly 69 acres west of Interstate 95, calls for a more than 1 million-square-foot warehouse and office facility. City officials said the project represents a significant economic opportunity for Fort Pierce.
Assistant Planning Director Chris Suneson pointed to projected employment tied to the facility.
“According to applicant supply documents, the project is anticipated to create approximately 745 permanent jobs,” he said.
The developer also highlighted the scale of construction activity expected before the facility opens.
“The construction jobs, we estimate about 200 at any given day, with overall 1,200 jobs throughout the construction, which is estimated about two years,” said Jeff Iravani, who spoke on behalf of the applicants.
Despite broad support, commissioners raised concerns about how the development could affect traffic along Kings Highway, particularly with increased truck activity.
Commissioner Curtis Johnson emphasized the need to carefully consider safety as different types of vehicles share the roadway.
“People are coming in and out of work shifts here, so you’ve got people in cars, semi-trucks, and emergency vehicles all up and down Kings Highway, and more stuff coming. So I just want to make sure we’re thinking about this. I don’t want a vehicle running into a semi-truck that’s making a U-turn. We’ve seen that, unfortunately, on the turnpike,” he said.
Project representatives said site design and roadway improvements are intended to reduce those risks, including separating truck movements from regular traffic.
Iravani said the layout would eliminate the need for certain maneuvers by large trucks.
“All the truck traffic would be in a dedicated storage lane and off the main road. So there would be no U-turn by semi-tractor on this project,” he said.
Plans also include turn lanes and access points designed to manage both passenger vehicles and semi-truck circulation, with trucks entering from one driveway and exiting onto White Road.
If the project moves forward as anticipated, construction could begin in the coming years with a defined timeline for completion.
“Assuming this starts very soon, the first Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is expected in September of 2027, which we probably shall, and the final CO expected in March of 2028,” Iravani said.
Following discussion, city leaders expressed support for the development as part of the broader vision for the Kings Highway corridor.
Mayor Linda Hudson said the proposal aligns with the city’s long-term planning goals.
“To me, this is the kind of project that we had in mind for Kings Highway,” she said.
The commission voted to approve the project with conditions, including requirements for a tree survey and mitigation plan as well as a gopher tortoise study prior to land clearing.