Wednesday, May 31, 2006

St. Lucie County Civic Center being torn down

By Jim Reeder
FORT PIERCE — The St. Lucie County Civic Center has gone from opera house to warehouse in its 29 years.

It's been the scene of performances by Ray Charles, the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions, the Charlie Daniels Band and high school graduates marching down the aisle.

Now, a new phase is starting for the county-owned building. Its bricks will soon provide a habitat for fish.

A huge hole was knocked out of the civic center's northeast corner Tuesday, the official start of demolition for the building whose prime of life ended when Hurricane Frances damaged its roof. The demolition is expected to take about three months.

The civic center was providing shelter for special needs patients in 2004 when Frances peeled off its roof, allowing water to pour in on people with medical problems.
After that it was used to store tarps, meals-ready-to-eat and water that would be needed when the next storm struck.

But on Tuesday people were only talking about the good times had there, despite the bad acoustics and uncomfortable seats.

"When it was good, it was real good," county recreation manager Patti Raffensberger said. "A lot of people came through here and had good times. "We're going to miss it," she said. Havert Fenn, who served on the county commission 16 years, remembers performances by Ray Charles and B.B. King, as well as boxing matches.

"I must be getting old, seeing history like this," Fenn said. "I remember when it was built and now I'm seeing it come down."

The Treasure Coast Opera Society staged operas there for years before the building was damaged.

"It was great for horse shows, but not so good for music," Jack Connolly, an opera supporter and member of the county's Cultural Arts Council, said. "If you love opera, you have to make allowances, you have to go with what you've got."

He remembers the night the opera audience wrapped itself in blankets because of chilly weather in an unheated building. The Opera Society has moved its performances to the Sunrise Theater in downtown Fort Pierce.

County Commissioner Chris Craft remembers attending concerts by Johnny Paycheck, Mel Tillis and the Oak Ridge Boys.

"When you're six or seven years old you don't care about the acoustics," Craft said. "As bad as the acoustics and the roof leaks were, we all have good memories of the civic center.
County Administrator Doug Anderson said the site will be used temporarily for a parking lot while the county studies what to do with the space. One possibility is to build a new commission chambers.

The county's hurricane shelter for people with special needs will remain this hurricane season at Dan McCarty Middle School in Fort Pierce, as it was last year. But the special needs shelter eventually will be moved to a gymnasium that will be built in the Lawnwood Recreation Complex, across 23rd Street from the civic center site.

Friday, May 26, 2006

High-tech firm revealed, confirms moving headquarters to PSL

By ROBERT BARBA
St. Lucie County has lured Carling Technologies, a global leader in circuit breakers and electric switches, a move that will bring higher-paying jobs and more high-tech visibility to the Treasure Coast.

The Connecticut-based company will move its corporate headquarters and research and development arm to the north end of Tradition in Port St. Lucie in July 2008.

"It's official," Ed Rosenthal, executive vice president and corporate counsel of Carling, said from the company's headquarters in Plainville. "We have to stay flexible and we think we can do that down there."

Carling's recruitment is part of a local effort to shift the economy from one reliant on agriculture and call centers to one rich in research and development.

Although they may have little in common, Carling could be a neighbor to Burnham Institute if the California-based biotechnology research institute opens a satellite campus in Tradition.
Local and state officials are recruiting Burnham to the state and an announcement could come in the next few months.

Carling will employ 150 people earning an average hourly wage of $26.60, according to the county's incentive package. That translates to about $55,000 annually.

COULD DRAW OTHERS
The company's relocation will entice other companies to the area, said Port St. Lucie city council members.

"We have a clean slate out west (along the I-95 corridor), and we have more to offer people than quarter-acre lots and strip malls," said councilman Christopher Cooper.
"You could have 10-story buildings out there. The goal is to have a corporate presence along I-95."

Port St. Lucie City Council is planning a special meeting today to consider a five-year tax-savings package for Carling. The city's incentives could be worth $350,000 to $450,000 in total, said city manager Don Cooper said. Those figures are based on estimates of building costs of about $15 million.

The exact amount will depend on the final cost of the building, he said.
Government and business development and leaders had kept the company's identity secret, calling it "Project I" in public documents. Negotiations with a Northeast-based tech firm were first disclosed in September by Tradition executives when the city approved The Landing's site plan.

Earlier this week, county commissioners approved a $1 million incentive for the company. The package includes a $255,000 Job Growth Investment grant that will pay $1,700 per job created and property tax exemption valued at $850,000 that will be spread out over nine years.

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT
The relocation was a collaboration among city and county officials, Core Communities, the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County and Chris Klein, president and broker of Treasure Coast Commercial Real Estate Inc.

Klein's firm is brokering the 5.5-acre parcel where Carling plans to build. The new home will sit just north of The Landing, Tradition's big-box retail center. That deal is expected to close in late June.

"This is one of the most exciting deals that I have ever worked on," Klein said.
Other members of the recruitment team declined to comment on Thursday's announcement.
Core Communities' president Pete Hegener has often spoken of creating a 5-mile job corridor along I-95.

Rosenthal said Carling is coming to Port St. Lucie because of the "changing climate of manufacturing" and the different types of technology that the company is developing.
In addition to the incentive package, the company was also impressed with the officials' enthusiasm, the Kight Center for Emerging Technologies at Indian River Community College and Florida Atlantic University.

LEAVING A VOID
Rosenthal said it was too early to tell how many people from Connecticut would move to Port St. Lucie. The company is excited to work with some members of the "new work force," he said.
Carling's exit from Plainville will hurt that city's economy. The company is the eighth largest employer, said Robert Lee, town manager. He was surprised at the departure, but because of the economics of the region the announcement wasn't unexpected.

"Given the economy and amount of companies moving from the north to the south, for various economic reasons, it's not surprising," Lee said.

"What's surprising is that it's happening in Plainville. It's hitting a little closer to home."
Carling chief operating officer Mike Bhojwani broke the news to the 160 Connecticut employees at 3 p.m. Thursday, Rosenthal said. Some tooling and press-related work will remain in Plainville.

The move will not affect Carling's wide-flung operations. About 2,600 employees are spread among offices in England, France, Germany, Hong Kong and Japan. In November, the company opened a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in ZhongShan, China, Rosenthal said.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

St. Lucie County luring at least 150 jobs

By REBECCA PANOFF and ROBERT BARBA
FORT PIERCE — St. Lucie County officials have approved an incentive package worth about $1 million that will be used to lure an undisclosed company to the county.

County commissioners at their meeting Tuesday morning approved a letter of intent that would provide the company with $255,000 in Job Growth Investment funds payable over five years, beginning in 2008.

The grant is contingent on the company providing a minimum of 150 jobs with an average hourly wage of $26.60 an hour.

County Administrator Doug Anderson said county officials have worked for more than a year on the project, which could bring in high-paying corporate-type jobs.

"It's another high-paying clean industry that would be relocated to St. Lucie County," Anderson said.

As part of the agreement, the company would also receive a full county property tax abatement for its first five years and then a reduced abatement for the next four years, totaling about $850,000. That amount is based on the company's estimated initial investment of $14.5 million. As part of the incentive package, the company must stay in St. Lucie County for at least 15 years or all exempt taxes plus interest must be paid back.

Before Port St. Lucie's bid for La Jolla, Calif.-based Burnham Institute was made public in January, the possible corporate relocation of a Northeast-based high-tech firm was at the center of economic development efforts in the area.

Don Root, executive director of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County, declined to confirm if the company, called "Project I", was the high-tech firm.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County ranked eighth best golf hometown

By KEVIN VAN BRIMMER
Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County have been ranked as the No. 8 best golf hometown in Florida by Golf Digest for the publication's Real Estate Special Report in the upcoming June issue.

In determining the rankings, Golf Digest rated 244 counties nationwide and detailed the 10 best communities in eight regions. The rankings took into account both golf and non-golf factors, including the number and quality of course, golf days per year, course congestion and crime rates, airport access, off-course amenities and cost of living.

While Fort Pierce is identified in the listing, Golf Digest's Andrew Katcher said the ranking included all of St. Lucie County. In Florida, St. Lucie County ranked by the North of Tampa area, West Palm Beach, Punta Gorda (Charlotte County), the Greater Orlando area, Sarasota and Tampa/St. Pete. Jacksonville came in at No. 9 and Daytona Beach at No. 10.

Monday, May 08, 2006

Treasure Coast becomes home to a half-million residents

By JIM TURNER
More than a half million people now call the Treasure Coast home, according to the latest U.S. Census numbers.

Barring further cement shortages, hurricanes or a sudden desire by people to live in colder, less sunny climates, the 600,000 mark could be surpassed by the next national census in 2010, with the three-quarter million mark reached in nine to 19 years, depending upon whose growth projections are used.

Most of the new residents are white, elderly or part of the aging Baby Boomer generation that is moving into retirement. But the face of those who are newly minted Treasure Coast residents has also been taking on a Latin tint as urban flight spills northward from South Florida.

Greg Vaday, economic development coordinator with the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, said a single long-range future growth projection would be misleading.

However, he estimated the region could double or triple before reaching what could be considered "build out," when there would be more people than could be manageable for a quality lifestyle.

Friday, May 05, 2006

PSL giving free lots to low-income residents

By CHRIS YOUNG May 5, 2006
PORT ST. LUCIE — The city wants to give away seven residential lots to very low-income residents to build their dream homes.
The problem is, there aren't enough applicants.

One woman now lives in a home under the city program. The city gave her a lot and $23,000 for a down payment, and Habitat For Humanity built the house, said Community Services Director Tricia Swift-Pollard, who heads the program.

The city will give another lot away soon. But six other lots haven't been awarded yet. Swift-Pollard said she thinks not many people have heard about the program.

Applicants do need one or two years of good credit and be able to qualify for at least a $50,000 mortgage. They cannot make over 50 percent of median income, which changes based on family size. For a family of four, that limit is $27,300; for two people, $21,850.

The city gives the lot and up to $75,000 for a down payment and closing costs as an interest-free second mortgage on the home.

The mortgage must be paid when the homeowner sells the house or refinances but doesn't require payments before that.

"(The city) is being very accommodating to the needs of homeowners," said Runa Saunders, vice president of retail banking at Harbor Federal Savings Bank in Fort Pierce, noting the inclusion of a lot to build on.

Swift-Pollard said there were only five houses for sale in the entire city priced under $150,000 as of mid-April, and 330 homes in the $175,000 to $200,000 range.

While some people at the income level targeted by the city's program might not qualify because of bad credit, it is entirely possible to qualify, loan officers said.

Saunders said that having good credit means managing finances wisely and paying bills on time, such as rent, utilities or car insurance.

"(But) if you don't pay rent on time, we can't loan the money for a house, knowing your history," she cautioned.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Developers should stop building 'commodity' homes


By NADIA GERGIS
Construction throughout the Treasure Coast soared in the first quarter, pushing inventory levels to a record high, according to an industry report released Tuesday.
The number of starts adds more inventory to an already saturated market for existing single-family homes, said American MetroStudy, a Boca Raton-based provider of information on real estate and housing.

Brad Hunter, a housing economist for American MetroStudy, said it could take six months in one county and more than a year in two counties, to sell all the new homes.

"Historically, these are very high figures. They're actually the highest amount of finished inventory I have ever seen," Hunter said. "I think builders should be concerned."

Levels were high in St. Lucie County, with 747 homes started during the first quarter, compared to the 528 during the first quarter of 2005. There were 844 finished vacant homes in the county on March 31.

At the current rate of closings, there's a six-month supply of new homes in the St. Lucie market, the report said.

"This is not the time to build commodity homes unless they (developers) can build them better and/or less expensively than anyone else," Hunter said.

"Speculators have an overabundance of commodity homes, all at competitive prices. To be successful, builders must sell something that is different from currently available supply."

Housing starts in Martin County rose to 161 in the first quarter from 143 in the same period last year, a 13 percent increase. There were 897 homes under construction or finished and vacant in Martin County, about a 14-month supply.

Indian River had the smallest quarterly growth in home starts on the Treasure Coast. Inventory levels rose to 569 units, up slightly from 546 in the first quarter of 2005, a 4.2 percent increase.

The number of finished, vacant homes rose to 598 units during the first quarter, which drove the inventories to a 13-month supply.

Housing experts said the numbers don't bode well for builders on the Treasure Coast.
"This is the reason we're seeing builders offer so much in incentives," said Richard Hope, president of Treasure Coast Builders Association and president of The Hope Co. in Vero Beach. "Buyers are seeing a widening of choices, so builders are really having to stand out with their products."

Builders also are competing with investors who want to flip properties they bought at lower prices last year, said Jack McCabe, president of McCabe Research and Consulting, a real estate consulting firm in Deerfield Beach. A stagnating re-sale market isn't helping builders, he said.
"Builders who continue to put up spec homes without a signed contract, well, that's just foolery on their part," McCabe said. "There has been a dramatic shift in the market since the speculators left the market."

McCabe said that with sellers no longer able to push up prices, the rental market is changing. He said the growing trend of South Florida re-conversions — apartments converted to condos and put back on the rental market by their investor-owners — has entered the Treasure Coast.
"The Estates at Stuart has entered the re-conversion market because people realize that they can make some money with the rental rates being so great," McCabe said, referring to the Estates at Stuart, a 237-unit apartment complex that sold for a record $45 million last year.
"The Treasure Coast is just saturated with for-sale and for-rent signs. What does that tell us about the reality of market conditions?"

The report listed three Treasure Coast communities that had the most new home starts in South Florida. The subdivisions of Martin's Crossing in Martin and Newport Isles by Centex Homes in St. Lucie, and Core Communities' Tradition in St. Lucie County were part of the top 10 South Florida communities with the most home construction starts.

Shawn Reilly, vice president of marketing for Core Communities, developer of the master-planned communities of St. Lucie West and Tradition said he wasn't surprised at the rankings.
"I think people realize that we offer good value and people love our way of life here," Reilly said.
As for St. Lucie County having the highest inventory levels on the Treasure Coast, Reilly said he wasn't concerned.

"This isn't affecting us. It's happening to scattered lots in Port St. Lucie," Reilly said. "We see this as a good thing because we really tried to prevent flippers from buying here. Now that they're gone, we can focus on our real buyers."

St. Lucie's Savannas State Park ranked in top 10

Savannas State Preserve Park ranked in the top 10 for educational and historical facilities throughout the nation in a ranking by a national camping organization, state officials announced Wednesday.

ReserveAmerica, the organization used to reserve campsites throughout the nation, honored the Florida Parks Service in its annual awards for America's Top Outdoor Locations.

Of the 34 Florida spots, Savannas State Preserve Park — off Walton Road — was one of the best for education, due in large part to its volunteer teams and Environmental Education Center.

Monday, May 01, 2006

Florida's Housing Market Indicators

Florida existing home sales: -22%
Florida existing condo sales: -23%
Florida existing home median price: $248,200
Florida existing condo median price: $214,200
Florida consumer confidence: 89
30-year fixed rate mortgage: 6.58%
National existing home sales: +.3%
National existing home median price $218,000
Pending home sales index 117.7
National consumer confidence: 109.6
National new home sales: +13.8 %
National new home median price $224,200

Indecision keeps Port St. Lucie's Riverwalk plans open

By HILLARY COPSEY
Hooters flew the coop long ago. Still, the 15,000-square-foot Promenade building sits on the canal at Rivergate Park — beautiful, but empty.

Culpepper & Terpening is just weeks away from completing the Promenade — Riverwalk's only finished development and one that's been under construction for three years. But the developer still has not found a replacement for the "delightfully tacky, yet unrefined" restaurant originally slated to anchor the building.

Hooters dropped out in 2004, citing a disagreement about the two-story building's height. Last year, Bernie Kosar announced plans for a swanky steakhouse on the site overlooking the North Fork of the St. Lucie River. That also fell through.

"It's just not the time for that," said Butch Terpening, Kosar's partner and Promenade developer. "We had other things on our plate."

As hurricanes and other problems slowed construction on the Promenade, Terpening said he decided to concentrate on finishing the building before finding tenants.

"We haven't really tried to market the property," Terpening said. "Give me a month or two."
But some City Council members say Terpening's empty building and the lack of developer interest in the rest of Riverwalk are signs of problems with the decades-long proposal for an entertainment district on the river.

"I think the vision has been over-inflated," Councilwoman Michelle Berger said. "It isn't Riverwalk. It's River-Down-the-Way-a-Bit. ... We can't make the Riverwalk because we can't walk next to the river."

The sections of Riverwalk that have moved forward in recent months — roughly 45 acres south of Port St. Lucie Boulevard slated to become a hotel and retail center and a botanical garden — are actually next to the North Fork. The Promenade overlooks a boat-launching canal off the river.

The rest of Riverwalk, a meandering 16.5 acres of developable land along Midport Road, is screened from the North Fork by acres of protected mangroves. Even developers who have shown interest in the property say the project is a difficult one requiring complex negotiations for environmental permits.

With no developer for Riverwalk North and council members still debating the right use for the property, Councilman Jack Kelly said it is understandable potential tenants would balk at signing on for the Promenade.

"With the indecision, they don't know what's going in up the street from them," Kelly said.
Still, Kelly and Councilman Christopher Cooper are searching for tenants for the Promenade in hopes the project's success will kickstart the rest of Riverwalk.

"It's a fantastic location, two major crossroads in the city," Cooper said. "I think it would be one of the biggest attractors in the city, even bigger than City Center. You just need a vision that will spark the interest of the naysayers."