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BUILDING ON THE RISE
The PSL Building Department has reduced single-family processing timelines from the duration of 8 working days down to an unprecedented 4 days. The state average for singlefamily permits is 35 working days. The national average is 45 working days.
The City reached a milestone in May 2017, when overall permits were 12 percent higher than the previous May. That designated May 2017 the best May on record for the last 9 years.
The“ Red Tag Elimination Initiative” continues to reduce inspection rejections to less than 8 percent daily. The state average is 20.11 percent. The national average is 23.2 percent.
1,501 single-family permits were issued in 2017 = 38 percent increase from 2016.
65 percent of new single-family homes are infill, meaning they are being built in established neighborhoods.
35 percent of single-family homes are located in development / subdivisions.
367 Commercial Building permits were issued. This is a 62 percent increase from 2016.
SOUTHERN GROVE
While new businesses are moving in across the City, the area technically called“ Southern Grove,” but more commonly known by residents as“ Tradition,” was a hot market in 2017. The news of City Electric Supply’ s decision to anchor the Tradition Commerce Center was one headline of many that came out of Tradition throughout the year. One important highlight was the expansion of Tradition Medical Center, doubling in size just four years after opening. By the end of 2017, the hospital had added 90 new patient rooms for a total of 180 rooms. It also added a second medical office building, Health Park Two, with an ambulatory surgery center. Down the street from the hospital, Keiser University opened a new campus.
Southern Grove saw new retail and restaurant options in 2017, including the City’ s first WaWa, Recovery Sports Grill and construction began on Florida’ s first HopCat.
CITY CENTER
The Recession may have put plans for City Center in eastern PSL off course, but with the improving economic climate, the City of Port St. Lucie views City Center as an opportunity to create a premier mixed-use development along U. S. 1. The area is now in the hands of a state-appointed Receiver, who retained an international marketing firm in 2017 to market the City Center area for sale to the public. City leaders believe City Center can become an economic development cornerstone for eastern Port St. Lucie. Anchored by the Port St. Lucie Civic Center, City Center consists of about 30 acres of developable pads that are fully entitled for a wide variety of uses and are shovel- ready for vertical construction, with underlying infastructue, including roads and utility lines.