Federal legislative advocacy: Welcoming Secretary Scott Turner, U. S. Housing and Urban Development
On April 14, the City of Port St. Lucie welcomed U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and Justin Domer, Deputy Secretary of the Division of Community Development for the Florida Department of Commerce, for an on‐site look at Walton & One, one of the City’ s most important redevelopment areas.
The visit, organized by the Federal Legislative Advocacy team, provided a firsthand look at how this 73‐acre site along U. S. 1 is poised to become a vibrant mixed‐use district and a catalyst for long‐term economic growth on the City’ s east side.
City leadership showcased Walton & One as a strong candidate for a federal Opportunity Zone designation, emphasizing its potential to attract new private investment and promote job creation. Opportunity Zones incentivize investment in areas experiencing slower economic expansion by offering federal tax benefits to investors while supporting community revitalization.
Walton & One already serves as home to the MIDFLORIDA Event Center, and its future vision includes restaurants, retail, office space, hotels, residential offerings and a United Soccer League stadium, all within a walkable, activity‐rich environment. Establishing an Opportunity Zone here would amplify redevelopment momentum and further align the site with federal goals centered on economic revitalization.
To advance this opportunity, the City will formally request that Gov. Ron DeSantis nominate Census Tract 381802 as a new Opportunity Zone. The City team also reviewed newly eligible census tracts along U. S. 1 and Port St. Lucie Boulevard that will also be nominated.
“ We are grateful for Secretary Turner’ s visit and the chance to showcase how Walton & One can spark meaningful economic revitalization,” said Mayor Shannon M. Martin.“ Realigning our Opportunity Zone to this strategic area will help us boost local jobs, accelerate redevelopment and attract investment that will benefit residents throughout the City.”
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