DOWNTOWN
Dr. Shannon clarK leitenbauer Dr. Kelly Jacobi WaDDell
optometric Physicians
772.465.6616 772.465.0544
INCLUDING THE LATEST STYLES & THE TOP DESIGNER BRANDS
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Building owners like Flip Gates, Hans Kraaz, Dick Coke,
and Vince Lloyd have restored their properties and are keeping
them in good shape, which helps entice business owners
to the downtown, he said.
“I’d say you’re renting something pretty unique if you rent
downtown,” Murphy said. “You’re renting a piece of history.”
Murphy did an informal survey recently and learned that
the courts draw over 7,000 potential jurors a year to the
downtown, the restored 1923 Sunrise Theatre attracts 50,000
people a year, and City Hall has about 100 employees and
attracts up to 200 visitors in a day. The federal courthouse,
after opening in January 2012, is expected to have 100 to 150
employees and many visitors each day.
The city of Fort Pierce has helped businesses to get through
the recession by keeping parking free and not raising property
taxes, Mayor Bob Benton said. They also changed some
one-way streets back to two-way streets.
“I’m really committed to the businesses that came and
stayed,” he said. “We don’t give tax breaks to new businesses,
so existing businesses don’t end up paying for the new ones
to come in.”
The city’s plans for the future include possible use of the
old power plant property for a hotel and shops, bringing
even more people into the downtown area, he said.
Doris Tillman at Main Street is optimistic.
“We’ve had some businesses, like Sweet’s Jeweler’s and
Roslow’s and Coke’s Stationers here for 30 years or more, and
then we have new ones that add to the downtown,” she said.
“I think the businesses have learned to adjust to the cycles
over the years — some cycles not so good and some good. On
the whole, downtown is doing well.”
Realtor Pat Murphy
says downtown leasing
space is stabilizing.
“There’s not a huge
amount of vacancy,’’
he says.
SUSAN BURGESS
The landscaped median adds to the attractiveness of the downtown. On the
right is the county courthouse.
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2305 Oleander Ave. | Ft. Pierce, FL 34982 | www.clarkeyecare.com
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