FORT PIERCE – The Fort City Commission Monday granted the current leaseholder of the now-defunct Crabby’s restaurant/bar an additional 60 days to find someone to take over the operating lease.

Shyanne Harnage, city director of community and economic development, said Winking Starfish LLC, of St. Petersburg, the current leaseholder, has given the city “preliminary information about a potential assignee.”

No name was disclosed Monday night.

Harnage recommended the 60-day extension, saying the city will use the time to “vet” a potential new operator.

“If this group turns out not to work, we will be back to you sooner,” she told commissioners.

Monday’s action sidesteps, at least temporarily, legal action by the city to collect months of unpaid rent, plus reimbursement for several years of property taxes paid by the city.

Monday was the original deadline the city had given to Crabby’s operator, Winking Starfish LLC, to find an acceptable concern to take over the long-term lease or face legal action to terminate the agreement.

The commission unanimously voted Monday for the additional 60-day extension.

The city signed the original, 20-year lease with Winking Starfish for the waterfront property at 2 Avenue A in 2018. Terms had included the possibility of an additional two, five-year renewals. That company invested $4 million to construct a new, two-story restaurant/bar on the downtown waterfront property. Under the lease terms, the city will own the building if the lease is terminated.

The original terms said Crabby’s would pay the city a base annual rent of $159,5582, increasing 2 percent in each successive year. In addition, the city would receive 2 percent of food sales over $2.5 million; 7 percent of alcohol sales exceeding the first $600,000; and 5 percent of ice cream sales over the initial $100,000.

The lease required the tenant to pay for property taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance.

City officials have not said whether Fort Pierce has.received any rent or tax payments from Winking Starfish LLC since the business shut down in February.

Officials said they first learned that the business was closing from a social media post.