FORT PIERCE — The Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency Board voted unanimously Oct. 21 to approve purchasing the property at 1238 Avenue D adjacent to the city-owned Jackie L. Caynon Sr. Building that’s currently being remodeled for the Highwayman Museum in order to create a public outdoor plaza for future receptions and other events at the museum.
Staff have been working toward that goal ever since the FPRA first got wind of the potential availability of the parcel on March 11, which was actually blocking connectivity between the future museum and the city-owned corner piece at 13th Street designed as a public plaza and potential museum parking lot. Board Member Curtis Johnson Jr. brought up the idea during that meeting, and the FPRA voted unanimously during its subsequent March 31 meeting to authorize Johnson to order an appraisal of the property and its one-story structure in need of repairs.
Fort Pierce City Manager Richard Chess introduced the agenda item on the $150,000 purchase during the latest meeting.
“This is a critical piece of property that we want to acquire on Avenue D,” he said. “It helps us align with the plans we have related to the Highwayman Museum, and there’s other parcels there we think will benefit our vision of that corridor.”
Commissioner Michael Broderick immediately posed a clarification question.
“Who handled the negotiations on this?” he asked.
“Actually, I did along with Shyanne Harnage,” Chess replied in reference to the city’s Community and Economic Development Department director.
Broderick then lauded the pair on their negotiation skills.
“Good job guys – this is a good acquisition for the city,” he said. “I’m not going to get into detail on that discussion point because it’s not under agreement yet. However, this acquisition rounds out that particular corner. I’ve had the opportunity to spend a fair amount of time in that [Jackie L. Caynon Sr.] building and have observed the conditions of the property next door.”
Board Member Broderick reminded the city manager that his company regularly purchases and refurbishes such properties and that he wanted the chance to analyze what needs to be done as soon as the deal goes through.
“What I’m going to request Mr. Chess is the opportunity to get in there and see the condition and what we’re going to need to do to stabilize that property,” he explained. “I know, for example, it needs a new roof system. I observed that from the second floor of the Highwayman Museum building. I also noticed some minor structural deficiencies on the exterior that are going to be dealt with, but I’d like the opportunity to get in there and take a look around. I can give my thoughts to the Commission once I get eyes on it.”
Board Member Johnson echoed the sentiments of both the city manager and his colleague before making a motion to approve the purchase.
“I think as we create that whole engagement opportunity with the Highwayman Museum, this is a critical piece,” he said. “Thank you staff for the work that you did quite quickly to bring this to us.”
Board Member Arnold Gaines seconded that motion, which then passed unanimously. The same day, the FPRA also agreed to purchase a $25,000 mural for the eastern wall of the Jackie L. Caynon Sr. Building at 1234 Avenue D from the West Palm Beach-based firm Street Art Revolution LLC. After the clerk read the agenda item title, Board Member Broderick expressed a particular concern about the mural artwork.
“The timing on this is my only concern,” he said. “We are still under heavy exterior construction in the parking lot areas and in theory the areas behind the building where we’re going to be moving a lot of equipment and dirt and asphalt. There’s a lot of moving parts going on out there. I’m just suggesting that we would get through that and then start with this, which is really kind of the icing on the cake so to speak. We wouldn’t want to get it installed and have it damaged by whatever we’ve got thrown around out there.”
Special Projects Coordinator Audria Moore then came to the podium to alleviate his fears.
“The plan is to wait,” she said. “The reason you have this here 1762322303 is because I wanted to get it approved so when the work is done on the parking lot, they can then just go ahead and move in. The contractor’s coordinating with the artist, so that he can let them know when it would be appropriate for them to come in and begin the mural on the building.”
The FPRA then voted unanimously to approve the mural from the minority-owned business.