FORT PIERCE – A historic former school building donated to the City of Fort Pierce could cost local taxpayers an estimated $2 million to install a new heating/cooling system, replace the roof and repair exterior wall leaks.
The Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency (FPRA) has retained TLC Engineering Solutions to assess the structural needs of the Means Court Building, 532 N. 13th St., at a cost not to exceed $24,900, then report the findings and estimated costs back to the city for future action.
City Engineer Mark Zrallack told the FPRA board earlier this month that he had inspected the building several times and recommended that the outside engineering firm be retained to conduct a comprehensive structural inspection.
Means Court is the site of a former all-black public school in Fort Pierce and is considered a historic site in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. It was donated to the city by St. Lucie Schools.
Most recently, the building was leased to Incubate Neighborhood Center (INC), a non-profit organization created to be a business development, education and community services center in the low-income neighborhood.
The city signed a $12-a-year lease with INC in October 2021, and the organization initially took over operations there using about $500,000 in public donations – the largest coming from Allegany Franciscan Ministries (AFM). However, the building has been closed to occupancy for the past several years due to building code violations.
In December 2024, the FPRA approved an amendment to its lease with INC, “requiring additional clarification and/or shifting of responsibility) to address several major building deficiencies.”
Recently city officials had estimated the costs of a new heating/cooling system, new roof and repairing leaking exterior walls and windows could reach $2 million.
TLC Engineering is expected to finalize its findings and cost estimates and report back to the city in the next several months.