Good Morning, Sunland
It’s Friday! And I just learned about SeeClickFix! It's a pretty basic website that allows you to report potholes and any city fixes that you see around. It's something that I know people always ask me about and the city says that this is the most efficient way to report any of these sort of things, so check it out.
📅 ICYMI: If you're searching for something to do, check yesterday's HUGE EVENTS list.
💜 People Pass Shoutout: Thank you to everyone supporting the newsletter! If you want to help keep this going, support here.
Alright, let's jump right in...
🌡️ Weather Update: Rain! Rain! Rain! Today!
☀️ Day: High of 88°F | Isolated thunderstorms in the morning widespread this afternoo
🌙 Night: Low of 74°F | Considerable cloudiness. Winds S at 5-10 mph
🌅 Sunrise: 7:02 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 7:37 PM
🌙 Moonrise: 6:30 PM | 🌙 Moonset: 4:40 AM
🎶 Sounds like: "Purple Rain" — Prince (The live version at the 85’ American Music Awards.. The best version IMO)
Ja’Min Devon
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Watch Daisy's powerful journey here
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🚊 Main Squeeze: After Years of Delays, King’s Landing Moves Forward
TL;DR: The $155M King’s Landing project in downtown Fort Pierce just got a new site plan and a new lead developer. After years of delays, the city gave final approval. Construction is now set to begin by the end of 2025. The project will bring a Marriott hotel, condos, retail, restaurants, and more to the waterfront.
🏗️ What changed this time: Live Oak, a Jacksonville-based development firm, officially took over King’s Landing earlier this year after years of delay under the previous developer, Audubon Development. On September 2, Fort Pierce city commissioners unanimously approved the new site plan brought forward by Bill Ware, now leading the project for Live Oak.
📍 What’s planned for the site:
140-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel
Over 100 luxury condos
Retail and restaurants
New internal roadways to improve traffic flow
On-site parking garage fully integrated into the design
📅 Updated timeline:
The new deadlines were approved by the commission in August 2025. Even though they’re later than the original targets, city officials say this plan is real and ready to go.
Phase 1 hotel must be complete by July 11, 2028
Phase 2 retail, garage, and residences must be complete by May 29, 2029
Final buildout must be complete by November 13, 2029
Live Oak says they will stay on track.
🧱 What’s different from the original plan:
The rooftop bar from the 11-story condo tower is no longer included
A new spine road connects North 2nd Street to Indian River Drive for smoother movement
The parking garage is now fully on-site instead of relying on city lots
The updated layout feels more cohesive and intentional
💬 From the commission floor: Commissioners expressed support for the updated design and asked the team to embrace Florida coastal architecture in the final look.
Some early groundwork is already underway nearby at the Villas at King’s Landing. That piece of the project, now led by INB Homes, includes ten townhomes and is expected to be finished by May 2025.
📌 Why this matters: This project has been stalled for more than five years. It has come to represent Fort Pierce’s broader push to revive its downtown and waterfront. A successful buildout could unlock new housing, new foot traffic, and new pride in a central stretch of the city per city officials.
🗣️ What are your thoughts? Hit reply or let me know here!
🗞 Press Round: Housing, Art & Boo-tiques
🏠 Cleveland Clinic Plans Affordable Housing Project
Cleveland Clinic Indian River is developing workforce housing at U.S. 1 and 61st Street in Vero Beach, targeting the "ALICE" population (asset-limited, income-constrained, employed). The project aims to help the 40% of clinic employees who currently drive 40+ miles to work daily, though housing won't be limited to clinic staff.
🎨 Community Picks Sunrise Theatre Mural Design
Artist Brian Peterson's colorful sunrise concept won over 2,000 community votes for the new Sunrise Theatre mural in downtown Fort Pierce. The design features dancers, musicians, and performers meant to capture the energy of the performing arts, with installation beginning in the coming weeks.
🎃 Library Launches Halloween Costume Swap
Kilmer Branch Library is hosting a month-long Halloween "boo-tique" where families can donate and pick up gently used costumes. The swap runs all October during normal library hours, with donations accepted at all St. Lucie County libraries and no requirement to donate in order to take.
🎉 The Top Events This Week!
Friday, Sep 5
🎬 Grand Opening Drive-In Horror Movie Nights – "Insidious" screening with concessions and FM radio sound | 8:15 PM | $19 per vehicle | Details
Saturday, Sep 6
📚 Book Fair & Book Swap – Literary marketplace with curated books at Smith & Co. Mercantile | 9 AM–5 PM | Free | Details
🎭 Oddities & Art Market – 100+ vendors with psychics, crystals, food trucks, and unexpected finds in Fort Pierce | 11 AM–6 PM | $10 presale/$15 door | Details
🌳 Spread-the-Shade Tree Giveaway – Free Florida-friendly trees at Clover Park | 8–10 AM | Free | Details
🌴 Rhythms of the Caribbean – 41st anniversary gala celebration at MidFlorida Event Center | 6–11 PM | Ticketed | Details
If you have an event, send it to me here
💧 The Last Drop: We Be Poppin Closing!
📊 Fort Pierce City Manager Report – August 2025 report now available covering monthly city operations and updates. Read report
💉 Florida ends vaccine mandates – State announces elimination of all vaccine requirements for public school students citing freedom of choice. Watch update
🍦 We Be Poppin closes Sunday – Popular ice cream shop ends its run September 7th. Discounted treats available until final day. Visit one last time
📸 This is Sunland: I spoke at IRSC!
Yesterday I spoke at my alma mater, Indian River State College, about Sunland News. A surreal full-circle moment. I’ll be back next week for more classes and will share the full story then.
See you Monday!
With Love, Ja’Min
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