The Port St. Lucie City Council unanimously approved a major site plan amendment to Gatlin Plaza at 2250 Gatlin Blvd. late last month, paving the way for a BJ’s Wholesale Club to be added to the mix of already established businesses.
The amendment includes the addition of a 106,200-square-foot building as well as 16 fuel pumping stations. It will bring the total of existing and proposed buildings to almost 500,000 square feet, requiring transportation improvements because it exceeds the 400,000-square-foot mark.
BJ’s will join name-brand stores such as Home Depot, Floor Décor, Dave & Buster’s, Bass Pro Shops, Wendy’s and Miller’s Ale House in the plaza.
The addition of the BJ’s and future development will prompt the need for changes to Gatlin Boulevard intersections at Brescia and Fondura streets.
Other adjustments include converting the intersection of the Gatlin Plaza internal access drive with Hayworth Avenue to an “all-way” stop-controlled intersection, and restriping the Hayworth Avenue/Edgarce Street intersection to provide for enhanced visibility.
The improvements must be completed prior to any building or site development.
The location of the BJ’s section of property is south of SW Gatlin Boulevard and east of Florida Interstate 95.
It is considered “Tract B” of Gatlin Plaza and includes six tracts. Four will be developed with a maximum for the Planned Unit Development (PUD) of 750,000 square feet, including the possibility of 120 hotel rooms. The other two include a wetlands conservation area and a stormwater area.
“The proposed amendment seeks to adjust language to adjust the map allowing for additional developable square footage and to divide the existing Tract B in future development,” said Port St. Lucie Project Planner Francis Forman, reading from his presentation.
The BJ’s property is 13 acres and is the southernmost position of the Tract B property with the exception of the stormwater and wetlands area. Just north of the BJ’s site are three parcels for future development; two around 5 acres each and another at almost 11.
Gatlin Plaza was originally changed from Agricultural 1 to PUD back in 2005. The existing use is service commercial. “There is no rezoning going on here,” Forman confirmed.
Gatlin Boulevard has exploded with new retail additions over the past year, and more on the way.
Before or after a trip to BJ’s, shoppers will be able to stop at or drive through any of three coffee shops along Gatlin, with Cali Coffee and Seven Brew joining Starbucks along the 2-mile strip between Interstate 95 and Port St. Lucie Boulevard.
Seven Brew is currently under construction at the northeast corner of SW Gatlin Boulevard and SW Kensington Street. Seven Brew’s 778-square-foot, stand-alone drive-through was placed on the property using a large crane in August. The sign was just placed on the building last week.
Further east along Gatlin Boulevard, a Jetson TV and Appliance store is under construction.
Cali Coffee opened in May in the Gatlin Pointe Shopping Center, Harbor Village, near Savona Boulevard. Already operating there are eateries featuring Peruvian fare, tacos, chicken, pizza and more. Vicky’s, a well-known Cuban bakery from Miami, has “coming soon” signs plastered on their windows.
“We love it when small businesses open. It’s the backbone of America,” said St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Terissa Aronson, who would like to see more corporate businesses join the group.
“I don’t think they understand what we’re doing to help everyone around them. It’s a symbiotic relationship,” she said, explaining how small businesses and big-brand businesses benefit one another in the community.
While traffic is always an issue with growth, it is inevitable that more businesses will come. “There’s going to be growth. Every single piece of land in PSL has been sold,” Aronson said.