The Fort Pierce City Commission unanimously approved a major site plan with conditional use for a family shelter at GraceWay Village during a meeting early this month.
The shelter will serve as temporary housing.
Site improvements will be made on 7.84 acres located at 1780 Hartman Road, with new facilities built over three phases, the first phase being a 10,180-square-foot facility containing 10 private family dwelling units that includes classrooms, communal areas, laundry and administrative offices.
Phase 2 will add six buildings that total 17,820 square feet, with each containing three 990-square-foot dwelling units for a total of 18.
Phase 3 will expand Phase 1 by adding 6,320 square feet and an additional eight dwelling units.
The site plan was approved with nine conditions, one of which is related to Phase 2, which will be subject to a major design review because of its size and expansion and the number of units. No building permits for Phase 2 will be issued until the design review for the phase is approved.
Another condition requires that a maintenance plan and agreement be signed and submitted to the city engineer prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
The property already contains two buildings that house GraceWay’s café program, clothing boutique and offices.
Chris Suneson, assistant planning director, introduced his presentation for the project with a phrase he once heard that stood out to him, “It is a frictionless life.”
“It is something that a lot of us take for granted, the ability to go to the grocery store, buy a meal, prepare it at home, a place to actually go home. And a large portion of our society has that freedom. There are other portions of our population, our society, that encounter a lot more friction and that’s why Graceway is here tonight,” Suneson said.
“Their mission has always been to help those that have hit a rough spot, that encountered that friction. And so tonight, I’m glad to provide you information that goes a long way to helping those that encounter friction in their lives.”
Speaking on behalf of GraceWay, Brad Currie of Haley Ward said, “I think this is a great location for this project. I think it’s a perfect use for the property.”
GraceWay Village began in 2009 with the mission to feed the hungry, provide clothing to children from infancy to age 18 from low-income families, and conduct workshops created to improve lives and productivity. GraceWay has been providing meals Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday each week from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The clothing boutique is open on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Volunteers and donations are always needed. For more information, go to graceway
village.com.