PSL Mixed Used Building

PORT ST. LUCIE — One of Palm Beach County's venerable construction companies wants to build what could be the tallest building in the city.

Ahrens Cos. of Lake Park paid $2.2 million for five acres of vacant commercial land earlier this month, according to county public records. The land is on the northwest corner of Lennard Road and Cane Slough Road, just east of the end of Port St. Lucie Boulevard. The site also is within the city's community redevelopment area.

Chief executive Richard Ahrens said he plans to build a six-story, mixed-use building. An 84-room Hawthorn Suites, an extended-stay hotel chain owned by Hyatt Corp., would be on the first three floors. Ahrens said his company bought the franchise and will operate the hotel.

A total of 42,000 square feet of office space would occupy the top three floors. By comparison, the Bank of America Center to the north at Prima Vista Boulevard is 58,000 square feet.

The unnamed project also would have two adjacent office buildings, a 15,000-square-foot, two-story structure and a 10,000-square-foot, one-story space, Ahrens said.

He plans to submit plans to the city within the next 30 days and expects site plan review and approval to take about five months, he said.

City zoning allows buildings as tall as 10 stories in the redevelopment area.

As cities grow and land values increase buildings get taller, said city planning and zoning director Cheryl Friend.

"We haven't been in that category until recently," she added. With the redevelopment area, service-intense taller buildings are the "general direction."

City manager Don Cooper said this type of project is what was envisioned in the urban redevelopment.

If approved, the building could be the tallest building in Port St. Lucie. Riverside National Bank's new office building at St. Lucie West Boulevard and California Boulevard is four stories. The nearby Springhill Suites on Courtyard Circle also is four stories. Both are outside of the CRA, where commercial buildings are capped at 75 feet.

Ahrens said he also has under contract a three-acre parcel south of Port St. Lucie Boulevard on U.S. 1. There, he plans to build a Chik-fil-A restaurant and a 117-room Microtel Inn & Suites. The purchase of that property is expected to close in 90 to 120 days.

Established in 1902 in West Palm Beach, Ahrens is design, engineering and construction firm. The company has completed 550 projects in the last 15 years, including the St. Lucie County Equestrian Center at St. Lucie County Fairgrounds.

TCPalm.com
By ROBERT BARBA
October 14, 2006

Posted by Donald Urschalitz P.A. at October 27, 2006 03:35 PM