Stuart City Commission OKs mixed-use project downtown on Ocean Boulevard
STUART — The developer of Azul Apartments in downtown Stuart was approved to build a mixed-use project across the street from the Martin County Courthouse on Monday.
The Elizabeth, proposed by New Urban Communities Corp., is to consist of 52 apartments and 5,855 square feet of office and commercial space on the west and east corners of Southeast Ocean Boulevard and Southeast Detroit Avenue, city records show.
The two four-story buildings would have commercial and office space on the first floor and apartments on the second, third and fourth floors, according to site plans. They would be built beside the existing three-story, mixed-use Civitas building at 101 SE Ocean Blvd across the street from the Martin County Courthouse.
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Developer Tim Hernandez plans to break ground early next year and complete construction within two years, he told TCPalm Monday. There would be 44 one-bedroom, one-bathroom units and eight two-bedroom, two-bathroom units rented at market rate.
As of June 9, the average rent for one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments in Stuart are $1,942, and $2,316 respectively, according to online marketplace Apartment List.
“I think we’re going to get a lot of the younger demographic.” Hernandez said. “I believe the younger demographic is really good for the downtown… they’ll be spending money year round.”
The final approval Monday, which followed initial and unanimous approval from the City Commission on May 23, passed with limited discussion from commissioners. During the May 23 meeting, Vice Mayor Troy McDonald voiced concerns about how density is calculated in the city’s Urban District.
Units smaller than 900 square feet are counted as half a unit and units smaller than 1,100 square feet are counted as three-quarters of a unit, city records show.
The one-bedroom units for the Elizabeth range from 657 square feet to 897 square feet, according to Hernandez.
“We just need to be more transparent about that,” McDonald told TCPalm Monday. “But I think it’s a really nice project.”
Lina Ruiz is TCPalm’s watchdog reporter for Martin County. You can reach her at lina.ruiz@tcpalm.com, on Twitter @Lina_Ruiz48 or at 321-501-3845
