Stuart is the stop
The Brightline Stuart station on Southeast Flagler Avenue will include a parking garage as well as open-air parking close to the historic downtown. ROAMIN RAILFAN
Brightline picks Martin County for Treasure Coast station
BY ELLEN GILLETTE
Brightline, the nation’s only privately owned and operated inter-city passenger railroad, has been praised and criticized on the Treasure Coast since 2012. Enthusiasm for increased tourism and convenience have countered concerns regarding noise, safety and traffic delays.
For the last five years, interest has increased as county seats Fort Pierce and Stuart each worked to persuade Brightline that its downtown was the best choice for a new station. In March — after workshops, online surveys, billboards, letters and expense studies — Stuart was selected as the location of the next Brightline station with a projected opening date of 2026. Although Brightline has no artist’s renderings at this early stage, construction will include a 9,000-square-foot station and a 38,000-square-foot parking garage with additional open-air parking on 2.35 acres in downtown Stuart, at 500 Southeast Flagler Avenue.
The $60 million shared-cost project will be 40 minutes from Brightline West Palm, accessible from I-95, Florida’s Turnpike and local roads. Stuart will be responsible for the $30 million garage, while the remaining cost of the station will be split between Stuart and Brightline. Grants may cut costs to the city and county.
U.S. Congressman Brian Mast said the successful station proposal is proof the community can work together. On the right is Brian Kronberg, Brightline vice president of development and construction. BRIGHTLINE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
FORT PIERCE DISSAPOINTED
To many, Fort Pierce seemed the more logical choice. Fort Pierce Mayor Linda Hudson says that Brightline has not explained the selection. “Our proposal was comprehensive and responded completely to what was requested,” she says. “We included four parcels [and] believe we are the geographic and historic choice, since Fort Pierce was a major stop on Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway since 1894.”
Main Street Fort Pierce director Doris Tillman notes being passed over would be a temporary setback. “Not only did the City of Fort Pierce work tirelessly to welcome Brightline, but the people themselves were excited at the prospect of having a station in our downtown. I think you’ve seen the disappointment of both St. Lucie and Indian River County residents clearly expressed.
“Fort Pierce will continue to grow and thrive. We have a great deal of positive projects already underway in downtown Fort Pierce and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds.”
LITTLE IMPACT IN VERO
Indian River County supported Fort Pierce’s efforts to woo Brightline, as did Okeechobee County. Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Robert McCabe believes that either of the two proposed Fort Pierce locations provided “the best and most convenient access for a majority of the businesses and residents along the Treasure Coast … offer[ing] Brightline the greatest potential for increased passenger traffic.”
A Fort Pierce station would have meant easier commutes for Vero travelers but Brightline Stuart should not have much of an effect on the local economy. “We really don’t see that there will be much impact to the Vero Beach business community,” McCabe says.
Debbie Avery, president of the Vero Beach Chamber, says it will add 30 minutes to locals’ travel time. “I don’t think current businesses will bother moving because of the train but incoming new businesses now have an opportunity to re-think.”
CHANGES FOR STUART
Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Robert McCabe says he supported the Fort Pierce proposals for the train station, but sees no problem with Brightline’s choice. VERO BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Downtown Stuart experienced a renaissance in the 1990s when the number of businesses almost tripled, with the welcome challenge of more traffic. Today, the area is often congested especially with such events as Market on Main each Sunday.
Brightline Stuart will potentially add 550 cars to the mix daily, including at Confusion Corner where eight roads … and railroad tracks … converge. In previous news reports, Stuart City Manager Mike Mortell saw no issue, pointing out that up to 5,000 vehicles a day have been handled smoothly for special events.
For tens of thousands of commuters, Brightline Stuart may actually reduce traffic congestion. “The station will help us reduce our over-reliance on cars,” Vice Mayor Campbell Rich said in a Brightline press release.
Candace Callahan, director of Stuart Main Street, is excited about the Brightline station. “We look forward to meeting new visitors and appreciate the additional prosperity it will bring to our small locally owned businesses.”
GypSea Cottage, a clothing boutique on Osceola Street, will be about an eight-minute walk from the station. “I think [Brightline Stuart] will be very helpful,” employee Sarah Guest says. “With traffic, shipping … an overall good thing for downtown businesses.”
Brightline Stuart will bring more than train horns and an influx of customers and vehicles. A 2023 Wall Street Journal story cites a Green Street study correlating proximity to train stations to increases in the residential real-estate market.
Broward County is proof of this. Miami has seen an 83% increase for properties near the Brightline station there. Rent in Fort Lauderdale is 28% above the national average.
Although Martin County has said the station will not affect taxation, higher property values may mean higher property taxes, higher rent and higher retail costs — advantages or disadvantages, depending on one’s perspective.
For now, the hope is that Brightline Stuart’s greatest impact on the Treasure Coast is positive, providing new opportunities to the region, drawing new visitors and increasing local revenue.