ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. —
St. Lucie County commissioners said they are one step closer in opening the doors of Buc-ee's on the Treasure Coast.
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Commissioner Cathy Townsend, chair of the Board of County Commissioners, told WPBF 25 News that they are expecting Buc-ee's to submit their site approval plan this week.
"It will definitely be a financial gain for St. Lucie County," Townsend said.
"The reason why there has been some delay is there was some property that a fire station was going to go in with fire district and a school, and there needed to be some revisions to those sites," she added.
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The commissioner said Buc-ee's has recently been given the green light by the St. Lucie County School Board to go ahead and file the application.
If all goes as planned, Buc-ee's is expected to open its doors by the northeast corner of I-95 and Indrio Road.
"If you’ve driven by a Buc-ees's, I mean you see how popular they are, they definitely draw a crowd," Wes McCurry, senior vice president of the economic development council of St. Lucie County, told WPBF 25 News.
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The country store franchise, however, isn't the only major development project on the Treasure Coast.
Costco is also coming to town at Legacy Park in Tradition.
"In the first phase, it’s going to have 265 employees, full-time employees that we pay an average just over $55,000, that’s what’s projected," McCurry said. "And probably an equal number of part-time employees as well."
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He also said they're opening more doors to manufacturing companies, like Accel, right by Costco, which ultimately means more opportunities for local residents.
"A large portion of it is workforce, about 60% commute outside of the county to go to work. So, to the extent that we can turn that flow around and keep those jobs closer to home is great for everyone," he added.
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And not to forget, the entertainment district in Tradition is also in the works to provide more restaurants for an increasing population.
Townsend also said with this growth, they're working on more housing options in Fort Pierce.
"We do need some housing here, and we do need housing that is going to be able to be affordable for the workers," the commissioner said."It’s going to be about smart growth."
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