County commission open to exploring developer's pitch to revitalize the Indian River Mall
Across the country, shopping malls are dying off.
In Vero Beach, the once-thriving Indian River Mall has been a shell of itself for a long time, with many empty parking spaces and storefronts.
"It's an eyesore out there right now, it's a ghost town, it's a dead area. If we can revitalize the Indian River Mall footprint and the Indian River Mall property out there in various ways, people are going to have places to go," remarked Indian River County Commissioner Joe Earman. "We want to make that area of the country better and vibrant like it used to be 12-15 years ago."
New developer 'DTS Properties II' bought the mall, and is now trying to provide that jolt.
Early plans suggest the developers want to put in over 200 housing units, along with more major retailers.
"It's a huge task and a need to redevelop the mall and inject some life into that area, but we want to do it in a responsible way that fits and remains compatible with the community," said Ryan Sweeney, the county's Assistant Director of Planning and Development Services.
That's a key point, since the developer is also looking to build a 45 foot hotel, which exceeds the county's current height restriction of 35 feet.
The issue is getting mixed reactions from county commissioners.
"I don't want to hold up progress by saying absolutely not. I think we need to be open and talk about it," Earman shared.
Commissioner Joe Flescher is concerned about this setting a precedent.
"How do you say no to someone else, to say 'no, you must conform with our regulations.' we made an exception here, I think we open ourselves up," he told CBS12 News Friday. "Our height requirements have been steadfast for so many years, and that's one of the main reasons why people live here."
Nothing has been decided yet.
County officials voted to continue having conversations with the developer before any sort of amendment process is even considered.
The board would have the final say.
