Florida A1A Trail Leg #3: Stuart – Model
Seaside Village
The New Urbanism, the old village concept of pedestrians
walking or biking to nearby stores and not relying solely on a car is thriving
in Stuart, Florida. We will
examine Stuart’s model in Trail Leg #3 and Deerfield Beach in Trail Leg #4, two
contrasting models yet both very successful villages in their own unique way.
The above welcoming picture is a mural of “old Stuart” that
grew up with the railroad. The Stuart of today is a modern city
of about 19,000 people.
Traffic is calmed and smoothly directed by round-a-bouts
with iconic decorative statues and fountains. Pedestrians comfortably move about a grid lined with smart
shops and restaurants that produces a feeling of casual elegance.
The above mixed merchants’ listing of Stuart’s various
downtown restaurants and shops that bring life to the community.
The above photo is a random example of store or office art
that caught my eye.
Stuart is located at the intersection of the Atlantic Ocean
and St. Lucie River and Indian Rivers and apparently blessed with water almost
everywhere. Many homes back up to
waterways and have built in dockside facilities.
Mural of Stuart’s sailing,
boating, and fishing amenities.
The above picture is of the iconic Stuart fountain with fish
statue painted on the side of renovated warehouse now featuring a successful
brew pub. When staying in Stuart, Patty and I recommend
the Pirate’s Cove Resort and Marina located about four miles from downtown on
SE Bayview Street.
End of Florida A1A Trail Leg #3, Stuart; next, Florida A1A
Trail Leg #4: Deerfield Beach – Fun Seaside Village.