$100M Kanner Highway construction in Stuart: Affordable homes supported by the Live Local Act

You may have spotted the banners while driving along Kanner Highway in Stuart. The once-busy 76 Golf World Family Fun Center will soon be home to Baron Landings, a $100 million mixed-use complex. This is the most recent of several projects happening in the region. Baron Landings will include 308 apartments spread over four four-story buildings, with 40% of the units classified as affordable housing based on area median income (AMI). This 21.4-acre project is the first in Martin County to use the Florida Live Local Act, which accelerates home construction and skips standard regulatory processes to expedite projects that solve the housing shortage.

The property will also include over 16,000 square feet of commercial space, with companies like Starbucks, Del Taco, and Jersey Mike’s signed on. “It’s great. That’s an excellent concept. Anderson said, “I love the Starbucks idea.” “All those extra businesses that come around are needed for the number of people moving in,” explained another Stuart resident, Maria Vasquez. However, with the city’s fast expansion, some citizens are concerned about traffic. “I, like many other residents who have lived here for years, am not happy that this place is becoming like another big city,” Vasquez told me. “I have been here since 2016. I’m from Miami, and there are skyscrapers everywhere. “That’s why we moved here,” said Stuart resident Ronnie Blanks. 

Developers informed CBS12 News that they intend to add a new traffic light, Baron Way, to reduce congestion. They also plan to contribute $3.3 million in impact fees to help schools, fire departments, and other community resources. The commercial work is projected to start within 60 days, with the apartments commencing ground in late spring or early summer.