PORT ST LUCIE, Fla. — Florida's 7th largest city is continuing to grow.
On Monday, Port St. Lucie city leaders unanimously approved the second phase for the Landings at Tradition, an area home to restaurants, retail stores, and thousands of families.
The newest piece of development will include a nearly 41,000 sqft. shopping center with nine new retail spaces and new grocery store.
Residents of the area say shops and the neighborhood's only Publix are severely crammed and that the area needs more infrastructure to keep up with the boom in housing.
"We just need more here," said Carmine Ceglio, resident. "We need more because of the development of people. When I moved here, this place in 2006, this place it was 25% built up, and it was hard to be in business when you were told this place would be 100% built out."
City leaders said it's all part of an ongoing effort to make Port St. Lucie a place to live and work.
Tradition is also home to the city's Southern Grove neighborhood, an area along Becker Rd. and I-95 becoming known for its number of jobs.
Residents said more stores will translate to more tax dollars staying local.
"We want to have some venues where we have maybe a comedy club, maybe where we have some family venues and things like that," said Pamela Green. "Some fun activities and some more shopping because we have to go all the way to Stuart to the mall if we want to go shopping and stuff."
City leaders say as development continues, roads will need to be expanded.
Right now, it's unclear when construction for the second phase of the Landings at Tradition could begin.
