The transformation of Vero Beach’s shoreline marks a defining moment for public space in Florida, returning the state’s largest and most economically valuable publicly owned waterfront to the community. Spanning 20 acres, the mixed-use redevelopment restores long-lost access to the Indian River Lagoon, a critical shallow-water estuary along Florida’s Atlantic coast.
Once a physical and visual barrier between the city and the water, the iconic blue-clad “Big Blue” power plant is reimagined in HOK’s master plan as a unifying civic connector. The design creates a continuous public realm that draws people from Vero Beach’s streets, through the transformed power plant, and directly to the lagoon.
At the heart of the project lies the adaptive reuse of the entire power plant, redefining it as a new civic gateway. Anchored by a Grand Promenade, the development delivers a people-first waterfront—where urban design, public access, and environmental connection converge to reconnect communities with their natural assets.
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