Location & Access - Treasure Coast Education, Research & Development Authority (TCERDA)

The Treasure Coast Research Park is centrally located among many of Florida’s main attractions, and can be easily reached within a two hour drive from over 70% of the state’s population. The Park Site is easily accessible from both of Florida’s main highways; I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike. Since the vision for the Treasure Coast Research Park is to open up new opportunities for educational, economic, and research purposes, its services and partnerships with the educational facilities of the University of Florida already located within the park are ideal.

Treasure Coast Research Park Location and Access Highlights:

Easy Access from I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike
Only a two hour drive of over 70% of the state’s population
Nearby hotels with available conference centers, including Marriott
Within a less than two hour drive from two major airports
Nearby to Tradition Field - the home of the New York Mets spring training facility
Only a few miles away from surfing, deep sea fishing, scuba diving and horseback riding on some of the most unspoiled beaches in Florida.

The eastern section of the 1,600+ acre Education and Research Park abuts Kings Highway/SR 713, which is a two lane connector from the Florida Turnpike to U.S. Highway 1. Florida's Turnpike bisects the Education and Research Park with the closest access point located just south of Okeechobee Road/SR 70. Interstate 95 is also easily accessed via Orange Avenue/SR 68 and Okeechobee Road/SR 70. Currently, there are five roads with access to the Education and Research Park: Pruitt Research Center Road, Picos Road, FFA Road, Campbell Road and Rock Road.

The dramatic population increases along the Research Coast within the past several years correlate directly to an increase in St. Lucie County's workforce. St. Lucie County's population has increased 25% in the last 5 years; increasing from a population of 192,695 in 2000 to an estimated 240,039 people in 2005. Proportionately, the workforce has increased approximately 27% within the last 5 years. These increases in turn, are changing the face of St. Lucie County's workforce and increasing the number of workers with new and advanced skills. A higher than average percentage of the total regional population has a high school diploma, or equivalent, plus post-secondary education and training when compared to the state and the nation. Regional public schools and colleges are working to increase the number of bachelor and advanced degrees among the workforce.

The School Board of St. Lucie County has initiated educational programs focusing on science, technology, and applied research. Institutions such as Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Indian River Community College, Florida Atlantic University and University of Florida are dedicated toward teaching and training students in specialized areas of exploration and research. There are a number of certificate training programs available in biotechnology, nuclear medicine, and medical lab technology. Degrees in Agribusiness Management, Environment Management, Agricultural Education, Entomology, Environmental Horticulture, Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, and many others are offered by our local educational and research institutions. St. Lucie County is building the research foundation, beginning with education.

* Research Coast is defined as Indian River, Martin, and St. Lucie Counties.
** Sources: Florida Research and Economic Database, The Workforce Development Board of the Treasure Coast, U.S. Department of Labor, and Fishkind & Associates, Inc.