Today I am sharing photos taken yesterday, 2-8-17, by my husband, Ed, over Langford’s Landing, the controversial development along the once high bluff of the St Lucie River located on the northwest border of Sewall’s Point in Rio. Of course this property was the long time home of philanthropist, singer, and movie star, Frances Langford and years after her death, as she wished, those handling her estate put the monies from the sale of this land towards the trust in her name and legacy of giving. Whether the nature-loving long time Martin County resident would have approved of the conditions of the sale, we can only speculate…I know what I think.
Even though the naked property remains visible from the bridges it is nice to see it close up. Thank you Ed for the photos!
As we can see, since December of 2015, all trees have been wiped out, the marina appears completed, the roads are in, the once historic high bluff is now flat and even, and few blades of grass are now visible.
Development full speed ahead!
Welcome to the “new Martin County”…
Former blog on Langford Landing: (https://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/2016/01/21/scraped-and-pillaged-the-former-frances-langford-estate-slrirl/)
Photo montage below; click on image to view.
We can call the neighborhood ‘New Orlando’
A travesty!
W.E. “Ted” Guy, Jr.
643 SW Fuge Rd
Stuart, Fl 34997
(772) 287-4106 (home)
(772) 485-1866 (cell/car)
guywe2@gmail.com
I’m reminded of those tiny bottles of sand that were sold in the “tourist traps” on the roadsides 50+ years ago: “Sending you a tiny piece of Florida”, the signs would say. I think that may be all that remains today…tiny pieces of Florida.
Jacqui,
It’s so very sad what has happened to Martin County and the whole bottom half of our once-beautiful state, for that matter.
“They” won’t be happy until every plat of land is leveled of its vegetation/critters/oaks and concrete/stucco is in its place. Makes my stomach churn.
And that was all permitted and approved by the previous commission which was supposed to be protecting the Environment and our History. Sad; I hope no long time Martin County residents will buy in there. Best regards, Mac
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66 Chris Shultz, Bonnie Mcc and 64 others
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Mike Cilurso
Mike Cilurso Francis Langford is rolling over in her grave!!!
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 9:02am
Anne Krueger Stimmell
Anne Krueger Stimmell It turns my stomach. There is no reverence or respect for MC History or for our environment.
Like · Reply · 5 · Yesterday at 9:06am
Caryl Pomales
Caryl Pomales UGH!
Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 9:15am
Ellen Feeley Gittin
Ellen Feeley Gittin I would place a pretty solid bet that this is not at all what she had in mind for use of that beautiful piece of property.
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 9:19am
Nicole Lebel
Nicole Lebel I’m Disgusted. From the beyond she is SO PISSED!
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 9:20am
Charlotte Lewis Glover
Charlotte Lewis Glover There was no need to strip that property bare and the fact that it’s still that way, boggles my mind. That would never have been allowed by Martin County in the past.
Like · Reply · 4 · Yesterday at 9:25am
Bill Holmes
Bill Holmes It will be interesting to see how their sales go. My bet is that locals will not be buyers. Who needs trees anyway.
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 9:26am
Paul Millar
Paul Millar there were some grand oaks out there
Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 9:27am
Marvin Newman
Marvin Newman Damn shame I still want to know who approved the destruction of that property?
Like · Reply · 22 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Paul Millar
Paul Millar I always thought she donated that property to Florida Oceanographic?
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 9:27am
Linda Schilling Mitchell
Linda Schilling Mitchell The fact that something like this could happen is one of the reasons we left Martin County. And they’re not going to stop.
Good thing we have photos of what it use to be
😡
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 9:28am
Mark Hill
Mark Hill What would’ve been nice, if the county had bought the land, made a park.. Let all the citizens of Martin Co. see the beauty that she saw from the cliffs… And it would’ve made a beautiful ‘bookend’ to the Twin Rivers park in Rocky Point…
Like · Reply · 5 · Yesterday at 9:30am
Ellen Feeley Gittin
Ellen Feeley Gittin That would had been a great idea, Mark!
Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 9:38am
Jennie Pawlowsky
Jennie Pawlowsky Oh my gosh…it woyld have been an amazing park
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 9:50am
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Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Kitty Haas
Kitty Haas Shocked they were allowed to do this to the land..where was Doug Smith in this?? Am hoping it will be a beautiful addition to Jensen Beach..but a sad commentary on the lack of respect for mother nature
Like · Reply · 4 · Yesterday at 9:36am
Linda Schilling Mitchell
Linda Schilling Mitchell You mean the pro-growth, zero lot line Doug Smith?
Like · Reply · 5 · Yesterday at 9:38am
Ellen Feeley Gittin
Ellen Feeley Gittin Yea…that guy!! We all know exactly where he was.
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 9:40am
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Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Deni Gillespie
Deni Gillespie What I do not get is how the environmentalists square that concern with their republican votes.
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 9:39am
Rebecca Fatzinger
Rebecca Fatzinger I took pis from the ground the other day..streetlights are in..and the footers for the first 2 houses
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 9:47am
Margie Murphy Glass
Margie Murphy Glass I agree with Anne,there is NO respect for history anymore!! It is so sad!😡😡😡😏😏😓
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 9:56am
Linda Schilling Mitchell
Linda Schilling Mitchell Back in the ’80’s I was Director of Sales and Marketing for the Sheraton Hotel (now Courtyard by Marriott) We would promote our area as “Florida, The Way It Use To Be”. When marketing to S Florida my slogan was “two hours away in time but a lifetime a…See More
Like · Reply · 4 · Yesterday at 10:11am · Edited
Bill Murphy
Bill Murphy More proof that people in our county are on the take. People we voted for and did not vote for. Corruption at its finest.
Like · Reply · 4 · Yesterday at 10:14am
Michelle Rusnak Weiler
Michelle Rusnak Weiler Mrs. Langford would not be happy 😢
Like · Reply · 6 · Yesterday at 10:18am
Karen Hodum
Karen Hodum Some rich man came and raped the land, nobody caught ’em,
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes, Jesus people bought ’em,
And they called it paradise, the place to be,…See More
Like · Reply · 6 · 23 hrs · Edited
Mark Grove
Mark Grove More about this and Frances Langford in this article:
http://www.tcpalm.com/…/langford-landing…/96268084/:
Langford Landing project in breach of Martin County development regulation
TCPALM.COM
Like · Reply · Remove Preview · 4 · Yesterday at 10:30am
Kitty Haas
Kitty Haas Ty for posting this
Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 10:35am
Julie Williams
Julie Williams It is cheaper for them to pay the fines than follow the rules!
Like · Reply · 4 · Yesterday at 10:48am
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Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Kitty Haas
Kitty Haas This was a sanctioned rape…working in industry I can tell u MC inspectors live to STOP this kind of thing..the pockets filled with $ to allow this to happen is what I would like to know…
Like · Reply · 6 · Yesterday at 10:31am
Bill Spyrison
Bill Spyrison Follow the money trail
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 10:40am
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Bill Spyrison
Bill Spyrison Your tax dollars hard at work
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 10:39am
Marjorie Shropshire
Marjorie Shropshire I hate what they did there, so sad and disgusting. Looking at it makes me sick. It would have been a magnificent park or botanical garden, with views of the river from the high bluff these insensitive jerks bulldozed. Still angry about what’s been done.
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 10:43am
Lance Williams
Lance Williams I appreciate where everyone is coming from but am hoping part of the “blame game” is not warranted or it is misdirected. The property has been available for a long time — meaning 1) Martin County could have bought it, or 2) Martin County could have …See More
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 10:52am · Edited
Trena Merendino
Trena Merendino The builder hired a deconstruction company from out of town that turned it all into ruble instead of a local ( which was cheaper) one that wanted to salvage some of the history of the property. JS
Like · Reply · 2 · 23 hrs
Julie Williams
Julie Williams I did some research on Meritage and found there are many lawsuits out there by homeowners that paid top dollar only to find the builders took many shortcuts in the building of said homes.
Like · Reply · 3 · 18 hrs
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Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Melissa Pinkston Cuevas
Melissa Pinkston Cuevas I can’t blame her or her family for not donating that land to the county for a park, because I am so thankful for all that she has already done for this area. It is good to hear the money will be put in a trust and continued to be used for good. But I …See More
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 10:53am
Mark Grove
Mark Grove The question is will 60 properties that are priced $500k-$1.5M in a dirty and polluted river front community in Rio sell? Or will it dilute the price of the other waterfront homes in the area?
Like · Reply · 4 · 23 hrs · Edited
Lance Williams
Lance Williams That is a good point. I have developed a lot of lots and also uite a few Utility-scale Solar Farms. I was in Stuart earlier this year considering a Redevelopment project. I can’t speak to the specifics Of the value of properties in Rio, But one of my…See More
Like · Reply · 1 · 23 hrs
Mark Grove
Mark Grove Lance Williams there are permits issued to also build live and work apartments and waterfront condos further west in RIO. It would have about 200 residents and an even larger marina than Langford Landing. The finance company got all the permits and put…See More
Like · Reply · 1 · 22 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Todd Davis
Todd Davis Boo!
Like · Reply · 23 hrs
Barbara Scharlau
Barbara Scharlau It is hard to believe that the old Martin County Commission allowed this to happen. Where was our legal team? No inspectors… This isn’t the Martin County that I know. These Developers need to pay the price for destroying our environment .
Like · Reply · 3 · 23 hrs
Mark Grove
Mark Grove Doug Smith. Didn’t he used to be a contractor/developer?
Like · Reply · 23 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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William Johnson
William Johnson Is that where Mt. Pishah is/was?
Like · Reply · 23 hrs
Julie Williams
Julie Williams yes!
Like · Reply · 22 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Chris Phoenix
Chris Phoenix Not much improvement since the developers raped the land 4 years ago.I can’t beleive there are no violations.
Like · Reply · 2 · 23 hrs
Joan Borgen Eubank
Joan Borgen Eubank Absolutely disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoever is responsible should be held accountable!!!!!!!!
Like · Reply · 2 · 22 hrs
Pam Autrey
Pam Autrey So so sad…
Like · Reply · 22 hrs
Becky Smith Bruner
Becky Smith Bruner That location is a five minute straight shot to the ocean. And then on to the Bahamas…..
Like · Reply · 1 · 22 hrs
Peggy Schwarz
Peggy Schwarz She would be very sad….
Like · Reply · 1 · 20 hrs
Sunny Walker
Sunny Walker Our county is growing in ways that many of us long term residents don’t want to see, but it is regardless! The dollar sign is always the bottom line….very sad
Like · Reply · 3 · 20 hrs
Chris Phoenix
Chris Phoenix Like Joni Mitchell sang “They Paved Paradise and put up a Parling Lot “sand dune.
Image may contain: tree, sky, plant, outdoor and nature
Like · Reply · 6 · 19 hrs
David Borrack
David Borrack Great photo the way I remember it. To bad the new owners didnt appreciate the beauty. But look at a lot of the houses on that strip. It was a beautiful strip. Cleavland Gary’s old residence and a lot of outher properties. I miss the 🌳s. Maggie did us well !
Like · Reply · 17 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Liz Cordier
Liz Cordier Its a disgrace and a pile of sand which blows all over the neighbor hood its a bull shit project!
Like · Reply · 2 · 19 hrs
Eva Ries
Eva Ries That big ugly brown spot…good grief. She’s up in heaven, crying looking down at that MESS!
Like · Reply · 2 · 17 hrs
Brian Griffith
Brian Griffith We lived in Stuart for 14 years from 1983-97. The growth and development was starting and I remember Maggie Hurchala and many others that tried to curb the out of control sprawl. It is so sad to see such a beautiful place turn into a crowded southeast Florida city …
Like · Reply · 4 · 17 hrs
Dennis Phelan
Dennis Phelan This is a shame. Another building site which I would like the MC Commissioners to focus on is the Tech Center which halted construction over 6 months ago at the western base of the Jensen Beach causeway. There it sits, foundation poured, rebar reaching…See More
Like · Reply · 2 · 17 hrs · Edited
Cyndi Lenz
Cyndi Lenz It’s terrible
Like · Reply · 15 hrs
Cyndi Lenz
Cyndi Lenz I wrote a lot about meritage they have A bad reputation
Like · Reply · 1 · 15 hrs
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Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
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Julie Vavruska
Julie Vavruska 🙁
Like · Reply · 15 hrs
Bobbi Blodgett
Bobbi Blodgett It wasn’t necessary to completely plow the property. I don’t understand how the county approved altering the entire lay of the land from a erosion issue. Really, silt fences do nothing on a scale that large. Apparently that’s what they required initially prior to demo. If I wanted to completely plow my waterfront property and change the elevation etc, it would never happen. But $$ talks.
Like · Reply · 1 · 12 hrs
Paula Deane
Paula Deane It’s awful
Like · Reply · 12 hrs
Roz DeGraff
Roz DeGraff Criminal…at best.
Like · Reply · 11 hrs
Shari Hoffman
Shari Hoffman 😔
Like · Reply · 6 hrs
Paul Stone
Paul Stone · Friends with Chris Shultz
Having been a hungry college student and trespasser, I got to know that property quite well. Frances Langford was a lovely person. Sorry to see her land being raped.
Like · Reply · 45 mins
FYI. This is a BEFORE aerial. http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17631221/2460-NE-Palmer-Street-Jensen-Beach-FL/
Thank you so much for this image. One of great importance.