Special Recognition | Ripple EcoArt Project led by the Martin County Office of Community Development and Artist Lucy Keshavarz
As the Director of the Martin County Office of Community Development, Susan Kores leads the Martin County Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), the Historic Preservation Board (HPB), and the Art in Public Places Program (AIPP). Alongside her dedicated team—Jordan Pastorius, Jana Cox, Noehmi Lopez, Joy Puerta, and Elise Raffa—Susan is committed to meaningful redevelopment, preserving our shared history, and enriching our communities with evocative art.
We are honored to have been awarded a Special Recognition MartinArts Award for the Ripple Stormwater Eco-Art Project, a visionary initiative that exemplifies the integration of all three of our programs. Located on four parcels along 28th and 29th Streets in the Old Palm City CRA, Ripple stands as a vibrant testament to the fusion of creativity, ecological innovation, and community engagement.
Led by environmental artist Lucy Keshavarz, Ripple merges art and eco-innovation through dynamic community engagement. It stands among a select few projects nationwide to receive two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. By transforming 2.36 acres into a captivating trail with interactive art, educational installations, and advanced stormwater management features, Ripple demonstrates the powerful union of art and nature in enhancing water quality and flood control.
Ripple... as a drop of water becomes a river, traces each drop's journey from the sky to the St. Lucie River. Through innovative redevelopment, green infrastructure, and public art, it strengthens our neighborhood, protects our waterways, and educates the community. This beautiful public space is now a vital part of the community fabric. Families stroll through, children fish, and everyone enjoys the lush native landscape teeming with wildlife—bugs, bunnies, butterflies, and birds!
Susan is immensely proud of this achievement. Throughout her career, she has overseen major streetscape redevelopments, helped establish an affordable housing neighborhood, initiated a local art show, brought infrastructure to underserved areas, managed an Artist in Residence program, and created a town center. These efforts have earned four Florida Redevelopment Association awards—three of which included public art components. “Art, history, and redevelopment are powerful partners. Ripple was one of the reasons I chose to work in Martin County, and I am so pleased and excited about its completion and success.”
