A “Stop Work” notice was posted by the Vero Beach Police Department last September on the glass walls of the former wine bar Vinz at Pelican Plaza on State Route A1A, abruptly halting the conversion of the premises into an exclusive private dinner and drinking club.

This week, that notice, triggered by the lack of proper building permits, was still there, but the backers of the plan to create the new White Pelican Club say they are confident all pending permit and zoning problems will be resolved this month, and they’re now hoping for a summer opening.

The club was originally supposed to have opened last fall and Rick Engel, a managing member of the White Pelican Club business and its present spokesperson, acknowledges that the delay of almost a full year means that the entire 2025-2026 winter season has now been lost.

“But this is a long-term play,” Engel said, adding that the original group of investors has held together – with the exception of the departure of local luxury real estate agent Lange Sykes, who has in the meantime decided to concentrate on his new association with the Luke Webb real estate brand.

To underscore the seriousness of the venture, Engel also stressed that all through the closure period, the group has continued to pay the rent for the lease on the premises to the Stalls family, which owns Pelican Plaza. The startup business has also continued to keep key personnel for the new venture on its payroll.

Another tenant at Pelican Plaza blew the whistle on the remodeling work last September in a dispute over water usage, but Engel said he harbors no animosity toward any of his future business neighbors. “It wasn’t surprising, in a way,” Engel said. “When remodeling is going on, there is a lot of distraction and things can get a little emotional.” Pelican Plaza hosts a wide variety of businesses including the offices of the Vero Beach 32963 newspaper.

“In any event,” said Engel, “we own up to mistakes having been made when we proceeded with the kitchen extension. We should have paid more attention to the process. This has forced us to go through all the right steps.”

Plans for the White Pelican Club first emerged last April, when a group of local businessmen made a much-ballyhooed announcement that they had acquired the wine inventory and the lease of Vinz, a popular wine bar that had served small food plates as well. The group said it had also acquired the lease on a vacant neighboring retail space.

The plan was to join the two locations and create a “refined indoor and outdoor space for private tasting” of premium liquors, with an adjoining cigar bar that would have a separate ventilation system. The new complex, comprising more than 1,500 square feet, was planning to sell an initial 100 “founding memberships” at a cost of $5,500 for a couple (a $2,000 initiation fee and $3,500 annual dues) or $3,500 for an individual (a $1,000 initiation fee and $2,500 annual dues).

The club also offers a so-called “Roosevelt membership” at $100,000 that guarantees lifelong access without annual renewals to the club’s seasonal dining experiences with guest chefs, private tastings, curated events and other facilities.

The club’s website says the establishment will “revive the golden age of social grace and refined indulgence.” It describes the club as a “tribute to timeless sophistication” where “every pour becomes a ritual, every conversation lingers and every evening unfolds as an experience woven with history.”

In an interview with 32963, Engel wouldn’t say exactly how many memberships the group has sold so far – he said some people have made “commitments” pending the resolution of the permit issues without paying the membership fees – but he said the concept has gone over well with island residents and they have “come close to fulfilling the initial goal” of 100 founding memberships.

Vero Beach City Manager Monte Falls and Planning Director Jason Jeffries confirmed that the White Pelican Club was found to be “out of compliance” with the city’s land use regulations at the time of the inspection last September because the adjoining commercial space had been zoned for retail and not for restaurant use. There were also questions about public access.

The group’s lawyer then met with city officials and filed the right paperwork for the change of use, and the plans are now “in compliance,” Jeffries said. Engel praised the “encouraging and supportive” efforts by the city officials to help the group overcome the issues. “I think everyone realizes this is good for the city,” he said. “We need a facility like this.”

The last remaining official hurdle is a building permit to be issued by Indian River County, which Engel said he expects to obtain during the coming week.

Engel blamed the snafus with permits and zoning regulations on the expansion of the project “to include a comprehensive kitchen and interior upgrade. This evolution required additional planning and engineering to bring the vision to life. Over the last few months, we have been working closely with the design team to ensure the space is built with care, quality and longevity in mind.

“If all proceeds as anticipated, the White Pelican Club is expected to open this summer,” Engel added. After refining the food and spirits program, “we look forward to introducing the White Pelican Club experience to the Vero Beach community soon.”

Engel had been coming to Vero Beach for the past 20 years to visit his father, a longtime resident here, but he moved to the area full-time five years ago from Austin, Texas, where he accumulated 30 years’ experience in the restaurant and beverage business.