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  #201  
Old Posted Jun 24, 2009, 5:03 PM
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Deal set for hotel near airport
Carlton Proctor • cproctor@pnj.com • June 24, 2009

Hotel developer Julian MacQueen has reached a deal with Hyatt to build a 127-room hotel on city-owned land adjacent to Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport.

MacQueen said he recently secured a $14 million loan to finance the project, and expects to break ground early next year.
Despite the deal with Hyatt, MacQueen's plans for the hotel still face major opposition.

Local businessman Jim Cronley, along with other hotel developers, sued the City of Pensacola after MacQueen was awarded the lease, saying the process was unfair and fraudulent.

Cronley wants the leasing contract between the city and MacQueen's hotel company, Sandspur Development, broken and re-advertised for competitive bid.

MacQueen said despite the lawsuit, which he called "frivolous," and controversy surrounding the lease, he is moving ahead with plans to build the hotel.

"This hotel will be an exciting option for all travelers," MacQueen said, " especially tech-savvy business travelers who will enjoy the conveniences of home in a contemporary environment."

In setting up the deal with Hyatt, MacQueen formed a new company, Leading Edge Hotels, which will hire his Innisfree Hotels, Inc., to operate the hotel.The proposed Hyatt will be situated on 11.4 acres, and be the centerpiece of a planned $24 million development that will include shops, restaurants and professional offices.

MacQueen said the project is expected to generate several hundred construction jobs, and permanently create nearly 250 full-time jobs.

link: http://pnj.com/article/20090624/BUSI...l-near-airport
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  #202  
Old Posted Jul 7, 2009, 3:59 PM
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Blazzues aims to jazz up nightlife on Palafox Place
Taris Savell • tsavell@pnj.com • July 6, 2009

The musical sounds of blues and jazz will soon be heard in downtown Pensacola when Blazzues opens at 200 Palafox Place, in the former Abbott's Uniform location.

The upscale, live-entertainment venue, which can accommodate 179, is owned by Darice Langham, who said the idea of Blazzues started last year, "to help revive the downtown Pensacola economy while giving blues and jazz artists the forum to express themselves through the art of music."
Gallery Night visitors can see and hear Blazzues for the first time when it opens Friday.

Live entertainers will perform several nights a week. On Wednesday nights, "we will feature big-band swing music for all those who just can't wait to cut a rug and swing the night away," Langham said.

New Orleans-style blues and funk bands will rotate, as well. Nationally and internationally touring bands could appear several times per year.
"Our target customers will most likely live or work downtown. We plan to fill the niche of the more-mature consumers," Langham said.

Hours are 3 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Saturday. On Monday night, Blazzues is open for private functions only. Call 696-2290.

On the Kutting Edge
Donna Walker opened Kutting Edge Hair Wellness Salon in Navarre in 2004, but when her family moved to Milton last year, her shop was bound to follow. The new address for Kutting Edge is 7257 U.S. 90 East.
"We are not a day spa," Walker said. "We are a day salon and our intention is for your experience to be one that has made you feel beautiful inside and out."
Services include haircuts — including razor cuts — coloring, dimensional foiling, perms and waxing.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and Saturday by appointment. Call 981-8440.

Coach comes to Cordova
Things are popping at Cordova Mall because there's news about a popcorn business gearing up for an official opening. More about that kernel of information in next week's column.
In the meantime, Pensacola's first Coach opened Friday. The national chain store, located between Aldo and Kids Footlocker across from The Gap, features luxury brands of handbags, leather goods, footwear and jewelry.
"We are very excited to bring Coach to the Pensacola market," said Candy Carlisle, marketing director for Cordova Mall, who said an addition to the Food Court will be announced this summer.
Call Coach at 478-5003.


Link:http://www.pnj.com/article/20090706/...907060303/1003
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  #203  
Old Posted Jul 8, 2009, 7:39 AM
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^The addition of Coach and Aldo to Cordova Mall proves that retailers like working with an established, nationally-known REIT.
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  #204  
Old Posted Jul 8, 2009, 2:13 PM
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Congrats Pcola!!!!
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  #205  
Old Posted Jul 18, 2009, 10:30 PM
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Update....

It seems sorta obvious that the Amtrak line thru P'cola might get back o track considering the Obama plan to do high speed rail all around us. I said so at the time if you are willing to go back and find it. Anywho....

http://www.pnj.com/article/20090717/...907170321/1003

The idea has several options and the one stopping in Pensacola loses the most money, apparently. I guess that makes sense without even having to figure out the facts behind it. It is Pensacola, after all.
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  #206  
Old Posted Jul 21, 2009, 6:01 PM
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I hope P-cola does get its rail service back. Travelling by air is such a hassle, they nickel & dime you to death, and they're generally just all-out rude to their customers (if you're lucky). I love going places by train. I think they should look at restoring the Sunset Limited as a seasonal option. I would imagine having access to beautiful beaches like Pensacola's during Summer would help make the line more useful than year-round right now.
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  #207  
Old Posted Jul 25, 2009, 3:06 PM
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It's a go for construction of Holiday Inn on beach
Carlton Proctor • cproctor@pnj.com • July 25, 2009

Innisfree Hotels owner Julian MacQueen closed a loan deal Friday with two local credit unions and a Tampa bank for $38 million to build a 206-room Holiday Inn on Pensacola Beach.

The loan was a result of a partnership between Superior Bank of Tampa, Virginia-based Navy Federal Credit Union and Pen Air Federal Credit Union in Pensacola.

Superior contributed $18 million to the loan package.
Pensacola-based and competing credit unions, Navy Federal and Pen Air Federal Credit Union, each contributed $10 million.

It is reportedly the largest commercial loan ever made by Navy Federal.
"We're proud to help jump-start commercial lending in Pensacola," said Cutler Dawson, president and CEO, Navy Federal Credit Union. "This partnership underscores our continued commitment to Navy Federal members and the Pensacola community."

MacQueen said he expects the project to break ground some time in August.
"We originally planned to begin construction a year ago," MacQueen said. "When the financing fell through, I knew we were going to have to start thinking differently."

MacQueen's Innisfree company owns several hotels, including the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front and Hampton Inn.

"I am delighted these three innovative financial institutions share our vision for the bright future for Pensacola Beach," MacQueen said. "To my knowledge, it's the first time a commercial collaboration of this size has occurred between a bank and credit unions. Their participation is a strong investment in the local economy."

Only 16 Holiday Inns will begin construction nationwide this year and Pensacola Beach's is the second largest Holiday Inn among those, said Bill Murrah, regional director, InterContinental Hotels Group.
IHG is the world's largest hotel company, franchising seven hotel brands across the globe.


link: http://pnj.com/article/20090725/BUSINESS/907250311

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  #208  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2009, 3:53 PM
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City woos technology companies
New building for Avalex, AppRiver
Kimberly Blair • kblair@pnj.com • July 31, 2009

Ground could be broken on a $12 million, high-tech office building and a $5 million, four-level parking garage as soon as this fall if the City of Gulf Breeze obtains a parcel of land from the state.

"This is huge," said Gulf Breeze City Manager Edwin "Buz" Eddy. "With the Andrews Institute and Seashell Collections, this is another leg on the stool to support the city."

The Quietwater Office Park expansion, to be located on U.S. 98 east of the Pensacola Beach overpass, is bigger than construction of two buildings.
The project represents a six-month effort by the state, Santa Rosa County Commission, Team Santa Rosa and Gulf Breeze to retain two of the area's major technology firms — Gulf Breeze-based Internet security provider AppRiver, and Pensacola-based aerospace avionics development firm Avalex Technologies.

Both companies were poised to relocate to other states.
Instead, they partnered with Bob Savage, owner of Quietwater Office Park and formed Quietwater LLC to build the office building.

The city of Gulf Breeze will build and operate the parking garage.

State incentive grants
AppRiver was running out of space at Quietwater Office Park in Gulf Breeze, president and CEO Michael Murdoch said.
"We were looking at going to Texas. Austin actually offered us more incentives, but we'd rather stay here," he said. "Gulf Breeze is a great place to live and work. We recruit local talent and people from all over the country."
With the help of Team Santa Rosa, Murdoch said AppRiver qualified for $895,000 in state incentive grants to be used on the expansion project.

Among the grants is $400,000 that AppRiver secured because it is committed to creating 80 jobs in three years that pay salaries 125 percent higher — or $46,000 annually — than the average county salary.

AppRiver was founded by Murdoch and Joel Smith in 2002.The firm employs 108 and generated revenues of $20 million last year.

New home
Avalex's participation in the project hinges on securing a similar incentive package from the state.

Avalex President Tad Ihns said that if the package is approved, he will consolidate his two downtown Pensacola locations and his Atlanta operations to Gulf Breeze.

"We've been working on a new home for Avalex for some time," he said. "If the project goes through, we'll take 25,000 to 30,000 square feet of the new building."

Avalex moved to Pensacola from Atlanta in 2001 with four employees. It has grown to 54 employes, and last year it generated $12.5 million in revenues. The company continues to expand and is committed to paying annual salaries of $46,500 and more if it consolidates in Gulf Breeze, Ihns said.
Charles Wood, senior vice president of Economic Development for the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, said he's glad Avalex plans to stay in the area.

"Would I like to see Avalex stay in Pensacola? Absolutely," he said. "But we'd like to see them grow first. In these economic times, it's a very good sign to see companies expand."

Monday vote
The city will send a formal request to the Florida Department of Transportation asking for the land.

The council will vote Monday to amend the city's land-use codes and comprehensive plan to allow for the construction of the 60-foot-tall office building. Current codes only allow for 35-foot-tall structures.

The new parking garage would be city-owned and operated and paid for with government grants, economic development grants or with the city's community redevelopment agency budget.

Shannon Ogletree, industry recruiter for Team Santa Rosa, said the project will put Gulf Breeze on the map as a technology hub.

This is how a technology cluster starts; two companies coming together and putting up a class A building and other companies want to be a part of it."


link: http://pnj.com/article/20090731/NEWS01/907310337/1124




Last edited by fvcrew22; Jul 31, 2009 at 4:09 PM.
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  #209  
Old Posted Aug 2, 2009, 7:43 PM
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Thought you P'colans might find this article in the Mobile P-R about the beach Holiday Inn to be of interest:

Link Here
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  #210  
Old Posted Aug 11, 2009, 4:58 PM
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Maritime Park, Saufley Landfill and traffic interchange
Jamie Page • jepage@pnj.com • August 11, 2009

Maritime Park ground-breaking
The long-awaited ground-breaking for the Community Maritime Park is tentatively set for Sept. 17, Pensacola City Manager Al Coby said Monday.

However, the date won't be firm until the Community Maritime Park Associates board confirms it at Friday's meeting, said Lacey Collier, chairman of the CMPA board.

"We already have the (development) contract in hand, and I am authorized to sign it as soon as he gets the approval," Collier said.

The developer is awaiting state approval of his application to be certified as a design-build contractor. The board that must approve the certification meets Thursday for its monthly meeting.

If the ground-breaking date holds, it will be scheduled from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the site of the proposed park, south of City Hall, said Jane Birdwell, a spokeswoman for the developer.

Construction will begin with land clearing and environmental site remediation, Birdwell said.

The city is expected to issue the $40 million in bonds for the park's construction in mid-September, City Finance Director Dick Barker said.

I-10 at Ninth Avenue
City officials say the lack of a traffic interchange at Ninth Avenue and Interstate 10 has long been an issue that hampers Pensacola's roadways.

So, the City Council may endorse adding an interchange to the Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization's long-range plan.

Ninth Avenue is a highly used thoroughfare in Pensacola and Escambia County, as well as a major retail corridor, making for economic reasons to get the interchange, City Manager Al Coby said.

It is the primary route for accessing places such as Cordova Mall, Pensacola Junior College, Sacred Heart Hospital and Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport, to name a few.

Widening Ninth Avenue to six lanes with medians and bike paths is part of what the Federal Highway Administration would like to see done first before considering an interchange there.

Coby said those improvements may not be an option because it could "negatively impact adjoining properties on Ninth Avenue."
City Council will vote Thursday on the matter.

Full article: http://pnj.com/article/20090811/NOTE...ic-interchange
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  #211  
Old Posted Aug 26, 2009, 2:44 PM
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Plan devotes 10 acres of port to development
Jamie Page • jepage@pnj.com • August 26, 2009

The Port of Pensacola could have another shot at a new life.

Pensacola City Council is pursuing a proposal by port staff that could transform the northern 10 acres of the port into a mixed-use development for retail, restaurants, a public plaza, light manufacturing and a dinner cruise ship dock.

The remainder of the 51-acre port would remain mostly industrial, considering the port has some long-term leases too expensive to buy out. The longest one ends in 12 years.

The council told port director Clyde Mathis to report back in 60 days with a more definitive proposal, including cost estimates. No price tag was attached to the proposal given at Monday's council meeting.

Councilwoman Diane Mack was set to propose putting the port up for sale Monday, but knew she lacked the support to move the effort forward. Absent that support, she never made the motion.

She wanted to propose advertising the port internationally to see what kind of development proposals the city could get.

She saw Mathis' proposal as a "pie in the sky" plan to use as a "delay tactic," she said, because its staff heard last month she would be bringing forward her proposal.

Mathis said it was not a tactic, that the port had been trying to follow a 2005 council directive to pursue mixed use development there.

The proposal could hike sagging port revenue between $1 million to $2 million, said Port Finance Manager Amy Miller.

The port has consistently lost money in recent years, after depreciation.
It's revenue on cargo operations has been as low as $1.4 million in 2004 and as high as $2.8 million in 2006.

The port is proposing to bump that to $2.3 million on the low end and $4.6 million on the high end.

Councilwoman Maren DeWeese likes the port plan.

"If you put nothing into something, you get nothing out of it," DeWeese said. "It's our fault. We have consistently put capital toward improving our city's other enterprise operations — the airport and (Energy Services of Pensacola) — but the port gets zero. Let's create a real, green marine highway port and make a statement."

DeWeese referred to marine highways — a green initiative in the port's proposal — which is a federal program designed to incentivize movement of domestic freight by water rather than roads.



link: http://pnj.com/article/20090826/BUSINESS/908260326
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  #212  
Old Posted Aug 28, 2009, 11:48 PM
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Saw this on a News Journal Blog, it will be great if it happens.

Southwest? You bet!
Posted 8/27/2009 12:40 PM EDT on pnj.com Prod

Upcoming in Sunday's newspaper, Carlton Proctor will have a story on the area's effort to lure Southwest Airlines to Pensacola.

For an area that is looking for a game-changing economic event, Southwest is the perfect opportunity. The good news is that there seems to be a strong, coordinated effort to make that happen.

It was also good to learn that there will be a direct flight from our airport to D.C. around the first of the year. It seems to be that would be great for military folks.

Check out Carlton's story Sunday, and make sure your trays are in the upright and locked position.

link: http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/sec...Id=personaDest
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  #213  
Old Posted Aug 29, 2009, 12:17 AM
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Quote:
Southwest? You bet!
Please, please, please let this happen !!!
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  #214  
Old Posted Sep 3, 2009, 5:33 PM
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Here's an article from the New's Journal about the push to get Southwest Airlines. The link has the rest of the article, it was a long article.


Pensacola in a showdown for Southwest
Pensacola battling with two other Panhandle cities to land airline
Carlton Proctor • cproctor@pnj.com • August 30, 2009

The game is on, and it's going to be a head knocker.

Three Panhandle cities — Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City — have entered a pricey contest to win the wings of the low-cost, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines.
Bay County is coming on strong with a brand new $330 million airport in 2010 as well as a pot of money from St. Joe Co. and a bed-tax increase.
Northwest Florida Regional Airport in Fort Walton Beach would love nothing better than to snag Southwest after losing AirTran to Pensacola nine years ago.

But Pensacola is putting on a full-court press for an incentive package to put on the table for Southwest executives. The effort coincides with a $78 million expansion at Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport, which is on schedule for completion in the fall of 2010.

Pensacola's financial package is to be sent to Southwest by Oct. 1. It includes:

-- The Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce has launched an effort to raise $2.3 million from local businesses for a travel bank that would guarantee advance Southwest ticket sales. It will mirror the chamber's $2.3 million effort in 2000 that brought AirTran here and caused Pensacola ticket prices to plunge and passenger traffic to soar.

A banner at the top of the chamber's Web site (www.pensacolachamber.com) touts the "Pledge LUV Campaign'' and links to a pledge form. LUV is the stock exchange symbol that Southwest selected to represent its home at Dallas Love Field Airport as well as the theme for the airline's employees and customer relations.

-- Innisfree Hotels owner Julian MacQueen has pledged 45,000 free room nights over three years to Southwest — regardless of whether the airline goes to Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach or Panama City. The free offer would be for vacation promotions and overnight lodging for flight crews.
MacQueen's hotels include the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front, the Hampton Inn on Pensacola Beach and the under-construction Holiday Inn, also on Pensacola Beach. Other Pensacola area hotel owners are adding to that pool of free rooms.

link: http://www.pnj.com/article/20090830/.../1003/BUSINESS
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  #215  
Old Posted Sep 3, 2009, 6:57 PM
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Thanks for posting that. It is my hope that the much larger permanent population of metro Pensacola (plus Mobile-Baldwin, where many would eagerly make the short drive to Pensacola to use Southwest) will trump the "tourist-beach-town" only efforts of PCB and FWB.

Furthermore, I hope that Pensacola or whoever gets Southwest will be able to provide efficient, inexpensive transporation between the airport and hotels.
If I could fly Southwest into Pensacola and catch a cheap shuttle to my condo in Gulf Shores, I'd travel to the area much more often.
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  #216  
Old Posted Sep 18, 2009, 4:17 PM
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Still working on getting Southwest...

Southwest pep rally aims to lure airline
Carlton Proctor • and Thyrie Bland • September 17, 2009

Residents showed support for efforts to land Southwest Airlines in Pensacola at a rally downtown Wednesday at New World Landing.

They yelled "Southwest" and "We love Southwest" during a live local news broadcast.

The Booker T. Washington High School band played energetically during the event that attracted about 200 supporters while folks wrote messages and signed their names on a large Southwest banner.


Full Article: http://www.pnj.com/article/200909170...WS01/909170314

And a second article...

Penny may lure Southwest Airlines
Escambia will increase bed tax
Jamie Page • jepage@pnj.com • September 18, 2009

Escambia County government now has a million-dollar tool for persuading Southwest Airlines to bring its air service to Pensacola.

County commissioners Thursday approved an additional 1-cent bed tax for that purpose.

The extra cent, to be applied from April 1, 2010, through March 31, 2013, is expected to raise about $1.2 million a year. The money would be used for tourism-related advertising for the air carrier.

The vote was 4-0 in support, with Commissioner Wilson Robertson absent after having back surgery.

The increase from 4 cents to 5 cents per dollar of bed tax, which is paid mostly by tourists and visitors on lodging, will be used as part of an incentive package to attract Southwest to Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport.

"This is a really important economic development piece for us that we need to move forward with," Commissioner Grover C. Robinson IV said.

Full article: http://www.pnj.com/article/200909180...WS01/909180336
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  #217  
Old Posted Sep 18, 2009, 8:02 PM
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Maritime Park work begins today
Thyrie Bland • tbland@pnj.com • September 18, 2009

It rained off and on Thursday threatening the groundbreaking ceremony for the Vince Whibbs Sr. Community Maritime Park. But by the time the ceremony began at 5:30 p.m., the sky was partly cloudy, and the bright sunshine was nearly blinding.

"We have a three star admiral and a former mayor in charge of the weather," Mayor Mike Wiggins quipped.

The park is named after the late Pensacola mayor and will feature a museum named for the late Vice Adm. Jack Fetterman.

A few hundred people gathered on the park's site — 30 acres along Main Street in downtown Pensacola — for Wednesday's ceremony.

Work will begin on the $40 million park project today.

Along with the museum, the park will feature a ballpark for the Pensacola Pelicans, a multi-use area that will feature events, such as concerts, and an amphitheater. Wiggins said Thursday was the most momentous and exciting day in Pensacola's history. He said among the positive things that the park will do for Pensacola is bring thousands of jobs and new business projects.

"Folks, this is going to be good for everyone of us," the mayor told the crowd. "No doubt."

The Rev. Wayne Woodard said he thinks the project will change Pensacola.
"Man, this is the linchpin to change Pensacola's future," said Woodard, who is helping with the sports museum for the park. "What this project is going to do is it's going to keep people here."

Lacey Collier, Community Maritime Park Associates chairman, acknowledged how tough it has been bringing the project to fruition. The project has experienced some delays, and there has been some financial concerns. "It has been a long, bumpy, rocky, torturous road to get us to this day," Collier said.

article: http://pnj.com/article/20090918/NEWS...NTPAGECAROUSEL
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  #218  
Old Posted Sep 22, 2009, 3:02 PM
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Rescue mission may move to county building
Page's notebook
The local government beat in Escambia County

Posted 9/9/2009 5:34 PM EDT on pnj.com Prod


A prime Main Street property may soon become available in downtown Pensacola.

Escambia County commissioners on Thursday will hear a pitch from the Waterfront Rescue Mission, which is interested in relocating into a county building.

Brunie Emmanuel, executive director of EscaRosa Coalition on the Homeless, will ask commissioners to consider his proposal during their committee of the whole meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10.

The Waterfront Rescue Mission -- at 16 W. Main St. -- wants to move to a more protected inland location because of hurricane concerns. Also, the Main Street facility’s 10,000 square feet is no longer big enough to serve those in need, especially during extreme weather conditions, Emmanuel said.

The mission is looking at 31,200 square feet of county office space at 1190 W. Leonard St., since the county is constructing a new One-Stop Building.

The Leonard Street facility also has a sizeable undeveloped parcel north of the building that’s currently used for parking.

Emmanuel envisions that area potentially being used for a campsite for the homeless, Emmanuel said.

As proposed, the county would relocate employees to the Old County Courthouse or the new Fairfield Drive facility, once construction there is complete.

The building is expected to be completely vacated by March or April 2010, and the county has no formal plans to reuse the facility. That’s why Emmanuel is approaching commissioners about it now.

If commissioners approve the plan, the Leonard Street building would be renovated this winter, county employees would be relocated next spring, and the Waterfront Rescue Mission would move into the new facility between December 2010 and January 2011.

link: http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/sec...telife.pnj.com
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  #219  
Old Posted Oct 5, 2009, 3:14 PM
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City weighs $45.6 million in Maritime Park bonds
Pensacola looks to raise more money to build park
Jaime Page • jepage@pnj.com • October 5, 2009

The Pensacola City Council will be asked today to authorize issuing an estimated $45.6 million in bonds to pay the Community Maritime Park.

A council committee will consider the 30-year bond issue. A final vote could take place Thursday.

Lacey Collier, chairman of the Community Maritime Park Associates board, said in October 2007 "city taxpayers will not ante up one extra penny" beyond $40 million for the construction of the park.

Collier's statement was true then, and it's true now. But nonconstruction costs, some of which only recently have become apparent, could push the project's total up to $45.6 million and possibly as high as $48 million.

The city's Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency then will begin paying interest and principal on the bonds in fiscal year 2012-13, after the park is complete, Barker said....


Full article: http://pnj.com/article/20091005/NEWS01/910050309
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  #220  
Old Posted Oct 15, 2009, 9:30 AM
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So anywho...Pensa airport news. United just announced they will add flights to and from DC and Chicago under these rules....

Well hell, I lost my copy/paste deal that would explain the times. Chicago is seasonal and weekend only. You can go to DC 2 times per day from P'cola. Going to Chicago non-stop is a little more problematic.

How do all you Mobile boys skip the Southwest bid in general conversation? This makes or breaks our airports forever. Southwest will either fly out of Mobile, Pensa, FWB or Panama City. It is one of the most important decisions of our lifetime when it comes to the "real" airport around here. I don't know how any of us recover if Southwest chooses an airport we can't like. The eastern counties have the money. But do they have the "reason"?
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