Panhandle Development News

[fvcrew22]

Cordova Mall makeover nearly complete
Renovation cost $11 million

Carlton Proctor • cproctor@pnj.com • September 12, 2008

Cordova Mall's $11 million makeover is nearly complete, and store managers Jordan Gibson and Chris Belew are convinced the improvements will please shoppers and shopkeepers alike.

"I think the renovations are awesome," said Belew, co-manager of Journeys, a shoe store in the mall. "While the construction was going on, it got pretty dusty in here. But I think what they did is really nice, and I think most people will like what they see."

Gibson, also a co-manager of Journeys, believes the makeover of the mall by owner Simon Properties "will bring in more business."

Candy Carlisle, the mall's marketing manager, said renovations are about 85 percent done. The final major phase — a new circular food court that looks a little like a spaceship taking off — is scheduled to open in stages between Sept. 19 and Oct. 1.

"The renovations were needed, especially the food court," said Toni Washington, who has managed a retail kiosk in the mall for the past 10 years. "I was never a customer of the old food court, but I've seen the new one they're building and it looks outstanding."

Shopper Quachelle Hestle said she liked the renovations, adding, "I think the colors and lighting are very calming and soothing."

Among the new features are a center court, a central, carpeted meeting area that offers shoppers plush seating in a hotel-lobby atmosphere.

Carlisle said the renovations also include improved restrooms, family rooms and nursing lounge, along with new storefronts and vaulted ceilings and enhanced lighting in the mall's common walking areas.

Julie Harrell, area mall manager, said while the improvements were designed to "appeal to all segments of our shopper base, we placed special emphasis on family-friendly amenities."

Robbie Leach and Tommy Riddle, project superintendents for general contractor, VCC Inc., of Little Rock, Ark., said all work, both exterior and interior, should be completed the week before Thanksgiving.

Leach said the biggest problem VCC work crews encountered during the nine-month job was managing nighttime, after-hours construction so it would cause minimal interference with shoppers.

"It's always challenging to renovate a mall when it remains open," Leach said.



link: http://pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...NESS/809120327

[fvcrew22]

Maritime Park money available, official says
Despite shaky economy, finance director confident on Maritime Park funding
Jamie Page • jepage@pnj.com • September 23, 2008

With a court clearing the way to fund the Community Maritime Park as originally planned, the Pensacola City Council on Monday discussed the feasibility of issuing $40 million in bonds in today's shaky economy.

Despite misgivings from two council members, bond attorney Richard Lott said financing is available from a local bond pool.

The City Council got an update from Lott on what the Florida Supreme Court's reversal of its own 2007 decision requiring voter approval of publicly funded projects means to the city.

The court's decision allows the financing plans for the waterfront park to move forward as originally planned.

That is, to use money from the Community Redevelopment Agency — a special district that uses property taxes paid by downtown residents to address blight — to repay the park's bond issue.

"But in the economic times we are in — and they say there is very little money out there — would we have a problem getting the money?" Councilwoman Jewel Cannada-Wynn asked.

The City Council acts as the CRA board overseeing the issuing of the bonds.

"It's very difficult in these economic times to say what financing will be there at that time, but the Gulf Breeze Bond Pool does have money available that is not spoken for," Lott said.

The City of Gulf Breeze has been in the bond business since 1985 and has loaned more than $1 billion to local governments and nonprofit groups. Local governments can get lower interest rates borrowing from a bond pool.

Councilman Marty Donovan had the same concerns as Cannada-Wynn.

"It seems that the source of income we are relying on is very nebulous at this point in this economy," he said.

Dick Barker, the city's finance director, disagreed.

"There certainly could be better times, but there is money available at the Gulf Breeze Bond Pool if we need it until the market turns around," Barker said. "But I am still confident there will be financing available when we need it."

Barker said the process leading up to issuing the bonds could take 90 to 120 days after the project secures its environmental permits, which is expected over the next four months.

The Community Maritime Park project includes a maritime museum, multi-use stadium and retail and office space on 30 waterfront acres south of City Hall.


Link: http://pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...WS01/809230334

[fvcrew22]

Here's an article from today with some good news for Pensacola dealing with job growth.

Carlton Proctor: In the midst of the storm, some good news for Pensacola
Carlton Proctor • cproctor@pnj.com • September 28, 2008

As they say, "Any port in a storm."

To which I would paraphrase, "Any good news in a Category 5 economic crisis."

And if you ask me, this epic financial hurricane we're experiencing — compliments of Wall Street's incompetence and a laissez faire Congress — has caused such widespread panic and devastation they ought to give it a name.

I vote for "Atilla."

In any event, there's been such a unrelenting flood of really bad news lately, I thought it therapeutic to serve up a local plate of good old economic news this Sunday morning.

So get another cup of coffee, sit back and read on; maybe things here aren't as bad as they seem.

Job growth

At least that's what a recent study by the privately funded Milken Institute says about Pensacola's job growth.

Who knew Pensacola had the third highest job growth rate in Florida over the past year, trailing only Ocala and Orlando?

In fact, Pensacola's five years of steady job growth, especially in the high-tech sector, was the 29th highest in the nation, far exceeding Mobile's 125th ranking, and Atlanta at No. 59.

Milken said Pensacola's overall ranking, including one-year and five-year growth rates, placed it 33rd in the nation, climbing 21 places over its 2007 national ranking. The only other Florida city to rise in ranks was Gainesville.

Ferry Pass cited

"This provides quantitative confirmation that the Pensacola Bay Area has a diverse economy and that our technology companies continue to grow in spite of the national economy," says Charles Wood, senior vice president at the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

And there's more good news from a CNN Money survey released late last week.

That study ranked Pensacola's Ferry Pass community, population 27,400, as one of the "25 Best Places to Live" for affordable homes.

The CNNMoney survey says the median home price for Ferry Pass houses average $129,350, compared to the Best Places overall average of $293,712, and family income is $59,257 compared to the study average of $93,313.

"The Chamber has worked with several companies in the area to expand their operations including General Electric and Pall Life Sciences, which are adding more than 130 new positions," Wood said. "This adds tremendous value for the already thriving community."

Local efforts paying off

This good news about Pensacola's job growth and housing affordability doesn't mean this economy is necessarily on the rebound.

But it does argue that local economic development efforts are paying off to some extent.

Despite this, it's important the chamber follow through with its recent effort to examine economic development strategies and funding sources.

Yes, this community has had some economic development successes.

But not enough.

From Wall Street to Garden Street, there's plenty of room for improvement.

Link: http://pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...NESS/809280315

[fvcrew22]

Some good news at Pensacola NAS, a $45 million training facility broke ground today.

Navy, Air Force form partnership
Travis Griggs • tgriggs@pnj.com • October 2, 2008

Commanders at Pensacola Naval Air Station broke ground this morning on a $45 million training facility that marks a new partnership between the Navy and the Air Force in Pensacola.

The USAF Navigator Training Hangar and Combat Systems Officer Instruction Facility, which is expected to be completed in October 2009, will jointly train Air Force and Navy navigators, weapons systems officers and electronic warfare officers.

“This is a great day for the Air Force, a great day for Pensacola, and a great day for the United States Navy,” said Air Force Maj. Gen. Greg Feest, who hosted the ceremony.

Local firm NTF, L.L.C. was selected to design and build the facility, which will include a 100,000-square-foot aircraft hangar and a 52,000-square-foot classroom facility with flight simulators.

Link: http://pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...NTPAGECAROUSEL

[skywade]

Maritime park close to securing critical permit
Good news for Maritime Park


The Community Maritime Park Associates board is close to getting a critical state environmental permit that likely would clear the way for other permits needed to start building the park.
Advertisement

No later than Monday, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will issue a notice of intent — which will be advertised publicly — that it intends to issue the CMPA a wetlands resource permit for dredging and filling during the installation of the east bulkhead on the Trillium property south of Pensacola City Hall, said Larry O'Donnell, a DEP environmental manager.

Once the intent is issued, if there are any serious environmental complaints by the public, they would be investigated by DEP. Otherwise, the permit will be issued, said Ed Spears, interim director for the park project.

"This is big news," said Lacey Collier, chairman of the CMPA Board of Trustees. "I know it has seemed like a long time, but from what I am told by those who have gone through this process before, we have set a world record."

When the wetlands resource permit is issued, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to follow within a few weeks by issuing the federal wetlands permit, Spears said.

Then, only city building permits would be needed by the developer to start building, Spears said.

In other business, the board agreed to remove its own board-imposed ban that bars board members from communicating individually with the master developer candidate, Land Capital, which the board's consultant is now negotiating with.

The ban will be lifted Dec. 1, when the board gets a draft of the agreement. That will allow the developer to lobby board members individually, Collier said.

The vote to remove the ban was 6-1, with Collier Merrill, John Fogg, John Merting, Juanita Scott, Grace Resendez McCaffery and Jimmy Jones in favor, and Collier opposed. Members Eddie Todd, Rodney Jackson, Bentina Terry, Dick Baker and Kathlyn White were absent.

"I would counsel against it, personally," Collier said. "You will do nothing beneficial by doing that."

Merrill said he supported it because removing the ban was the recommendation of the board's lead consultant, Owen Beitsch.

[FloridaFuture]

Maritime Park Board meets Monday
From staff reports • November 29, 2008

The Community Maritime Park Associates board of trustees meets at 1 p.m. Monday.

Board members will receive a presentation on the draft agreement with the master developer candidate for the project, Land Capital.

Ed Spears, interim director for the park project, said a public meeting will be set for Dec. 12 to take public input on the proposal, with final action expected some time in January.

The board meets in the second floor conference room at Pensacola City Hall, 222 W. Main St.

For details, call Spears at 436-5655.

http://www.pnj.com/article/20081129/.../1131/NEWS0803

[FloridaFuture]

Park plan changes
Jamie Page • jepage@pnj.com • December 1, 2008

Back in are plans for a conference center and university classrooms.

Those two aspects were pushed to a second phase of the multimillion-dollar downtown waterfront redevelopment project after a Maritime Park board meeting in October.

At an update today on negotiations with master developer Land Capital Group, those two elements were back in the first phase.

Land Capital president Scott Davison now proposes to do the public portion in a single phase for about $52 million.

Voters approved a plan that included issuing $40 million in bonds. That debt would be repaid by the city's Community Redevelopment Agency.

“The beauty of this project is the flexibility,” Davison said after the meeting.

“We believe strongly that federal grant funds will be available now more than any other time through the new (Obama) administration’s stimulus plan.”

Davison thinks the park project could qualify for grants under President-elect Barack Obama’s stimulus plan,which would give preference to public works projects that can come out of the ground within the next six months.

Davison believes at least $15 million in federal grants can be secured to cover building the conference center and classrooms.

If the grants do not come through, he will include the classrooms into the private office building portion of the project and incorporate the conference center into a hotel on the site.

“The timing couldn’t be better, that’s why we moved it all into one phase,” Davison said.

None of those details made the presentation by Owen Beitsch, the park board's consultant, who gave a lengthy presentation on the draft agreement being negotiated with Land Capital.

When asked about why it wasn’t brought up, Beitsch admitted it was one of the most important points of the negotiations that he meant to present, but he didn’t because, “I forgot,” he said.

No board member asked about the cost or the scope of the project.

“I think I have worked under the assumption that those details haven’t changed,” board member Bentina Terry said afterward.

“We don’t have any reason to think that has changed just by hearing the report today. We will research it and understand it before we vote on it.”

The board on Monday was supposed to get a copy of the draft agreement being negotiated by Beitsch. But it will be as late as Friday before they get it because the board’s attorney, Ed Fleming, had some health issues that kept him from reviewing the draft for possible legal issues.

The public will get its first chance to comment on the draft agreement at a Dec. 12 public hearing.

http://www.pnj.com/article/20081201/.../1131/NEWS0803

[FloridaFuture]

Residents weigh in on Maritime Park
Jamie Page • jpage@pnj.com • December 12, 2008



Residents weighed in on the Community Maritime Park this afternoon at a public hearing where the potential developer gave a brief visual presentation on what he's proposing to build.


It was the public's main chance to comment on a draft agreement negotiated with the CMP Associates' consultants and Maritime Development Partners, LLC.

MDP, made up of Land Capital Group and Magi/Brass Real Estate, hopes to oversee the building of the park. Developer Scott Davison, president of Land Capital, explained his plan to the roughly 40 people who attended today's hearing.

Pensacola resident Fred Gunther said he's concerned that the draft agreement offers too many incentives to the master developer. He complained that the fees to be paid to the developer are too high, for one thing.

"The city will lose about $650,000 annually, as it's proposed," Gunther said.

The meeting began at 1 p.m., but was temporarily adjourned so the board could hold a private attorney/client meeting in a separate room of City Hall.

After the meeting reconvened at 2 p.m., about 13 city residents commented.

City resident Barbara Mayall, who has attended most of the CMP meetings, complained about the board's scheduling of an attorney/client meeting midway through their regular agenda.

"My time is as valuable as your time. To have a special session in the very middle of a 1 o'clock meeting, I thought was very irresponsible," Mayall said. "What were we supposed to do? We didn't know how long you were going to be in your meeting. The Escambia County Commission meets with its attorney before their public meeting. You just leave and leave us hanging. If you really wanted the public input, why would you do that to the citizens of Pensacola?"

Lacey Collier, who chairs the CMPA, said "the law requires that it be done in the middle of a meeting that involves a public hearing. So we felt it best to get it out of the way, then you can speak the rest of the night and into the day if you wish."

The private meeting is allowed under the Sunshine Law because the board is discussing ongoing litigation with its attorney, Ed Fleming.

Before the board adjourned, it approved the University of West Florida's conceptual design of the amphitheater that is planned on the 40-acre waterfront park site. The board received a presentation from UWF officials, along with some of the architects who designed the building.

Much of the cost of the amphitheater is being made possible by a $1 million donation by Pensacola philanthropist Skip Hunter and his wife Martha Ann.

CMPA board chairman Collier said today is the last day for anyone to protest the issuance of the state environmental permits for the park site.

Quint Studer, one of the major private contributors to the park project, encouraged the board to stay on course.

"It seems we have to refight the battle of the CMP every day," Studer said. "The September 2006 referendum should have ended this debate. I realize some people will never be on board with this project. Change, even positive change, is fearful for some. I wholeheartedly believe this community needs a win. We need to focus on execution of this project, and not constantly debate issues that were settled in the referendum."

http://www.pnj.com/article/20081212/.../1131/NEWS0803

[FloridaFuture]

^It's kind of funny how this project is becoming a major part of local politics in Pensacola.

[fvcrew22]

^ It really is amazing how many people keep saying this is a private development for a few rich guys when it's almost entirely public.

Anyway, some good news for a new Hyatt Hotel next to the airport!

Airport Hyatt gets OK
Construction to begin this summer
Carlton Proctor • cproctor@pnj.com • December 18, 2008

Innisfree Hotels won approval Wednesday for a Hyatt Place Hotel to be built on a piece of land owned by Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport.

Julian MacQueen, owner of Innisfree, said Global Hyatt Corp. executives notified him his company would be awarded the hotel franchise, the first in the Pensacola market.

"We've got our anchor hotel now. And as soon as the site is turned over to us, which I expect to be in mid-July, we will start developing the property," he said.

Airport Director Frank Miller said the site would be turned over to Innisfree in late spring or early summer upon completion of the new rental car service facility, a few blocks north of the proposed hotel site.

The 127-room Hyatt Place would be the centerpiece of a $24 million development that MacQueen hopes eventually will include upscale shops, restaurants and professional offices.

Hyatt's OK comes less than a month after MacQueen won a divisive 7-3 City Council vote granting a 50-year lease for the 11.44-acre site at the main entrance to the airport.

At that council meeting, MacQueen's bid for the lease ran into stiff opposition from rival developers Jim Cronley and Tony Terhaar, who said the land was undervalued and terms of the lease were unfairly favorable to MacQueen.

Despite their protests, Miller said on Wednesday the awarding of the Hyatt franchise to Innisfree was good news for the airport.

"We have a signed contract with Sandspur Inc., (a division of Innisfree) and there's not really anything else to do," Miller said. "It's a good deal for the airport and I'm looking forward to the start of construction."

Hundreds of jobs

When the land is turned over to Innisfree later next year, MacQueen said his company intends to spend approximately $1.5 million in infrastructure improvements getting it ready for development.

He estimates the hotel should be ready for occupancy in 2011, and outparcels within the 11.44 acres will be available to potential tenants by the summer of 2010.

The hotel project will have a significant impact on the local economy, said Jeff Townsend, president of Innisfree Development.

"We expect to have over 500 individual tradesmen involved during construction of the various improvements and permanently employ over 235 people at these six businesses with over $4 million in payroll," he said. "I estimate the total investment in the project to be approximately $24 million."

Hyatt spokeswoman Katie Rackoff said approval by the company's franchise review committee "allows us to begin negotiating the details of our franchise contract with Innisfree Hotels."

She did not indicate when those negotiations would start or how long they would take to complete.

Rackoff also declined to discuss the company's review process criteria that led to the approval of MacQueen's franchise.

The Hyatt Place Hotel is a new brand of Global Hyatt, headquartered in Chicago.

Controversial process

The Nov. 20 City Council vote on MacQueen's proposal was complicated by the last-minute discovery by Airport Director Frank Miller of two additional appraisals that estimated the land's value at $7 million.

MacQueen's original lease agreement with the city was based on a single appraisal that priced the land at $6.48 million. He subsequently agreed to accept the higher appraised value and renegotiated his lease based on that $7 million estimated value.

The deal also was hurried by a Nov. 28 Hyatt deadline MacQueen said had to be met to avoid a delay of several months.

Darren Page, Hyatt's director of hotel development, said the Nov. 28 deadline was "absolutely" firm if MacQueen's Innisfree was to gain approval before the end of the year.

"Our franchise review committee meets only a few times a year," Page said. "And in preparation for that meeting, Mr. MacQueen had to have everything completed and submitted in order for the deal to go through."

Despite the continuing controversy over how the airport property value was calculated, MacQueen said the deal is a good one for the city and the airport.

"I think Frank Miller and (Assistant City Manager) Robert Payne did an excellent job insisting on a percentage of sales to determine the rents," MacQueen said. "The real economic driver here is getting non-airline revenues to flow to the airport.

"This is a well-thought-out strategy to keep Pensacola's airport No. 1 in this ... market."

Link: http://pnj.com/article/20081218/NEWS01/812180332/1051

[FloridaFuture]

I like this...


Developers to revive Old East Hill church
Alcaniz Street building to be office space
Jamie Page • jepage@pnj.com • December 25, 2008



Someone has saved the historic Old East Hill church building that was in danger of being demolished.

Pensacola attorney and developer Jim Reeves, builder Ed Carson and architect Adrian Lovell, recently bought the badly damaged building at 415 N. Alcaniz St., with plans to turn it into office space.

The renovations, expected to cost about $1 million, are projected to be done in September, Reeves said.

"It will be the only office building in town with a prayer room," Reeves quipped. "It's a beautiful building, but it is very, very damaged. We are going to gussy it up and wait for a new industry to move to town."

For four years, the two-story, 80-year-old building has had boarded windows and holes in the ceiling and walls since it was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ivan. Since then, it had become an eyesore to neighbors and a transient flophouse.

The building's former owner, David Kooy, of DKINV2, LLC of New York City, had accumulated large fines for failing to bring it up to city code, and the city was considering putting a lien on it.

"I know we will have a good, safe building now that hopefully has a good adaptive reuse," said city building official Bill Weeks. "We need some success stories around here. And we really didn't want to tear it down anyway."

Kooy had about $400,000 invested into the building, Weeks said. The three partners bought it "as is" for about $250,000.

Carson Lovell Inc., which is doing the renovations, is replacing the roof to prevent any further water damage, Reeves said. When all is said and done, the exterior walls are about the only thing that won't have to be redone, Carson said.

Reeves originally envisioned it as a historical museum, which could house his many antiques and collectibles, but the high cost didn't justify it, he said.

http://www.pnj.com/article/20081225/.../1131/NEWS0803

[FloridaFuture]

Also, more park news:


Park vote delayed

2 The council will take its time when it comes to considering the draft development agreement the Community Maritime Park Associates board is negotiating.

The City of Pensacola has bumped back the CMPA's proposed schedule for the council's vote on the agreement.

Originally, the council's committee of the whole was to consider the agreement Jan. 20, with a final vote by the full council Jan. 22.

Now, council will have its first discussion on the agreement at a workshop at 4 p.m. Jan. 28, said Coby.

"We changed that schedule. We didn't think it was realistic," he said. "It's a 95-page document requesting the city to invest $40 million in a project. If the CMPA approves it at the meeting on Jan. 9, the council was expected to approve it 13 days later."

http://www.pnj.com/article/20081230/.../1131/NEWS0803

[fvcrew22]

Here's a brief article about the new year's celebration they started this year, I was there and they did a good job with it and there were a lot of people there.

Downtown Countdown a night to remember
January 3, 2009

A new Pensacola tradition has been born: the Downtown Countdown and Pelican Drop.

As the photo above attests, the first of what should be an annual New Year's Eve event in downtown Pensacola was a big success. It's the kind of activity downtown needs more of.

Kudos for the celebration go to the city's Community Redevelopment Agency for sponsoring the free event. By the midnight "drop," thousands of enthusiastic people were in a party mood.

There was live music, a children's carnival, food and other entertainment. There were actually two pelican drops: at 8 p.m. for the kids, and again at midnight.

And it was quite a sight, and quite a bird: Weighing in at 200 pounds, standing 13 feet tall with a 20-foot wingspan, festooned with thousands of lights and hand-cut aluminum feathers, and descending from a 100-foot-tall crane.

The drop is one of many downtown initiatives, including the Friday Family Flicks, Sunsets at Plaza DeLuna, Evenings in Olde Seville, the Palafox farmers market and the popular Gallery Nights, that the CRA, the Downtown Improvement Board, the Pensacola Heritage Foundation and the city have cooperated on to showcase downtown.

Of course, the quiet secret about downtown, for all its troubles, is that it can be surprisingly crowded, depending on what time you are there, and what events are transpiring. Many people who see downtown as slumbering would be surprised to see the crowds that often gather.

Ultimately, downtown needs an ambience that is itself a constant draw. Then, events like the Downtown Countdown and Pelican Drop will be the icing on the cake.

Link: http://www.pnj.com/article/20090103/OPINION/901030303

[FloridaFuture]

Manager: Maritime Park deal bad for city
Coby says developer must renegotiate plan
Jamie Page • jepage@pnj.com • January 27, 2009

The Pensacola City Council will meet on Wednesday to publicly discuss the agreement for the first time.

Scott Davison and Jeff Galt, who comprise Maritime Park Development Partners, say there's room for compromise.

"We are well within negotiating range," Galt said. "And we are looking forward to getting comments from the City Council on Wednesday."

Coby's concerns echo those already expressed by the CMPA's consultant, Owen Beitsch, and the city's consultants, Abramson & Associates and The Cardwell Law Firm.

Their objections include:

-- A provision that the developer would be allowed to loan money to the project, potentially raising the cost beyond the $40 million that the Community Redevelopment Agency expects to pay and committing the Redevelopment Agency to repay the borrowed money.

-- The developer's proposal to recoup expenses up front rather than being paid periodically as services are delivered, the usual city policy.

-- A change allowing the developer to manage the waterfront park instead of Community Maritime Park Associates.

-- The developers' desire to sublease the park property for 99 years.

"The CMPA and Maritime Park Development Partners can negotiate an equitable agreement," Coby said in a memo to the City Council. "However, the draft agreement as currently crafted is not in the best financial interest of the city or Community Redevelopment Agency."

Jane Birdwell, an advertising firm owner representing the developers, as well as Davision and Galt have said the issues can be easily compromised.

Councilwoman Diane Mack, who took office in January, isn't so sure the solutions are going to be simple.

"These are big issues. If all these people thought these things are to be easily taken care of, why are we at this point that we have to be the bad guys to suggest something more favorable for the city?" Mack asked.

"I really wonder why Mr. Beitsch did not come back with a more reasonable agreement. I don't think he did his job. Mr. Davison is welcome to say all the nice things he wants. But until I see it in writing, we don't have a deal. The proposed developer has a long way to move his position to meet our position."

Mayor Mike Wiggins is more optimistic.

He said he hopes the developer will respond "in a positive manner so the agreement is to the liking of the city and to him, also."

Galt said he hopes, after hearing from council members on Wednesday, to have a revised agreement by the end of the week to take to the CMPA next month.

http://www.pnj.com/article/20090127/.../1131/NEWS0803

[fvcrew22]

Santa Rosa wooing 190 jobs
Louis Cooper • lcooper@pnj.com • February 10, 2009


More than 190 jobs that pay an average of $22 an hour or better soon could be coming to Santa Rosa County.

A manufacturing facility referred to as "Project Kinetic" would create 110 jobs in the county industrial park in East Milton, said Shannon Ogletree, industry recruiter with TEAM Santa Rosa Economic Development Council.

A software development/technical services firm called "Project Face-Off" would create about 80 jobs in the Gulf Breeze area, he said.

Both projects have applied for state Qualified Target Industry incentives. At a workshop Monday, the Santa Rosa County Commission voted unanimously to move the projects to Thursday's regular meeting for formal endorsement.

The target-industry program provides tax rebates to companies that provide certain desirable products or services and export them out of the state or internationally.

"These are moving forward quickly," Ogletree said. "If the state incentives pass, they are coming."

Both of the projects will pay, on average, an hourly wage of $22.12 or more, he said. That's 50 percent more than the current average county hourly wage of $14.75. The projects should get word by early March on whether the state will approve the incentives.

The real names of the projects will not be disclosed until the deals are finished. Face-Off also is considering locating in Texas, Ogletree said.

"Competition is key," Santa Rosa County Commissioner Gordon Goodin said. "We've got better beaches, better schools and better quality of life."

In addition to the target-industry incentive, Kinetic also is seeking a state Economic Development Transportation incentive which provides $5,000 per job created. That would help the company tie onto the rail spur that serves the industrial park.

"If they don't get (an incentive for) rail, they're going somewhere else," Ogletree said.

http://pnj.com/article/20090210/BUSINESS/902100304

[fvcrew22]

It's finally reopening!

Bowden Way set to open
Kimberly Blair • kblair@pnj.com • March 5, 2009

Drivers should be able to again enjoy one of the most scenic drives in Northwest Florida by Friday.

That's when Gulf Islands National Seashore is expected to reopen J. Earle Bowden Way between Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach during a 10 a.m. ribbon- cutting. That ceremony hinges on the Florida Department of Transportation signing off on repairs.

On Wednesday, Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach chamber and tourism officials met with seashore management at Opal Beach — the seashore's public beach and picnic area — to plan the event.

"We're ready to turn the road over to the public," said Nina Kelson, deputy superintendent of the National Seashore.

Tommie Speights, Department of Transportation district public affairs director, said that by the end of today, he expects workers to complete a "punch list" of final touches — striping lanes, installing signs and sweeping off sand that covered the road during this week's high winds.

The transportation department administered the $3.4 million contract. Pensacola-based Panhandle Grading did the work.

The road has been closed since Hurricane Dennis demolished it in 2005 — just days after it had reopened following repairs of extensive damage from Hurricane Ivan's storm surge in 2004.

Sandy Johnston, executive director of the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce, said reopening the road will be good for tourism.

"Where else can you go and drive seven miles on the beach and not see a house or building," she said.



http://pnj.com/article/20090305/NEWS01/903050312/1126

[fvcrew22]

Deal reached in maritime park proposal
March 9, 2009

Consultants for the City of Pensacola and Community Maritime Park Associates have reached an agreement with the master developer team wanting to oversee construction of the long-anticipated Community Maritime Park.

The CMPA is expected to vote on the agreement Friday. If approved, it goes to the Pensacola City Council for a final vote.

Negotiations on the development agreement with Maritime Park Development Partners (MPDP) have been ongoing for more than six months.

“The master developer and the city are very excited about it,” said Jane Birdwell, a spokeswoman for MPDP. “This is the result of a lot of hard work from committed teams on both sides.”

Details of the new draft agreement, which has been requested from the developer, will be posted on pnj.com as they become available.


Link: http://pnj.com/article/20090309/NEWS01/90309017

[fvcrew22]

Some good news downtown, the renovation looks great...


Break a leg, Saenger
From staff reports • March 26, 2009

The Saenger Theatre is reopening tonight after a $15 million renovation.

Closed in July 2007, The Grand Dame of Palafox comes back to life with a sold-out production of "Jesus Christ Superstar."

Check pnj.com in the morning for photo galleries and video from the event.

Renovations to the historic cultural landmark include wider seating, new restrooms, a new VIP entrance and box office, a new lobby and dressing rooms, more storage space, a covered truck dock, an enlarged orchestra pit, new cooling and heating units, a freight elevator, improved acoustics and historically accurate paint and other details.

For more information about the restoration, check out our special report featuring a story, photos and video attached to this article.


A few pictures from the PNJ.




Article: http://pnj.com/article/20090326/NEWS...NTPAGECAROUSEL

[FloridaFuture]

^Yeah, that looks good.

[fvcrew22]

Hockey may return to Pensacola
Jason Blakeney • jblakeney@pnj.com • April 7, 2009

More than two hours before tip-off of the NCAA men's basketball title game, it was standing-room only at New York Nick's.

But most of the packed restaurant had no interest in basketball.

Hockey talk was back.

Southern Professional Hockey League commissioner Jim Combs, revealing a potential ownership group led by former Ice Pilots owner Tim Kerr, addressed bringing a team to the Pensacola Civic Center for the 2009-10 season.

"We hope that Pensacola has a hockey team soon," Combs said. "We're going to try to do everything on the SPHL side to make that happen."

With an ownership group in place and a league willing to accept the franchise, the only obstacle for hockey's return is a lease with the Civic Center.

Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino was on hand to voice his support for the league's return.

"Don't think for a second that we don't know that economic development and the way we grow the community requires the input of what we call 'induced demand,' " Valentino said. "That mean's you've got to stimulate an economy with a lot of different things. And a good hockey team is one of them."

Columbus,Ga., is one example where the league is stimulating the economy.

"The Cottonmouths have made hockey so popular in this area, that by the end of the year, the city will be breaking ground on a brand new ice rink that will connect to the Civic Center," director of the Columbus Civic Center Dale Hester wrote in a statement. "One thing I have learned over the years is that hockey fans are very loyal."

Valentino went on to say that in order for a franchise to receive a lease from the county, the situation had to be a "win-win for everyone." Combs agreed.

"We have an owner that's interested," Combs said. "He's willing to come back here. He was sportman of the year here. He wants to come back and put a team in here.

"The lease does everything. The lease determines if a team can make money or lose money."

The group will take their proposal to the County Commission at 9 a.m. Thursday. The proposal is the third item of business on the meeting's docket. It will take place at the Escambia County Governmental Complex, 221 Palafox Place. The public is invited to attend the meeting.

The SPHL is based in Huntsville, Ala., and consisted of six teams during the 2008-09 season. One of those teams, the Richmond Renegades likely will cease operations during the summer. Another, the Twin City Cyclones, is looking to move its franchise into another city, likely father south.

The organizations remaining franchises — Knoxville, Tenn.; Huntsville, Ala.; Fayetteville, N.C. and Columbus, Ga. — are within 10 hours of Pensacola by bus.

The league plays 56 games instead of the 72 played in the ECHL.

Biloxi, Miss., is rumored as a possible location for another SPHL franchise for the 2009-10 season. Biloxi's former team, the Sea Wolves, suspended ECHL operations following the 2008-09 season. Combs would not comment directly on the rumor but said "Pensacola is not my only stop on I-10."


Link: http://www.pnj.com/article/20090407/...23/1002/SPORTS