NW Florida's Business Climate: October 2023

Business Climate NW Florida’s

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MARITIME MAGIC AMERICAN MAGIC'S NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART MARITIME CENTER

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COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TRANSFORMING THE DOWNTOWN LANDSCAPE nwflbusinessclimate.com 1

The right lender for building in the Florida panhandle.

With a proven track record and experience in the area, Synovus has become the lender of choice for purchases, construction-permanent and lot loans.

Contact us today to learn more about our seamless process.

Renee’ D. Wilhoit NMLS 640470 850-436-2982 reneewilhoit@synovus.com

Tracey McClurd NMLS 664145 850-436-6538 traceymcclurd@synovus.com

Karen S. Welch NMLS 594834 850-994-2503 karenwelch@synovus.com

Lisa Hudson NMLS 664126 850-436-7842 lisahudson@synovus.com

Charles Thomas NMLS 938537 850-436-7831 charlesdthomas@synovus.com

Rhonda Holl NMLS 437030 850-837-6525 rhondaholl@synovus.com

Find us online at synvous.com/mortgage.

Synovus Bank, Member FDIC. Loans subject to approval, including credit approval. Synovus Bank is an equal Housing Lender.

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LoanLoan OfficerOfficer NMLSNMLS #440325 #440325 Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: Loan Direct: Officer NMLS #440325850.777.3518 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 Shellie Isakson-Smith Shellie Isakson-Smith Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Shellie Isakson-Smith Shellie Isakson-Smith Loan Officer NMLS #440325 Shellie Isakson-Smith Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Isakson-Smith LoanShellie Officer NMLS #440325 Loan Officer NMLS #440325 Shellie Isakson-Smith www.ShellieHomeLoans.com Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 Loan Officer NMLS #440325 Loan Officer NMLS #440325 Shellie Isakson-Smith Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Loan Officer NMLS #440325 Shellie Isakson-Smith CONTACT ME TODAY! www.ShellieHomeLoans.com Loan Officer NMLS Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax:#440325 850.777.3518 Shellie Isakson-Smith Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 1115 E Gonzalez Street | Pensacola, FLFax: 32501 Shellie Isakson-Smith Loan Officer NMLS #440325 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 Shellie Isakson-Smith Loan1115 Officer NMLS #440325 www.ShellieHomeLoans.com Direct: 850.777.3513 850.777.3518 Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 Loan Officer NMLS #440325 E Gonzalez Street | Pensacola, FL 32501 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Loan Officer NMLS #440325 Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 Loan Officer NMLS #440325 www.ShellieHomeLoans.com Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Loan Officer NMLS #440325 1115 EShellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Gonzalez Street | Pensacola, FL 32501 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 www.ShellieHomeLoans.com www.ShellieHomeLoans.com Direct: 850.777.3513 Fax: 850.777.3518 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Direct: 850.777.3513 850.777.3518 1115 EDirect: Gonzalez StreetFax: | Pensacola, FL 32501 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com www.ShellieHomeLoans.com 850.777.3513 Fax:| Pensacola, 850.777.3518 www.ShellieHomeLoans.com www.ShellieHomeLoans.com Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com 1115 E Gonzalez Street 1115 E Gonzalez Street | Pensacola, FL 32501FL 32501 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com www.ShellieHomeLoans.com www.ShellieHomeLoans.com www.ShellieHomeLoans.com 1115 E Gonzalez Street | Pensacola, 32501FL 32501 Shellie.IsaksonSmith@supremelending.com 1115 E Gonzalez Street | Pensacola, FLFL32501 1115 E Gonzalez Street | Pensacola, ADVERTISEMENT. EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC. www.ShellieHomeLoans.com D/B/A SUPREME LENDING NMLS ID #2129 www.ShellieHomeLoans.com www.ShellieHomeLoans.com 1115 Ewww.ShellieHomeLoans.com Gonzalez Street | Pensacola, FL |32501 1115 Gonzalez Street Pensacola, FL 32501 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) 14801 Quorum Dr., #300, Dallas,1115 TX E 75254.

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E Gonzalez Pensacola, FL 32501 ADVERTISEMENT. EVERETT FINANCIAL,1115 INC. Intended SUPREME LENDING #2129 FL 32501 For licensing information go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. for Florida consumers only,|NMLS Florida ED/B/A Street 1115 Gonzalez Street Pensacola, FLID ©32501 1115 EGonzalez Gonzalez Street |Pensacola, Pensacola, Mortgage Lender Servicer License FINANCIAL, MLD909. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) 14801 Quorum Dr., #300, Dallas, TX 75254. |877-350-5225.

Copyright 2021. FL 32501 ADVERTISEMENT. EVERETT INC. ED/B/A SUPREME LENDING NMLS ID #2129

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ADVERTISEMENT. EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC. D/B/A SUPREME LENDING NMLS ID #2129 ADVERTISEMENT. EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC. D/B/A SUPREME LENDING NMLS ID #2129 Mortgage Lender Servicer License MLD909.

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THE FISH HOUSE: Dockside dining overlooking beautiful Pensacola Bay just steps away from historic Seville Square. Full bar. Late night menu. Brunch on Sundays. Dine inside or out. Features a menu of inventive fresh-seafood selections, house-smoked steaks, sushi, handpicked wines, and their world-famous Grits à Ya Ya.

ATLAS OYSTER HOUSE:: Stands by it’s name as the place in Pensacola to find delicious oysters. On the water, historic Downtown Pensacola. Dine inside or out. Classic hand-crafted cocktails, sixteen beers on tap, expansive oyster offerings, sushi, seafood towers, burgers, small plates and entrees. Bicycle, car and boat parking available.

JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE: Recognized nationally for its award-winning, Southern-influenced steaks and seafood paired with impeccable service. Reservations can be made online. The menu highlights wet-aged, grain-fed beef from the heartland of America. A consummate dining experience in historic downtown Pensacola.

FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ: Southern favorites in historic Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood of downtown Pensacola. A harmonic blend of southern flavors and soulful music featuring all of the southern comfort favorites with a kick of Creole and Caribbean flair. Fried chicken, cornbread, collards, and more!

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THE FISH HOUSE: 850-470-0003 · 600 SOUTH BARRACKS STREET ATLAS OYSTER HOUSE: 850-470-0003 · 600 SOUTH BARRACKS STREET JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE: 850-469-9898 · SOUTH 400 PALAFOX FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ: 850-912-4856 · 421 WEST BELMONT STREET ANGELENA'S RISTORANTE ITALIANO: 850-542-8398 · 101 EAST INTENDENCIA STREET

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Contents 14 Providing a “Fresh Start” After Foster Care AMR builds tiny home community for adults aging out of foster care system

18 Holding Steady An overview of the 2023 commercial real estate market in Pensacola

14

18

22 Maritime Magic Port of Pensacola secures final $2.6 million for American Magic's state-of-the-art maritime center

28 Transforming Baptist Baptist Health Care opens new $650 million health care campus

22

34 Developing Downtown Commercial, residential and infrastructure projects transforming the downtown landscape

46 Now Open in Downtown Pensacola The newest eateries, business and retailers in downtown Pensacola

ON THE COVER: Aerial photo of the General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. Bridge by Juan Rodulfo

8 | NWFL’s Business Climate

28

34

Editor’s Note Ten years ago, a stroll down Palafox Street would have been a fairly quiet experience. Nightlife activity most likely consisted of gatherings in front of the old Hopjack’s, New York Nick’s or Intermissions.

Flash forward to 2023, the downtown blocks are full of life—no matter the time of day, or day of the week. New restaurants, bars, boutiques, cafes, coffee shops and retailers are scattered throughout our small but dense urban core, providing new and exciting experiences along with opportunities for economic development.

In our 19th Annual issue of Northwest Florida's Business Climate Magazine, we explore some of the new developments and infrastructure projects driving the evolution of our growing city. Pensacola’s main attraction has long been its sugary white beaches and pristine Gulf waters, but today, the downtown area is making a name for itself as a destination as well.

The number of people spending time in downtown Pensacola is growing rapidly, and within the coming years, patrons of downtown will begin to see an abundance of new downtown living options. From the recent completion of the new Palmilla luxury apartments to the multi-level condo developments being constructed along Garden Street, our once-sleepy downtown is now booming with new real estate developments.

It’s an exciting time to live in Pensacola as we watch the city’s blueprint change shape almost daily with the addition of more jobs, business developments and residential planning.

Here’s to the history and perseverance of our historic Panhandle city and to its bright and exciting future.

OWNER Malcolm Ballinger PUBLISHER Malcolm Ballinger malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kelly Oden kelly@ballingerpublishing.com ART DIRECTOR Ian Lett ian@ballingerpublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER | AD COORDINATOR Alana Cox advertise@ballingerpublishing.com EDITOR Morgan Cole morgan@ballingerpublishing.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Nicole Willis nicole@ballingerpublishing.com EDITORIAL INTERN Madeleine Davis CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DeeDee Davis SALES + MARKETING Paula Rhode, Account Executive paula@ballingerpublishing.com Geneva Strange, Account Executive geneva@ballingerpublishing.com

Morgan Cole, Editor

21 E GARDEN ST., STE. 205 PENSACOLA, FL 32502 NW Florida’s Business Climate Magazine and Pensacola Magazine is locally owned and operated. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2021

10 | NWFL’s Business Climate

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Providing a “Fresh Start” After Foster Care AMR Builds Tiny Home Community for Adults Aging Out of Foster Care System

by Nicole Willis

AMR

at Pensacola is providing former foster care young adults with a “Fresh Start” through its new tiny home community: Fresh Start Village.

AMR is a local nonprofit housing company that is focused on providing housing to those who need it. Fresh Start Village is AMR’s latest endeavor that will house seven young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. With the help of H+H Building Group, seven tiny homes were designed and are currently under construction.

AMR enlisted the help of FamiliesFirst Network—an affiliate of LifeView Group that provides foster and adoption care locally—to place applicable tenants in the new homes.

Pensacola lacks affordable rentals that are suitable for young adults

14 | NWFL’s Business Climate

and families. Through Fresh Start Village, AMR hopes to eliminate this burden for several young adults in our community who need it most.

Located at the corner of West Blount Street and North Pace Boulevard, the seven tiny homes are situated on a plot of land that is just shy of an acre. The homes were constructed in a semicircular formation so that they face each other, further emphasizing AMR and FamiliesFirst Network’s desire for this project to create a sense of community.

Despite the homes being considered tiny in size, they have everything that one may need—a full kitchen, cozy bedroom and a large bathroom with beautiful finishes. Each home features a well-lit front porch, perfect for relaxing in the shade during the day and easily identifying visitors in the evening or at night.

Each of the tiny homes is less than 500 square feet and features a full kitchen with combined living area.

The kitchens are equipped with modern appliances and have ample cabinet and countertop space. The living areas provide enough room for a small lounging or dining area.

The homes also boast spacious bathrooms with a large shower, sink and vanity area, as well as a small built-in linen closet.

The tiny home community also features homes that have been constructed to accommodate individuals with disabilities; the most notable difference between the two types of homes is the different accessible showers.

Apart from the seven homes, the property also houses a large community center and front office space where the residents

When children age out of foster care, they are provided with a certain amount of money for housing and living expenses.

Hagen emphasizes that whatever the monthly rent cost is, it will not exceed their allotted money for housing. As AMR receives more donations and grants to help with the project, the cheaper the rental rates will be for the young adults.

can meet with caseworkers and learn important life skills as they transition to living on their own.

“They’ve created that community center space within the tiny home community for our caseworker to be able to meet with the young adults. They do life skill trainings with the residents—how to balance your checkbook, how to go grocery shopping on a budget, how to clean your house, how to do all of those different life skills that every young person needs—our caseworkers meet with them very often,” CEO of LifeView Group, Allison Hill, explained.

According to President of the Board of Directors of AMR at Pensacola and President of H+H Building Group, Kevin Hagen, “The bulk of the project has been funded by a construction loan that will be converted to a permanent mortgage. So, when we are complete with the project and we have compiled all the grant money and donations versus what we've had to borrow, we will establish the rent. The rent will be equal to or less than the amount of money that is given to these children from the state as they age out of foster care.”

At the moment, the houses are receiving their finishing touches like the installation of appliances and tidying up from construction.

Hagen says that the team hopes to complete all construction by the end of October.

For updates on the project and to learn more about AMR at Pensacola, please visit amrpensacola.com. To support or learn more about FamiliesFirst Network, an affiliate of LifeView Group, please visit familiesfirstnetwork.org.

According to Hill, one of FamiliesFirst Network’s goals for this project is to create “affordable, safe places for our young adults to rent.” AMR is working to help ensure that the rental rates for the tiny homes are as affordable as possible. A majority of funding for the construction of Fresh Start Village comes from monetary donations and grants awarded to AMR, with one of the most notable grants being the IMPACT 100 grant awarded for $106,000.

In addition to support received from individuals throughout the community and philanthropic organizations, AMR has also received funding for the project through loans.

15

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Holding Steady

An Overview of the 2023 Commercial Real Estate Market in Pensacola

by DeeDee Davis

W

hen it comes to the geographic and economic conditions that favor commercial real estate success, Florida has a lot going for it. Nice weather, steady population growth and lack of a state income tax are all appealing to anyone wanting to do business here. But there is a real beast on the horizon that may overshadow the many positives that Florida has to offer if it is not dealt with soon. Interest rates have certainly affected lending on larger projects, but the gorilla we are really facing is property insurance.

If you are able to secure a policy, the rates are often so high that many homeowners and small business owners are unable to afford it. Landlords in shopping centers pass the increases on to their tenants, and it is borderline crushing. If our state legislators don’t aggressively tackle this issue, we are going to see a huge wave of small businesses going under. It’s not a simple issue, especially in Florida. Natural disasters such as Hurricane Ian are enough to make any insurance companies scream "Uncle." But, what is the point if it doesn’t pay off when you need it?

The answer is not to sit back and watch the insurance companies exit our state, creating a huge void in availability and in competition. It’s past time for the political players to prioritize Florida’s biggest hurdle to business—property insurance rates. Insurance affects every one of us, and we are just starting to see the effects.

Pensacola is also unique in being a tertiary market.

We don’t see the peaks and valleys that many of our larger cities experience, but that is not all bad. We remain somewhat stable and are able to rebound

18 | NWFL’s Business Climate

more quickly. Nationwide and even statewide, office markets have not bounced back the way many hoped following COVID. Plenty of people are still working from home, and this likely won't change much. Downtown Pensacola is so vibrant now that we haven’t seen high vacancy rates, but moving away from the core, you begin to see empty spaces.

Retail demand keeps rising for now. Our shopping center openings are quickly filled with both national and local tenants, though the overall demand is the lowest it has been since 2020.

Investment properties are still a hot ticket, particularly deals under $3 million. These transactions are most often all-cash, thus less affected by the higher interest rates. In a market such as ours, these offerings often never even make it to the open market, making a relationship with a commercial real estate broker all the more important. They usually have information about potential listings and often share with preferred clients whom they know have the desire and the ability to get a deal done. Always look for a commercial real estate specialist. Licensing is the same for agents whether they are in the residential or the commercial field, but there is a world of difference. It’s a lot like medicine.

You wouldn't go to a dentist if you had cardiac issues; you go to a doctor with the expertise that you need.

Real estate continues to be a strong piece of any investment portfolio, and the outlook for 2024 is all positive once we find solutions to the insurance crisis.

New Baptist Hospital Campus Now Open at Brent Lane and I-110

Our new hospital campus is unlike any you’ve ever experienced. Every design detail has been purposefully and thoughtfully selected to create the ultimate health care experience.

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Maritime Magic Port of Pensacola Secures Final $2.6 Million for American Magic's State-of-the-Art Maritime Center

by Morgan Cole

W

ith roots dating back to 1754, the Port of

Excellence at the Port of Pensacola.

This announcement followed the approval of an $8.5 million grant by Florida's Triumph Gulf Coast board.

The facility is slated to open in late 2024, coinciding with American Magic's return from the 37th America's Cup in Spain.

see this world-class facility come to life at the Port of Pensacola, putting our city on the map for sailing at a national and international level."

funding for a specialized docking facility on its eastern side. This marks the final installment needed to complete the project, supporting American Magic and other port users.

The Maritime Center of Excellence, a part of the larger warehouse renovation and expansion project, will be housed in a transformed building. Beyond ser ving as a permanent home for American Magic, the center will accommodate tenants focusing on ocean sciences and maritime technologies research and development.

Pensacola has been a crucial player in the city's history, facilitating continuous cargo import and export activities. Serving as an economic powerhouse for Northwest Florida, the port hosts 23 businesses Adding to the momentum, the Port engaged in local and international of Pensacola recently secured an trade, logistics and various services. additional $2.625 million in state In a landmark development this May, Governor Ron DeSantis endorsed a $3.9 million grant, designating Pensacola as the permanent home for the New York Yacht Club American Magic sailing team.

The funds, part of a $15 million initiative, will construct the HighPerformance Maritime Center of 22 | NWFL’s Business Climate

"This is another exciting step toward making Pensacola the sailing capital of the United States," Mayor D.C. Reeves expressed. "I can't wait to

Funding for the docking facility was awarded through the Florida Seaport Transportation Economic Development program, enabling ports statewide to apply for funding supporting seaport capital improvement projects.

This is another exciting step toward making Pensacola the sailing capital of the United States."

Previously based in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, American Magic utilized the Port of Pensacola on a seasonal basis since 2018. The team, known for manufacturing foiling monohull sailboats for the America's Cup, relocated to Barcelona earlier this summer after training in Pensacola Bay for the upcoming 37th America's Cup.

24 months, with the primary building ready for American Magic's return in the fall of 2024 from the 37th America's Cup.

The world renowned racing team is also known for manufacturing, engineering, design and high-tech research, according to city officials.

The comprehensive project, aligned with the publicly approved Portside Vision Plan, anticipates completion in

For more information about the Port of Pensacola, visit portofpensacola.com.

To learn more about American Magic, visit americanmagic.com.

This project positions the Port of Pensacola and the State of Florida as a premier hub for cuttingedge watercraft and boatbuilding innovation globally.

Project renderings and details courtesy of Port of Pensacola.

Rendering of the Maritime Center of Excellence that will serve as the new permanent headquarters for the American Magic sailing team.

23

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EAST GARDEN DISTRICT A PLACE OF INSPIRED GROWTH. EST. 1764 eastgardendistrict.com

Union Public House

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East Garden District A Place of Inspired Growth

W

hen local real estate developer, Chad Henderson, envisioned the East Garden District, his ambition was to create a curated new

downtown Pensacola destination grounded in placemaking. As Henderson’s EGD vision now begins to take shape, the once quiet city block is seeing vibrancy along its new streetscape. “The East Garden District’s first project was a public private partnership between our development group and the City of Pensacola,” says Henderson. “Together we invested $2.2M to create what we believe is now the best pedestrian experience in downtown Pensacola. This co-investment was critical to setting the stage for our EGD team’s new development and reactivation projects.”

The latest completed project in the East Garden District is Union Public House’s relocation to its new home on the northeast corner of Jefferson Street and Garden Street, the gateway to the East Garden District. According to Owner / Chef Blake Rushing, new UPH has exceeded all expectations. “We couldn’t be happier with the interior and exterior finish of our new building, the spectacular open kitchen, the beautifully designed bar and restaurant spaces, and our outdoor seating on Jefferson Street,” says Rushing. “People are loving the new UPH, and our team is having a blast crafting exceptional dishes and drinks in our new digs.”

Union Public House Union Public House joins Perfect Plain Brewery, The Well craft cocktail bar, and Papa’s Pizza on Garden Street, and it looks like this amazing ensemble is only going to get better with the announcement of Jinya Ramen Bar coming to the EGD. “We are excited that Jinya will be the next new restaurant coming to the EGD,” says Tosh Belsinger, VP of Development for the East Garden District. “Curation is so important to our vision, and we believe that Jinya Ramen Bar is a perfect fit for the EGD and a wonderful compliment to the other restaurants in the district.” Jinya is currently in planning and is scheduled to break ground in early 2024.

Jinya Just down Garden Street from UPH and Papa’s Pizza, the interior ground floor of 2 North Palafox Street is currently being demolished to make way for new EGD ground floor activation. The 12,000 square feet ground floor of 2 North Palafox Street was once the Pensacola News Journal’s office and is now in planning to be reactivated as multi-tenant restaurant retail space. “Ground floor activation is essential to our placemaking vision for

the East Garden District,” says project developer, Chad Henderson. “2 North Palafox sits on one of the most important intersections in downtown Pensacola, and we are excited to bring new activation to this historic building corner as a part of the EGD.”

2 North Palafox Mid-block on the west side of Jefferson Street, the EGD development team is planning a three-story for-sale residential lofts project with ground floor parking and residences on the second and third floors. “A critical element to urban placemaking is to blend residential uses with restaurant, retail, and office uses,” says Tosh Belsinger. “People living in the EGD make it a neighborhood, and that is important to our vision.”

EGD Lofts Anchoring the EGD are the East Garden District hotel and mixed-use building projects on the east side of Jefferson Street. The hotel, a 144 key nine-story Hilton soft brand boutique hotel, will feature a first-floor restaurant and bar, second-floor ballrooms, meeting rooms, and a fitness center, guest rooms and suites on floors three through eight,

and a ninth-floor rooftop restaurant and bar with panoramic views of downtown Pensacola and Pensacola Bay. “We believe that our East Garden District hotel will be Pensacola’s hotel,” says Henderson. “A place where locals and visitors can savor a truly unique Pensacola hospitality experience.” The mixed-use building will be four-stories with ground floor restaurant, retail, and co-work space, and office space on the upper three floors. Both the hotel and the mixed-use building are in the final stages of planning with a 2024 target groundbreaking.

East Garden District Hotel & Mixed-Use Building With its curated mix of uses, The East Garden District is home to truly inspired placemaking that has already begun to activate a new downtown Pensacola destination. “Our EGD team is proud of the growth that we are bringing to Pensacola,” says Chad Henderson, “and like Southtowne and One Palafox Place before us, we believe that the East Garden District will be a catalyst for future downtown growth.” eastgardendisrict.com 27

Transforming Baptist

Baptist Health Care Opens New $650 Million Health Care Campus

by Morgan Cole

A

fter more than four years of planning, design and

With support from 1,100 Baptist team members, 38 local EMTs and Paramedics and 25 law enforcement officers, 16 ambulances safely transported a total of 117 patients in 11 ambulance convoy trips to the new health care campus.

Challenged by a 71-year-old hospital that could no longer meet the evolving needs of its providers, staff and the growing community, Baptist Health Care (BHC) hired architectural firm Gresham Smith to design a new full-scale health campus at the intersection of Brent Lane and I-110.

“Even before we opened our doors, it was important to be able to positively impact the economic lives of citizens in our region by using local subcontractors, vendors and construction talent. In coordination with our general contractor, Brasfield and Gorrie, we worked diligently to achieve that goal, and nearly $30 million of direct construction wages were paid to local subs and workers,” Baptist Health Care President and CEO Mark Faulkner said.

construction, Baptist Health Care has officially opened its new $636 million campus at 123 Baptist Way in Pensacola.

Baptist Health Care President and CEO Mark Faulkner, formally announced plans for the new state-of-the-art health care campus during a press conference in June 2019.

The project now represents the single largest investment in health care facilities, services and programs in Northwest Florida history.

On September 23, after months of staff training and tabletop exercises to prepare for moving day, the Baptist Hospital emergency room at E Street permanently closed its doors as the new emergency room on Brent Lane officially opened for its first round of patients.

“Throughout that full cycle, we’ve practiced on different types of patients at the old campus, loading them up, the nurse hand off to EMS, and then, we practiced the process of getting those patients here to the new campus,” Senior Vice President of Baptist Health Care Brett Aldridge said. “So, all of the preparation and planning that has gone into this has been incredible, and it’s really hard to relay all the detail and time and energy and effort our team spent on preparing for this move, but it's truly been nothing short of incredible.”

28 | NWFL’s Business Climate

From top-to-bottom, the campus boasts a number of oneof-a kind features, new technology and high-quality finishing touches.

The artwork inside the buildings feature images of landscapes and plants native to our area. Natural light and modern efficiencies were incorporated throughout the buildings to create an environment that prioritizes patient experience and safety.

The Baptist Health Care campus includes the main Baptist Hospital, the Bear Family Foundation Health Center and the Baptist Hospital Behavioral Health Unit.

NWFL Business Climate Magazine had the opportunity to gain a first-hand look at the new campus prior to opening day. We have brought you an overview of the new 57-acre Baptist Health Care campus.

In-room birthing tub in Mother and Baby Wing

Baptist BaptistHospital Hospital The main hospital consists of 602,000 square feet, with every detail in its design purposefully and thoughtfully executed to create a healing and supportive environment. Patient rooms are located in close proximity to their care teams on each floor to facilitate greater communication and response time.

Designs for the separate treatment spaces were standardized to ensure a consistent and positive experience for every patient and provider. Services, such as lab, imaging therapy and pharmacy, have been embedded throughout the patient care areas to provide more efficient communication and delivery of care.

The main entrance of the hospital is located on the first floor, which also houses the emergency room and emergency waiting area.

The Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute and Peacock Family Heart Center are also located on the first floor, along with the imaging department, Lee Family Chapel, Gift Shop and Patient Registration area. The first floor also serves as home to the new Florida Power and Light Energy Cafe and the Cox Communications Cafe Garden.

The second floor features an on-site laboratory, sterile processing department, surgery and Interventional suites and private surgery waiting area.

Patient rooms are located on floors three through 10, with a total of 264 patient beds: 54 intensive care unit, 198 medical/surgical and 12 labor and delivery suites. Each of the rooms are private and designed to be comfortable for both individuals and families, with a separate sleeper sofa and designated workspace area for visitors.

The new Mother and Baby wing is located on the fifth floor of the hospital and includes 12 suites for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care, with large laboring tubs in each. There are also four obstetric emergency rooms, two cesareansection rooms and a nursery.

Rooms are also equipped with the latest in modern technology, giving patients the option to control the room’s lighting and temperature.

On floors six through 10, there are specialized medical/surgical rooms for a variety of units including orthopaedic, neurosurgery, bariatric and oncology, with a total of 36 private patient rooms on each floor. The upper floors have 36 patient rooms on each level with similar decor and amenities as the other rooms including private bathrooms, soothing color-palettes, artwork and convenient access to care.

The third floor Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and fourth floor Progressive Care/ Cardiovascular Step Down Unit rooms offer ceiling-mounted bed lifts, advanced monitoring capabilities and 24-hour intensivist coverage to best serve critically ill patients who require higher-level nursing care. Nurse station perches are located outside of each room to provide caregivers line-of-sight monitoring.

The main hospital has also been equipped with a rooftop helipad for emergency life flight services.

BaptistHospital Hospital Baptist Behavioral Behavioral HealthUnit Unit Health The new Behavioral Health Unit also includes 72 additional beds for children and adults in need of inpatient services.

Portion of the lobby in the new Baptist Hospital

“Thanks to our legislative delegation, we do now have sustainable funding for a central receiving, two-facility system and as Allison Hill and her Lakeview team are opening up the adult central receiving facility,” explained Baptist Vice President of External Affairs Jen Grove.

“When that happens, we will still receive all children and adolescents. We will then become the child and adolescent central receiving facility, so anybody up to the age of 18 would come here in 29

the future and then, those 18 and older would go to the Lakeview facility.”

The Baptist Hospital Behavioral Health Unit features treatment spaces specifically designed for individuals ages 4 and older.

All patient care areas are brightly lit with access to outdoor spaces. The child/ adolescent inpatient care wing includes 12 children’s rooms and 14 adolescent rooms, all of which are private. The wing also features a child/adolescent day room, sensory room and outdoor play areas.

The adult/geriatric inpatient wing of the new Behavioral Health Unit, includes 36 adult rooms and 10 senior adult rooms, offering a combination of private and semi-private rooms. The adult and geriatric wing also features a multipurpose room, along with a designated outdoor garden space for adults.

Philips Azurion image-guided therapy system machine in the BHVI

BearFamily Family Bear Foundation Foundation HealthCenter Center Health Th e c a m p us a ls o i n c l u d e s th e 178,000-square-foot Bear Family Foundation Health Center, which offers a multitude of outpatient and multispecialty services. The six-story health center features 162 exam rooms and is home to Baptist Cancer Institute, cardiac rehabilitation, Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute and Baptist Medical Group.

Waiting area with modern way-finding signage

30 | NWFL’s Business Climate

The first floor includes the Girish S. and Vimu G. Gupta Diagnostic Imaging Center, infusion center, lab, Panera Bread, an onsite pharmacy and Women’s Imaging center. The second floor is designated for cardiac rehabilitation services and includes a pre-optimization/ pre-surgical clinic, weight-loss center (bariatrics) and a conference center for public events, health education and community outreach.

The Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute (BHVI) is housed on the third floor of the Bear Health Center, offering the latest in medical techniques and technology for those in need of lifesaving cardiac care. The BHVI’s multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, electrophysiologists, interventionalists, cardiothoracic surgeons, clinical specialists and advanced providers now offer clinic visits at new offices located inside the Bear Family Health Center.

Baptist Medical Group conveniently occupies the fourth and fifth floors of the Bear Health Center, offering a broad range of primary and specialty care services through its trusted network of physicians and advanced practitioners. The Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is also housed on the fourth floor of the Bear Health Center, providing patients with access to specialized, onsite care for orthopaedic trauma, physical medicine and rehabilitation services.

Town square and walking paths located at the center of the new campus

Additional Features Features & & Amenities Amenities Additional Other features of the new health care campus include a large, open town square filled with heritage oaks, magnolia trees, benches for seating and walking paths.

The campus also features outdoor rehab and event space areas, as well as a chapel and healing gardens for quiet reflection and serenity. The main hospital features the Bistro Cafe (hospital cafeteria) with indoor and outdoor seating for dining. A full-service retail pharmacy is also located on the new campus.

The building’s expansive windows can withstand Category 5 hurricane strength winds, and were designed with small dots on them so that birds can see them to avoid flying into them.

Also currently under construction at the new campus, is the Henderson Health Building, which will house medical offices for additional physicians and physician groups.

Free valet parking services are offered at both the Baptist Hospital and the Bear Family Foundation Center. Baptist has also provided a privately owned bus stop shelter and Escambia Area Transit has created a new route to accommodate transportation needs to and from the new campus.

Construction on the new hospital kicked off in July 2020, and John Porter, vice president of construction services for Baptist Health Care, said the Baptist team was proud of how much they have accomplished in that time.

“It’s hard to imagine. Literally just over three years ago, where we are right now was a little industrial park, and we took that industrial park, and we’ve turned it into 57 acres for the hospital site that we have today,” Porter said. “We came in with 1,200 pilings that we drove, 4,000 truckloads of dirt to raise the pad elevation, relocated overhead power lines and the workmen also started on this site, and here we are, September of 2023, and we are ready to experience a very remarkable facility.”

The new $650 million health care campus is 200,000 square feet larger than the old one and the project was funded by a combination of bonds, hospital operational revenues and

philanthropy. There is also room to grow and expand on the new property as the health care needs of our community continue to grow.

“This new location has been a labor of love for us, and we are so proud to provide our community — and our team members — the beautiful campus they deserve," Faulkner said. “This campus raises the bar for health care experiences, safety, quality and efficiency for generations to come.”

For more information on the new Baptist Health Care Campus and its services, visit ebaptisthealthcare.org.

Fast Facts Investment = $636 Million Workforce and Economic Impact • More than 800 workers on site on any given day • Creation of 4,261 construction jobs and nearly $201 million in direct construction labor • Indirect and induced effects of an additional 1,691 non-construction jobs with over $74 million in wages and nearly $250 million additional regional economic activity • More than half of the workforce is local or minority

Project Team Gresham Smith Architect

Meadows & Ohly Program Manager

Brasfield & Gorrie General Contractor

Smith Seckman Reid

Equipment & Technology Planner

IMH Healthcare

Readiness and Activation Planning Team

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Developing Downtown

Commercial, Residential and Infrastructure Projects Transforming the Downtown Landscape

by Morgan Cole

Rendering of the new IHMC research complex

F

rom large-scale infrastructure projects to multi-level condo and apartment complexes being constructed on just about every corner, it’s no secret that downtown Pensacola continues to flourish. As our population continues to increase, inevitably, more developments come along to accommodate this growth. Initiatives to preserve important landmarks while ushering in modern amenities have sprouted a bevy of commercial and residential real estate developments, offering a new era of downtown living. From recently completed to under construction, here are some of the major developments impacting downtown in the last year.

New 4-Story Hilton Garden Inn Rises Along South 9th Avenue Construction is now complete on the new 104-room Hilton Garden Inn situated along South 9th Avenue in downtown Pensacola. Atlanta developer, Peachtree Development, along with project manager Spectrum Development Group, served as the developers for the new four-story hotel located just north of Admiral Mason and Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Pensacola. The new full-service hotel features a restaurant and bar as well as two large meeting room spaces.

SMP Architecture of Pensacola served as the designer for the hotel project. The newly completed Hilton Garden Inn is located at 8 S. 9th Avenue, across from Aragon.

34 | NWFL’s Business Climate

Rending of The Heights at East Garden District

Nine-Story Hotel Proposed Atop Downtown Palafox Post Office Building Pensacola architects Brian Spencer and William Brantley presented conceptual plans for a new nine-story, 159-room hotel at the corner of Palafox and Romana streets to the Pensacola Architectural Review Board (ARB) in July.

East Garden District Begins Transformation A collaboration between Catalyst HRE and the Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) funded the early stages of the transformation of the East Garden District. The first step in the transformation involved reworking North Jefferson Street between Chase and Garden Streets and renovating space for The Well Floridian Lounge, located next to Perfect Plain Brewing Company. One of these developments also included a new home for Union Public House. The popular dining destination opened in late August after previously operating out of a renovated 1934 cinderblock building on Reus Street.

The Heights at East Garden

The new tower would be built over the historic corner building that dates to the 1880s and currently houses a post office.

The historic building would be incorporated into the new nine-story building that would be 136 feet tall and feature a 161-space, seven-level parking garage in the rear of the building. The proposed hotel would also have a rooftop pool with views overlooking Pensacola Bay. If the proposal moves forward, the 1990s post office expansion would be demolished while the 1880s portion of the building would be kept. Spencer said the design would preserve the “historic load-bearing brick facades yet incorporate new modern architecture and structural framing systems side by side.” Drawings presented to the ARB are still in an early stage and do not reflect the final colors or brickwork of the building but only the concept of what the architectural designs will be.

Before the project can move forward, building developers still need to seek additional ARB approval for the completed design along with authorization to demolish the 1990s addition to the building.

Developers have also recently announced a 175,000-squarefoot, nine-story Tapestry Collection hotel by Hilton that will be located at the intersection of Jefferson and Chase streets and will include around 150 rooms, as well as suites with luxury amenities. The hotel’s design includes an “urban chic” first floor lobby, full service restaurant, lobby bar, second-floor ballrooms, meeting rooms and a fitness facility. Guestrooms and suites will occupy floors three through eight. The ninth floor will feature an indoor/outdoor rooftop restaurant and bar overlooking downtown Pensacola and Pensacola Bay. The hotel is the future centerpiece of a renovation that includes 20,000 square feet of repurposed properties along Garden Street and 30,000 square feet of new mixed-use developments.

Developers are also in the process of working through the design of a new building located in the current parking lot space on North Jefferson Street next to Papa's Pizza, which will host a ramen noodle bar type-restaurant. A new Cajun restaurant is also being planned for the corner of East Garden and North Palafox in a space previously occupied by the Pensacola News Journal. The plan is to activate the entire district with new restaurant and retail uses. To the north of the new ramen restaurant, developers are also working on designs for a three-story, four-unit residential building they hope to build. Plans for the nine-story Hilton hotel currently remain in the planning phase, and developers are optimistic they will break ground by the end of the calendar year.

Rendering of proposed nine-story, 159-room hotel at 101 S. Palafox St., courtesy of SMP Architecture via the City of Pensacola.

35

Rendering of The Westmore Apartments

Bruce Beach Park on Track to be Complete Next Year

The Westmore to Bring 328 New Apartments and Grocery Store to Garden Street

As construction is close to completion on the first phase of Bruce Beach, Pensacola will now look to begin the second phase of the project. The Pensacola City Council agreed to transfer $1.8 million in Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) funds to begin construction on phase two of the park.

A block of Spring Street in downtown Pensacola will get a facelift as part of a new grocery store and apartment development that the Pensacola City Council unanimously voted to support in May of this year. The new Westmore Apartments will bring 328 apartment homes, a 37,000-squarefoot large-scale grocery store and a 750-space parking garage with 175 spaces reserved for grocery store customers.

Louisiana-based Bearing Point Properties is building the development that developers also hope will include a 54unit luxury condo development called the Waverly.

Since Hurricane Sally, the city has been in talks with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to receive disaster funds to rebuild the park's seawall, which was badly damaged in the storm. Questions of whether the damage was caused by the storm or a runaway barge from Skanska have held up FEMA from awarding money.

The second phase of Bruce Beach went out for bid in June of this year, and two construction firms submitted bids for the project. The lowest bid from Biggs Construction Company, Inc. came in at approximately $4,495,466 million with the required 10 percent contingency fund, for a total cost of $4,994,991 million.

Phase two includes planting many of the 194 planned trees in the park and building wall terraces, a mound overlook, a rock scramble, a sand volleyball court, a picnic area and a kayak launch.

With engineering, design and other line items for the project, the total cost is projected to be $5.6 million. The CRA currently has $3.7 million budgeted for Bruce Beach.

The City Council approved funding the first phase of the project in May 2022 for $6.9 million also to Biggs Construction Company.

The first phase included the construction of a central plaza with a walkway surrounded by trees leading to the sandy beach shore, a shade structure, two public lawn areas with seat walls, a learning garden with plants and play structures for children and a pedestrian bridge over Washerwoman Creek connecting the park to Community Maritime Park.

In August, the CRA voted to move forward with the second phase of construction, awarding the lowest bid to Biggs Construction Company, Inc. for a total of $4,994,991 million. The total cost for the Bruce Beach Park project will now be more than $12.5 million. With construction set to begin on phase two, Bruce Beach Park is anticipated to open in 2024.

36 | NWFL’s Business Climate

In May 2022, the City Council voted unanimously to approve a development agreement that pledges $1.5 million in CRA funds as an incentive to upgrade a block of Spring Street between Garden and Romana Streets. The developer will build and pay for the Spring Street improvements at a cost of $2.4 million before being reimbursed by the city with the $1.5 million incentive payment. The plan calls for upgrading landscaping along Spring Street and shifting the center of the road about 50 feet to the east, which will add a sharper curve in the street, allowing trucks to make deliveries to the grocery store. John Buzzell with Bearing Point Properties told the CRA board that they are working on updating designs to Spring Street that will include some type of bike lane to the street, though he could not say specifically what it would look like at this point.

New $30 Million IHMC Human Performance Research Complex Nears Completion The Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition broke ground today on a new $30 million project in downtown Pensacola, setting up the next chapter in the research facility’s journey of innovation and collaboration.

The IHMC Healthspan, Resilience and Performance complex will be a leading-edge lab and office building that will create a research hub, based in Northwest Florida, for advancing human healthspan, resilience and performance with the potential to lead the field. The facility is an investment in the intellectual capital of Northwest Florida, creating a hub of excellence in healthspan, resilience and performance research that will draw leading scientific minds to the region.

IHMC is funding the cost of the building. Partnering with the Institute are two state agencies, Triumph Gulf Coast, a nonprofit corporation created to manage the funds from the settlement of the BP Deepwater Horizon 2010 oil spill disaster; and Space Florida, the agency charged with supporting and growing the state’s aviation and aerospace industries.

Triumph is funding a substantial portion of the specialized research equipment to be housed in the new facility. Space Florida is collaborating with IHMC on research and technology.

DAG Architects, partnered with Atlanta-headquartered Cooper Carry, designed the building. Brasfield & Gorrie was chosen to lead the construction of the facility located at the corner of Garden and Alcaniz Streets in Pensacola.

“We will be collaborating closely with regional institutions and organizations that share an interest in human health span and performance, and these collaborations will lead to innovative spinoff opportunities and technology transfer,” IHMC founder and CEO Dr. Ken Ford said. “Certainly, the addition of this complex will bolster the regional economy through new funding in federal and industry-sponsored research.”

When complete, it will expand IHMC’s downtown Pensacola campus to three primary buildings and will be consistent with, and complementary to, the Levin Center for IHMC Research, which primarily houses research in robotics, human-machine teaming and intelligent networked systems. The project is expected to be completed in early 2024.

Blake Doyle Community Skatepark Celebrates Official Opening The City of Pensacola celebrated the completion of the Blake Doyle Community Skatepark at Hollice T. Williams Park with a ribbon cutting and grand opening event on May 2, commemorating a highly anticipated and monumental project for the Pensacola skate community.

The Pensacola community joined Mayor D.C. Reeves, the City of Pensacola and Upward Intuition to celebrate this exciting project, which includes approximately 25,000 square feet of skateable surface area for skaters of all ages and skill levels. The skatepark features a beginner area, multilevel skate plaza and two skate bowls, along with an additional 5,700 square feet of surrounding sidewalk and gathering areas. Additional improvements through the project include stadium seating, sidewalks, concrete gathering areas and artificial turf areas, benches, multi-colored concrete, trash cans and a small stage area.

Construction of the Blake Doyle Community Skatepark was completed on time and under budget. The City of Pensacola awarded a contract to Bear Construction for construction of the skatepark, which was managed by the city's Public Works and Facilities Department. All skatepark features were constructed by Evergreen Skateparks, a skatepark building company that designs and constructs skateparks worldwide.

The skatepark is part of the overall transformation of Hollice T. Williams Park through a joint project with the City of Pensacola and Escambia County, which will ultimately create a place for community members of all ages to connect and enjoy activities in the heart of the city. The Hollice T. Williams Park will also serve to improve water quality and reduce stormwater in the area. The Blake Doyle Community Skatepark is open daily from dawn until dusk.

The new Blake Doyle Community Skatepark

37

Architectural rendering of revised plans for the Hawkshaw development

Hawkshaw Developers Move Forward on New 54-Unit Condo Development The Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency and the Hawkshaw Development Group have reached a long-awaited agreement, with the CRA granting approval for developers to reduce the Hawkshaw project to a 54-unit condo development with no retail or commercial space.

of 50 to 54 condos or apartment homes with no designated retail space. In August 2023, developers submitted the full set of revised site plans and architectural renderings to the CRA for review and final approval. The CRA voted 5-1 on the new set of plans, granting approval for Hawkshaw developers to move forward with the official permitting process. Upon receiving their final permit, developers will have six months to begin vertical construction.

The City Council, sitting as the CRA, voted 4-2 to reopen negotiations on a deed covenant that serves as the development agreement for the property. It will be the sixth time the agreement has been changed since CRA agreed to sell the property to developer Robert Montgomery in 2018 for $1.6 million. Developers missed a deadline to file construction permits under the agreement in May and had to pay the CRA a $100,000 penalty fee. In early 2022, Brian Spencer, a former City Council member who joined the development group in 2019, said developers were looking to go back to a mixed-use concept with approximately 80 condo units and possibly a retail space.

Portion of Former ECUA Treatment Plant Sold for $4.5 Million as Part of West Main Master Plan

The latest proposal calls for a 54-unit condominium development with three buildings covering 172,651 square feet. Although there is no retail option, there is 9,000 square feet of space dedicated to residential amenities like a gym, rooftop terrace and bike, kayak or paddleboard storage. Former Councilwoman Sherri Myers said she felt the new design goes back to the original concept the CRA had in mind when they first approved the project in 2017. However, the 2017 proposal only had 39 condo units and 102,417 feet. Spencer said the new development will generate more than $170,000 a year in tax revenue which will go directly to the CRA.

The land sale originated as part of Studer Properties' selection of Inspired Communities of Florida and Emmitt Smith Enterprises LLC as the master developer of the West Main Master Plan in 2020, with the company agreeing to a purchase option on the 19-acre property. The 6.5-acre sale was the first of up to four purchase deadlines to maintain the purchase option on the property through 2025. Inspired Communities must purchase at least three acres of the property each year at approximately $650,000 an acre, with the price increasing two percent each year until 2025 when the option expires.

In November 2022, the CRA approved the Sixth Amendment to the Declaration of Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions for the project, with the new set of plans calling for a total

Quint Studer said that he bought the old ECUA site, known as "Old Stinky," in 2015 with no plans for the property other

38 | NWFL’s Business Climate

Inspired Communities of Florida and Emmitt Smith Enterprises LLC now own one-third of the former downtown Pensacola wastewater treatment plant as part of the West Main Master Plan. Inspired Communities purchased 6.5 acres of the approximately 19-acre property in February for $4.5 million, according to Escambia County property records.

The portion of the property that sold is the westernmost part that is bordered by Main, Clubbs and Government streets.

than whatever would be built there would improve the community. In 2018, then-Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward and Studer agreed to a public-private partnership to develop the West Main Master Plan. Studer paid $700,000 to DPZ CoDesign to develop a master plan for the ECUA property and the developable lots at Community Maritime Park.

In 2019, the City Council adopted the zoning changes that put the West Main Master Plan into effect and a Studer Properties selection committee chose Inspired Communities of Florida, then known as the Dawson Company, as the master developer for the former ECUA site.

The West Main Master Plan calls for the ECUA property to have some retail but largely higher-density residential development. When Inspired Communities was selected in 2020, their plan included townhomes, senior-focused apartments, market-rate and luxury apartments.

Inspired Communities later obtained lease options on city-owned parcels at Community Maritime Park, but the company said moving forward on those properties, which require the construction of a parking garage, was "financially infeasible" in the current economic environment. As prices rise in Pensacola, growth will focus on the west side of Pensacola. Studer has said the West Main Master Plan would ensure that the ECUA property will be developed how the community envisioned under the West Main Master Plan.

New 6-Story Hotel Proposed for Bayfront Parkway A proposed six-story hotel located near Bayfront Parkway has hit a roadblock with the Pensacola Planning Board.

Commercial real estate development company Kerioth Corporation was seeking approval to build 21 parking spaces in a public right-of-way on 13th Avenue and DeLeon Street for the exclusive use of its proposed Homewood Suites by Hilton at 801 E. Gregory Street. The Planning Board split in a 2-to-2 vote on whether to recommend approving a "license to use" the public property for private parking spaces.

Kerioth Corporation is proposing to build a six-story, extendedstay hotel with 132 rooms, which has been in development since back in 2019. The first floor will include the lobby, dining and breakfast area, a fitness center and a meeting room. The hotel will also feature a large pool, an outdoor grill area and a lawn for yard games.

City code requires a hotel to have one parking space for every room. However, because of its location in the Gateway Redevelopment District, the hotel could qualify for a 25 percent parking space reduction. Under the proposed design, developers could only fit 111 spaces on the property.

Despite qualifying the parking reduction, developers told the Planning Board that their project needed the full one- parkingspace-per-room because that was a requirement from Hilton.

The city's planning staff recommended the "license to use" (LTU) option as a solution, noting that the current parking spaces on 13th Avenue look improvised and no parking exists on DeLeon Street.

The city can issue LTUs for public right-of-way to businesses in exchange for a fee and other requirements. LTUs are generally requested by restaurants for the use of public sidewalk space for dining; however, the city has approved LTUs for parking spaces in the past. Pensacola Parking Services Director Lissa Dees said the city is looking at on-street parking spaces differently than in the past and opposed the parking proposal because of the problems the city already faces with parking enforcement in privately owned parking areas.

Dees said an alternative way to move forward was for the hotel not to enforce the exclusive use of the spaces. Planning staff said for the developers to improve the on-street parking and add the spaces needed, an LTU would likely be necessary. Herring said without an LTU, he didn't think they could justify spending the money to build the on-street parking. However, Dees said the city must move away from giving away exclusive use of on-street parking.

With a split vote, the item will go to the City Council with a note that the planning board could not reach a consensus and no recommendation was made. If developers decide to move forward, it will be up to the City Council to make the final decision on the issue. More details are expected to come following the October City Council meeting.

New 6-Story Homewood Suites proposed for Bayfront Parkway 39

Plans Submitted for New Dual-Branded Hilton Hotel on South Palafox Plans have been filed for a major new development on South Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola that would bring another hotel to the city’s urban core, further cementing the downtown area’s growth in tourism. Chattanooga-based 3H Group has submitted plan review documents for a new nine-story, 231-key dual-brand Hampton Inn & Suites and Home2Suites hotel that will sit on a 1.33-acre site at 600 S. Palafox Street.

To make room for the building, the developers propose to demolish the existing 29,000-square-foot one-story structures currently occupying the site. Operating as the New World Inn over the last four decades, the 1950s-era structures were originally built as an industrial box factory that once served the bustling wharves along the historic waterfront. Restored in the 1980s, the buildings were remodeled to include 16 boutique hotel rooms, as well as large banquet facilities and event spaces. Prior to Hurricane Sally, the Skopelos restaurant was also located on-site.

According to the submitted plans, the new hotel is expected to reach a height of 108 feet with a ground-floor lobby fronting Cedar Street and retail spaces along Palafox Street. Hotel rooms would occupy floors two through eight, with meeting spaces and a rooftop bar and pool on the ninth floor.

If approved, the hotel would become at least the seventh hotel currently under development in the downtown area, with the nine-story Tapestry Collection by Hilton at the East Garden District scheduled to break ground by the end of 2023 at Jefferson and Chase Streets. A construction timeline for the project has not been announced.

City Secures $25.1 Million for Hollice T. Williams Park Stormwater & Urban Greenway Project After years of talks, planning and public workshops, Pensacola has secured $25.1 million for the long-awaited Hollice T. Williams Park stormwater and urban greenway project located under Interstate 110. Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves made finding funding for the project a priority when he stepped into office, with it being tasked to the city’s new grant writing office. In July, Pensacola was awarded $39.7 million in grant funds from the Rebuild Florida Infrastructure Repair Program for three major projects, with approximately $25.1 million allocated to complete the Hollice T. Williams Park project.

The Hollice T. Williams Park project aims to address flooding in downtown Pensacola but also looks to reconnect and restore vibrancy to the historically Black and working-class neighborhoods that were split apart by the construction of I-110 in the 1970s. The interstate cut through a total of 18 city blocks, dissecting a historically minority neighborhood, and its commercial core has never recovered.

"This is a long-overdue project for our city in so many different ways from reconnection, from a greenway to first-of-its-kind

40 | NWFL’s Business Climate

amenities," Reeves said. "We have parks, but we don't have parks that connect neighborhoods like that. We're trying to bring value to every corner of our community."

According to Reeves, proposals for the park began in the wake of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and have taken nearly 20 years to get to this point. The park was one of the top-rated projects by Escambia County for RESTORE Act Funds in the wake of the 2010 oil spill. In 2018, Escambia County and Pensacola acquired $1.6 million in RESTORE Act funds for the park’s design, which came together in 2021 with a plan that included walking and running paths, greenspace, plazas, an amphitheater and stormwater infrastructure.

Reeves said with an actual budget now in place, the city will begin updating the design and seek feedback from the neighborhood on what they would like to see in the new park through a series of public workshops and meetings. The estimated construction start date for the Hollice T. Williams multi-use path is fiscal year 2026.

Reimagine Jackson Street: A Vision for West Jackson Street A new master plan that "Reimagined" Jackson Street is officially complete, and now Escambia County and the City of Pensacola will have to work to find funding to make the approximately $43 million in estimated improvements a reality. The "Reimagine Jackson Street" master plan calls for safety and road improvements to 6.2 miles of West Jackson Street from A Street inside the city limits of Pensacola to Fairfield Drive in Escambia County.

The plan calls for adding raised pedestrian crosswalks and intersections that would also reduce the speed of cars, protected bike lanes and sidewalks. The bike lanes and sidewalks would be set off from the road with "green" infrastructure that would hold trees and "rain gardens" designed to serve as stormwater drainage.

Serving as a guiding document for future improvement projects along the corridor, the master plan also calls for considering roundabouts at major intersections such as Pace Boulevard and Jackson Street.

The Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency adopted the master plan in early August, and Escambia County adopted the plan in July. To make this plan a reality, approximately $5.6 million in engineering and design will still need to be done. Construction estimates for the entire corridor are currently totaling around $37.5 million.

Catherine Prince, a project manager with WSP, the design firm that drafted the plan, told the CRA that the county will be applying for grant funding early next year for the project. The plan is broken into three segments. The first segment is the portion of the street inside the Pensacola city limits from A Street to T Street. Pensacola will need about $938,000 to fully engineer and design that section and another $6.3 million to build it. Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said the city grant office is working to include the project on planning and construction grants. Mayor D.C. Reeves has reported that nothing is finalized at this point but that the intent at this moment is to include this as one of the grant applications that will be happening this year.

City Hires SCAPE for Final Review of Hashtag Project A long-awaited project to make Pensacola's waterfront more pedestrian-friendly is getting a review by the original designers. The Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency approved an amended contract with SCAPE Landscape Architecture in early April of 2023 to pay $7,500 for a final review of the city's plans for the "Hashtag Waterfront Connector" project on Main Street. While the amount is small, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said it was something he wanted to see done before moving forward with a project that has been five years in the making.

The project is being funded out of the CRA and has a budget of $4.1 million, according to city spokesperson Dominique Epps. The budget was $6.1 million up until October, when the CRA transferred $2 million from the Hashtag project to the Bruce Beach Park project.

SCAPE developed the original "Hashtag Waterfront Connector" as part of a CivicCon effort to propose a catalytic project along with Bruce Beach to activate the city's waterfront for pedestrian use. The city took on the two projects and hired its engineers with Dewberry to design the Hashtag project.

SCAPE was also hired by the city to advise on the project.

City of Pensacola Selects Winning Design for New Welcome Sign The City of Pensacola announced the winner of the Pensacola welcome sign contest, Briana Spence of Spence Studios. Her pelican design will illuminate Bayfront Parkway and Gregory Street as drivers exit the newly named Chappie James Bridge.

Her design was chosen from 22 submissions through a blind selection and scoring process. The selection committee consisted of six individuals who did not know the identity of the designers until after the designs were scored and a winner was selected.

Spence, a full-time graphic designer and illustrator, said her inspiration for the design came not only from the many pelicans that inhabit Pensacola, but also from the iconic fiberglass pelican statues that can be spotted throughout Pensacola. She also incorporated lights into the design as a nod to the iconic light-up Pensacola Beach sign, which is loved and recognized by many.

The city is working in partnership with Dalrymple Sallis Architecture for this project, with funding provided in part through a Joint Participation Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation. The selected design will be fabricated and installed by the city, to be placed in the area between Bayfront Parkway and Gregory Street facing south-southeast. The new welcome sign is expected to be fabricated and installed by early 2024.

The project was called the "Hashtag" because of the shape created by the streets involved in the project of Palafox, Main, Jefferson and Cedar Streets. Over the years, as construction costs have increased, features have been removed or redesigned to reduce the overall cost of the project. Last year, the city released plans that showed the project focusing on Main Street by narrowing driving lanes along the street, creating more space for pedestrians and building Pensacola's first protected bike lane. Due to the number of changes over the years, Reeves requested that SCAPE conduct a final review of the project to ensure it still aligns with the original 2018 vision.

Despite the increase in construction cost over the years, Reeves has said he is confident the city still has enough funding to move forward on the project and that the city is on the lookout for additional funding opportunities such as the $200 million that was recently approved and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis for the Florida SUN Trail. The SUN Trail is a statewide plan to create a network of non-motorized trails for pedestrians and bicycles. The planned route goes through downtown Pensacola but is currently marked on maps as an "unfunded gap" in the SUN Trail network. Reeves said that with this new law, he believes the Hashtag project properly aligns with the goals of the SUN Trail.

The project is being planned by the engineering firm Dewberry, with consistency review from SCAPE and with continued public input. The first phase of the project includes improvements to Main Street between South Alcaniz Street to South Baylen Street.

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The new General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. Bridge on Pensacola Bay

3-Mile Bridge Renamed in Honor of General “Chappie” James Jr.

City To Put $1.4 Million Into Wayside Park Rehabilitation

The Pensacola Bay Bridge was officially renamed the “General Daniel ‘Chappie’ James, Jr. Bridge” at a groundbreaking ceremony held on July 12 for a memorial plaza at the base of the bridge. James, a proud son of Pensacola, was a Tuskegee Airman, Korean and Vietnam War combat fighter pilot and the nation’s first Black fourstar general.

Pensacola will begin the design process to rehabilitate Wayside Park despite the lack of federal Hurricane Sally disaster funds to pay for the storm's damage to the park's seawall. In September, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves asked the City Council to reallocate $1.4 million in funds to the park's rehabilitation design, which also includes previously approved projects like hanging warning chimes for tall vehicles attempting to drive under Graffiti Bridge and a pedestrian boardwalk along Bayou Texar under the 17th Avenue Railroad Trestle.

In June 2020, Florida Governor DeSantis signed the legislation that named the new "Three-Mile Bridge" over Pensacola Bay the General Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr. Bridge. The memorial plaza will be located adjacent to the Pensacola Visitors’ Center and will feature a 10-foot statute of James, an 80-foot-high flagpole and a phantom jet similar to the one he flew.

While the ceremony honored General James, it also dedicated the newly completed Three Mile Bridge.

“You know 93 years ago if you were standing here, you were waiting for a ferry to take you to Gulf Breeze,” said Senator Doug Broxson, who helped guide the bridge construction project through the legislature and submitted the legislation that named the new bridge in honor of Chappie James.

Along with the statue of the general, the Chappie James Memorial Plaza will also include a full-size F-4 Phantom Jet. The memorial plaza project was expected to break ground a few weeks after the groundbreaking ceremony but has since been delayed due to the rising cost of construction and building materials.

The General Chappie James Jr. Memorial Foundation is in the final phase of raising $2 million to support the project. In September, the foundation was awarded an IMPACT100 grant to help fund the completion of the memorial plaza project.

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The purpose of the reallocation of funds is to create one funding source, for multiple projects, that are located within this small footprint of the 17th Avenue Train Trestle, Wayside Park, and Bayou Texar. The intent is to reconstruct the 17th Avenue boat ramp parking area to allow for boats to be able to enter/exit without interfering with the train trestle overhead detection system. Additionally, we will construct a pedestrian bridge next to the Bayou, underneath the train trestle, to allow for safe access around 17th Avenue. This will connect into the existing boardwalk, on the north side of the trestle, where the existing boardwalk and pavilion will undergo refurbishment that will extend the life of the asset. The boat dock, at the boat ramp, will also be refurbished to make it more accessible and to ensure its longevity for years to come.

The $1.4 million already budgeted from the city's local option sales tax plan was allocated to rebuild the seawall at Wayside Park. This reallocation will now allow the funds to be spent on design for the other projects at Wayside Park.

Since Hurricane Sally, the city has been in talks with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to receive disaster funds to rebuild the park's seawall, which was badly damaged in the storm. Questions of whether the damage was caused by the storm or a runaway barge from Skanska have held up FEMA from awarding money.

Reeves said the $1.4 million will not be enough to cover the repairs to the park and the cost to repair the seawall could be as much as $3 million or $4 million. However, he was confident the city would be able to find funding sources.

Once the design is complete, any projects not dependent on the Wayside Park seawall, such as the chimes or the pedestrian boardwalk, will be able to move forward, while other projects will have to wait for the seawall to be repaired, such as the repaving of the Bayou Texar boat ramp.

Workforce Housing Proposed at Site of Former Malcolm Yonge Gym Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves wants the city to build workforce housing on the Malcolm Yonge Gym property once the unsafe building is demolished. The city made the decision to close the building earlier this year after discovering that it was structurally unsound. Reeves is now asking the Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to pay for the demolition of the building at 10th Avenue and Jackson Street and manage a request for a proposal for developers to build workforce housing at the site.

The city will work with Lighthouse Christian Academy, which had previously leased the building from the city, to find alternative recreation facilities for the one-year period to close out the lease. The city is now conducting an assessment to find out if any asbestos or other hazardous materials were used in the building’s construction.

Once the assessment is complete, the city will then begin seeking bids for the building’s demolition. Assistant City Manager David Forte said he expects the demolition contract to come to the CRA board in two to three months.

Reeves said he envisioned the property would target people who make 80 percent to 120 percent of the area median income. "We have police officers, we have firefighters, we have teachers in this community who can't afford to live in this community," Reeves explained. "And so, we pay them a wage of which they can't afford to live in the city that they protect or that they enrich when you have teachers teaching our children."

Reeves said the property could be a pilot project for workforce housing, much like the Pensacola Motor Lodge is being looked at for potential transitional housing for the homeless as well as housing for 60 percent of the area median income.

Reeves said the new Live Local Act, also known as SB 102, may also change what's possible at the property when it comes to workforce and affordable housing. "At the end of the day, we do own the property, and we would RFP, to our preferences, so we would have a little more control," Reeves said. "It's not just privately on property where they'd be able to do whatever they wanted within the (new) rules."

While no official vote took place during the September meeting, CRA board members appeared supportive of the idea of building workforce housing at the site.

City Looks to Acquire Portion of Old Baptist Hospital Campus With the official opening of the new $650 million Baptist Hospital in September, the fate of its old campus has become one of the biggest development issues facing the city, as what is built there will have the potential to influence growth and development on the city's west side for years to come.

Baptist administrators have been working on what to do with the vacated property since plans to build the new hospital were announced in 2019. However, no plan has been finalized because the cost to renovate or demolish the old medical towers and hospital buildings have proven to be far too costly.

Baptist administrators say they’ve studied different ways to remove the obstacles. Engineers who were hired to evaluate the aging buildings for residential use say it would be too “cost prohibitive” to renovate and bring them up to residential code as apartments or condos. Tearing them down is also going to be expensive. The demolition is estimated to cost $15 million to $20 million. That’s more than the property is worth, especially when building affordable housing on part of the property is one of the goals.

The dilemma is one Baptist leaders had hoped to resolve by the time they moved to the new campus. Over the years-long planning process they’ve met with neighbors as well as city, county and legislative leaders to identify the community’s wants and needs for the property and used their input to create a redevelopment plan.

The city is already involved in supporting affordable housing development applications for some areas of the campus and has committed to purchasing the historic Kupfrian House to make a city park if the affordable housing plan goes through.

In July, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves reported that the city would reapply for affordable housing funding for two proposed projects this coming fall. Last week, the city won $5 million to aid in the demolition of the old Baptist Hospital as part of its Rebuild Florida Hometown Revitalization Program grant award from the state.

Reeves said that Baptist Hospital and the city are in talks about the property's future, and nothing has been committed to, even with the recent grant award. The city must still enter into a grant agreement with the state before funds are awarded, which will then set the terms for how soon the money must be spent.

To date, no definitive plans have been announced for demolishing the hospital and towers on the old campus. The city will continue to work with Baptist to facilitate the creation of affordable housing units on a portion of this property. In the meantime, a large fence has been put up around the perimeter of the three towers and main hospital to prevent individuals from entering the buildings.

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Rendering of luxury condo development, The Waverly

The Waverly to Undergo Expansion and Partial Redesign

New Pensacola Bay Pier Opens at Community Maritime Park

Developers for the upcoming luxury condominium project in downtown Pensacola, The Waverly, have announced plans for a major redesign. Plans for the new seven-story condo development at 97 S. Spring St. originally included 54 luxury condo units, but developers recently announced that the building will now be expanded to include two additional levels and offer larger residences overlooking the water. Plans for the project’s redesign will be reviewed by the city’s Architectural Review Board this month.

On May 25, the City of Pensacola hosted a ribbon cutting event marking the official opening of the new Pensacola Bay Pier to the public. The new pier provides free public waterfront access at Community Maritime Park via boat or kayak. The Pensacola Bay Pier is located on the west side of Community Maritime Park at 301 W. Main Street in downtown Pensacola.

The pier features floating docks, 48 boat slips, kayak launch docks, kayak storage, a fishing weigh station and more. The project design was funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency and construction was funded through a grant received from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The Pensacola Bay Pier is free and open for the public to enjoy. The pier is open from March through October from 6 am to 10 pm daily and from November through February, from 6 am to 6 pm daily. To learn more about the Pensacola Bay Pier and to view rules and regulations for marina use, visit cityofpensacola.com.

“We originally planned The Waverly to be a 54-unit, seven-story building,” Waverly developer and managing partner at Bearing Point Properties John Buzzell said. “After overwhelming interest and feedback in this landmark property, we have decided to add two more stories to the building, introducing an eighth and ninth floor, which offer larger residences and even more stunning waterfront views.”

The redesign of the building is expected to begin in early 2024, and those with current reservations will have the first opportunity to move to floors eight and nine. The additional floors will feature larger residences will open floor plans.

The Waverly’s two and three-bedroom units feature open floorplans with oversized windows and glass doors, expansive patios with glass railings, subzero appliances and the latest smart home technology.

The Waverly will offer exclusive amenities including a rooftop pool and spa, private cabanas, Peloton studio, club room, fitness center, sauna and steam room, private courtyard, pet park and onsite concierge services.

Residences are currently being reserved for purchase through a fully refundable deposit. For complete property details, visit waverlypensacola.com.

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Lily Hall, Brother Fox & Sister Hen

Now Open in Downtown Pensacola

by Morgan Cole & Madeleine Davis

There is no doubt that people are moving to downtown Pensacola, and with more people comes the need for additional services, amenities and entertainment—all on the rise in Pensacola as well. From new boutique hotels and restaurants to recent expansions and relocations, here are some of the latest attractions to join the downtown scene.

First City Bee Company

Green Thumb Wines

Pensacola’s first mead shop opened its doors in downtown Pensacola in July. Owned by Pensacola transplants Natalie and Kevin Blake, First City Bee Company offers a variety of honey wines (Mead) and premium honeys from around the world, including local suppliers. The shop also offers a wide selection of hive-based personal care products and gifts. Inside the shop is a fully-stocked Honey Bar, where customers are invited to try complementary samples of their many different honey varities. First City Bee Company also offers free samples of Mead at its Bee Bar, which is also located inside the shop. The First City Bee Company is located at 9 S. Palafox Street and is open Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm and Sundays from noon to 5 pm.

Former owner of Bluejay’s Bakery and The Nest General Store, Justine Gudmundson-McCain, has opened a specialty natural wine and plant shop in downtown Pensacola. Green Thumb Wines will be the first wine shop in Pensacola to showcase low-intervention wines, which are exclusively made using organic and biodynamically grown grapes. Her intention is to cut out pesticides and herbicides by showcasing wines that are not only better for the environment, but better for consumers’ health. Green Thumb Wines is located at 9 E. Gregory Street and is open Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm.

Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House This new dining hot spot opened its doors August 14 for its first round of customers at its new location downtown Pensacola. Chosen to replace the former Tin Cow space located at 102 S. Palafox Place last October, Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House focuses on fresh ingredients, locally caught fish and an assortment of fresh oysters.

The restaurant is most known for its tasty, locally caught fish, which are fileted in-house daily. Most of the fish you’ll find on the Slick Lips menu is brought in fresh from Water Street Seafood in Apalachicola. Other items on the menu include crispy, skin-in, key lime snapper, seared scallops and cheddar-gouda grits and blackened crab crusted grouper. Slick Lips is open Monday through Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm.

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Lily Hall, Brother Fox & Sister Hen Historically home to Mount Olive Baptist Church (1928–1982), this property recently transformed into a 15-room boutique luxury hotel. In danger of demolition after damage from 2004’s Hurricane Ivan, the abandoned church made the Seven-toSave list, a program launched by the John Sunday Society in 2019 to preserve historic spaces. But in 2021, the Stahlman Hospitality Group stepped in with a plan to resurrect the old church, and this past spring, they opened the doors. Themed rooms come outfitted with record players, used books from local bookstores and custom tile and wall coverings designed by local photographer and custom wallpaper designer, Robert Malmberg. The on-site restaurant, Brother Fox, helmed by Chopped champion Darian Hernandez, draws inspiration from the backyard barbecues held at his home, the spirit of fellowship inspired by the former church and the Spanish heritage of Pensacola. Its speakeasy counterpart, Sister Hen, serves cocktails and tapa-style dishes. Located in the former basement and accessed via a hidden entrance, Sister Hen offers a variety of craft cocktails top shelf spirits. Lily Hall is located at 415 N. Alcaniz Street in downtown Pensacola.

Culinary Productions’ New Downtown Event Venue

Celestine Bed Bed & Breakfast Celestine This Victorian-era house lovingly restored by Cornelia Edwards and Gerald Robinson—family matriarch Celestine Harrison’s great-grandchildren—officially opened in April 2023 as the Celestine Bed & Breakfast. The historic home honors a family that has been in Pensacola for generations, with welcoming home-cooked meals and a friendly place to rest. The custom wallpaper inside the B&B features hand-drawn illustrations of old family photos and old clippings from the Pensacola News Journal covering local 1960s sit-ins opposing segregation.

More nods to Pensacola’s past are found throughout the property, including an original edition of "The Negro Motorist Green Book." You can expect a refreshing welcome drink and a hefty dose of home-cooked Southern food and hospitality at this charming new downtown B&B. All guest rooms are well-appointed with luxurious accommodations and private en-suite bathrooms. Celestine Bed & Breakfast is in the historic North Hill neighborhood of downtown Pensacola at 514 N. Baylen St.

Pensacola Smokehouse Let your nose follow the trail of barbecue smoke to downtown Pensacola’s newest barbeque joint, the Pensacola Smokehouse.

Tucked away in downtown’s historic Pensacola Village in the former home of South Market, Pensacola Smokehouse serves a barbecue sandwich with tender, juicy brisket or pulled pork that will leave your mouth watering. The menu also features a variety of small bites and tasty appetizers such as fried pickles, corn dip and more. Other smoked meat varieties on the menu include chicken, ribs and jalapeno sausage. Located at 232 E. Main St. in downtown Pensacola, Pensacola Smokehouse is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm.

Award-winning catering company Culinary Productions, has recently announced its new 5,000-square-foot event space set to open in November at 201 E. Wright Street in downtown Pensacola. The new space provides Pensacola with a one-stop shop for events, with an on-site kitchen area, dressing room and dining hall. The large warehousehas been completely revamped to accommodate a variety of setups for large and small scale events. The venue will also offer full-service catering and event rental packages for things like tables, chairs, linens, set-up/breakdown of the event and more.

Culinary Productions’ onsite event staff will provide assistance in coordinating other event service needs, including referrals for music or entertainment, photographers, florists, salons, wedding coordinators, ordering rentals and coordinating with other vendors. For details, visit culinaryproductions.net.

Coastal Cat Cafe Pensacola’s first ever cat cafe is set to make its debut later this year downtown Pensacola at 514 W. Garden Street. Coastal Cat Cafe will offer a one-of-a-kind experience where you can relax, sip on your coffee and indulge in delectable treats while enjoying the company of the cafe’s playful resident cats. The cafe will include a dedicated cat lounge along with a separate cafe area. The cafe will also serve as a temporary home to around 15 to 20 cage-free cats, all of which will be up for adoption through the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society.

Rocket To Saturn Vintage Take a trip to the past at downtown’s new pop-up vintage shop, Rocket To Saturn Vintage. Local vintage sellers, Vanna Taylor with Saturn Collective Vintage and Valerie Taylor with Rocket Anyway Vintage, have joined forces (and their collections) to bring an exciting new pop-up shop to downtown Pensacola in the Breezeway at One Palafox Place across from The Wine Bar. While both Vanna and Valerie are already owners of wildly-successful vintage boutiques, bringing their shops together under one brand allows them to broaden their customer base. Though the shop currently operates as a pop-up, Rocket To Saturn Vintage hopes to soon become a permanent fixture of downtown Pensacola.

Rocket To Saturn is located at 11 Palafox Place, Suite F and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm.

Lamonte Gelato Gelato Lamonte The makers behind Pensacola’s wildly popular pop-up fine dining experience, TROUBADOUR, have returned with a new venture and this time, it’s something sweet. Owned by local husband-and-wife duo Alex and Ashley Lamonte, Lamonte Gelato offers an assortment of small batch artisanal gelatos and coffees, all prepared by Alex, who received formal training in Italy. The shop prepares 14 different flavors of small-batch gelatos each day, with many of the authentic flavors paying homage to his Italian heritage. Dairy-free and vegan gelato options are also available. Lamonte Gelato is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 9 pm and is located inside the old Sacred Heart Hospital at 1010 N. 12th Ave., Suite 133.

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BarSteak

Alla Prima Coffee Roaster

A new restaurant has moved into the former Urban Swinery at 19 Palafox Place in downtown Pensacola. Restauranteur Johnny Mascia is working to curate a new menu that will highlight expert cooking styles, while also offering approachable foods.

BarSteak, his new breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant opened early October, will incorporate dishes inspired by the countries represented in Pensacola’s five flags for modern, multicultural new American cuisine. BarSteak will also offer a curated assortment of fine wines and cocktails, inspired by the likes of Manhattan, NY. Mascia also said that he intends to use the space to host local guest chef pop-ups for special events averaging around 10 courses. Keep your eyes peeled for this exciting new downtown dining experience.

Alla Prima Coffee Roaster was founded in 2020 with the mission of fusing a passion for art with an enthusiasm for specialty coffee. For owner and co-founder Summer Sevi, establishing her own micro-roastery to fuel her booming wholesale coffee business, was just the start of this mission. Sevi is now sharing her passion for the craft through her newly-opened drive-up coffee shop located inside the former Almost Vegan Soul Cafe at 532 W. Garden Street in downtown Pensacola. The menu features a variety of hand-roasted artisan coffees, fresh bites and bakery items. Plans are also underway to open an in-person cafe with dedicated space for local artists and creatives. In the meantime, you can grab a fresh cup of Alla Prima coffee at the cafe’s new drive-up window Monday through Satruday from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, visit allaprimacoffee.com.

Palafox Market South

Bear Fruit Bowls Be Bear Fruit Bowls&&Coffee Coffee ar Fruit Bowls & Coffee Husband and wife owners, Ryan and Alexis Ford, have brought their refreshing drinks and treats from their flagship location on Pensacola Beach to downtown Pensacola, except this time, in the form of a food truck. Situated in a quaint courtyard at the corner of Government and Tarragona Streets, the small food truck is a remake of an antique Citroën truck that was used to deliver glass bottles of milk across France. The truck features an acai bowl bar that’s lined with fresh ingredients to choose from. The menu also offers a variety of coffees and espresso-based drinks, including their signature coconut cold brew. Bear Fruit Bowls & Coffee is located at 260 S. Tarragona St. in downtown Pensacola and is open Monday through Saturday from 7 am to 3 pm.

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Palafox Market recently expanded its popular Saturday farmers market to a new area on Palafox Street at the corner of Palafox and Government streets. Situated in the heart of downtown Pensacola in Plaza Ferdinand, “Palafox Market South” includes a blend of familiar Palafox Market vendors, along with a new mix of local farmers, artisans and crafters. Shoppers can now navigate between the new market and the original location at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on North Palafox Street on Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm. Hosted by the Downtown Improvement Board, Palafox Market first opened in 2006 with around 25 farmers, but has since grown to become a weekly event featuring painters, jewelry makers, glass blowers, bakers, floral designers and many other cottage entrepreneurs, attracting as many as 10,000 shoppers on Saturdays.

Easy Going Records + Hifi If there’s one thing we know about music, it’s that records never go out of style. With everything from classics and jazz to Latin salsa, the shop carries a little bit of something for every type of music lover. If you’re new to the record scene, the shop also carries an assortment of turntables and hifi stereo equipment for your listening needs. Stop by browse through their large collection of records and vintage stereo equipment. For updates on special pop up events and more, visit easygoingrecords.us. Located in the breezeway at 11 Palafox Place, Easy Going Records + Hifi is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 am to 6 pm and on Fridays from 11 am to 10 pm.

Atlas Oyster Oyster House Reopens Atlas

New Locations & Expansions Pearl & Horn Tuck into the newest raw bar in town for tales of farming grit, passion for ancient wines and dedication to sustainably sourced seafood. Currently open in its cozy starter home in the Garden at Palafox + Main (the city’s first food hall), this hotspot will make its move to a larger location at 1504 W. Intendencia Street (formerly Alice’s Restaurant) in the coming months. The expanded space will accommodate up to 300 diners and include a new craft cocktail bar, an outdoor seating area and a fully-stocked fresh seafood bar.

The buttery lobster rolls and locally farmed oysters will carry over, but be on the lookout for new offerings like whole fish, seafood towers, ceviche and crudo, caviar and game meats such as elk and bison to make appearances on the expanded menu.

After a three-year hiatus, Atlas Oyster House officially reopened its doors to the public in mid-July featuring a slew of renovations, including an all-new covered outdoor seating area offering pristine views of Seville Harbor and Marina, a revamped menu helmed by Executive Chef Jason Hughes with six raw oyster options, seafood towers, 16 beers on tap and a brand new handcrafted cocktail menu. The restaurant also features a fresh new look inside, featuring new seating, ambient lighting and artwork that shares stories of Pensacola’s rich maritime history. Atlas Oyster House opens at 5 pm daily for dinner service. The laidback eatery also has plans to offer brunch, which is slated to launch later this year. Check out the full menu online at atlasoysterhouse.com.

Bavaria's New Biergarten Pensacola’s favorite German restaurant Bavaria opened up a new biergarten located in the back of the building in April. Guests are encouraged to use the biergarten to create a sense of community and to enjoy a glass of a lager, hefeweizen, citrus wheat or pilsner. The biergarten will be open consistent to the restaurant’s hours, but that is subject to change. Come in through the restaurant or through the Jefferson Street entrance to get straight to the biergarten. Pull up a chair, make a toast and split a giant pretzel with a new friend at Bavarian’s new biergarten on Sundays through Thursdays from 11 am to 9 pm and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Burrow The historic Sacred Heart Hospital, situated at the corner of 12th Avenue and DeSoto Street in East Hill, houses longstanding and beloved tenants like O'Zone Pizza Pub and the Montessori School of Pensacola, but the latest to announce its arrival is Pensacola’s Odd Colony Brewing Co. The brewery recently revealed in a social media post its plans to expand to a second location on the lower level of the building, which is expected to open up in spring of 2024. Dubbed by Odd Colony as a “Neighrborhood Beirgarten,” The Burrow will feature both a cocktail lounge and eatery, with both offering an extensive array of Odd Colony’s beloved ferments. The interior of the new space has been revamped in true Odd Colony style, featuring an eclectic nature lodge meets beer hall vibe. Get ready for this new addition, coming soon!

Vinyl Music Hall’s New Outdoor Venue & Proper Burger Vinyl Music Hall opened an outdoor expansion called B Side with a permanent food truck called Proper Burger this September, just weeks after the venue’s 13th birthday. This enclosed space has a small stage for acoustic sets that require something more lowkey and intimate than what the indoor venue of Vinyl Music Hall typically showcases. With the partnership of Artisan Restaurant Group, a family-run group that exclusively provides authentic cuisine to the Gulf Coast, Proper Burger offers multiple staple burgers with many rotating specialty burgers.

Union Public Public House Relocates Union Union Public House opened its new location in Pensacola’s East Garden District in the spot formerly occupied by Reynalds Music. Chef and owner Blake Rushing has maintained his in-house meat-curing program, loyalty to local farmers and producers and funky cocktails, but in an expanded space with more seating and set among historic gardens in the hippest new-old neighborhood downtown.

Rushing uses Southern influences to create his menu, and UPH’s daily specials change constantly so that there is always something to look forward to. Visit the new Union Public House location at 36 E. Garden Street open Monday through Thursday from 2 pm to 10 pm and Friday through Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm.

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