Pensacola Magazine, March 2018

WHAT’S THE BREW HA HA?

Home +Garden

A C el e br at ion of Pe ns ac ol a Cu lt u r e a n d cu isi n e

Ciclovia

Dow n tow n Ope ns i ts St r e ets to C ycl ists + Pe de st r i a ns

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE :

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BUSINESS CLIMATE ON THE MARKET

A REAL ESTATE SECTION

ultr a moder n infill Stunning Urban Design

V L CIC O IA PENSACOLA

OPEN STREETS

March 24, 2018

9 AM to 2 PM Downtown Pensacola Experience streets closed to motor traffic and open for biking, walking, dancing, or whatever moves you.

Brought to you by:

• • • •

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Editor’s Note As I write this, it is end of February and the weather is absolutely perfect—sunshine and warmth with cool, gentle breezes. It really couldn’t get any better. This change in the weather gets me excited to get out in the world and do things—a stark contrast to my winter hibernation. Even my mood has become sunnier and more optimistic. Luckily, there’s plenty to do in the springtime in Pensacola, and March kicks off the season with a bang. From cycling through downtown’s open streets at the second annual Cyclovia to hitting the inaugural Gulf Coast Science Festival or Pensacola Little Theatre’s Cabaret fundraiser, there’s no shortage of fun to be had this month. March also marks the opening of the long awaited 12th avenue restaurant Brew Ha Ha. Angela Walker’s vision is a truly inspired ode to Pensacola that locals and visitors alike will love exploring. Read all about the new restaurant that celebrates Pensacola’s history in fun and creative ways on page 19. Backyard beekeeping is growing in popularity—it’s great for the environment, helps keep bee populations up, and gives you sweet honey. What’s the downside? On page 25, Will Isern talks to local beekeepers to get all the information you need to start a colony of your own.

In this issue, we also feature a truly unique downtown home. As we see downtown empty lots filling up with new homes, we haven’t seen a real variety in terms of home design. This home on West Chase is the exception. A stunningly modern design that feels right at home in the growing downtown area. It’s so refreshing to see such a unique and creative project come to fruition. I know you’ll love peeking inside this ultra-modern downtown home starting on page 28. I’m particularly in love with the outdoor space—what’s your favorite? All this, plus our Business Climate section explores the ins and outs of building a new three mile bridge, the local oyster industry, and a vision for mapping the ocean floor. In our real estate section, On the Market, we explore the Pensacola Beach neighborhood and offer advice on a multitude of real estate topics. I hope you enjoy the issue! Send thoughts, comments and ideas to Kelly@ ballingerpublishing.com.

Kelly Oden Executive Editor

/pensacolamagazine

6 Pensacola Magazine

@pensacola_magazine

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Contents CICLOVIA Open Streets

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After an explosive success last year, Ciclovia returns to open downtown Pensacola’s streets for a day-long celebration of community and activity.

CABARET: Midnight in Paris 16

Pensacola’s biggest party takes a trip to the City of Light, as Pensacola Little Theatre’s fundraising gala transports Pensacola to the streets of Paris for one night only.

What’s The BREW HA HA?

19

The newly opened 12th Avenue restaurant celebrates all things Pensacola with culture, cuisine and connections.

PENSACOLA IS FOR THE GEEKS

22

Honey at home

25

26

The inaugural Gulf Coast Science Festival brings STEAM to life in March.

Backyard beekeeping is on the rise. You can do it too. Local experts offer advice on getting started.

14

Ultra Modern Infill 28

A stunningly modern design that feels right at home in the growing downtown area.

In Every Issue Editor’s Letter 6 Pensacola Scene 10 Play/Live/Give 39 Our Storied Past 42

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Special Sections Business Climate On the Market 8 Pensacola Magazine

45 59

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MAGAZINE

MARCH 2018 Owners Malcolm & Glenys Ballinger Publisher Malcolm Ballinger malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com Executive Editor Kelly Oden kelly@ballingerpublishing.com Art Director Guy Stevens guy@ballingerpublishing.com Graphic Designer/Ad Coordinator Carly Stone carly@ballingerpublishing.com Editor Will Isern will@ballingerpublishing.com Assistant Editor Tanner Yea tanner@ballingerpublishing.com Contributing Writers DeeDee Davis Eric Milstead Joe Billingsly Sales & Marketing Paula Rode, Account Executive ext. 28 paula@ballingerpublishing.com Geneva Strange, Account Executive ext. 21 geneva@ballingerpublishing.com Boyce White, Account Executive boyce@ballingerpublishing.com 314 N. Spring St. | Pensacola, FL 32501 850.433.1166 | fax: 850.435.9174 ballingerpublishing.com Published by Ballinger Publishing:

magazine

Proud member of the

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. Š 2018

Pensacola Scene Pensacola Magazine’s Weddings 2018 Cover reveal party

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1. Frances Noa, Brenton Goodman, Vincent Noa and Frederick V. Longmire 2. Mallory and Becky Hildebrand 3. Rick and Michele Schamberger 4. Malcom Ballinger and Josh Newby 5. Incee Netinai, Tanner Yea, Cooper Dalrymple and Jollan Aurelio 6. Jon Hauge, Stephanie and Dustin Heckman 7. Hara Cook and Angela Thames Walker 8. Brenton and Stephanie Goodman 9. Boyce and Leslie White 10. Carly Stone and Jordan Richards 11. Michele and Fefe Schamberger, Lisa Kelley and Laura Munro. 10 Pensacola Magazine

Pensacola Scene PENSACON 2018 3

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1. Elizabeth Bondurant as Holtzman 2. Ray as Hella 3. Robert Collins as Hulk Hogan 4. The Smith family as Umbrella Corp. 5. Circe as Ursula 6. Kris Dilks as Catwoman 7. The White family as Starlord, Starlord’s walkman and Groot

Pensacola Magazine

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Pensacola Scene Pierrette’s Ball at the Penscaola Country Club. Pierrette’s is the oldest female Krewe in Pensacola, celebrating 62 years! President: Gaye Overholtz; VP: Heather Reece; Treasurer: Julie Dyson; Past President: Michelle Griffin; Secretary: Patti Hutto; Membership Chairman: Huntley Jimenez. Board Members: Margaret Browning, Halli Leidner, Liz Hamrick, Susan Davies, Marijane McKinney, Jane R. Litvak, and Laura Weston. Photo by Barrett McLean.

NAI Halford’s Mardi Gras Party ay the home of Corbett and DeeDee Davis

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Ciclovia DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA OPENS ITS STREETS TO cyclists and pedestrians by Tanner Yea

Spring is always an exciting time in Pensacola: after

months of long jackets and cold beaches, we can once again live that Florida lifestyle that others are so jealous of. And what better way to open up the season than to take to the streets to stretch your legs and feel the warm air?

14 Pensacola Magazine

That’s why on March 24, Ciclovia – Pensacola Open Streets returns to downtown Pensacola for its second year. This event rides off of last year’s breakout success, when over 10,000 people participated in the event. Ciclovia originally started in Bogota, Colombia in 1974 as a weekly event where people walked, biked, skateboarded or roller-skated through the streets – without the interference of motor vehicles. Fortyfour years later, the event has spread across 400 cities around the world, including places like Guadalajara, Mexico and Capetown, South Africa. Pensacola has now emerged as yet another success story of the event. “Last year we drew thousands of visitors to downtown, many for the first time in years,

and they had a blast,” said Rand Hicks, Ciclovia’s chairman. “We hope to do even better this year.” From 9 am to 2 pm, a large portion of downtown will be closed to motor vehicle traffic, allowing for pedestrian and selfpowered vehicles to take over the streets. Closures include Palafox Place from Romana Street to Plaza DeLuna, and Main Street from the Community Maritime Park to Bartram Park. In addition to cruising through the open streets of downtown like never before, music, vendors and other events will be staged all throughout the area – including a Kids Area at Plaza DeLuna, health screenings and other activities. All of the activities will be free of charge.

As long as it doesn’t have a motor, it’s welcome at Ciclovia. Whether a pedestrian, biker, skater, skateboarder or something else, there will be plenty to do and see.

The event this year is primarily partnered with Humana. Other support comes from Visit Pensacola, the University of Florida Usha Kundu College of Health, rideON, the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County, and more. Ciclovia has also drawn a large amount of economic influx to the community. According to survey data from the University of West Florida and Visit Florida, increased spending during the event put over $597,000 into the economy, with people spending an average of $46 at the event. Over 42 percent of those surveyed also said they discovered a new business during the event they wouldn’t have normally been to in their spare time.

According to the 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment facilitated by the Florida Departments of Health in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, around 60% of Escambia County is overweight – around

Hicks said that the event will also help reduce pollution as well as show-off that downtown Pensacola is a people-friendly space that can serve as a model or getting out of our cars and using alternate forms of transport. He also stressed that it is a community-focused “If we want to change peoplesʼ behavior for the better, event, intended as a way for residents to meet people we need to show them what’s available. We think and represent themselves to organizations and businesses that once people see how easy it is to get around that make an impact in the downtown without cars, they won’t be thinking about community.

exercising, they will just be enjoying themselves.” “Over the last decade Pensacola has really reinvented itself as an urban center,” said Hicks. “The return of restaurants, retail and professionals has followed public and private investment in places like the Community Maritime Park and Plaza de Luna, the renovation of many historic buildings, as well as good sidewalks and pedestrian-friendly traffic rules. This all set the stage for what is happening now: people returning to live downtown.” One of the main reasons for holding Ciclovia is to better public health.

the state average. This health issue has resulted in further high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. “The obesity epidemic has underscored the value of exercise,” Hicks said. “That’s a plus for downtown, because urban centers are great for people looking for sidewalks and safe places to connect. If we want to change peoples’ʼ behavior for the better, we need to show them what’s available. We think that once people see how easy it is to get around downtown without cars, they won’t be thinking about exercising, they will just be enjoying themselves.”

Ciclovia does not seem to have an end in the near future, as the success of last year has only ramped up advertising and the overall scale of the event. Hicks hopes that Ciclovia will continue to be an annual tradition, and perhaps be held more frequently further on down the line. Ciclovia – Pensacola Open Streets will be held on Saturday, March 24 from 9 am to 2 pm on Palafox Place and Main Street. The event is free and open to the public for all ages. For more information on Ciclovia 2018 or to learn more about Pensacola Open Streets, visit PensacolaOpenStreets.com or contact Rand Hicks at PensacolaOpenStreets@ gmail.com.

Pensacola Magazine

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The city of light comes to pensacola by Tanner Yea • Photos by Ash Simmons

Paris is known as the City of Light, both for its role as a center of culture and the beautiful lights that give the city a soothing glow. On March 24, the Pensacola Little Theatre will bring the elegance of Paris to Pensacola as they hold Cabaret: Midnight in Paris. 16 Pensacola Magazine

Cabaret has long been Pensacola Little Theatre’s largest fundraising event, and was billed as Pensacola’s biggest party. However, since Executive Director Sid Williams-Heath took the reins, he has gone to a backto-basic style for the event. This is his first time running Cabaret, but he observed and studied last year’s event to figure out how to improve it. “We took Cabaret very literally; breaking it down and building it back up. We are basing this year’s event on the first true Cabaret - which was La Chat Noir in Paris in the 1800s. We wanted to bring Paris to Pensacola and provide a complete Parisian experience,” said WilliamsHeath.

While previous Cabarets have divided the Pensacola Little Theatre and the adjoining Pensacola Cultural Center into distinct themed areas, PLT’s marketing specialist Ashley Simmons said Midnight in Paris would offer a more cohesive experience. “We are going to have Moulin Rouge represented with the drag performers and burlesque dancers. We’ll have a Paris streetscape with street performers, an art deco room with champagne and crepes – we want to carry the Parisian theme throughout,” said Simmons. PLT will also be hanging a massive French flag from the side of the building a week before the event to drive the theme home.

Inside there will be an open bar, a dance floor with music DJ’d by Powell Entertainment, performances by the Improvable Cause improv group, snippets from Pensacola Ballet’s An American in Paris, food catered by David Penniman and even a few surprises. Parts of Zaragoza Street will also be blocked off to make way for outdoor entertainment, including a live performance by the Black Jacket Symphony. “Cabaret will still be a great party, but the appeal this year is more of a gala atmosphere,” said Simmons. “People will be wearing more gowns and suits rather than jeans or cocktail dresses.”

Cabaret’s presenting sponsor this year is Pure Pilates and owner Susan Clark is a board member on the Cabaret committee. Simmons said that Clark is making a big difference this year by providing her own funds to help hold the event, as well as offering suggestions on keeping the Parisian theme cohesive. Cabaret at its core is a fundraising event for PLT, and in addition to the funds raised by ticket sales, Cabaret will also have a variety of auctions. Simmons said that the silent auction would offer more ‘experiences’ rather than single items – lots like date nights for a month or theatre tickets. There will also be a Chinesestyle raffle auction for more traditional auction items like

paintings and gift certificates. Williams-Heath said that fundraising for Pensacola Little Theatre is so important because of how expensive it is to maintain an old building like the Pensacola Cultural Center. “A problem with a leaky roof now might cost a few hundred dollars, but if you have to wait a little for it to be repaired, it can get worse and cost a few thousand dollars,” said Williams-Heath. “PLT and the Cultural Center are a beautiful staple of downtown, and we want to maintain it and grow as a good example of things you can see and experience in Pensacola.” Williams-Heath and Simmons hopes that Cabaret will not only provide a great party

and memorable experiences, it will serve as a catalyst to get both young people and those unaware of the Cultural Center and PLT aware of what they have to offer. “In order for us to sell the building, people have to see the building. Some people don’t realize that we are a performing arts center, and they come for Cabaret and see all that we do – from improv to ballet to performances to our classes,” said WilliamsHeath. “The outreach we

get from Cabaret is just incredible.” Cabaret: Midnight in Paris will be held on March 24 at 7 pm. You must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets are on sale for $100. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pensacolalittletheatre.com.

Pensacola Magazine

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what’s the

Brew

Ha Ha?

rdest They say the wa itin g is the ha ing the pa rt, but for Pensacolians watch Ga ller ia tra nsformation of the for mer enue over La mp bu ild ing at 2435 12th Av y over. the last yea r, the wa it is finall restau rant Brew Ha Ha , the nei ghborhood has arr ived. celebrati ng Pensacola histor y, e of An gela The bra inchild and labor of lov iconic Wa lker has already become an 1940s destination tha nks to the gia nt the side of Pensacola postca rd pa inted on artist Patti the bu ild ing. Pa inted by local ome the goGil lespie, the postca rd has bec als ali ke. to photo op for tou rists and loc by Kelly Oden • photos by Guy Stevens

“It never occurred to me that it would become such a landmark when I asked her to paint it,” says Walker. “I truly had her paint it on the side of the building because it’s my favorite vintage Pensacola postcard. Lo and behold, people started coming and taking their pictures and people started saying, ‘You’re a marketing genius.’ I said, ‘Don’t give me so much credit. I really just did it because I love to collect old postcards from Pensacola and it happened to be one of my favorites.’ Every time I see families, friends, sororities, or visitors taking a picture out there, I try to step out and have a conversation with them. It brings me a lot of joy to know that I had a part in them enjoying themselves for the day. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We have a lot of things inside that I think people will enjoy just as much.”

A natural born storyteller and a lifelong history buff, Walker is a local girl from Santa Rosa County—leaving just long enough to earn her bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Florida. She returned to earn a masters and doctorate in education from the University of West Florida where she taught social studies methods and reading education. After developing, and eventually selling, an educational company that used entertaining stories to help children build reading skills, Walker did some soul searching to figure out her next step. “When I saw this building, I was excited by the idea that we could create something where people are engaged in the memorabilia and through that, are able to share their personal connections

to Pensacola’s past, which I think is so interesting versus reading it in an academic format. People will poke their head in and see the San Carlos Hotel themed bar and they’ll say, ‘Oh, my god. My mom and dad went to prom there.’ And all of a sudden, you see the joy in their face—the recollections and that personal connection with the fascinating history of Pensacola and what makes us a special place. That brings me a lot of joy. I always wanted to open a venue where people could come together and enjoy each other but also connect with each other. We started with the idea of it being a venue for those connections to happen and then we said what else helps people connect? The dinner table—breaking bread with each other—is a wonderful way of not only connecting with each other,

but also with the nostalgia of dishes and things gone by. You think, ‘oh, my gosh, that’s just like my grandmother used to make.’ Even with our menu, we tried to reflect the theme of things that help us connect—with the people we love, the past, and our own personal histories.” There’s no doubt Walker has accomplished her goal. The roughly 5,000 square foot building is brimming with unique Pensacola memorabilia and ephemera. An original arch from the San Carlos hotel greets customers at the door and as does the original sign for Sam’s Shoe Shine Stand, which was located in the hotel. The San Carlos theme continues through the bar area, which features rich copper and tobacco colors and memorabilia from the iconic hotel and other

vintage bar decor. In an interesting design twist, the bar also features round, vintage penny covered tables that are connected to the bar, but also separate enough for small parties to have space to themselves. The centerpiece of the main dining area is the large replica of the Graffiti Bridge that separates the bar from the dining room. Walker created the model and local graffiti artist Nate Lyle completed the base. “Over the last year and a half, I have been photographing real graffiti art on the Graffiti Bridge and turning them into magnets,” says Walker. “So we have all this real graffiti art and we have a library of magnetic letters that you can customize for your photos.” Another interesting dining room piece is the huge vintage sign that reads ‘World’s Whitest Beaches.” The sign was found by Brent Maddox who went out after Hurricane Ivan and saw the clean-up crew throwing the vintage 1960s sign in a dumpster. He saved it and it sat in his garage for almost 25 years. Walker and her team cleaned and restored the sign and artist Lindsey Gray is recreating a missing center portion

in a unique way. Walker thrives on finding old things and either bringing them back to life or repurposing them in an interesting way. “Some of this came from my own private collection of Pensacola memorabilia,” she explains. “I thought, why just hoard it for my own little world to enjoy? How much more fun to be able to share it with a larger audience. What’s been so heartwarming is that as I’ve been building, I’ve had people approach me and say, ‘You know what? This has been sitting in my garage or this has been on my wall and I would love for others to enjoy it as well.’ So many items have been donated or loaned to us. We are thrilled that people want to share what they have of Pensacola’s past.” One such person is Robin Rowan, a neighbor and fellow Pensacola history lover who created a seven foot tabletop using over 150 vintage postcards from her own collection-some dating back to the 1800s. “There are no duplicates on the table,” she says, “and you’ll notice that no matter where you sit, the postcards are oriented toward you.”

Top Left: Angela Walker strikes a playful pose on the San Carlos themed bar. Top Right:: Artist Lindsey Gray restores the “Whitest Beaches” sign. Bottom Right: An alcove of vintage records and radios provides seating during the day and transforms into performance and dj space at night. Rowan and Walker both hope the table inspires people to discuss history and tell their own stories of bygone Pensacola days. Even the restrooms at Brew Ha Ha are a reflection of Walker’s creative take on history and heritage. “One of my favorite things that we’ve done is that I’ve been collecting old Pensacola yearbooks from all different schools and eras,” says Walker. “I’ve got some as early as the 1930s. We’ve

used those pages to create wallpaper in the restrooms. I can’t wait to see people’s reactions. It’s so fun to see how styles and cultures have changed over the years. From cat-eye glasses and bouffant hairdos to the very relaxed feel and look of the 70s and then my era of the 80s. As for the menu, customers certainly seem in for a treat. While the menu as a whole will largely reflect southern culture, Walker and Chef Pensacola Magazine

19

what’s the

Brew

Ha-Ha? Brew Ha Ha Owner Angela Walker and Chef Travis Wilson pose in front of the Pensacola postcard mural.

Travis Wilson have added a few interesting twists along the way. “During the day we will be doing a lot of Blue Plate Specials--dishes that are tried and true,” says Walker. “At night we turn into more signature menu items that really bring you back to days gone by. An example would be Chef Travis’ original Cracker Jack Chicken—it’s one of those things that just puts a smile on your face. I feel like what we are doing is unique, so I tried to come up with a way of explaining it succinctly and I came up with ‘Pensaculinary.’ What I mean by that is part of what makes Pensacola special is that we are the city of five flags and we have heritage that goes back centuries. Our menu will reflect that heritage.” The five flags of Pensacola will be represented in a variety of salads and other dishes, some with a

Pensacola history,” explains Walker. “For example, one of our salads is Gaspachee salad. The first time it was ever made was in Pensacola. The reason it was made was that it used hardtack, which was an item that sailors had ready-made. It was hard bread that traveled well and didn’t spoil. They would come in to port and use what was growing here, so by necessity, they put together this salad. It was actually served at a restaurant on 12th Avenue almost 75 years ago and was very well loved. But, when

“...part of what makes Pensacola special is that we are the city of five flags and we have heritage that goes back centuries. Our menu will reflect that heritage.” playful southern twist. A 12th Avenue Cruise will be served with a 12th Avenue street sign and will offer four appetizers that pay homage to different businesses along the avenue. Truly historical local dishes will be included as well. “We also are going to be featuring some things that reflect true

20 Pensacola Magazine

they went out of business, nobody else picked it up so we are going to pick up that historical recipe. It was really important to me to try to have one or two items that were truly historical dishes.” Another unique menu item in Walker and Wilson’s plan to feature

Pensacola’s five flags is their take on the American flag. Each month, Brew Ha Ha will invite a local East Hill resident to share a recipe that reflects their unique heritage. “So, our March neighborhood special will be from East Hill resident Patty Freeman. She has an

Irish heritage, so she is going to be sharing with us her recipe for corn beef and cabbage and it will be a special that we serve for the whole month. The next month, it may be a Mexican dish from someone in the neighborhood, because as we all know, all of America is a melting pot, or some say a salad bowl. That

Bottom Left: The Brew Wow Wow patio. Top Right: One half of the Graffiti Bridge model. Bottom Left: The San Carlos themed bar. gives us the opportunity to step outside of southern culture and feature at least one item a month that truly reflects the diversity of not only America, but the Pensacola community as well.” While Walker and Wilson are keeping the full menu under wraps until the grand opening, Wilson, a native Pensacolian and former chef for the Blue Wahoos, describes his style as southern inspired fare with panache. He’s particularly proud of his crab cakes and is excited to serve them in a way he says is unique and fun. Additionally, Wilson says they plan to have a vegan dish that will change monthly. And, Walker hasn’t forgotten how much East Hillians love their dogs— the outdoor patio not only welcomes dogs to dine with their people, it was named for that very purpose. Brew Wow Wow is an outdoor space that feels like a scene from a vintage campsite at Fort Pickens. Brightly colored tables and chairs, a bar made from a vintage speedboat, a giant hanging shark, and a vintage Blue Angels hangar sign all combine to

give the patio a hip, retro, laid back feel. An adorable 1960s camper also offers couples or small groups the chance to share a private meal in the midst of the beachy vibe.

Pensacola businesses. When not being used for private events, Walker envisions Ruby’s as a man cave of sorts—a place where guests can enjoy sports and T.V. viewing.

In tribute to Ruby’s Beauty salon, which was in business for over 30 years at the site, the event room is called Ruby’s Rumpus Room and each tabletop will feature different

Ultimately, it’s all about connection and a good time for Walker and the Brew Ha Ha crew. In particular, she hopes the venue will help generations connect and have fun

together. “When they can hear family members share personal stories, I think it will help kids develop an appreciation for history-when it’s connected to a real item and a story from their family.” Brew Ha Ha is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am until.

Pensacola Magazine

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Geeks

Pensacola is for by Kelly Oden

First there was Pensacon—the ultimate convention for sci-fi and cosplay lovers. Then came I10Wired’s Geeks on the Beach—a meet-up of all things cyber and IT. Next, we had Foo Foo Fest—a two-week celebration of the arts. Now, aspiring STEAM geeks of all ages are invited to explore how science, technology, engineering, art and math converge at the inaugural Gulf Coast Science Festival. Pensacola’s own hands-on science lab, the Pensacola MESS Hall, is producing the event, which runs from March 8 to March 17. The festival aims to bring together some of the biggest STEAM stakeholders in the region, including the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), The National Museum of Naval Aviation, The Florida Public Archeology Network, the University of West Florida and more. Inspired by science festivals in other cities, Megan Pratt, executive director of the Pensacola MESS Hall, brought together the best STEAMrelated minds in Pensacola to plan a science shindig of our own. 22 Pensacola Magazine

“Science festivals are becoming more and more popular across the country, and we had an opportunity to receive a matching grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to start a science festival in Pensacola. We got a group of science-loving organizations in our community together at a table, and they took the simple idea that we had and grew it to over a week of activities,” Pratt said. While festival organizers hope to appeal to children and families, anyone of any age who wants to know

“Most kids don’t meet scientists and engineers in their everyday life. So, it’s really a chance to see different kinds of science and try different things. The expo day gives them a chance to talk with real scientists, experiment, and ask questions.”

more about science will get something out the event, Pratt said. “I think it’s important, whether you go into a science field or not, to be knowledgeable about science— to be an informed citizen of the world. Science is part of your everyday experience. Science is involved in so many of the critical issues that we face today. To understand the critical thinking and the decision making that goes into science is very important. We need to celebrate science. It’s part of our community. The festival is an opportunity

for people to get involved in thinking about the importance of science in everything they do,” Pratt said. A highlight of the weeklong celebration of all things STEAM is the Festival of Flight on March 9 at the Escambia County 4-H Center. Attendees can discover the marvels of flight—both natural and mechanical—with bird presentations by the Audubon Society for the nature lovers and drone races for the techies.

On March 17, Expo Day brings together dozens of science-focused organizations for hands-on activities and demonstrations with local scientists. The robotics team from the IHMC will be on hand giving robot demonstrations throughout the day, and guests can enjoy a variety of interactive projects on topics like solar energy, archeology, the environment and engineering.

“Most kids don’t meet scientists and engineers in their everyday life,”Pratt said. “So, it’s really a chance to see different kinds of science and try different things. The expo day gives them a chance to talk with real scientists, experiment and ask questions. We are asking all partner organizations to bring something hands-on.” Additional events include two lectures. The first, “Our Future in Space: Humans, Robots, and Telescopes Exploring Together,” by Jack Burns, takes happens before the festival

kicks off, on Feb. 22. The second, “Science Matters: On the Importance of Communicating Science to All,” is presented on March 8 by James Rea, on behalf of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. For all the fun-loving local science geeks, the Pensacola MESS Hall is hosting Trivia Night: Invasion of the Geeks at Goat Lips Chew and Brew House on March 14. No matter your age, interest, or previous science experience, the Gulf Coast Science Festival is sure to bring out your inner geek— and that’s a good thing! For more information about the Gulf Coast Science Festival, visit gulfcoastsciencefestival. org.

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Honey at Home A

s environmentally conscious and sustainable lifestyles go more and more mainstream, some homeowners have taken to keeping honeybees in their backyards. Beekeeping can be a symbiotic and fun hobby for the beekeeper – and it may be easier to get in to than you might guess.

Keeping bees is easier than you think By Will Isern

“It’s probably one of the most interesting hobbies you can do,” said EscaRosa Beekeepers Association president Allen Wood. “Kids love it, adults get into it; it’s just a really fun hobby, and you get something from it if you harvest the honey.” The benefits of keeping bees include the obvious – honey, beeswax, pollination – as well as the not so obvious, said East Hill Honey Co. owner Tommy Van Horn. “For me personally it’s really tied me into the local seasons and the nuances and a lot of the things that go on hidden from the everyday, or things you don’t think about like when certain things are blooming,” Van Horn said. “It’s created

a rootedness and appreciation in a new way which I didn’t have before. It kind of opens your eyes to a new world.” Wood said most people could get everything they need to begin keeping bees for $850 or less. He suggests beginners start out with two hives, which can each house around 50,000 bees and one queen. Wood also suggests that new beekeepers buy local bees that have been adapted to Northwest Florida’s climate. Bee Sanctuary Honey Farm, owned by local bee expert Shelby Johnson, and East Hill Honey Co. each sell starter kits for new beekeepers.

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Starting in April, the EscaRosa Beekeepers Association will offer a course for new beekeepers beginning with how to start a new colony all the way to harvesting honey. The course will be taught at the Pensacola International Airport, where the association has several colonies. For non-agricultural land, state law allows for up to three colonies (defined as a distinguishable localized population) on a quarter acre of land, which is roughly the size of the average residential lot. The number of allowable colonies increases with lot size. There are no restrictions on the number of colonies that can be kept on land that is zoned agricultural. Backyard beekeepers are required to register their bees with the Florida Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry and have their apiaries (the name for a ‘bee yard’ or site where bees are kept) inspected by a state apiary inspector. Once the hives are in place, Wood said, maintaining the colonies can require as little time as a few hours each month during the off-season or an hour or so a week during the spring and summer months. Keepers should watch out for colonies exhibiting signs of a dreaded Varroa Mite infestation and for hive beetles. Keepers may also want to consider alerting their county’s pest control of the location of their hives so that workers can avoid spraying pesticide near the apiary.

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, backyard beekeeping is becoming increasingly popular in Florida and, Florida’s honey industry is consistently ranked among the top five in the nation with an annual worth of $27 million, and that, 17 million pounds of honey are produced in Florida each year. Van Horn said the greatest benefit to his family since they started keeping bees in 2011 has been the community of people that they have met. “Just the community engagement, the contacts, and friendships you make with all sorts of great people,” he said. “And the satisfaction of working with nature to create a product that wasn’t there before, there’s real satisfaction in that.”

Want to keep bees? Start here! Bee Sanctuary Honey Farm 6310 W Fairfield Dr. Pensacola, Florida Call (850) 457-6737 26 Pensacola Magazine

EscaRosa Beekeepers Association 3740 Stefani Road Pensacola, FL 32533 escarosa.beeinfo.org

East Hill Honey Company info@easthillhoney.com (850) 780-3499

A.A. Cunningham Road paving notice ... Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NavFac SE) has awarded a contract to mill and overlay A.A. Cunningham Road on NAS Pensacola. The work is scheduled to begin the week of Sept. 12 and expected to take four weeks to complete. Watch for “Road Closed” and “Detour” signs. Detour routes to facilities in the area will be Page Road to Warehouse Road and Farrar Road to Pat Bellinger Road. Drivers should observe the warning signs and proceed with caution around the work zones. The work schedule is weather dependent. For questions or more information, contact the PWD Construction Manager Bryan Moeller at 452-3131, ext. 3077.

Vol. 80, No. 35

VISIT GOSPORT ONLINE: www.gosportpensacola.com

GOSPORTPENSACOLA.COM GOSPORTPENSACOLA.COM GOSPORTPENSACOLA.COM GOSPORTPENSACOLA.COM GOSPORTPENSACOLA.COM GOSPORTPENSACOLA.COM

September 2, 2016

Fallen Special Tactics Airman honored at NASP By Capt. Katrina Cheesman Sibley’s unit. “This dedication 24th Special Operations Wing and memorial ruck is an important step for us as a brotherhood Air Force Special Tactics Air- to honor Forrest’s legacy of men dedicated a military freefall valor, and get a small bit of clotraining exercise into Pensacola sure.” Bay Aug. 26 to His teammates Staff Sgt. Forrest escorted the famSibley, a combat ily to Sibley’s controller from burial site, wearPensacola killed ing combat ruck in action Aug. 26, sacks weighing 2015, in Helmand more than 50 Pr o v i n c e , pounds to repreAfghanistan. It sent the deployed. was the first anOnce at the niversary of Sibcemetery, they ley’s death. completed a After free round of memoStaff Sgt. falling into the rial push-ups to Forrest Sibley waters of Sibley’s honor their fallen hometown, his teammates teammate. joined family members and Sibley, 31, had served in the friends to complete a memorial Air Force as a combat controller ruck march to his final resting since 2008. In his seven years of place at Barrancas National service, he received four Bronze Cemetery (BNC). Star Medals, once with valor for “When we lost Forrest, most heroism in combat, as well as a of his teammates were still de- Purple Heart for injuries susployed for another five months, tained in combat. and couldn’t attend any funeral “Forrest was one of our best or memorial event,” said Lt. Col. combat controllers, but he was Stewart Parker, commander of 21st Special Tactics Squadron, See Sibley on page 2

After parachuting into Pensacola Bay, members of the Air Force’s 21st Special Tactics Squadron make a memorial “ruck march,” a hike with full packs, from NAS Pensacola’s Bayou Grande Marina to Barrancas National Cemetery and the grave of teammate Staff Sgt. Forrest Sibley. Sibley was killed in action Aug. 26, 2015. He had served in the Air Force as a combat controller since 2008. Photo by Mike O’Connor For more photos, see page A4

CNATT: Make Labor Day weekend safety a priority Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Public Affairs

The Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) safety manager is reminding service members, civilian employees and their families to maintain safety awareness as they prepare for what is generally viewed as the end of summer. CNATTSafety Manager Krystal Hancock said that Labor Day, a federal holi-

day designed to honor the achievements of American workers, includes an extended weekend, with service members and their families often electing to travel to see family and friends. “Whether taking a long road trip or simply jumping in the car to run a quick errand, driving is inherently risky, and traffic mishaps continue to

be a leading reason for lost time, days, and lives across our force,” she said. Hancock said the National Safety Council (NSC) predicts this could be the deadliest Labor Day weekend for drivers in eight years, estimating that more than 430 people could be killed in traffic accidents throughout the Labor Day weekend. She added that service members, often sepa-

rated from their families and travelling significant distances to visit during the long weekend, should take some simple precautions before and during their trips. “Get enough rest before heading outsleepy driving is as dangerous as impaired driving,” she said. “Alternate drivers or take frequent breaks to ensure that whoever is behind the wheel stays alert.” See Labor Day on page 2

‘Be There’ for your shipmates during Suicide Prevention Month 2016 By James Rosenfelder U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery public affairs

NAS Pensacola to host 9/11 commemoration ceremony ... In commemoration of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Naval Air Station Pensacola will present a ceremony at the National Naval Aviation Museum aboard the base at 10 a.m. Sept. 9. The event will include a guest speaker and a musical rendition from the NATTC Choir, a traditional “two-bell” ceremony, honors performed by the NASP Honor Guard and a 21-gun volley. The public is invited to attend.

Navy Medicine recognizes September as National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, which began Sept. 1. The theme for Suicide Prevention Month 2016 is “Be There.” Throughout the month, Navy Medicine will highlight the power of peer support and personal wellness, encouraging Sailors and Marines to be there for their shipmates. “Action starts with prevention,” said Vice Adm. Forrest Faison, Navy surgeon general and chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BuMed). “When a Sailor needs assistance, easy access to support resources and mental health treatment is essential, as is validation of help-seeking behaviors.” Suicide prevention is a yearlong effort. Suicide Prevention Month serves as a reminder that building resilience and preventing suicide requires all

members of the Navy and Marine Corps community to work together. Every life lost to suicide is one too many. “Take action if you notice anything

out of the ordinary for a shipmate; reach out to them,” Faison said. “If you are having difficulties, seek help if See Prevention on page 2

FatAlbertis getting a facelift...Fat Albert, the Blue Angels’ C-130 cargo plane used for transporting crew and equipment to air shows around the country, is currently undergoing a chemical de-paint process at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma after corrosion was found. Once the de-paint process and sheetmetal checks for any other corrosion are complete, Fat Albert will fly to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, for full programmed depot maintenance and paint. Photo by Kelly White

GOSPORTPENSACOLA.COM

Published by BallingerPublishing, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Navy. Opinions contained herein are not official expressions of the Department of the Navy nor do the advertisements constitute Department of the Navy, NAS Pensacola or Ballinger Publishing’s endorsement of products or services advertised.

Business

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AIRPORT/CORDOVA MALL 2187 Airport Boulevard 850-478-1123 HamptonInnPensacolaAirport.com

1144 Airport Boulevard 850-479-8900 HiltonGardenInnPensacola.com

5049 Corporate Woods Drive 850-474-3777 HomewoodSuitesPensacola.com

PENSACOLA DOWNTOWN 601 East Chase Street 850-432-0202 ResidenceInnPensacolaDowntown.com

700 East Chase Street 850-439-3330 CourtyardPensacolaDowntown.com

850-932-9314 • Highpointe.com • 311 Gulf Breeze Pkwy • Gulf Breeze, Florida

HOME+GARDEN

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ULTRA MODERN INFILL by Kelly Oden Photos by Greg Reigler Empty lots in Downtown Pensacola are filling up fast. Most of the infill housing designs are either energy efficient cottages, two story homes with historic details, or townhomes. However, if you’ve driven down West Chase Street, you may have seen the unique, modern new construction home recently completed by Omega Construction. The young homeowners wanted something clean and modern—something that looked trendy and fun but would also hold its value and would fit into the growing spirit of downtown. Hailing from California and Pensacola, it took the pair a few years to find the perfect spot to build their dream home. Designed by Sam Kuhn of SMP Architects, the 2,600 square foot home features 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. The mono-slope roof system roof system gives the home a distinctly modern feel and the custom frosted glass and powder-coated aluminum garage door combined with the fiber cement panels used for the garage cladding add an industrial element to the façade. The fiber cement cladding is traditionally used in commercial projects and the design for this garage recently won an Xtreme Trim award from the manufacturer, Tamlyn. The remainder of the home is sided with the custom Artisan lap siding from James Hardie and slate ledge stone on the two story accent wall. The siding is arranged in various widths and includes mitered corners, which offers a crisp, clean look without a wood grain. The artificial turf and the use of gravel in the gardens and driveway add sustainability and an eco-friendly element to the ultramodern design. The eight foot tall red front entry door is solid mahogany and nearly three inches thick. The pair describes their style as extremely modern with a touch of industrial. Interior industrial elements include custom plate steel stairs, exposed duct work, and raw metal hardware on the master room doors. Drew Dennis, president of Omega Construction is extremely proud of the final product. “Showcasing the uniqueness and potential that these homes can have downtown is the only way to really grow a measurable interest in the design. I really thank the homeowners for having the vision to design something that does not look like nearly every other new construction home and the courage to actually build the home. They believed and invested in it 110 percent and that has made the build a major success. I am grateful to have been a part of it,” Dennis said. » Pensacola Magazine

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Living Spaces The couple wanted an open space that flowed from the kitchen through the living room and out to the back porch. The large sliding doors open all the way and help create a seamless flow to the patio. The floor to ceiling windows are tinted, so the couple has a full, unobstructed view of the pool and patio while still maintaining privacy. “Pairing the tall,

30 Pensacola Magazine

HOME+GARDEN

vaulted ceiling with the spiral ducts and designer lighting makes the common areas feel expansive—like a loft or commercial space,� Dennis said. For the fire place, the homeowners wanted something that could be a focal point year round. They chose one that has LED lights and a metal interior and framed it with matte black tiles of varying thickness, adding to the modern character. The large living space uses an epoxy over concrete method for the flooring. Created by Elite Crete, the flooring is entirely customizable. The homeowners chose their colors, accent colors and finish and, since each floor is hand done, no two are the same. Pensacola Magazine

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kitchen The wide open kitchen features custom high gloss white and gray cabinets from Paulk Woodworking. The double oven and a full wet bar are perfect for entertaining. White quartz countertops with silver sparkle keep the kitchen looking cool and clean while the red subway tile backsplash adds a pop of color to the otherwise smoky pallet. A built-in spice drawer

32 Pensacola Magazine

and a uniquely designed walk-in pantry, creatively hidden behind the Wolf range, provide plenty of outof-the-way storage. The couple loves to entertain— anything from small dinner parties, to hosting fundraisers—and they designed the space to be open and inviting for just that purpose.

HOME+GARDEN

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OUTDOORS Outside, the homeowners wanted a backyard pool getaway that still maintained a downtown feel. The custom gunite pool and the stamped concrete patio give a modernist vibe and keep the patio from feeling too beachy. Pops of color in the plush seating area give the patio a fun and relaxing feel. The pool house is perfect for pool parties and features a full bath for guests to wash off and freshen up after a day by pool.

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HOME+GARDEN

bath The striking master bathroom is a study in contrast— crisp white fixtures against smoky greys and blacks. The master bath features his and her sinks, a walk-in closet and dressing area, a spacious shower, and a modern stand-alone tub. 36 Pensacola Magazine

11.4.17 7:30PM

with Tracy Silverman, electric violin

with Westwater Arts:

Symphonic Photochoreography

BARBER Overture to The School for Scandal

SAINT-SAENS Piano Concerto No. 5 “The Egyptian” R. STRAUSS Suite from Der Rosenkavalier

CURIALE Awakenings

RAVEL La Valse

Dvořák Symphony No. 9

COPLAND Suite from The Tender Land

CELEBRATE ALL YOU THE NEW NEED IS LOVE A BEATLES YEAR!

TRIBUTE with Classical Mystery Tour 2.10.18 7:30PM

with Guest composer

SILVERMAN The Kiss and the Chaos Incidental Music for Il Distratto KENJI BUNCH Cello Concerto Embrace in C Major GINASTERA Dances of Estancia BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5

with Dee Daniels, vocalist Dee Daniels brings her swing, soul, and blues inspired program celebrating Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Peggy Lee, and more to ring in the New Year with us!

4.28.18 7:30PM

Scott Kluksdahl, cello & UWF Singers

HAYDN Depiction of Chaos, from The Creation

MARQUEZ Danzon No. 2

OPTIONAL ADD-ON

BERLIOZ Roman Carnival Overture

12.31.17 7:00PM

1.13.18 7:30PM 7:30PM with

For Season Tickets Call 850.435.2533

and more to be announced

Symphony No. 100 “Military”

RUSSIAN

4.7.18 7:30PM

with Gil Shaham, violin The Classical Mystery Tour returns to perform the legendary music of the Beatles, live in concert with the Pensacola Symphony.

BERLIOZ Symphony Fantastique

Te Deum for the Empress Maria Therese

TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet STRAVINSKY Symphony in Three Movements TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto

SPECTACULAR

POPS!

with Santiago Rodriguez, piano

AWAKENINGS

MASTERWORKS

10.7.17 7:30PM

SYMPHONIE

BEETHOVEN PAPA & BLUE HAYDN JEANS 3.3.18

FANTASTIQUE

OPENING NIGHT!

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE NOW INDIVIDUAL CONCERT TICKETS AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 2017

www.PensacolaSymphony.com Pensacola Magazine 37

We have something to say to Pensacola families and doctors. Thank you. It’s an honor to be recognized as 2017–2018 Best Doctors in America®. What we really want to thank you for, however, is continuing to choose Nemours Children’s Specialty Care. For trusting us, and our teams, to care for your children and your patients. And for helping us keep the promise we made to our community—the promise to help children grow up healthy and reach their full potential.

Thank you for this incredible recognition. Sincerely, Joseph P. Davenport, MD – Chief, Division of Pediatric Cardiology | Brandon J. Dorion, MD – Chief, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology/Allergy/Immunology Steven B. Fishberger, MD – Cardiologist | Evelyn Kluka, MD – Chief, Division of Otolaryngology | Christopher M. Makris, MD – Pulmonologist Mary B. Mehta, MD – Cardiologist, Chief Medical Officer, Pensacola and Florida Network Operations

Nemours.org/Pensacola © 2018. The Nemours Foundation. ® Nemours is a registered trademark of The Nemours Foundation.

38 Pensacola Magazine

Your child. Our promise.

play/live/give Depose and Dispose (of) Through March 18

Depose and Dispose (of ) is an exhibition of work by Katrina Andry hosted at the Pensacola Museum of Art. The exhibit invites the viewer to engage in collective empathy and understand the tangible, societal consequences of loss through systemic brutality. The anthropomorphic series of prints places people in vulnerable positions and situations to emphasize their humanity, while at the same time addressing the correlations between being referenced as an animal and the loss of personhood. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.

Pensacola Ice Flyers Come and cheer for our local team as the Pensacola Ice Flyers gear up for their 2017-2018 season. With a new coach and new energy, they are determined to continue their dominance in the Southern Professional Hockey League. All games listed below are home games. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pensacolaiceflyers.com. March 2 & 3: vs. Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs March 16 & 17: vs. Peoria Rivermen March 30 & 31: vs. Birmingham Bulls

Birds, Butterflies & Birdhouses at Quayside Art Gallery Through March 5 You’re counting down the days until spring arrives. To help you get by until then, come and enjoy an early look at springtime with Quayside Art Gallery’s latest exhibit by our artists of birds, butterflies and birdhouses captured in paintings, sculptures, photos and wood creations, all by gallery artists. For more information, visit quaysidegallery.com.

Michael J. Deas & Gregory B. Saunders Exhibition

Through March 10 The Art Gallery at the University of West Florida presents an exhibition of work by Michael J. Deas and Gregory B. Saunders. The exhibition will run from Feb. 8 through Mar. 10. A gallery talk with both artists, followed by a reception, will be held on Thursday, February 8 at 5:30pm at TAG in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, on the Pensacola campus. For more information, visit uwf.edu/tag.

Downtown Pensacola’s Grog March 2018

March 3 O’Riley’s Irish Pub Downtown is proud to host the 3rd annual Grog March. Every year with your help we collect food and donations for Manna Food Pantries. Registration starts at O’Riley’s at 4 PM and the pub crawl starts at 6 PM. Please bring 2 non-perishable food or cash donations as your crawl entry fee. A minimum of $10 donation value would be greatly appreciated. Each crawler will receive a commemorative t-shirt while supplies last and a passport for the raffle

at O’Riley’s later that night. For more information, visit orileyspub.com.

30th Annual Lumberjack Festival

March 3 Whether it be chopping wood, throwing axes or rolling logs, the annual Lumberjack Festival returns for its 30th year at the Pensacola State College/UF Milton Campus. Whether you want to compete or watch the spectacle, or simply learn about the art and science of being a lumberjack, make sure to attend this thrilling event. For more information and an event list, visit pensacolastate.edu/lumberjack.

Bayou Hills Run 10K/5K/1 Mile Kids Run March 3 The Bayou Hills Run, a 10k, 5k and Kids Fun Run being held on March 3, 2018 at 7:30 am. The race features two challenging courses that start and end at Bayview Park and winds through Pensacola’s beautiful East Hill neighborhood. Race information, registration, and sponsorship opportunities available at www. bayouhillsrun.org.

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play/live/give Spring Under the Oaks March 16 The Second Annual Spring Under the Oaks event in the Courtyard of The Point restaurant, underneath the Live Oak trees is a rain or shine event. Gulf Coast favorite, Grayson Capps will be performing again, just in time for the launch of his 6th album, ‘Scarlett Roses’. Tickets are $15 in advanced and $20 at the door, and the show starts at 7 pm. For more information, email thesummerchaser@hotmail.com.

Gumbo Cook-Off Hosted by Gulf Breeze Rotary March 24

Come to Shoreline Park, Gulf Breeze, next to the Recreation Center on March 24th, 11am to 2pm, to sample Gumbo from 20+ cooking teams. Enjoy live music, check out our silent auction and purchase a ticket for a drawing on a Big Green Egg and Gumbo pot. Beer, wine, soda, hamburgers and hot dogs are also available. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the event. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit gulfbreezerotary.com.

The Gulf Coast Renaissance Faire and Pirate Festival

March 3 Come out for two days of medieval fun at the Santa Rosa County Fairgrounds! Eat, drink and be merry as you are entertained by jousting knights, magical wizards, the jester troupe, jugglers, fire breathers, sword swallowers, gypsy dancers, pirates, blacksmiths, falconry, sword fighters, musical minstrels, puppetry, renaissance theater, a petting zoo, food and drink games of skills, merchants with wares and much more! Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children aged 5-12. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit gcrf.us.

Celebration of Light

March 7 - 19 Quayside Art Gallery is presenting original works by nationally recognized artists and emerging new talent in a special group exhibition, Celebration of Light. The show will run from March 7th – March 19th with a public reception including a meet and greet with the artists Friday, March 9th from 40 Pensacola Magazine

7– 9 pm. This group of artists shares a unique quality of common ties. Sharing a similar point of view, yet taking quite different paths from that point, the show will consist of works that capture the beauty of light and its effects on color and form. For more information, visit quaysidegallery.com.

Gulf Breeze Celebrates the Arts Festival

March 10 – 11 The City of Gulf Breeze and Gulf Breeze Arts, Inc. (GBA) will present the 24th Annual Fine Arts Festival “Gulf Breeze Celebrates the Arts.” The Festival is a juried fine arts and fine crafts festival that brings together quality local, regional, and national artists to Gulf Breeze, Florida. The two-day family event is free to the public and includes over 140 artists. The festival is open to 5 pm and is free to the public to attend. For more information, visit gulfbreezearts.com.

Man of La Mancha at the Pensacola Opera

March 16 One of America’s most beloved musical dramas finds its rightful place on the Pensacola Opera stage. Set against the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition, Man of La Mancha finds author Miguel de Cervantes imprisoned and charged with treason. Assuming the guise of the Knight-Errant Don Quixote, he and his fellow prisoners dare to “dream the Impossible Dream” as they begin their journey to the truth. For tickets and show times, visit pensacolaopera.com.

9th Annual Smokin’ in the Square

March 16 – 17 Come down to Seville Square Park for some great food and great entertainment this St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The BBQ cookoff includes approximately 50 professional teams and 25 backyarder teams, all smoking delicious ribs, brisket, sausages and more. There will also be live music acts, games, crafts and entertainment. Admission is free for all. For more information, visit smokininthesquare.com.

Music Under The Stars

March 17 We are ‘lucky’ to present, for the first time in our garden, the Marlow Boys! What better way to spend your St. Patty’s day evening than jamming out to this four-piece roots rock band? Joe and Karl Lagley, cousins and life long music partners, jump started their music careers back home around Marlow, Alabama.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the From the Ground Up Community Garden. The show starts at 7 pm at the “From The Ground Up” Community Garden. To purchase tickets, visit marlowbows/eventbrite.com.

O’Riley’s Downtown St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

March 17 O’Riley’s Irish Pub Downtown is hosting the official Downtown Pensacola St. Patrick’s Day celebration. We will be opening at 9 AM on Saturday March 17th to get the party started bright and early. Breakfast will be served Saturday morning. Green Bud Light, Guinness, Grog Punch, Tully Car Bombs, Pickers Vodka and Tullamore Dew specials all day. The kitchen will be serving some of the best food on Palafox all day! Enjoy live music at your favorite Irish Pub. Gallery Night is Friday, so come preparty if you think you can handle two days celebrating St. Patrick!

Andrea Gibson at UWF’s Women’s Studies Conference

March 23 - 24 World-renown author and spoken word poet Andrea Gibson will be performing at UWF’s 17th annual Women’s Studies Conference on Friday, March 23, 2018. This event is free and open to the public. Gibson will be performing at 6 p.m. Student academic and creative presentations will take place from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Gibson will also be hosting a Gender Theory workshop on Saturday, March 24, 2018, at 10 a.m. (bldg. 54/room 164). This workshop is also free and open to the public. For more information and to register, uwfwomenstudiesconference.wordpress.com.

Depose and Dispose (of): Bull, color reduction woodcut, 2017

DEPOSE AND DISPOSE (OF) 407 S. Jefferson St. Pensacola, FL 32502 850.432.6247 pensacolamuseum.org Museum Winter Hours: Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun. 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mon. Closed

An exhibition of work by Katrina Andry.

Jan. 12 – March 18, 2018 Lewis Bear Family and Greenhut galleries

Sponsored by

Pensacola Magazine

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Easter Egg Hunt, Bayview Park, 1978

Photos courtesy of UWF Historic Trust

OUR STORIED PAST

Promotional Feature

EMOTIONAL AND PRACTICAL

Tips For Moving Day

AS MOST OF US KNOW FROM FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE, MOVING CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL EXPERIENCES IN LIFE. IN FACT, MOVING IS HIGH ON THE LIST OF STRESSORS NEXT TO DIVORCE, DEATH OF A LOVED ONE AND JOB LOSS. THERE ARE MANY REASONS WE MOVE: A NEW JOB, A NICER OR BIGGER HOME, TO BE CLOSER TO LOVED ONES, OR EVEN OUT OF NECESSITY FROM A NATURAL DISASTER. WHETHER YOU’RE MOVING ACROSS TOWN OR ACROSS COUNTRY, THE ANTICIPATION OF PLANNING, PACKING, AND THE DISRUPTION OF YOUR ROUTINE IS ENOUGH TO MAKE ANYONE FEEL STRESSED. All of the prep work is done to protect our belongings and create a new “normal” as soon as possible. Although being prepared logistically is important, it’s also essential to consider the emotional toll a move can take. Patrina Sykes, a longtime Account Executive in the Gilmore Services Moving Division, has seen it all. “Moving can be a very stressful experience,” says Sykes. “When you move from a place where you created so many memories, it can be very emotional. You can help relieve the stress by allowing a professional team to pack your belongings, which will allow you to focus on other areas of your move. Moving is never an easy task, but with the help of a team, it can be a much more reasonable project to take on with confidence.” Making the transition to a different home can feel like you’re moving your whole life. And, essentially you are. For such a big change, Sykes believes it’s helpful to surround yourself with friends and family who can offer support. Sharing your excitement and fears can allow you to get some emotions off your chest and embrace the move. If you’re moving long distance, carve out the time you need to say goodbyes to neighbors, coworkers or family.

“If you are moving with children, remember that they are leaving their friends and all of their possessions are being put into boxes,” says Sykes. “To ease potential sadness or anxiety, allow your children to be involved in the process. Let them pick some of their favorite items to bring with them during the move. If they are old enough to pack themselves, let them organize their things, color on the boxes, and allow them to help set up their new room.”

“It can be much easier emotionally for professional moving crews to come in and pack your things, because they’re not emotionally tied to it.” Moving with pets? Sykes recommends you prepare pets by bringing moving boxes into your house before you begin packing. If you are flying with your pet or taking them along in a car, let them get used to the container or car

they will be in a week or two in advance to ease their nerves. The little things make a big difference when it comes to a move. Simple tricks like packing a clean pair of sheets that you can easily find for the first night in your new residence can make you feel more at home right away. Mark your boxes according to what rooms they belong in, and make sure all items are in the correct room on moving day for easy unpacking. Sykes recommends labeling a box “unpack first” that has paper plates, napkins, cutlery and other things you might need right away so you can eat or freshen up. Many people mistakenly put labels on the top of their boxes. Boxes are usually stacked in the moving process, so we can’t see where they go if the labels are covered up. Always put labels or write on the side of boxes. With some time and planning, your next move, whether big or small, can be less stressful when you are emotionally prepared. Hiring a certified moving company can relieve a lot of pressure and let you focus on other things while they pack and move your belongings—let them do all the heavy lifting! Gilmore Services welcomes a challenge and they enjoy putting their 60 plus years of moving experience to work for their customers. For more helpful moving tips and to learn more about the ways Gilmore Services truly does it all for you, visit gilmoreservices. com.

SPECIAL SECTION

SPECIAL SECTION March 2018

50 An Iconic Undertaking

The single largest infrastructure project in the history of Northwest Florida is underway on Pensacola Bay. Just how big is it and what will mean for our future?

· OTHER STORIES ·

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Bringing Oysters Back to the Bay Pensacola Bay Oyster Co. is helping to pave the way to build a huge – and sustainable – oyster industry right here in Pensacola.

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Dr. Jyotika Virmani wants robots to map the sea floor. With a $7 million prize purse to offer, she hopes to inspire innovation. Virmani spoke with NWFLBC in an exclusive interview.

Find out what is happening in business, government and cultural news in the greater Pensacola area and northwest Florida.

Incentivising Innovation

Around the Region

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Bringing Oysters Back to the Bay Florida’s Gulf Coast, and indeed the entire Gulf Coast extending through Texas, has always been a haven for oysters and other mollusks. This has allowed Florida to have a booming aquaculture industry in the past, but in recent years, natural disasters have severely reduced the amount of production.

Pensacola, however, is helping pave the way to reviving the industry, and its vanguard is the Pensacola Bay Oyster Co. Originally founded in 2013 by Donnie McMahon, it was designed to fill a niche in Pensacola that had long been vacant. “Pensacola used to have a thriving habitat and industry for oysters a long time ago, but most of that went away. I sat on the BP oil committee and I saw the decline of

the oysters, and thought it would be great if someone brought them back,” said McMahon, who is also the president of McMahon and Hadder insurance. Traditionally, oysters grew and were harvested from oyster bed reefs, but environmental changes have made that more and more difficult. McMahon said that much of the beds had been mined up to use for roadway paving, leaving little space for the oysters to grow on. Pollutants from the Deepwater

Horizon oil spill, natural predators like Atlantic oyster drills, increased silt from hurricane run-off and rising ocean levels have made it more difficult for oysters to grow naturally. The solution to this is to change how oysters are grown, at least for the time being. Instead of traditionally growing them on seafloor beds, Pensacola Bay Oyster Co. farms their oysters on floating cages. “These cages float at the top of the water column instead of at the bottom. When they are at the top, they have more access to food and oxygen,” said McMahon. “This makes them bigger and healthier, and they also have a cleaner taste when you eat them.” According to Fish 2.0, an organization that connects seafood businesses and investors in order to

by Tanner Yea Photos by Steven Gray

grow a sustainable seafood sector, the US oyster industry was worth over $200 million at its height in the 80s, with a yield over 55 million pounds. That has dropped to around $150 million and 30 million pounds as of 2014. One of the biggest issues relating to that decrease is a lack of what McMahon calls ‘breedstock’ – oyster larvae that can be used to regrow natural oyster beds. Pensacola Bay Oyster Co. was recently awarded $100,000 through the Innovation Coast Awards in order to build an oyster hatchery that farms that breedstock to send all over the Gulf Coast. “All these different bays around Florida have heritage breeds – oysters are different from East Bay to Escambia Bay to Mobile Bay – and we are trying to get those numbers back to other farms,” said McMahon. Business Climate

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Bringing Oysters Back to the Bay Though the oyster industry is only now starting to return to its feet, its revival has a lot of benefits both environmental and economic. According to the initial proposal for the hatchery project, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts increases in US aquaculture can create over 50,000 new jobs nationally and produce more than $1 billion in farm gate value. As an example, the successful oyster farm industry in Washington state as of 2010 had generated

only filter and clean the water, but they are an anchor species that attracts sea grasses, fish and other mollusks to our local habitats. McMahon said they are also partnering with the Institute for Human & Machine Cognition in order to monitor water quality and how to improve it. “We also want to provide learning opportunities – we want to help with classes like oyster gardening that allow people to farm small oyster batches off their own docks and to show students around our

“People want more local dining, and we are helping to fill that demand. Farm-to-table eating is becoming more popular, and we sell our fresh oysters to local restaurants.” $184 million in economic activity, created roughly 2,000 jobs either directly or indirectly, and generated $77.2 million in labor income. The hatchery proposal claims these numbers can easily be replicated in Pensacola and across the state in general. In addition to boosting the local economy, Pensacola’s tourism industry can also contribute to that. According to Visit Pensacola, the city saw a seven percent increase in tourists who included local dining as part of their itineraries, and many were looking for new experiences exclusive to the area. “People want more local dining, and we are helping to fill that demand. Farm-to-table eating is becoming more popular, and we sell our fresh oysters to local restaurants like the Atlas Oyster Bar,” said McMahon. “We are even sending oysters to places like Birmingham, Atlanta and Memphis, and they are seeing how good our product is.” McMahon also said Pensacola Bay Oyster Co. is dedicated to helping rebuild the environment through the use of oysters. Their beds not

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farm and hatchery to educate them on oysters,” said McMahon. Pensacola Bay Oyster Co. may be the only oyster farm in Pensacola at the moment, but they are leading the way for more innovation and more entrepreneurs. Local Travis Gill has also bought lands with intention to begin farming, though McMahon said his operation is still gaining steam. “Pensacola Bay Oysters Co.’s goal is to become a fully integrated oyster farm – doing everything from the farming to the hatchery to growing breedstocks for smaller farms across the country,” said McMahon. “We are really a pioneering company for Pensacola, and we are trying to ‘brand’ the city and get its name out there. That’s why we’re called Pensacola Bay Oyster Co.” For more information on Pensacola Bay Oyster Co. and its mission, visit pensacolabayoyster.com.

Pensacola Bay Oyster Co.’s oysters are grown in floating cages atop the water column - allowing for larger, cleaner and healthier oysters than traditional bed farming.

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An Iconic Undertaking: A look at the scale of the new Bay bridge

The scale of the new Pensacola Bay Bridge project can be hard to grasp. Hundreds of millions of pounds of concrete. Twenty four million pounds of steel. Four hundred million dollars. The single largest transportation infrastructure project in Northwest Florida history. “It’s one thing to see it on paper,” said Santa Rosa County commissioner and FloridaAlabama Transportation Planning Organization chairman Rob Williamson. “It’s something all together different to be driving adjacent to this massive change to the vista and entry to both our counties and start to see the size and scope of this bridge come to life right in front of us.” The project has already been underway for nearly a year. Cranes like crisscrossed skyscrapers tower over the old 50 Business Climate

bridge, maneuvering huge concrete structures into place. The driving of piles echoes across the bay. The current bridge opened in 1960 and was declared structurally deficient in 2010, having reached the end of its 50-year lifespan. Northwest Florida was fortunate in the years directly afterward to have Don Gaetz sitting as president of the state senate. After leaving office, Gaetz told the story of how the new bridge was originally intended to be a toll bridge. Rather than

let that plan move forward, however, Gaetz refused to sign off on the state Department of Transportation’s multi-year work plan for the I-4 corridor unless money was found to fund the bridge without a toll. “I said, ‘I’m telling you you’re going to have to wait two more years until I’m out of this office, because I’m not signing these documents unless there’s something in this arrangement for Northwest Florida,” Gaetz said at the time. The FDOT agreed to not place a toll on the bridge,

BY WILL ISERN PHOTOS COURTESY OF FDOT

and began soliciting bids for construction. Following a lengthy selection process in 2016, Skanska USA Civil Southeast was selected as the design-build firm to construct the new bridge at a price of $398.5 million. Based upon Skanska’s design, the new bridge will actually be two identical spans stretching side-by-side across the bay. The first span is being built now, with three lanes, ten-foot shoulders and walking paths on either said. Skanska stands to earn a $15 million bonus if it can complete construction of the first span by Jan. 2019 and move traffic from the current bridge onto the new span. The current bridge will then be torn down and a second, identical span will be built in its place. Total completion is scheduled for summer of 2020. FDOT spokesman Ian Satter said the project has required intense coordination

Top left: The new bridge will have remote-controlled “aesthetically pleasing bridge lighting” with different color settings, including a sea turtle friendly setting. Top right: The 75-foot steel “tied arches” will stretch over both shared use paths atop the bridge. Bottom left: Each span of the new bridge will have three 12-foot lanes, two 10-foot shoulders and a 10-foot shared use path. Bottom right: The new bridge will rise to a height of 150 feet at its highest point.

between FDOT, Skanska and governments on both sides of the bridge. “First and foremost it’s a monumental project for us so there’s a lot of work for us, for our contractor and for their subcontractors,” he said. “From day one of this process we’ve communicated with Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties because this project affects all of us.”

will be poured – foot-by-foot – for 3.7 miles. As well as being wider and taller than the current bridge, the new bridge will also feature several technological upgrades including “aesthetically pleasing bridge lighting” with different color setting, closecircuit video monitoring and a “Wrong Way Detection System”. The work to build the bridge

“I think when f irst time visitors land at the airport and come across the bridge, whether they’re going to Pensacola Beach, or Navarre or visiting the Andrew’s Institute, that bridge is going to tell a very favorable story about the growth and direction of this part of Florida.” The new bridge will be made up of thousands of replications of three main pieces. There are the supporting piles, driven deep into the floor of the bay, the “trophy pieces” that extend like “Y” shapes from tops of the piles, and the horizontal beams that will stretch across trophy pieces, forming the support upon which the driving surface of the bridge

begins at the Bayou Chico casting yard where 280 daily workers cast the huge concrete structures that are delivered by barge to the new bridge site. There, another 80 workers position, set and fasten the pieces in to place. Crews have recently begun to pour the first sections of the new bridge’s driving surface on the Gulf Breeze side of bridge.

Estimates from the University of West Florida’s Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development indicate the project is creating or sustaining approximately 4,800 jobs in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, along with the rest of the state. As chairman of the FloridaAlabama Transportation Planning Organization, Williamson said he sees the new bridge as testament to the growth of the part of the state. “I think when first time visitors land at the airport and come across the bridge, whether they’re going to Pensacola Beach, or Navarre or visiting the Andrew’s Institute, that bridge is going to tell a very favorable story about the growth and direction of this part of Florida,” he said. “We are the future of Florida as it relates growth and I think this amount of money being allocated here from Tallahassee demonstrates that.”

By the numbers Cubic yards of concrete: 162,000 Pounds of steel: 23.6 million Number of piles: 2,124 Number of “trophy pieces”: 416 Number of beams: 1,020 Number of travel lanes: Three east and three westbound (12feet each). Number of shoulders: Four, two on each bridge (10-feet wide). Number of bicycle/pedestrian paths: One on each bridge (10feet wide). Average daily traffic count: 55,000 vehicles. Construction period: 1,408 days (plus allowable delays for weather, etc.) Construction cost: $398.5 million. Estimated completion: Summer 2020 Source: Florida Department of Transportation

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Incentivising Innovation: An Interview with Dr. Jyotika Virmani Dr. Jyotika Virmani is Senior Director in Prize Operations for Xprize, a nonprofit organization that designs and manages public competitions to encourage technological innovation to benefit humanity. Virmani is prize lead for the Shell Ocean Discovery Xprize, which seeks to develop autonomous systems to map the sea floor at high resolution. Pensacola Magazine caught up with Virmani after a recent pair of talks at the University of West Florida’s Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering. What is Xprize? With the shell Ocean Discovery Xprize the long-term impact is we would like these technologies to map the sea floor at very high resolution. Our goal is to have that done by 2030. To have a high resolution sea floor map with current existing technology it would take $3 billion and 600 years to do that. That just gives you a small scope of some of the challenges we’re hoping to address with Xprize. What is goal of mapping sea floor? The vision there is for a healthy, valued and understood

ocean. You don’t make something healthy unless you value it and you don’t tend to value something unless you understand it. So the Xprize is a key element of understanding what’s out there. When you go to another city you look at a map to figure out where you are. Well we do not yet have a high-resolution map of the sea floor. On average it’s a one-kilometer map, so imagine not knowing what’s around you for one kilometer. This ties into more practical uses like the search for the Malaysian airline. In the future the idea is we will have robots that you can deploy from he

shore that can go out and find the plane that has gone done autonomously instead of spending money doing the rescue. When they did that search, they didn’t find the airline but they found two new volcanoes; so this is how little we know of our own planet right now. I like to say its like living in a three-floor house and you only know what’s on the first floor. It’s a core piece of understanding our own planet. There’s so much to discover in the ocean and I think with the high-res resolution as our baseline we can then start to focus on this higher-level stuff. Ultimately the cure for different diseases may be down there.

How can competitions like Xprize drive innovation? Xprize or any prize competition creates incentives to pursue goals that might cost prohibitive or otherwise not feasible. For this competition, the prize is a total prize purse of $7 million, so that attracts attention. Some people who’ve had great ideas but have just never had the incentive to participate. Interestingly, what we find from teams is that (the prize) may be the initial draw but as they go through the process it becomes more about the satisfaction of being a part of something that’s bigger, it’s overcoming the challenges. People might worth through the night to achieve a deadline; it’s the sense of achievement to say ‘We took part,’ whether

An artist’s rendering of a mapped sea floor. The Shell Ocean Xprize seeks to incentivize teams to develop autonomous robots capable of mapping the sea floor in high resolution. they win or not they have sense of achievement. They also form a strong community of people who have passions and skills and a lot of times they’ll continue to stay in touch after the competition is over. Another big reason is the test bed we can provide for them its something that’s not easy for an individual entity to obtain. We often hear from the teams afterward that the test platform was invaluable. For example, renting a research vessel for a week can get very expensive so for these teams to be able to test their ideas on that kind of platform is very valuable for them. We’ve seen this with previous competitions; it’s not just the winning team that goes forward. There’s a number of other teams that set up their own companies through the course of the competition, they get experience and marketing experience through fundraising because they’ve already got prototypes that have been tested or gone through two or three versions of development, so ultimately it’s the beginning of this field of new companies that are beginning to address 54 Business Climate

new problems. So we often say when we award the prize that this is just the beginning because the prize is about defining the problem and developing suggestions toward the problem, its after the competition is over that the real work begins. You recently spoke at the Museum of Commerce as part of the Great Minds Lecture Series hosted by the University of West Florida’s Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering. What was your message? I talked about how a good idea can come from anywhere. The reason that we have navigation at seas is because in the early 1700s the British government sponsored the longitude prize (to develop a reliable way to determine longitude at sea). It turned out it was a clockmaker in rural England who invented the marine chronometer. Of the 350 or so individuals in the Xprize, about 170 of them are students are some are middle school students and high school students. So we present the problem and not the solution, so it opens it up

for anyone to participate. How do you decide on what problems to pursue? We always look at market failures, like why has a problem not been solved. So for this one, why has the sea floor not been mapped? One of the market failures was it’s going to cost about $3 billion. It’s very expensive to go to sea. So for this competition we have eliminated the need for ships since its done with autonomous vehicles that are launched from the shore. What are some of the applications of highresolution sea mapping technology? Currently the industries that can reach the deep seas are very few in number because its so expensive. You have the opportunities for deep sea conservation, environmental management, tourism – all these other entities that currently do not have the capabilities to see what’s going on down there that will have access.

What about specifically for Florida? We have some areas that are fairly well mapped, but I think there’s still a long way to go to get a completely solid highresolution map. Why is autonomy so important to what you hope to accomplish? The autonomy is about making it cheaper. We’re in a really interesting moment in human history and that is technological revolution going on. The rate of change is increasing at an exponential rate so we want to pull some of that into the marine realm and that includes autonomy and artificial intelligence. It’s kind of like the NASA model. We’re exploring a new planet, it just happens to be four kilometers away, and the first thing you do when exploring a new planet is send a robot to get a nice map.

Around the Region Uwf Forms Office Of Military Engagement, Appoints Retired Navy Captain As President’s Military Liaison As part of its continuing support and dedication to serving the military, the University of West Florida has formed a new Office of Military Engagement. UWF President Martha D. Saunders has named retired U.S. Navy Capt. Chris Middleton as the president’s military liaison, serving as the primary point of contact between her office and military and defense organizations. “I am happy to take this step toward enhancing our military outreach,” Saunders said. “We have common values to serve the public, grow the region and provide the foundations for future success.” Middleton will be charged with strengthening relationships with Florida’s defense industry, developing a strategic plan for the Office of Military Engagement and planning and executing University-sponsored military outreach events. He will also coordinate meetings with University leadership and senior military leaders in order to create opportunities and partnerships that will enhance the symbiotic relationship between UWF and the local military community. “I am proud to serve the President and the University in growing our common work with military partners,” Middleton said. “We can accelerate our strategic ambitions together. I look forward to the engagements.” Middleton also serves as director for strategic innovation at UWF, where he collaborates with internal and external partners to research, design and implement strategic projects in

academic, military and corporate settings. He also works with community, regional and national stakeholders to identify common strategic interests for value-based relationships and initiatives. The University has a long-established history of supporting the military, with approximately 24 percent of the student population affiliated with the armed services, including active duty, veteran, National Guard or military reserves and dependent spouses or children. It has been named a Military Friendly® school by Victory Media for the last 10 years and was most recently ranked fifth in the nation on the 2018 list for the large public schools category. The UWF Military and Veterans Resource Center, led by retired Master Chief Marc Churchwell, serves as a leading campus advocate for more than 3,000 military, dependents and veteran students, working to ensure the needs of these individuals are met through coordinating with multiple university offices and services. The center is in its seventh year and provides assistance with Veterans Affairs education benefits; active duty tuition assistance; out-of-state fee waivers; academic advising coordination; tutoring; counseling; disability accommodations; referral to state and federal resources and services; and more. Prior to arriving at UWF, Middleton completed a 25-year naval career at Naval Education and Training Command in Pensacola. During his time in the Navy, he also served as a Commanding Officer of a combat-deployed squadron on an

aircraft carrier and also of the Navy’s largest EA18G and EA-6B training squadron at Whidbey Island, Washington. He has over 3,000 flight hours and more than 800 carrier landings on eight aircraft carriers. Between his command tours, Middleton was selected as a U.S. Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, assigned to FedEx Express World Headquarters in Memphis, where he served with the Global Leadership Institute. He attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island in 2008, and was selected as a member of the Stockdale Advanced Research Group chartered to the College of Operational and Strategic Leadership. His major staff tour was with the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii, where he served on the personal staff. He also served in the U.S. Pacific Fleet Operations Directorate, planning future operations. He has deployed with a Special Operations Task Force. “The path has been very rewarding. I am grateful to my wife, Bridget, and our children for support along the way,” Middleton said. “Benefiting our current service members in any work is a great privilege.” Middleton is a native of Laurel, Maryland and was commissioned from the United States Naval Academy with a degree in general engineering. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne School and the U.S. Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course at Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia.

Jockey Being Family Signs Bubba Watson As Its Newest Ambassador The Jockey Being Family Foundation, Ltd. (Jockey Being Family) today announced that it has signed professional golfer Bubba Watson as an ambassador to raise awareness for the foundation and the need for post-adoption services. Known for hitting long drives with his hot pink driver, Watson is a two-time Masters® champion and ten-time winner on the PGA Tour. Watson, and his wife, Angie, have adopted two children, Caleb and Dakota. Jockey Being Family is Jockey International, Inc.’s corporate charitable initiative, which provides resources and support to post-adoption organizations to help strengthen adoptive families once an adoption is finalized. To date, the foundation has helped strengthen more than 325,000 families by providing post-adoption resources and support. Jockey Being Family’s mission is simple: It believes that every child deserves to grow up with a loving family in a forever home. “I could not be more excited to join the team at Jockey Being Family to help raise awareness for adoption and post-adoption services,” said Watson. “I know that I have a platform and responsibility to help others, and this is a cause

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near and dear to my heart. Together, we can, and will, impact thousands of families.” “Jockey Being Family is thrilled to partner with Bubba Watson to help strengthen adoptive families across the country,” said Debra S. Waller, founder of Jockey Being Family. “Together, with Bubba and Angie’s support, we can have an even greater impact in helping families better understand and have access to post-adoptions resources.”

Watson and his family will help the foundation raise awareness and funds during key times to expand resources and support available to adoptive families, specifically during National Foster Care Month (May) and National Adoption Awareness Month (November). As part of the relationship, Watson will make appearances on behalf of Jockey Being Family, highlighted by the annual Jockey Being Family® Gala and Golf in Lake Geneva, Wis. May 20-21, 2018.

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On the Market A Real Estate Section

In This Section By the Numbers: A Looks at January’s Market Highlights page 61 Time to Sell? Not so Fast, We Got Some Work to Do! page 66

Neighborhood Spotlight Pensacola Beach Page 62 What Makes a Good Vacation Rental? page 70 House Hunting? Use this Handy Checklist Before You Make the Offer page 72

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BY The NUMBERS a look at JANUARY’s Market Highlights

550 77

Monthly Sales

Avg. Days on Market

1900 $169k

Quarterly Sales

Median Sale Price

Market Highlights Sales for the month were seven percent ahead of last January.

Average days on market remained unchanged from December, but at 77, were 15 days less than last January.

Information courtesy of Pensacola Association of Realtors

The median sale price for January was $169,000, nearly nine percent less than the preceding month, but five percent over last January.

Pending sales increased every month for the last four months of 2017 and the first month of the new year.

Pensacola Magazine

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NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT PENSACOLA BEACH by tanner yea There are a few landmarks that really define Pensacola: the graffiti bridge, Seville Quarter, Old Christ Church. Perhaps the most distinctive, however, is the Pensacola Beach sign, with its mighty marlin and explosively yellow backing pointing the way to Pensacola Beach for decades. Everyone has dreams of living on Pensacola Beach, but it’s not as unattainable as it may seem. That’s why we are shining our Neighborhood Spotlight on Pensacola Beach. Offering that beach lifestyle close to the city, you can have your cake and eat it too, all for an affordable price. History of the Neighborhood Pensacola Beach was actually discovered about 20 years before Don Tristan de Luna made his first settlement in Pensacola. Diego Malanado, a captain under Hernando de Soto, anchored his ships in Pensacola Bay off of Santa Rose Island in 1539. In 1772, a Spanish presidio was built near the current location of Fort Pickens, but was relocated after hurricanes in 1741 and 1752. Up until 1931, Pensacola Beach and most of Santa Rosa Island was only accessible by boat. However, the construction of the Pensacola Bay Bridge, Santa Rosa Sound Bridge and the nowdemolished Pensacola Bay Casino allowed more traffic and to place Pensacola Beach firmly as a tourist attraction. The distinctive Pensacola Beach sign is the first thing you see approaching the beach, which eventually opens up to miles of beautiful sea shore, blue-green water and an uninterrupted view of the Gulf of Mexico. It’s no wonder it has become such a mainstay of Northwest Florida. Properties and Prices Pensacola Beach is part of Santa Rosa Island, which itself extends all the way to Destin. Pensacola Beach goes all the way from Fort Pickens to the edge of Navarre Beach, but most of that are beaches and dunes – residences and businesses go west to the neighborhood of DeLuna Point and east to Santa Rosa Villa Estates. According to Trulia, Pensacola Beach’s average price varies. A large majority of the land

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surrounding Little Sabine Bay ranges between $350k and $400k; however, further east near neighborhoods like Villa Segundo, princes average around $600k. Houses are mostly around 1,500 square feet, new construction, and are either ranch style or beach houses built onto pylons to avoid storm surge. Many high-rise condos are also available, usually located likewise along the Little Sabine Bay and offering stunning beach views. Three beds and two baths are the most common layout, but 2/2s and 4/2s are also easy to find. There are also rental options, with most rentals hovering around $1,500 a month. Pensacola Beach has a low population of permanent residents, but tourism – especially in the spring and summer months – often leads to traffic congestion. Aside from that, most residents are in their 30s to 50s, college educated, and fairly evenly split between married and single. During the off seasons, traffic is light and full of locals—making it easy to get around. Utilities are the standard for Pensacola, with Gulf Power for electricity, ECUA for water and garbage, and AT&T, Cox or DirecTV for internet/cable. Local Attractions Pensacola Beach Elementay School is a small charter school for kindergarten through fifth grade students. Across the Pensacola Beach Bridge are Gulf Breeze Elementary, Middle and High Schools, which are some of the highest rated schools in the entire district. For groceries, Gulf Breeze is once again the answer, having both a Publix and a Winn-Dixie. Restaurants are an entirely different story: Pensacola Beach has some

of the best seafood restaurants in all of Northwest Florida. With places like The Grand Marlin, Flounder’s Chowder House, Paradise Bar & Grill, Red Fish Blue Fish and The Sandbar, there are a ton of options across all price ranges. There are also small cafes like The Drowsy Poet, Native Café and Café Bistro for more subdued fare. There is always something to do on Pensacola Beach. The most obvious is to hit the miles of sugar white sand to sunbath, swim, fish or otherwise just enjoy the Gulf. There are tons of outdoor activities as well, such as bike and canoe rentals, go-karts, miniature golf, camping spots, and the ever-impressive Fort Pickens to explore. Pensacola Beach is also notorious for its nightlife: The Shaka Bar, The Sandshaker Lounge, Paddy O’Leary’s, LandShark Beach Bar and more allow you to unwind with life music, stiff drinks and cool ocean breezes. Summary Pensacola Beach may be a haven for tourists during the height of summer, but during the rest of the year it is calm and laid back. Plentiful condos and rentals, gorgeous views and luxurious beach houses are all within walking distance of bars, restaurants and the natural wonder of the Gulf of Mexico. Though mainland may have a few necessities, nothing can beat island living. For more information on Pensacola Beach and the surrounding areas, speak to your realtor or visit visitpensacolabeach.com.

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*Effective 11/07/2017 and subject to change at any time. Pictures, photographs, colors, features, and sizes are for illustration purposes only and will vary from the homes as built. Home and community information including pricing, included features, terms, availability and amenities are subject to change and prior sale at any time without notice or obligation. Florida Registered Building Contractor License #RB29003307 | D.R. Horton is an equal housing opportunity builder. Contact an Emerald Homes sales representative for details on available home and community details. Š 2017 D.R. Horton, Inc. Pensacola Magazine

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On the Market

Time to sell?

Not so fast, we got some work to do! By Eric Milstead

There is a whole lot more to selling a house than putting a sign up and opening the door to let prospective buyers in to take a look. Selling a house is a marketing process. Marketing any product from perfume to automobiles starts with making the product look as good as possible. Marketers spend up to 90 percent of the price of a bottle of perfume in packaging. Good automobile dealers detail every car before it ever hits the lot. Your house is no different—preparing the property is the most important step in the marketing process. First Impressions: First impressions have the most impact on buyers. The front of your house should be picture perfect. Start with pressure washing. Wash all exterior surfaces of the house, all sidewalks, and driveways. Next make sure the shrubbery is trimmed and fresh mulch is in the beds. Seasonal blooming flowers in pots next to the front door are a great way to say “welcome to your property.” In addition, front porch should be staged with chairs and a side table to make it an inviting space. We want the buyer imagine themselves sitting on the porch enjoying and nice morning or afternoon.

Depersonalize and Clear the Clutter Start by gathering boxes and have a storage plan.

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Renting a mini warehouse is a good idea. The less you have in your house the more spacious it will look. Next, remove all family photos. The idea is to depersonalize the space. Buyers need to envision their family in the space not yours. Once you have removed all the family photos move from room to room and clear the clutter. If in doubt, move it out! Rarely do I ever go in a home that is too minimal. Your real estate professional should be able to help you choose what should stay and what should good. Box it up and move it out!

Repairs and Maintenance Nothing is worse than trying to show a property with poor lighting. Replacing light bulbs with LED ones is the simplest way to make your property lighter and brighter. Repairs need to be addressed before buyers arrive. Dripping faucets, lights that don’t work, or rotted wood signal to a buyer that there may be bigger issues beyond the surface. Make a list and make the repairs yourself or hire a professional. A good handyman is a good resource for making minor repairs that make a big difference.

Bold Colors Pull out a color wheel and your wheels may start spinning. I love color and have always enjoyed rooms that are painted dark bold colors. Bold colors express your personality, emotions and decorating trends. When prepping a house to sell, it’s important to keep a neutral color pallet. Builder Beige is a common phrase used to describe a neutral pallet. It washes the room with a neutral

tone and opens the possibilities in the buyer’s mind. We want the buyer to imagine themselves living in the house, not living in “your” house. Tone it down and keep it neutral. Paint is an easy way to make your property more attractive to potential buyers.

Deep Clean Once the house is depersonalized, decluttered, and repairs are complete it is time for a deep clean. Start from the top down. From light fixtures and fans to baseboards and floors. It all needs to sparkle. Windows should be gleaming, appliances and mirrors should be polished, and sinks, showers and tubs should be shiny. Marketing a property is a process. Getting the product ready for the market is the first and most important part of the process. Make sure your property is ready for buyers before the sign goes up! You only have one chance to make a first impression. Eric Milstead is the Senior Real Estate Broker for Florida’s Top Properties. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a Master’s degree in Administration from the University of West Florida. He has over 25 years of experience helping buyers and sellers with their real estate needs.

• Independent Real Estate Broker for 25 years in the local market • Native Pensacolian, Previous Banker, Tulane and UWF Graduate, MBA • Represents Buyers and Sellers for both Residential and Commercial Properties in All Price Ranges • Land Development and Estate Liquidation Consultant. Own or Inherited Property and Need Guidance?

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On the Market

What Makes a Good Vacation Rental? by Joe Billingsly A significant percentage of people looking to buy in the Pensacola area are planning to offer their newly acquired properties as vacation rentals. The motivations for renting vary from straight investment properties to defraying a portion of the cost of ownership on a second home. I am regularly asked what makes a good vacation rental. There are many factors that affect how well a property will perform on short term rental. Location is probably the single most important factor impacting performance. Regardless of the property being a condo or a house, gulf front is the most desirable location, followed closely by sound front. If a property is not gulf or sound front, then ease of access is important. On Pensacola Beach, we have public access easements running across the island in numerous places, and being close to one of these easements is a big plus. For homes and condos not located directly on the water, a pool significantly enhances the rental potential. A pool not only adds to what you can charge on a weekly basis, but also increases rental frequency. For an average 4 plus bedroom home on Pensacola Beach, a pool will increase the income potential by $20,000 to $30,000 per year. When looking at purchasing a home with the intention of adding a pool, it is important to do research up front to verify you can secure the necessary permits to build the pool. When building a pool requires a variance from the Santa Rosa Island Authority, part of the process includes reaching out to the neighbors to insure they do not have any objection to the pool. If any of the abutting neighbors object to the addition of the pool, they can, in some cases, block the required variance. If a pool is an integral part of your plan, it pays to do the leg work up front. Running a close second to location, would be the number of people the property can accommodate. A two bedroom condo that sleeps six will rent better than a two bedroom condo that sleeps four. A three bedroom that sleeps eight will rent better than a three bedroom that sleeps six. When you are talking about houses for rental purposes, I would recommend a minimum

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of four bedrooms. A five bedroom house will generate more than a four bedroom, a six bedroom will generate more than a five bedroom. When you get into the six plus bedroom homes, you ideally want two living areas. The main living area would be for the adults, and the second living area would be for kids. It is not uncommon to have an extended family renting a property where they need to sleep 18 – 20 people. A group this large would require that second living area. Vacation rental properties also need to seat as many people for dining as they sleep. A house that sleeps 18 people and only seats eight for dining really doesn’t work for a large family or multiple families traveling together. So, the dining space needs to be large enough to accommodate the number of people you advertise the home to sleep. It can be a combination of breakfast area table, dining table, and bar stools as long as everyone has a place to sit for meals. I often tell people that the quality of the property and how many people the property sleeps is what drives rentals. Repeat business is a super important factor for long term success in the vacation rental business. We have properties where the same guests have rented the property every summer for 10 plus years. In order to keep the guest coming back year after year, the properties must be well maintained, and updated on an ongoing basis. In most cases, guests today are choosing properties from website photos and sites like VRBO and Homeaway that require lots of photos in order for the property to come up well in searches. Properties that show well in photos with lots of light and pops of bright colors definitely have an advantage over the tired drab properties. It is very important for vacation rental properties to show well both on the interior and exterior. With condos and townhomes, how well the association maintains the common areas also has a direct impact on rentals. Older complexes with poorly maintained exteriors are not a good choice for the vacation rental market. Similarly, older complexes with lots of stairs and no elevators are not generally a good choice

for vacation rentals. Our society is aging and extended families often have members who can’t maneuver stairs. Another path to success in the vacation rental business is allowing pets. One-third of vacationers today travel with pets. Properties with a grassy area and fenced yard are very popular with travelers. The pet fees guests pay for the privilege of bringing Fido are good source of additional income for owners. The bylaws for many condo and townhome associations prohibit short term guests from bringing pets. If a potential buyer of a condo or townhome wants to take advantage of the income potential from this market segment, they need to thoroughly research the rules and regulations for the property before purchasing. Buyers would also generally want to avoid carpet and go with hard flooring such as tile or vinyl plank that is more forgiving when pets have accidents. On Pensacola Beach, there are several nonrental subdivisions and several condos with rent restrictions. If you are looking to buy on Pensacola Beach for vacation rental, you need to make sure you are not buying in a short term rental restricted area. Villa Sabine, Seashore Village, and Sugarbowl, are all examples of rent restricted subdivisions. The Verandas Condo does not allow short term rentals and Santa Rosa Towers enforces a minimum seven night stay. There are some floors at Portofino that do not allow short term rentals. Joe Billingsly is the general manager of Paradise Beach Homes as well as an active Realtor in the Pensacola market for the past 15 years. Joe specializes in Pensacola Beach real estate and investment property. Paradise Beach Homes can provide rental projections for prospective buyers and realtors.

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On the Market

House hunting?

Use this handy checklist before you make the offer

House hunting can feel like an adventurous new chapter in your life. If you’re lucky enough to find the property that checks off all the “must have” boxes - appearance, size, price, location it’s easy to fall in love. Not so fast. Before making an offer on any property, it’s smart to take a deeper look at the overall structure and its systems, just to make sure warning signs of major and costly problems are not hiding in plain sight. If the house holds more issues than your budget (and drive to renovate) can handle, it might be best to walk away. Of course, once the offer is accepted, it’s always a smart idea to hire a third-party home inspector to take an in-depth look at the property. In the meantime, one last pass-through with this checklist in hand can give you peace of mind about taking the next step.

Exterior

Walk around all four sides of the house, scanning it from ground to rooftop. Note the condition of the doors and window frames, and look for cracked or peeling paint or signs of loose siding. Higher up, eye the chimney, making sure it appears straight and is in good condition, while the gutters and drainpipes should be in place and functional.

Roof

Ideally, the roof would be 10 years old or less, so scan the roof for the classic warning signs of aging and neglect. Things like curled and

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Take note of the landscaping. Is there a slope angled away from the house, or is there a potential for a flooded basement after a major rainfall? Mature trees provide lots of shade, but watch for overhanging branches, as these can break off in a storm and do major damage to the roof. Finally, take note of the condition of the driveway and sidewalks.

it comes to older systems, energy efficiency is another consideration, according to Tom Tasker, product manager with Coleman Echelon Variable Capacity residential systems. “Newer HVAC systems are remarkably more efficient when compared to those from even a decade ago, which means they keep your house comfortable for as little as half the cost,” says Tasker. For example, Coleman’s Echelon products are rated up to 20 SEER, which stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio. Compare these to the 10 SEER systems of 25 years ago, and that can give you an idea of what to expect in potential energy costs, he says.

Foundation

Appliances

missing shingles, dark stains, moss growth and signs of sagging can signal serious issues. (A home inspector can confirm if full replacement is needed, or if a few simple repairs would stabilize things for another decade or so.)

Yard

The sight of a few hairline cracks in the cement is no cause for panic. Do look for telltale signs of serious issues, such as widening cracks, water stains and bulges. It doesn’t hurt to bring a level to make sure the walls are straight. Plumbing: In addition to checking basement and under-sink pipes for signs of leaks, scan the ceilings for water stains. Open all the faucets to check the water pressure as well as the time it takes for hot water to reach the tap.

HVAC system

Know the age of the heating and cooling systems, and check these for tags and other signs of routine maintenance. If the system is older than a decade, that can spell costly repairs and a replacement in a brief time frame. When

Note the age and condition of things like the refrigerator, oven and range, washer and dryer, and hot water heater. As with the HVAC, older appliances tend to consume more energy and you’ll face a shorter timeline for needed repairs and replacements. Buying a house is a big decision, but knowing what you’re buying can go a long way in assuring you that you’ve found the right place!

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PRESENTING THE CHARLES W. LAMAR STUDIO AT P E N S A C O L A S T A T E C O L L E G E

LAMAR FAMILY, REILLY FAMILY, AND SWITZER FAMILY Thank you Lamar, Reilly, and Switzer families for your continued support of Pensacola State College and generous donations to make the Charles W. Lamar Studio at the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts the preeminent art gallery and instructional facility in Northwest Florida. The investment allows Pensacola State to further enhance the College’s leadership in Visual Arts education. As founders of Lamar Advertising Company, members of the Lamar, Reilly, and Switzer families passionately believe in the impact that arts education has in building great colleges and bettering communities. In 1998, the Lamar, Reilly, and Switzer families made a generous $1 million gift to Pensacola State for the enhancement of the College’s Visual Arts program. The gift led to the opening of the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts. Believing that great experiences extend beyond physical spaces, family members generously funded numerous endowments supporting the Visual Arts Department: • The Anna Lamar Switzer Endowed Teaching Chair • The Anna Lamar Switzer Endowed Artist Chair

• The Anna Lamar Switzer Endowed Student Scholarship In August 2014, the Lamar, Reilly, and Switzer families committed an additional $1 million to complete the Visual Arts facility with the addition of the Charles W. Lamar Studio, named in honor of the family patriarch. Since their initial investment in 1998, the Lamar, Reilly, and Switzer families have provided gifts resulting in more than $4 million to the College. The Lamar, Reilly, and Switzer families have a long tradition of not only contributing significant resources to Pensacola State, but to the Pensacola community as well. We are honored to invite you to visit the beautiful Charles W. Lamar Studio now open at Pensacola State College.

VisualArts.PensacolaState.edu

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