USPS Publication Number 16300
T h is C om mu n i t y N ewsp a p er is a pu bl ica t ion of E sca m bia / S a n ta Rosa B a r Assoc ia t ion
Se r v i ng t he Fi r st Jud icial Ci rcu it
Section A, Page 1
Vol. 17, No. 48
Visit The Summation Weekly Online: www.summationweekly.com
December 6, 2017
1 Section, 8 Pages
Pensacola Receives Great Places in Florida Award
By Tanner Yea
Photo courtesy of Allen Jones
Over the past few years, Pensacola has seen exponential growth. From the downtown shops, bars and restaurants to the expanding neighborhoods, the city is gaining attention as a beacon of progress and expansion. As a result of this, the American Planning Association (APA) Florida Chapter has awarded downtown Pensacola with the Great Places of Florida 2017 People’s Choice Award. While this is a great honor and garners recognition for the city, it may be confusing on how the award was won and what it represents. The APA itself is a non-profit organization of professionals and students who provide leadership for the future development and redevelopment of Florida communities. Working in both the public and private sector, the APA specializes in urban planning of all varieties in order to help create the most efficient and beautiful spaces for people to live, work and play in. Brandon Henry is the chair of the APA Florida Chapter Youth Planner’s Group, and he said the Great Places in Florida competition is designed to “celebrate local places that highlight what great urban planning and design is all about.” The Florida Chapter’s initial competition was held in 2014, with Mt. Dora taking home the prize. Since then, the annual event has honored Downtown Fernan-
dina Beach in 2015 and Cascades Park in Tallahassee in 2016. The initiative was modeled after the Great Places in America initiative held by the APA parent organization. Pensacola has also previously won in that competition, with Palafox Street being named one of the top 10 streets in America in their 2013 competition. That competition promoted Palafox because of its historic character, planning accomplishments, classic architecture and its myriad events, celebrations and festivals. The APA Florida Chapter’s competition was open to all submissions, with around 20 being submitted for the 2017 contest. Henry said these submissions are ranked by a team of judges consisting of practicing planners and representatives of other professional organizations that promoted urban welfare. The submissions are judged on four criteria: safety, like how the city is maintained while remaining welcoming and accommodating for all; unique character, which reflects the local culture and history; community involvement, which helps promote social interaction and activities; and design and compatibility, meaning the city is visually interesting while relating well to surrounding areas. Once the scores are ranked and averaged, the top five entries are then voted on by the public. Aside from Pensacola, the other finalists included the Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami Beach, Beachwalk in Clearwater, downtown Winter Park, and Mizner Park & downtown Boca Raton. The voting for the contest started on October 17, and the results were announced on October 27. “This year, we had approximately 3,900 total votes cast,
“The award means all this passion, commitment and dedication to making downtown Pensacola the absolute best place to live, work and play are paying off, and that we are making the right decisions.” -Lissa Dees
and about half of those voted for Pensacola,” said Henry. All the voting was done exclusively online and shared through the APA Florida Chapter’s website and social media. According to the APA website, the reason for Pensacola’s designation as a finalist is a result of many factors. They site the 450-year history of the city as the United State’s first European settlement and its various possessions by Spain, Britain and France, allowing a mixed and diverse culture. They also site the walkability of downtown’s 44-block area, as well as alternative transport like pedicabs, trolleys and Segways. Factors like holiday festivities, the Blue Wahoo stadium, historic and cultural sites, shopping, food and entertainment all combined to help downtown Pensacola secure the win. “The award means all this passion, commitment and dedication to making downtown Pensacola the absolute best place to live, work and play are paying off, and that we are making the right decisions,” said Lissa Dees, the event coordinator for Pensacola’s Downtown Improvement Board. “Recognition like this incentivizes and encourages us to keep reaching higher, becoming even better, dreaming bigger and doing more.” Much of the recognition can be attributed to the growth Pensacola has experienced over the last several years. According to population estimates from the US Census Bureau, as of 2016 the Pensacola metro area saw a population growth of 1.6 percent since the previous year. This ranks the city in the top fifth of US locations that witnessed have growth, ranking 65 out of 400 metro areas. Forbes also notes a 2 percent annual job growth, as well as real estate market growth and a high quality of life. Though major metropolitan areas such as Jacksonville, Miami and Orlando are open to be submitted for the competition, Henry said the focus is on small communities. “When starting Great Places in Florida, we wanted to focus on the hyperlocal places that make Florida such a great place to live,” said Henry. “Florida has so many great places that are often shadowed by our larger cities and major destinations. These smaller places form the fabric of our communities and thus are worth highlighting and celebrating.” Henry said being namde a “Great Place” shows the world that downtown Pensacola is open for all to enjoy. He also noted that organizations often use the Great Places designation as a tool to communicate to the public that their city is a step above the others—“as a point for community pride or as marketing to businesses and tourists alike.” Henry said this competition is meant to help actively encourage smaller communities like Pensacola to grow and flourish by recognizing those places as exceptional. As a result of the win, Henry said that downtown Pensacola could truly say it is a remarkable example of what makes Florida such a special place. For more information on the Great Places of Florida competition and the American Planning Association Florida chapter, visit floridaplanning.org.