—Mayor Reeves Discusses Baptist Hospital Timeline, and Palafox Construction Strategy—
- Pensacola mayor outlines communication plans as major downtown project begins
Baptist Hospital Demolition Starts December
Demolition of the old Baptist Hospital will begin next month, launching an 18-month process that will be preceded by extensive community engagement.
- “It is our goal and our intent to make sure that the community is being engaged before major demolition is happening,” Reeves said.
The city council will vote in December on hiring a redevelopment expert to guide the community input process, similar to the approach used for the Holice T. Williams project, which involved over 30 community meetings.
Reeves said the administration has already begun meeting with stakeholders, including the Black Ministers Association and military community representatives, to understand housing needs and community priorities.
- “We’re trying to engage as many folks as we can,” the mayor said, noting that meetings will include not just community leaders but residents living within 500 feet of the project.
Palafox Construction: Free Parking and Communication Blitz
With fencing going up on South Palafox Street on Jan. 5th, the city is launching a comprehensive communication strategy to support downtown businesses during the Reimagine Palafox reconstruction.
The city plans to implement 24-hour free parking in approximately 414 spaces during construction, in response to business owners’ preferences expressed in a recent survey.
Reeves acknowledged some reservations about the policy, noting that data shows the recent increase from 50 cents to $1 per hour increased parking turnover by 35%, benefiting businesses by making spaces available more often.
- “I’m a little torn about this,” the mayor admitted, “but I pledged to the businesses I would do what they preferred.”
The communication strategy includes:
- A dedicated website and logo for the project
- Banners with QR codes at Palafox Market
- Rack cards distributed to beach hotels
- Regular mayor’s office hours at downtown locations
- Coordinated social media updates with the Downtown Improvement Board
“If this were easy, it probably wouldn’t have been 26 years since someone wanted to do it,” Reeves said, referencing the long delay in reconstructing the downtown corridor.
The mayor emphasized the administration’s commitment to maintaining business vibrancy during construction: “We are absolutely giving our 110% best effort to help businesses down there, to help our residents and our visitors know that we’re open for business.”
