The City of Pensacola’s Architectural Review Board meets Thursday, April 16, at 2 p.m. in the Hagler-Mason Conference Room on the second floor of City Hall—and one item on the agenda could reshape a prominent block in the heart of downtown.
Branch Acquisition Company, an Atlanta-based developer headquartered at 3340 Peachtree Road NE, is requesting a conceptual review of a new mixed-use shopping center at 200 W. Garden Street. The property sits within the Palafox Historic Business District, zoned C-2A, in City Council District 6. The application was filed March 31. See 200 W. Garden St_Application & Materials.
What’s Proposed
The centerpiece of the project is a 30,990-square-foot grocery store—labeled “Stretch 20” in the plans—anchoring a multi-building complex that also includes retail shops, a wine store, a pizzeria, a bistro and a yoga studio among its prospective tenants. The development would add roughly 62,990 square feet of leasable commercial space across four buildings.
- The conceptual design, prepared by Phillips Architecture & Consultants of Atlanta, calls for a brick-forward aesthetic using General Shale LWM “Millstone #40” brick combined with split-face block, large masonry units and EIFS panels in neutral tones—Sherwin-Williams “Pure White” and “Agreeable Gray.” Black Kawneer metal awnings and storefronts would provide contrast throughout. LED signage uplighting is planned along building facades.
The site plan, engineered by Pensacola’s Rebol-Battle & Associates, shows a large central parking lot with 244 on-site spaces—exceeding the city’s required 258 spaces when accounting for the 1-space-per-300-square-foot retail standard. However, the plan notes 258 required versus 244 provided on-site, with additional off-site options. Eleven handicap spaces are included.
Historic Walls and Pocket Park
Among the most notable design elements are two existing historic masonry walls—one along Garden Street and one along Spring Street—that the applicant proposes to preserve and incorporate into the new development’s streetscape. The renderings show the arched brick walls, framed by lush landscaping, serving as visual anchors that connect the new construction to the site’s history.
On the southeast corner of Romana Street and Spring Street, the plans call for a “pocket park” featuring patios, seating areas and extensive plantings—a nod toward pedestrian-friendly placemaking in a district that has seen significant new investment in recent years, with the ongoing Reimagine Palafox construction underway just blocks away.
Background: In December 2019, Danny Zimmern held one of the city’s more bizarre ceremonies when he had Bishop Wack offer closing remarks and a prayer to conclude the decommissioning ceremony of the former Pensacola U.S.O. building, constructed in 1942. The only part of the building that was saved is the arches you see standing on Spring Street. The John Sunday Society had the Pensacola USO Building on its list of Seven to Save, but accepted the arches as enough.
What the Board Will Consider
Thursday’s hearing is a conceptual review—not a final approval. The board will offer broad feedback on building materials, siting and massing under the Palafox Historic Business District’s architectural review standards. Key code sections the board will reference include regulations governing commercial land use, Palafox Historic Business District decision guidelines and off-street parking requirements.
The ARB will weigh how the project’s scale, materials and design relate to the historic character of the district—particularly given the preservation of the two historic walls and the project’s adjacency to one of downtown Pensacola’s most active redevelopment corridors.
The April 16 meeting begins at 2:00 p.m. at City Hall, 222 West Main Street.
