Henderson sets the record straight on Town Center plans

Chad Henderson, one of the partners with Tri-W, has clarified misconceptions about the group’s plans for developing OLF-8, 540 acres owned by Escambia County in the Beulah area. After citizens expressed concerns at a recent county commission meeting about the potential abandonment of OLF-8 Master Plan’s town center concept, Henderson quickly addressed those worries in a phone interview.

Town Center Remains “The Beating Heart”

Henderson stated that abandoning the town center concept has never been part of their plan. “We have no intention whatsoever of abandoning any notion of a town center,” he explained.

“We believe having a town center is an integral part of what would be the beating heart of Beulah in creating that sense of place.”

Instead of walking away from the town center, Henderson expressed excitement about moving forward with it. He described their vision as creating an “18-hour environment” — not merely an office space where people arrive at 8 a.m. and leave at 5 p.m., nor just an entertainment district active only in the evenings.

Instead, they envision a curated space with appropriate uses, fostering walkability and meaningful human interaction throughout most of the day.

Adapting to Beulah’s Growth

While committed to maintaining the spirit of the original master plan, Henderson acknowledged some aspects might need updating. “That plan, it is dated,” he noted, pointing to the significant growth in the Beulah community over the past five to six years.

He suggested three areas that could be revisited:

The phasing element of the plan
Tightening up confidence in restrictions
Considering higher density in some areas

Henderson added that these adjustments would come “without sacrificing quality or without sacrificing the spirit of having a township.”

Defending Development Partner JWA

During our conversation, Henderson also addressed a comment from a commissioner who referred to Tri-W’s partner, JWA, as a “strip mall developer.” Henderson expressed surprise at this characterization, stating that JWA is “far, far, far, far from a strip mall developer.”

He highlighted JWA’s impressive portfolio, including the Red Arsenal project in Huntsville (which now encompasses almost 3 million square feet and 8,700 jobs), a walkable lifestyle center in Montgomery, and various other high-quality developments. Henderson praised JWA for bringing “validity, access to capital, and execution” to the table.

Focus on Community Benefits

Throughout the interview, Henderson stressed their intention to create meaningful development that benefits the broader community. “This is an opportunity to create the beating heart of Beulah and also be very intentional about who we recruit from an employer perspective,” he said.

He added, “I want places or opportunities for my kids to come back and live in Pensacola. So, that’s the kind of mindset that we have.”

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BACKGROUND: The OLF 8 Master Plan combines commerce, residential and amenities. It allocates 271 acres to commerce and industrial; 61 acres to residential, including duplexes, townhomes and multifamily; 47 acres to a mixed-use center, such as residential over retail and office over retail; and 45 acres to trails and public amenities, such as a post office, school, daycare and community garden. The goal for the site is to attract employers with high-paying jobs and provide some amenities for Beulah residents.

1 thought on “Henderson sets the record straight on Town Center plans for OLF-8”

I became familiar with Jim Wilson & Associates-JWA-when I lived in Alabama and the company was developing The Shoppes at Eastchase in Montgomery, a beautiful outdoor upscale mall. It is quality all the way as is the developer’s Riverchase Galleria in Birmingham. I think they can be trusted to develop the OLF 8 property in a way that will be a source of pride to the residents of Beulah and certainly enhance their quality of life.

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Henderson sets the record straight on Town Center plans for OLF-8

Town Center Remains “The Beating Heart”

Adapting to Beulah’s Growth

Defending Development Partner JWA

Focus on Community Benefits

1 thought on “Henderson sets the record straight on Town Center plans for OLF-8”

Rules for Comments

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