Mayor D.C. Reeves announced retired Rear Admiral Lance Scott as the new Port Director, pending Pensacola City Council approval. With 31 years of Navy experience, Scott brings significant leadership credentials, having commanded 6,500 personnel in his previous role. His appointment aligns with what Mayor Reeves describes as “the beginning of a significant new era in port operations” that will balance traditional cargo operations with marine technology and research development.
- The American Magic sailing headquarters project is progressing, with repairs to the existing structure nearing completion. The city is finalizing an amended lease agreement to secure additional funding for the construction phase, which will begin immediately after repairs. He will add the amended lease to the next council meeting’s agenda.
Mayor Reeves emphasized the importance of avoiding delays between phases, noting the project’s cost has increased from an initial $11-12 million estimate to approximately $17 million.
- Funding solutions include grants and advanced rent payments from American Magic, allowing the project to proceed without tapping into general funds or CRA resources.
Baptist Hospital Project Update
Significant progress continues on the old Baptist Hospital campus acquisition. The mayor has requested a two-week delay for the county commission agenda item to allow city and county staff to determine exact demolition costs rather than using estimates. Demolition bids will be reviewed this Thursday, with selection committee deliberations scheduled for 2 p.m. Concurrently, the city is finalizing the donation agreement with Baptist.
- Mayor Reeves expects both funding and the donation agreement to be secured in April, with community engagement regarding the site’s future beginning in May or June.
He pledged that demolition would not begin before community input is gathered, emphasizing, “We will not send a wrecking ball through anything until we have started a conversation about what the community wants.”
Addressing Affordable Housing Challenges
When asked about measuring success with the city’s housing initiatives, Mayor Reeves acknowledged the challenge of quickly building supply to meet demand. He emphasized a “shotgun model” with multiple concurrent initiatives at different price points and scales.
“The problem is how quick can a government, especially a government on its own, increase the supply inventory? We have to have private partners,” Reeves said. He stressed the importance of “missing middle” housing for those earning 80-120% of area median income, including police officers, firefighters, and teachers who currently cannot afford to live in the city where they work.
Other City Updates
Several other initiatives were highlighted during the press conference:
- The city has hired Dustin Redford as Constituent Legislative Affairs Liaison
- A Fireboat One crew successfully rescued two men from a capsized canoe Sunday evening
- Five inches of rain in less than two hours caused temporary airport closures, affecting approximately 50 flights
- A new website, transformpns.com, has launched to track the airport terminal expansion project
- Progress continues on Partnership for Attainable Housing projects with the Community Land Trust
- The new welcome sign installation has been delayed due to weather but should be completed next week
- The Jefferson Street Garage will temporarily close Sunday and Monday from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for maintenance
- A District Four town hall is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Vickery Center