—Getting Council Approval for Reimagine Palafox Not a Slam Dunk—
The Pensacola City Council held a two-hour workshop to discuss the “Reimagine Palafox” project. This $10.7 million downtown renovation has sparked debate about design, cost, and potential impacts on local businesses. The workshop revealed significant concerns from council members about the project’s scope and whether the city is doing too much—or spending too wisely.
Design Concerns Take Center Stage
Councilwoman Jennifer Brahier raised the most pointed questions about the project’s aesthetic choices, particularly the roundabout-style intersections. She challenged the engineering rationale behind the circular features.
- “If you even look at Jeff Speck’s guidelines, you do sharp right angles. You do not swoop that the swooping adds speed,” Brahier said. “When I look at these from above, I see Disney Springs. It doesn’t look like a modern pretense of an old town instead of an old town.”
City Engineer Brad Hinote defended the design, explaining, “It is not a roundabout. However, visually, as you’re traveling down that roadway, it makes you want to slow down because it’s like deterrent to a speeder.” He added that the raised pavers act “almost like a rumble strip” to enhance pedestrian safety.
Mayor D.C. Reeves stated that the design came from extensive collaboration: “We have a plethora of experts that have been involved in this. So again, I can get on YouTube and look at streets that have had incredible transformations… But what I can tell you is that we’ve put our best foot forward with a team of people over almost three years of time.”
The Parking Dilemma
The removal of 19 parking spaces became a flashpoint in the discussion. Councilwoman Brahier noted, “In every bit of Jeff Speck lore, or go back to even Ray Oldenberg, who was from here or any of those urban sociology designers, you add parallel parking, you don’t subtract.”
- Project Manager Adrianne Walker clarified, “Eight, so half of those, were actually requested by FDOT because of visibility and safety concerns that they posed. That wasn’t entirely our decision.” She added that while the project maintains loading zones, “There’s flexibility because it’s just paint.”
Business Impact and Mitigation Efforts
Council members pressed the administration on how businesses would survive the construction period. Walker outlined extensive support measures, including 414 free parking spaces throughout construction, discounted parking in private lots, and potential rent relief.
- “The mayor has also requested rent relief from property owners to their tenants during this project,” Walker said. She noted that up to $768,000 in unclaimed incentive bonus funds could go toward rent relief distributed through the Downtown Improvement Board.
Councilwoman Allison Patton expressed concern about implementation: “If we don’t have a real plan to implement that immediately, then it may not have the desired effect, which is to help people stay in business who might otherwise not be given the opportunity if the project is extended.”
- The project includes a 24-hour construction schedule with an incentivized completion date of May 24, 2026, with liquidated damages of $1,000 per day after July 4, 2026.
The Cost Question
Councilman Charles Bare scrutinized the budget, noting that “the single biggest item in each bid is the pedestrian pavers” at $1.8 million for the winning bidder. He questioned whether such extensive improvements were necessary: “I just don’t think this is necessary… I’m concerned about ADA, I’m concerned about stormwater. I’m concerned about getting rid of the cement bumps all over that road.”
- Mayor Reeves defended the comprehensive approach: “We haven’t done stormwater in 26 years on this road. We talk a lot about climate change. We talk a lot about rainfall, we talk a lot about the intensity of storms, and we haven’t done anything on Palafox in 26 years.”
Historic Preservation Considerations
Councilwoman Tenade Broughton raised questions about incorporating Pensacola’s history into the project. Walker responded that the design includes the America’s First Settlement Trail and “ballast stone planters that match Plaza Ferdinand.”
- “There are some incredible historic photographs that I’m going to push to have on the construction fencing in certain sections just to show people how far Palafox has come,” Walker said, adding that a dedicated website would share the street’s history.
Looking Ahead
The workshop concluded without a vote, setting the stage for critical decisions at upcoming CRA and City Council meetings. The tension between comprehensive infrastructure improvements and business impacts remains unresolved, with Council President Jared Moore noting they would “be ready to write the final chapter next week.”
- As Dog House owner Nathan Holler put it plainly: “The question now is how many of the small businesses are all of you guys willing to lose on a six-month project? Because I feel like some of us won’t make it.”