(PENSACOLA) --- The demolition of the former Baptist Campus is almost complete.
On July 13, Sr. Project Manager Joshua Wallace of Jacobs Solutions informed Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) members of the project's progress.
(Photo: Jacob Solutions presentation slides at the July 13 Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting)
Noting the demolition was in Phase Three and 95% complete, Wallace said, “Good things have been happening again, making way for the future,” to CRA members and Pensacola City Council officials, including Allison Patton, Jared Moore, Jennifer Brahier, Tenaide Broughton, and Chair Charles Bare.
The last 5% is removing “things behind walls that you can't necessarily see,” according to Wallace, who noted that “due diligence” was done in all demolitions.
(Photo: Joshua Wallace informing the Community Redevelopment Agency about the Baptist Campus demolition)
“All protocols that we talked about at the start of the project have remained in place,” Wallace said.
Broughton questioned archeological protocols, bringing up the past to make her point.
“Remember last time they tore something down and found out it was the Luna settlement,” Broughton said, before asking whether Wallace had met with a University of West Florida (UWF) archaeologist.
(Photo: CRA, City Council member Tenaide Broughton expressing concern for an archeological survey at the Baptist Campus demolition site)
“We have not met with UWF archeologists, but if you give me a contact, we don't mind a site visit and walk-through,” Wallace said.
According to Broughton, “sometimes they'll find like pieces of glass or just archaeological stuff that they could use. I want to give them the opportunity to, at least.”
Wallace concluded, noting that the Former Baptist Demolition website is available for more information, including details on the Aug. 2 public forum at Lakeview Activity Center.
“Please spread the word,” Jacobs said of the 5:30 p.m. meeting. “I think it'll be a good one, and we'll be announcing abatement completion, which I think will be good for the community. “
(Photo: Jacob Solutions presentation slides at the July 13 Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting)
Next, members focused on the $30K Wayside Park Improvement Grant application.
CRA Division Manager Victoria D’Angelo told officials that the city engineering department is assisting with the application for the park, which was “badly damaged during Hurricane Sally, particularly the seawall in the park.”
(Photo: Wayside Park Grant Application document showing damage along the seawall)
“The CRA has been involved in the park for many years, back in the early 2000s,” D’Angelo said. “We did some of the landscape work and some preliminary park improvements out there.”
The division manager said the CRA plans “up until even today” to improve the waterfront area. Brahier noted that she personally thinks “Wayside is an incredibly legitimate project for the CRA.”
“We've got that wonderful access underneath to the water on both sides,” Brahier said. “We'll have access to the fishing, and I think that this is an incredibly important and valuable asset to the city of Pensacola.”
Patton agreed, noting the importance of maintaining a “living shoreline” and “protecting the park.”
“I'm all in favor of using the funds to move forward with the grant application,” Patton said.
Moore said he “succinctly echoes support” and “I think that's a worthwhile project to chase” before noting an additional suggestion.
“I've always thought it would be ideal, maybe cost-prohibitive, but ideal, if we could move that boat launch further into Wayside Park,” Moore said.
“There's not a lot of space, so you could utilize some of the space that is down there…then maybe less foot traffic there around the bridge.”
(Photo: Mayor D.C. Reeves at the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting July 13)
Mayor D.C. Reeves noted that, since he has been involved, the “hyperfocus” has been on resolving all the seawall complications, including future county work regarding the bridge.
"We've certainly been active as a whole and trying to find those solutions even though we know that the south side of Wayside Park is going to be ultimately, relatively unusable during the construction of the bridge,” Reeves said.
City Administrator David Stafford said the county is receptive to “restore dollars” regarding the seawall.
“They recognize, of course, that if they're going to open this brand-new fishing pier, then the next step is what's going to happen to the rest of the park,” Stafford said. “So I think there's some mutual interest in seeing something happen there.”
Though the demolition and Wayside Park took up most of the 34-minute meeting, OpGov.News platform's Key Takeaways notes other meeting matters, including waiving the waiver for the Tall Ship Elissa to dock at Plaza De Luna from August 6-10.
Additionally, members noted the beginning of budget discussions for the Urban Core and Westside boards for Bayfront Trail plans, including balancing shade, water views, and the use of native species. Lastly, an amendment to the Redevelopment Covenants for 216 North A Street provided a one-year extension.
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