(PENSACOLA) -- Members of the Urban Core Development Board refused to back down on affordable housing downtown at 101 West Main St.
Electing officials to annual chair positions was secondary to Chairman Christopher Satterwhite and Board Member Michael Carro, who did not let Assistant Economic Development Director Anna Kate Baygetts walk away from the discussion without one important point to bring back to Mayor D.C. Reeves: they want affordable housing downtown.
Back-and-forth questions, followed by officials unclear on whether to make a motion on the recommendations, made for an interesting first meeting, with the OpGov.ai platform reporting, "this revealed a tension between development potential and a consistent, integrated affordable housing strategy."
Chris Satterwhite made it clear, and let the mayor's office understand retail is not a priority, affordable housing is the focus.
"A key discussion centered on the 101 West Main Street property, where the board critically pushed for a clear 'sell' strategy with robust clawback provisions and the earmarking of proceeds for affordable housing elsewhere, acknowledging the difficulty of developing affordable units on prime downtown land," the platform reports.
What did this real-time reporter pick up at the meeting I attended? The same, beginning with Baygetts noting in April 2025 that Mayor D.C. Reeves hosted a private-public partnership workshop through the U.S. Conference of Mayors, coming up with answers.
“We attended, and we got some really great ideas on how to best market this proposal to make sure that we're getting quality proposals and investors to make this project go through,” Bayget said, noting Council President Allison Patton suggested she bring the survey results to board members on Tuesday. “There is no action on it, but we would like your recommendations.
And she says it in just a way as if she were reassuring the board members that they have some say in the end.
Assistant Economic Development Director Anna Kate Baygetts, in the center, agrees to bring affordable housing recommendations back to Mayor D.C. Reeves and CRA
First things first, according to the assistant, and that is to “really strengthen the project readiness," which includes completing phase one and a historic review, as well as clarifying development expectations.
“Because they don't want to put their time and energy and money into a, you know, to a deep proposal if it's not what the city wants,” Baygetts said. “They don't want to waste their time on that.”
The biggest recommendation, not surprisingly, was "multifamily use at this site specifically for sale condos."
"The feedback from council, as well, was that we really want to emphasize the more mixed-use and ground-floor activation on there," Baygetts said.
Funny how she kept saying "we" but what about the residents? Clearly, the board had them in mind.
Off the top, Carro wanted to know whether it was a lease verus sell.
Pensacola Urban Core Redevelopment Board Member Micahel Carro is not settling for anything less than affordable housing in 101 West Main Street project
“This is going to be a major decision-making point for a developer, financing a project that they can buy is much easier than, of course, if they have to do a ground lease,” Carro said.
Carro also expressed concern about the highlighted parking area and how it relates to the proposed multi-family residents, asking Baygetts how they stand.
“Is that memorialized in a in a in a deed or an easement, or is this more of a gentlemen's agreement that when they sell it,” Carro asked.
A gentleman’s agreement is the answer, according to Baygetts, adding that it would be ideal to have retail on the bottom floor and multi-family apartments above. Before letting Baygetts go any further, Satterwhite spoke right up, adding that affordable housing is a must.
“I know that's been one of our priorities since day one, with affordable housing. And I don't know if this multifamily fits into that affordable housing,” Satterwhite said.
Baygetts said, regarding the proposal, “that's not the way this one was written,” but added that board members do have a right to ask for affordable housing there.
“It would just shift priority,” Baygetts said, adding, “but I mean, it's not out of the question.”
She said it, not me. Clearly, the priority is retail over low-income residents.
Urban Core Redevelopment Board Members Jared MOore, Kelly Wieczorek, discussing the 101 Wes Main St. project
“I don't think retail is on our priority or anything else is, that since that's one of our priorities that we've agreed to here on the board, that it seems that that would be one of the things that we should at least explore,” Satterwhite said.
Baygetts went on.
Per Mayor Reeves, “we are looking at housing at all income levels.”
“This one isn't necessarily affordable, but having more inventory in general can open up more affordable options as well,” Baygetts said.
At this point, it’s not worth continuing to describe the awkward tension of what Reeves seems to want and what board members feel is just.
Pensacola presentation on 101 Main St. project, showing recommendations, timelines, and next steps
"Well, I guess I would make a is it a motion that we're making or a recommendation?" Carro asked.
Final recommendation is “we sell it with a timeline to submit, permits and a timeline for construction," Carro said, adding "otherwise, it reverts back with, significant penalty back to the CRA.”
A proposal for the "ideal project" at 101 West Main Street.
My question to you, reader, is whether there should be more retail or affordable housing?
No brainer to me.
To add to the story, email me at reporterangelaunderwood@gmail.com or leave a comment below.
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