CRA Plan for the

RBAN

ORE

EDEVELOPMENT

REA

of the City of Pensacola, Florida Volume II: CRA Implementation PlanOctober 20, 2009

Volume IIImplementation PlanTable of Contents

Introduction 2Marketing Downtown Pensacola 2Economic Development 4Residential StrategyRetail StrategyOffice StrategyTourism, Arts & Entertainment StrategyCapital ProjectsPensacola Baywalk 13Parks and Open Spaces 15Transportation 16GatewaysRoad DietsStreet ExtensionsOne-Way ConversionsParkingTransit InitiativesRedevelopment Projects 24Capital Plan and Priorities 28Financing and Funding Sources 30Policy and Zoning 33CRA Programs/Activities 34Redevelopment AssistanceReal Property Acquisition and DispositionBuilding Demolition, Rehabilitation and RelocationProperty Management and MaintenancePublic Improvements, Beautification and InfrastructureEvent Programming, Advertising and PromotionsCode EnforcementCommunity Policing InnovationsAdministrative and Professional Consulting Services

NTRODUCTION

The 2009 CRA Plan establishes the framework fortransformative policies and investments in the City of Pensacola’s Urban Core Community Redevelopment Area. Within that context the Plan provides policy,programmatic and fiscal direction for the Community Redevelopment Agency as Pensacola reshapes its urbanlandscape and waterfront.This Volume II - CRA Plan for the Urban CoreRedevelopment Area of the City of Pensacola presents therecommended implementation strategies and priority capital projects to achieve the CRA vision established inthe Volume I – CRA Plan. Volume I provides background information about the Agency and the Urban Core Community Redevelopment Area and Plan; provides a market and physical assessmentof the Redevelopment Area in the year 2009; andprovides an illustrated vision for the recommendations inthe Plan. Volume II functions in reference to Volume Iand together they comprise the complete CRA Plan. Volume II is intended to be able to be used as a stand-alone document that can be referenced forimplementation strategies and priorities. Volume II Implementation Strategies are categorized intothe following major headings:

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Marketing Downtown Pensacola

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Economic Development

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Capital Projects and Cost Estimates

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Financing and Funding Sources

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Policy and Zoning

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Programs/Activities

ARKETING

OWNTOWN

ENSACOLA

The City of Pensacola is poised to launch itself intorecognition as one of the greatest waterfront andhistoric communities in the country in the coming years.

The Urban Core Redevelopment Area Plan Teamhas observed a community with unbelievable existingassets and incredible opportunities that most cities of thissize can only dream of. However, the Team recognizesthat Pensacola’s story has not been widely told. Localperception of “who we are” as a community has perhapsbeen the most restraining factor that must be overcome.Celebrating both large and small successes, bringingpositive regional, national and international attention toPensacola and improving local perception,communication and cooperation among all citizens,stakeholders and agencies is critical.Pensacola should celebrate, leverage and capitalize on itsrich settlement story, its impressive architectural gemsand historic character and its culturally diverse history asother cities, like Charleston and Savannah, have for years.Likewise, Pensacola should take advantage of its mostunique and valuable natural asset, Pensacola Bay -focusing on creating a waterfront experience that is a one-of-a-kind world class amenity for residents, workers and visitors. The devil is in the details in successfully achieving this goal. Mediocrity will yield little result andinvestments must be strategic to leverage the existing waterfront amenities, downtown attractions, businessesand neighborhoods.Other unique aspects should be celebrated and marketedto outsiders as well. There are few cities of Pensacola’ssize that can boast having the five primary art institutions:a successful ballet, opera, symphony, theatre and art