THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE OUR SECOND SURVEY EFFORT!

The second community survey effort for the Port of Pensacola Vision Plan and Reinvestment Strategy is complete, with raw outputs available at the downloads section found at the end of this webpage.  More than 460 individuals responded to one or more questions presented, generating over 6,459 responses and 241 unique comments.  Again, another terrific showing by the community.

Also, many thanks to all that participated in our added September 24 public work session. We had another good turnout and certainly were able to get some new perspectives and information form the public.  A copy of the presentation is available for download below.    

With this added public meeting, we will be submitting our draft over the next few weeks for City review. A final public presentation is tentatively scheduled for November.  We appreciate everyone’s involvement in the process and looking forward to showing off the final planning result. We will update you via the website with a renewed final presentation date.

COMMUNITY SURVEY TWO

Community Survey Two is live and ready for your feedback and opinions!  Similar to our first survey, we want to better understand your preferences on how best the Port should evolve over time.  The survey is broken into three parts.  Part One asks that you review the draft Mission Statement for the project and help refine it to better guide all future planning and decision making tasks.  Part Two offers three preliminary project concepts for consideration.  The final part of the survey asks a small number of simple demographic questions.  Please note that a description of the project along with all previous and current planning materials are provided toward the end of this webpage.

Thank your for your participation!

PART ONE:  DRAFT MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE PORT VISION PLAN AND REINVESTMENT STRATEGY

The first grouping of questions deal with the draft Mission Statement and Core Tenets associated with the Port planning effort.    

PART TWO:  PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS FOR THE PORT OF PENSACOLA

In the following section, we present three initial planning concepts.  Concepts represent initial thoughts and ideas for reinvisioning the Port of Pensacola based on the Community Priorities Survey results and feedback from Public Open House One.  Planning concepts were developed using the draft core tenets and framework established for the project area.  They also take into account the Deisgn Team's general sense of financial feasibility, ease of implementation, permissibility by regulatory agencies and community acceptance of project elements. 

Please keep in mind that the planning concepts are preliminary and will evolve as the vision planning process advances over the coming weeks.

CONCEPT ONE

Concept One seeks to keep intact a large portion of the Port’s traditional operations areas and backlands while also adding expanded research, education and recreational boating elements.  The marina basin at the Fish House and Bartram Park is restored and expanded, with new marina technical yards, high-dry boat storage and mixed-use commercial features.  Adjacent to the expanded marina is a new environmental center of the Gulf Coast and fish hatchery.  To the west, investments are made from Building Four to E. Main Street to create a new center for ocean-based sciences, research and business—an anchor tasked with tapping into the growing the blue economy of Pensacola and Northwest Florida. This center is linked to expanded and improved marine research vessel berths along the western edge of the Port. 

CONCEPT TWO

Concept Two takes a step forward by bringing research, science, business, technology and similar uses into traditional port backlands, creating a smaller campus of these elements with supporting business incubator and laboratory spaces. A new east-west road is introduced through relocation of the Port’s main security gate and consolidation of rail lines and operational areas.  A K-12 Gulf Coast Harbor School is added under this option.  Urban infill occurs within core downtown blocks supported by consolidation of parking within a new structured deck with commercial ground floor liner uses. 

CONCEPT THREE

Concept Three broadens the idea of a maritime campus focused around ocean-based sciences, research, business and education as well as other complimentary commercial and live-works spaces.  A new, dedicated causeway is introduced from the extension of S. Alcaniz Street providing improved access into the site.  Uses radiate from a renewed marina to the northern edge of the core port operations area.  Building four is reworked and adaptively reused to provide marketplace, loft and other incubator business and artist spaces.  Urban infill occurs within core downtown blocks supported by consolidation of parking within a new structured deck with commercial ground floor liner uses.      

DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS 

Almost done.  Just a few more simple questions to help us better get to know you.      

ABOUT THE PROJECT 

In What Ways might Pensacola's Port Lands Evolve to Meet the Economic and Social Opportunities of the Next 50 Years? This is the central question posed by the City and its consultants as it embarks on the creation of a vision plan and reinvestment strategy for the Port of Pensacola.  We invite you to be a part of this important conversation.

Since its establishment, the Port has served as an important transportation and trade gateway in Northwest Florida.  Early on, goods shipped through Pensacola included regionally harvested lumber, locally made bricks and sailing ship masts.  As Pensacola and the region evolved, so too did the Port's cargoes.  Manufactured paper, wind turbines, power plant components and services supporting offshore industries all became part of the Port's increasing specialization within the broader network of Florida and Gulf seaports.

The Port, however, faces strong economic headwinds in its efforts to remain a self-sustaining enterprise.  The Port’s 50 acres of facilities and infrastructure requires continual maintenance and upgrade to remain competitive in its areas of specialization at a time when local, state and federal resources remain harder to rely upon.  And these headwinds have gained strength at a time of renaissance along Pensacola’s waterfront and throughout the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.  Thus, “How best should Pensacola’s port lands evolve?” is an appropriate question to ask as we continually assess and position this community asset.

The City has retained the maritime and community planning expertise of Moffatt & Nichol to help with this visioning and strategy effort.  Commencing in April of this year, the consultants are exploring innovative ideas, uses, and community priorities for some or all of the Port unearthed through thoughtful, focused engagement of Pensacola residents, port users and other stakeholders.

How can you stay involved in this important effort?  The planning team held the first of two public work sessions on June 26-27. Turnout was strong, with 116 citizens attending a formal project presentation or dropping by to speak to the consultants during open house hours.  Over 650 individuals also took part in the survey effort number one, generating over 9,000 responses and 766 unique comments. 

Our second public work session occurred between August 13-15 and included the presentation of several initial ideas and concepts for the Port.  We added an additional presentation on September 24.  A second survey was launched for these sessions, with over 460 individuals participating during the survey run.   

Draft and final versions of the vision plan and reinvestment strategy will be assembled during the months of September and October.  The plan will include case study research, concepts, illustrations, strategies and other features that combined will offer community leaders a playbook from which to draw upon to guide the future of the Port and its facilities.

Project Schedule

Community Involvement to Date

AVAILABLE PRESENTATIONS AND DOWNLOADS

Please find below copies of posters and presentations offered as part of public outreach efforts.