Florida Construction News staff writer
More than $125 million has been awarded to Escambia County and Pensacola, part of the newly renamed Florida Department of Commerce’s Rebuild Florida Program.
The program uses grants with different focuses to fund local governments’ ability to strategically rebuild homes and harden infrastructure to prevent or mitigate losses from future disasters.
The awards include $39.7 million to build the stormwater and urban greenway project at Hollice T. Williams Park under Interstate 110, a project in the works since 2015. The goal is to lessen flooding downtown while reuniting the neighborhoods divided by the construction of I-110.
Escambia County received $52.9 million to build the Escambia County Area Transit, including regional stormwater drainage improvements for low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.
Pensacola will also acquire, prepare and rehabilitate property at West Cervantes and North Pace Boulevard and complete a project at Baptist Hospital.
Rebuild Florida Infrastructure Repair Program
- Pensacola $39.7 million –stormwater infrastructure project at Hollice T. Williams Park and infrastructure repairs at the Port of Pensacola and the Fricker Center.
- Escambia County $52.9 million – to build an energy-efficient Escambia County Area Transit Center and to make regional stormwater drainage improvements.
- Century $12.9 million – to demolish Century High School Gym building and build a shelter facility.
- Jay $5.5 million – to build a Community Disaster Response Facility and infrastructure to support disaster response and recovery.
Rebuild Florida Voluntary Home Buyout Program
- Panama City $5 million
- Escambia County $3.2 million
Rebuild Florida Workforce Recovery Training Program
- Pensacola State College $2.5 million – to expand a training program for construction trades including roofing, masonry, carpentry, concrete finishing, plumbing, HVAC, electricity, heavy equipment operations, carpet laying, window installation, plastering, welding and more.
Rebuild Florida Hometown Revitalization Program
- Panama City $992,308 – to facilitate Project ACCESS, a boardwalk on Bayview Ave in the St. Andrews community.
- Pensacola $10 million – to acquire, prepare and rehabilitate property at West Cervantes and North Pace Boulevard and complete a project at Baptist Hospital.
- Escambia County $5 million – to improve streetscapes and add solar-powered lighting throughout low- to moderate-income areas by installing 80 new Escambia County Area Transit bus shelters and updating 32 Escambia County Area Transit Bus Shelters.
Rebuild Florida Workforce Affordable Housing Construction Program
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation $25 million – for the construction of new workforce affordable housing to help address housing shortages worsened by Hurricane Sally.