CRA board advances negotiations with Sankofa for MLK–15th grocery and housing project

The Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency board voted 5-0 on April 15 to begin negotiations with the Sankofa Group for a mixed‑use development at Martin Luther King Boulevard and 15th Street that would include a full‑service grocery, 62 rental apartments and 20 townhomes. The action authorized staff to negotiate contract terms with the developer. The negotiation matters because the intersection is a longstanding target for revitalization in Glenwood and because the proposal pairs a grocery anchored retail element with housing — a combination the CRA and community have sought for two decades. “This vision for a grocery store at MLK And Fifteenth Street really is a 20 year vision,” CRA board member Janice Lucas said during a subsequent workshop presentation that recounted the project’s history. CRA staff and the developer have met biweekly as the Sankofa proposal is refined. The developer, represented at a June 5 public meeting by Pedro Gazant, said the proposed apartment rents would range “$1,100 to $1,300,” a figure some attendees called unaffordable for many neighborhood residents. Gazant also acknowledged he initially conceived the proposal as market‑driven but said he was working with CRA staff to address affordability concerns. Opposition has come from other would‑be developers and consultants who favored different concepts. The Amarin Group and its consultant submitted written objections urging a rebid; a representative said the Sankofa concept could spur gentrification and urged additional community review. CRA staff said earlier unsolicited proposals from other parties prompted the agency to extend the public notice period to invite competing proposals before advancing negotiations with Sankofa. Board members and staff emphasized affordability, community engagement and funding options. CRA staff said existing incentives the agency controls — such as tax increment financing (TIF) and other locally available tools — remain on the table. Board member Janice Lucas said the CRA has arranged for the Incremental Development Alliance to begin community capacity work on September 4 to help local landowners and small developers participate in neighborhood redevelopment. Missing or unresolved items include definitive commitments on deep affordability levels, a finalized capital stack and a written development agreement. The board and staff said they will continue negotiations with Sankofa and return to the CRA for any required approvals once a final agreement is drafted. If an executed agreement is reached, the next steps will include finalizing funding commitments, clarifying any public incentives or fee waivers, and completing required land‑use approvals. For now, the April 15 vote authorized staff to continue negotiations but did not bind the CRA to any particular subsidy or final deal.