Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Downtown Breezeway topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
CRA to present downtown breezeway recommendation to City Commission; ADA access and partnership options debated
Summary
Panama City CRA spent about $80,100 to create a downtown breezeway; staff will present RFP-based recommendation to the City Commission May 13. Board members raised ADA access concerns and estimated lift cost at roughly $60,000–$80,000; options include sale, long-term lease or public–private partnership.
City staff told the Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday that an RFP process has produced options for the downtown breezeway property at 447 Harrison Street and that staff will present a recommendation to the City Commission at its May 13 meeting.
The CRA budgeted $550,000 for the Downtown Breezeway line and has expended $80,101.76 to date, staff said. CRA funds paid to create the current breezeway, a mural and design work; the City Commission owns the underlying property at 447 Harrison Street, and the CRA-funded improvements are complete.
Board members discussed whether to sell, enter a long-term lease or pursue a public–private partnership. Board member Granger noted a request from the Downtown Improvement Board asking the CRA to seek a partner or to consider selling and returning the property to the tax rolls. Staff confirmed the RFP evaluated multiple approaches and that a staff recommendation will go to the City Commission on May 13.
Accessibility concerns: Several board members raised the lack of handicap access from the Grana(Grammy?) side and discussed possible remedies. Board member Halligas said a permanent lift had previously been estimated at about $80,000 and that spending that amount temporarily was a concern. "I think the long term desire would be if we did do handicap access, that it would be through some type of lift...I think I remember the lift cost being somewhere around, you know, 80,000," Halligas told the board.
Staff noted alternative short-term and long-term approaches: install an elevator as part of a multi-story partnership, add handicap parking on Harrison and Fourth streets to improve access, or incorporate an ADA solution into any development agreement. No commitment was made at the CRA meeting; staff will present the RFP recommendation to the City Commission on May 13 for next-step direction.
What was not decided: The CRA made no sale, lease or contract award at the CRA meeting. The City Commission will receive the staff recommendation next week and will consider the appropriate long-term arrangement and whether ADA access is required as part of a future agreement.
Ending note: The property is open as a breezeway; staff and board members signaled they will consider ADA solutions as part of commission-level negotiations or as conditions of any future agreement.
