Panama City CRA negotiates with Sankofa Group for Glenwood Town Center; community input, timeline set for June

The Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday said it is negotiating with the Sankofa Group on a proposed Glenwood Town Center at 15th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, a mixed-use plan that would include a grocery store, apartments and town homes.

The project is budgeted at $400,000, with $376,489.59 in CRA expenditures to date, largely for acquisition of parcels that are now CRA-owned, staff said. The CRA expects a complete proposal from the Sankofa Group at the board’s June 3 meeting, and staff said it does not expect board approval at that meeting but will seek direction and further community feedback.

Why it matters: Glenwood is identified in meeting comments as an underserved neighborhood; residents pushed the CRA to prioritize affordable housing and to protect the area’s historical character as negotiations continue.

What happened at the meeting: During the public-comment period, Michelle Bryant and Brenda Lewis Williams, both Glenwood residents, asked the CRA to ensure redevelopment produces new homes rather than primarily rentals and to reflect the neighborhood’s demographics and small-business character. “As you look at this project of Fifteenth And MLK, you only really got one shot to get this right,” Bryant told the board.

Board and staff responses focused on process and timing. Staff said the Sankofa Group has made an initial presentation and that the development remains “an initial presentation” with “a lot” still to be negotiated. Board member and Ward 2 Commissioner Janice Lucas defended the record after a TV report, saying, “Channel 13 did get it wrong. I did not tell them that it was a done deal. It is not.” Lucas said the group’s presentation and the CRA’s prior meetings were only the first steps and that the board would incorporate community input.

Financial and schedule details provided to the board: the CRA budgeted $400,000 for the Glenwood Town Center item and has spent roughly $376,490 on land acquisition so far. Staff said the Sankofa Group’s draft proposal arrived recently and staff will review it with the city attorney before returning a revised draft to the board. Staff also said the project will likely proceed in multiple phases over months or years, and that options could include sale, lease or transfer arrangements to attract a grocer.

Community process: Staff told the board that, before any final direction, the CRA intends to solicit more detailed proposals, allow board review, and gather further community input — including planned outreach with neighborhood groups. The board set a target of June 3 for the developer’s more-complete proposal and additional public discussion.

What was not decided: There was no board vote to approve any Sankofa proposal, no contract award and no commitment of ongoing CRA subsidies beyond the recorded land acquisitions. Staff and board repeatedly said the development remains in an early stage and that community preferences will be considered as negotiations proceed.

Next steps: Staff will review the developer’s draft proposal with legal counsel, prepare materials for the June 3 CRA meeting, and pursue additional community outreach and cost details to evaluate how the project could meet Glenwood affordability and historic-preservation concerns.

Ending note: Residents and several board members emphasized that any final plan should prioritize affordable homeownership, neighborhood-serving retail and protections for Glenwood’s historical character rather than rapid change without local input.