Pensacola council approves $950,000 purchase for Hollis T. Williams stormwater park after debate

Pensacola City Council on the final vote approved purchase of the property at 1800 North Palafox Street for $950,000 plus closing costs to add to the Hollis T. Williams Stormwater Park project.

Council members approved the acquisition 6-1 after debate over the appraisal, whether the site will be demolished to expand Long Hollow Pond and whether the city should prioritize blighted parcels. Council member Breyer made the motion and Council member Wiggins seconded it.

The council heard from Dina Stallworth, the city’s property and lease manager, who said the purchase is one of four parcels the city is negotiating along the north edge of Long Hollow Pond and that the appraisal followed Federal Land Acquisition (Yellow Book) standards. Stallworth said, “This is 1 of 4 along that jutted out part of Long Hollow Pond… We were very careful in the properties that we selected.”

Councilman Charles Baer, who had pulled the item for discussion, said he opposed the purchase. “$950,000 is a lot of money, and I think it's on the tax rolls now. It's leased. I'm not gonna support it tonight just because I don't believe this is the right property to acquire first,” Baer said. He urged the council to focus on blighted properties that are not currently occupied.

Vice President Patton said acquisition would be paid from funds the city received for the Hollis T. Williams project; Stallworth told the council the city budgeted roughly $4.5 million to $6 million for property acquisition within that larger program.

Stallworth and staff described a range of possible uses for the parcel. She said the most likely outcome is demolition and pond expansion, but the city is keeping options open so usable structures could be repurposed if future design or community outreach recommends that. Stallworth noted limits on options because Escambia County Utilities Authority (ECUA) owns an above-ground storage tank nearby and that the site is approximately 0.89 acre.

Council members discussed project timing and funding. Stallworth said the appraisal was completed in February 2024 and that the seller had been engaged for months; she warned that a failure to approve the purchase could jeopardize negotiations for the three other parcels nearby.

The motion passed 6 to 1. The council authorized the mayor to take actions necessary to execute and administer the acquisition consistent with the terms of the purchase agreement and the mayor’s executive powers.

What happens next: Staff said the city will finalize closing and continue community outreach and design work with consultant Geosyntec as part of a larger effort to expand stormwater capacity and develop Hall of C. Williams Park amenities that tie into the pond expansion.