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Council approves demolition and owner‑rep contracts for former Baptist Hospital amid community concerns
Summary
The City Council authorized demolition and an owner‑representative contract for the former Baptist Hospital campus, approving procurement awards and $/budget items while residents pressed for environmental data, minority contracting goals and guarantees on future land use.
The Pensacola City Council voted Nov. 13 to proceed with decommissioning and demolition steps at the former Baptist Hospital legacy campus, approving both a demolition contractor selection and a separate owner’s‑representative contract to oversee the work.
Council voted 7–0 to award the decommissioning and demolition RFQ to North Star Contracting Group, Inc., and separately approved Jacobs Project Management Company as the owner’s representative (agenda-listed amount $956,351.35). During public comment, neighborhood representatives and organizers pressed for full release of environmental assessments, questioned whether a required Phase II environmental investigation had been completed, and urged binding guarantees for minority workforce participation, local-hiring commitments and affordable housing outcomes for future redevelopment.
City staff and the administration told council they had completed an extensive Phase I environmental assessment and hazardous‑materials surveys, that a Phase II soil sampling program had been performed in targeted areas and that the procurement documents incorporate contingencies for known hazards such as asbestos and potential subsurface contamination. Staff said they would continue centralized oversight, require off-site processing of concrete (no on-site crushing), and include protocols to avoid airborne contamination during demolition. The administration also described a registration and outreach process for minority and local contractors and committed to close coordination with council members for community engagement.
Speakers from community groups described a high monthly carrying cost for the vacant campus (city staff cited about $30,000 per month for security, utilities and upkeep), expressed concern about fast timelines and the need for a transparent, inclusive planning process for what will replace the campus. Council members said leaving the buildings vacant posed significant public-safety, environmental and economic risks, while minority‑participation guarantees and close oversight were still being negotiated.
Next steps: the contracts are authorized for execution. Staff said it will provide environmental documentation and continue outreach to minority‑owned firms; demolition work will proceed under city oversight and the owner’s representative contract.
