ECUA Turns Down $7.6 Million Offer For Former Sewage Plant

June 28, 2013

The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority board has turned down a $7.6 million offer for a 19-acre property in downtown Pensacola that was the location of the utility’s wastewater  treatement plant.

HT Land Company made the offer, but the ECUA board turned it down Thursday afternoon on a 3-2 vote. Board member Larry Walker, Louis Benson and Vicki Campbell voted not to accept the offer and instead market it through a broker. Dale Perkins and Elvin McCorvey voted to approve the $7.6 million sale.

There’s no word on how long it might take to hire a real estate marketing firm to help with the sale.

The former downtown ECUA Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant, dubbed “Old Stinky” was originally designed and constructed in 1937. The 19-acre downtown site  underwent numerous expansions in the 1970s and mid-1990s before it was officially taken off-line in April 2011. It was replaced by the Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment.

Comments

7 Responses to “ECUA Turns Down $7.6 Million Offer For Former Sewage Plant”

  1. Harvey on June 29th, 2013 9:10 pm

    I approve of the ECUA Boards decision. As a native, life long resident, a 30 year business owner in Escambia County, Pensacola, and an Experienced Realtor for 20 years, I too want to see this land used for the forwarding of Pensacola’s Future! Lets take our time for deciding just what would best utilize this property and do research on any and all investment offers and their decision of use! Deed restrictions can be placed in the terms of the contract!!

  2. Randy on June 29th, 2013 6:09 pm

    They got right on this one. The company is not well known and could have tied up the property for years. Or, imagine a junk yard/salvage yard directly across from our new stadium. I think the area should be rezoned and a broker hired to market the property. Lets hire a local broker with an interest in moving Pensacola forward…. just my opinion.

  3. John on June 29th, 2013 11:20 am

    @ molino jim Thanks for your info . Get the land sold and get property tax flowing. A broker can do a lot of good so hope it all works out in the end. Molino Jim I do thank you for your info it was an eye opener.

  4. molino jim on June 28th, 2013 9:01 pm

    @john & really– You may wish to take a look at what HT Land Co is. They have three (3) employees. Their property holding in Houston is a small strip mall of about seven stores. There is some question about taxes they owe Texas. They may be a “shell company” acting as a broker for some one, but no one knows. They have several addresses such as Muleshoe, Tex. (yes there is such a place) Remember the cross tie company that was going to open up in Century? The candy company at Government & Pace? They can tie up the property with just $ 50,000 and one day before the contract is to be signed back out and get their money back. Looks as if the board may have been right on this.

  5. Really on June 28th, 2013 2:24 pm

    @ John…so true…it would be logical for them accept this offer WITHOUT broker fees…obviously they have a good ole boy/ladies’ club member who is a broker. Wonder which one will get a nice kick back from the broker? Geez….

  6. John on June 28th, 2013 9:11 am

    Watch the good ole boy/lady’s club in action. They will look like idiots when they accept a lesser offer from members of the CLUB!!!!!! They all need to be voted out of office. If I spend 7.5 million on property I don’t want Government telling me what to do. Studder’s group will get the land for less than 7.5 million just wait.

  7. Ben Thar on June 28th, 2013 7:07 am

    When you own a property, you have a say in what you do with it.

    When you sell a property, the buyer has the say.

    If you want control of what happens there, don’t sell. You can do a land lease. I’m not sure the ECUA board is charged with downtown development.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News