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State Provides $2 Million Toward ‘The Bluffs’ Industrial Site In Cantonment
March 22, 2016
The Florida legislature has provided $2 million in funding for the The Bluffs in Cantonment — a site that could be home to as many as 60 new industrial and manufacturing companies and more than 15,000 jobs with wages of nearly $3.9 billion.
The 6,000 acre master-planned development area includes about 1,700 acres of land that can be developed in an area east of Highway 29 bordered by the Escambia River to the east, Becks Lake Road near International Paper to the north, and the University of West Florida to the south. Although located along the Escambia River, most of the property to be developed is at a high elevation, about 100 feet above sea level, and not in a flood plain.
Minimally, the project is expected to recruit approximately 10 companies that would occupy more than 3.9 million square feet of building space on 295 acres of land which will be significant to Escambia County and the regional economy.
Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry said, “The manufacturing and industrial jobs created through the Bluffs project afford our residents the opportunity to better their lives today as well as create their own prosperous future.”
“The Florida Legislature recognized the Bluffs project as one of the most significant properties within the state. With most utilities already in place, water transportation readily accessible, and mainline rail only hundreds of feet away, it is the ideal location for advanced manufacturing and industrial development. This one project will be the game changer for Northwest Florida,” said Lewis Bear, chairman of the Pensacola – Escambia Promotion and Development Commission (PEDC).
The project site plan includes four primary development areas. The area known as “Live Oak Bluff” is likely to see the first development, he said. It is about 415 acres with 13 lots in an area that is currently accessible from Becks Lake Road. A Muscogee Road freight corridor is already in the works, expanding access from Becks Lake Road and Highway 29 to an upcoming I-10 exit in Beulah.
Engineering studies have been completed on the property, identifying potential sites and accounting for wetlands, stormwater runoff, parking and roads. A marketing plan has also been developed to begin reaching out to potential companies.
The plans also include making the campus an “environmental showcase” ensuring that the natural beauty of The Bluffs is preserved by building natural trails and encouraging green features for new tenants.
The effort includes partners already located in the corridor – Ascend, ECUA, Gulf Power and the University of West Florida – along with the PEDC,the Florida West Economic Alliance and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Pictured top and below: Aerial concept maps show The Bluffs, click to enlarge to read map labels. Pictured bottom inset: The Bluffs will be designed to be an environmental showcase. Pictured bottom: Conceptual drawing of Live Oak Bluff, the likely first area to be developed off Becks Lake Road. Images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
36 Responses to “State Provides $2 Million Toward ‘The Bluffs’ Industrial Site In Cantonment”
Good luck.
WOW! These are good job at $260,000 per year. Check the math. $3.9 billion wages for 1500 jobs. Where do I apply?
Well ECUA has taken over everything. Make more nature trails and horse trails something the whole family can enjoy. This is not solution to this economy. Let them put industrial park on the beach.
@ dman:
With all due respect, dman, you think heavy industry moving into your neighborhood will make property values go up? Please explain, thanks.
Carolyn Bramblett wrote:
“What a bunch of miserable people responding. I can’t believe someone is still knocking the fact that Navy Federal CU bought out the 4-H. Those kids have plenty of opportunities. That Credit Union has been the best opportunity for jobs in this county. Ugly and unused land bringing jobs and growth is not a bad thing.”
Passive aggressive much? Re-read my comment. I said it WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE to have Navy up there at the bluffs…Because my property value would be soaring right now vs. creeping. Instead, a whole bunch of land in western Escambia county is gaining value quickly. Are all NFCU apologists this touchy? Geez louise…
What a bunch of miserable people responding. I can’t believe someone is still knocking the fact that Navy Federal CU bought out the 4-H. Those kids have plenty of opportunities. That Credit Union has been the best opportunity for jobs in this county. Ugly and unused land bringing jobs and growth is not a bad thing.
wolf in sheeps clothing
has nothing to do with “socialism”
area is rich in natural resources,
the kind you buy at the pump
and the pretty stuff you see in a museum.
we are about to be robbed and our land
pillaged. we were sold out
Anybody out there dreaming this will happen and jobs will come, pour cold water on your face and wake up. NEVER, EVER gonna happen
Sounds like a good place to build a NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. Ya’ll think I’m kidding.
Well, look at it like this: maybe you will get that viaduct over the RR tracks if they build this.
Would have been nice if Navy Fed had jumped on this bandwagon, instead of evicting the 4H kids. I digress.
If even a few industrial plants come from this, it will be worth it. It has to be sustainable, however. I hope it does actually work. For those of us who live nearby, this will result in higher property values and more retail options. There’s the potential that this project could transform Cantonment/Cottage Hill/Molino into a much bigger, more developed area. When that happens, I’ll probably be moving further up to either Walnut Hill or even Bratt.
Socialism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“river amusement or adventure park”
Yep, that will provide plenty of part time minimum wage jobs to sell and take tickets, flip burgers and pour drinks. But if locals don’t have real jobs paying decent wages, there will be no one to attend said park and it will close and be empty. Sounds like a plan.
Maybe their on the Trump Train!!! and the Jobs will be here.
But what we all have to realize is no matter what the people think The Money will be spent. that the problem with this. IT’s just a waste. Where does this money come from they have to spend?
I know we need jobs, I want my Kids living here too. But another industrial park and with a board walk. Not going to spend my day there.
This stinks to high Heaven. Somebody (probably a bunch of somebodies) is making a lot money off this project or it wouldn’t have gotten this far. What a terrible idea and a rotten thing to do to unspoiled land and water.
This is UTTER NONSCENSE, this area is one of Cantonments pristine untouched areas that is still undeveloped and should be left alone, period. What, Spring Lake is not a private land set aside for employees of Champion International? Have we been sold down the road once again? That end of Beck’s Lake Road has an extreme amount of unearthed archeology still to be uncovered. As a kid growing up in Cantonment, I personally have been there and found Indian arrow heads and pieces of Indian pottery. After heavy rains. Just walking around… And yes I am of Creek Indian decent. As for bringing in Big Businesses in long term this MIGHT work. I think NOT.
This entire area is financially based on the Military first and Tourism second. Industrially we got what we got. Food for thought… Hoping the public will have a vote on this development. Semi Noles >—->
Unused property should be developed so we can have MORE JOBS. I for one do not want to move to Alabama ever, and this would make sure that my friends and family might could get a job in Escambia.
Why not develop what is left of the river into some type of river and swamp adventure park.Protect the river and yet have something for locals and tourist to enjoy and spend money on. Not everyone goes to the beach and a properly developed river amusement or adventure park would be just the thing to bring in jobs and money. It would be a regional attraction year round. It is to simple fora politician to think about. They just seem to want empty buildings with the hope that some company to occupy them. Then give them tax breaks to do it at the expense of local taxpayers. Escambia County has too many empty building to develop more. Are you listening?
“Minimally the site is expected to recruit 10 companies…….”. Where was this information obtained? When I see a statement, such as this, I am quickly reminded of a project that promised high returns, yet had failed miserably. The Garcon Point bridge was expected to yield a large return due to the number of people who would cross each day, as per a company based in California. If there is no commitment, having the land developed is not always the wisest choice. There is a soccer complex on Hwy. 29, most of us remember that fiasco. There is a “technology campus downtown, across from the civic center, that sits bare. If a company wants to be here, they will find the land and develope it to suit their needs.
Build it, and in a matter of a few years it’ll be closed and become nothing but an eye sore.
On a side note, the Central Commerce Park on Hwy 29 north of Cantonment has sold all but one lot. You can blame the emptiness on speculators that have bought up the other vacant lots hoping to make big bucks upon resale some day.
Or you can blame the county for selling those lots to speculators without any job creation requirements time line.
This $2 million is on top of the $2.7 million public dollars already spent on the project.
Per the Property Appraisers website, the primary benefactor of this project appears to be ECUA selling off surplus lands they own on the south side of Becks Lake Road and north of the ECUA treatment plant.
The rest are small parcels being sold off by the other existing industries that own up to the river.
Industry requires Power (Crist Plant), Water (River) and Transportation (River and Rail), lots of it and easy access to it. The Bluffs project has all this, the other sites do not. Once this development starts to fill up, the other sites should start to fill with other businesses to support these industries.
This is a positive move for job creation and I for one am glad to see it. Maybe my children will be able to stay in Escambia county when they enter the work force.
Well maybe the right people dont own the land the one in cantonment is on i agree if the one we already have flooped why should we spend tax payers money on another one just to screw up fishing and hunting in the area
Funny how heavy industry always prefers riverfront property. Sad to see more beauty wasted for the profit of a few. There are plenty of places to put this sort of activity without destroying what little ecosystem that is left. As usual, someone is getting payed.
Good point, Jane. It’s better than stagnant, though.
Don’t tell all the really smart people dreaming this up, but their conceptual drawing doesn’t even follow Hwy 29 through Cantonment. Unless they’re planning on rerouting it west of International Paper.
Good question Jane. Why have they not “started” the on/off exit ramps at the Beulah Rd I-10 overpass? Would be nice to see a progress report of all the project the county has in the works.
I AGREE WITH JANE…THIS PROPERTY IS ONE OF THE JEWELS LEFT IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY…YOU HAVE VIEWS ACROSS THE ESCAMBIA RIVER AND SWAMP…I CAN COUNT 7 WATER TANKS IN PACE FROM THIS RIDGE..YOU HAVE THE COMPLEX OFF US 29 N. OF COTTAGE HILL THAT IS ABOUT 6 PERCENT I’M USE..AFTER THE COUNTY SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DEVELOPING THAT ONE…THIS PROPERTY IS THE LAST OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTY..AND YOU ARE GOING TO DESTROY IT IN HOPES THAT…”BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME ?”…THE BEAUTY OF THIS AREA CAN NEVER BE REPLACE JUST SO THE COUNTY MIGHT GET SOME TENANTS ?…BAD MOVE….
Jane, it’s all about whose pocket the money will go into.
Yes, there is another site Jane. Is Ellyson Site full too? The old adage build and the will come isn’t always true. The country built and the aircraft carrier went somewhere else, remember. It should be “Commit and we will build”. And the article said, “could be home to 60 companies and 15,000″ That’s politician and lawyer talk. Did the press and powers to be ask further questions as to what companies are committing? How much tax breaks will be given so the the residents who will have to pay their tax incentive bill? Will it be built in such a way, Mr. Barry, that the CSX train blocks their entrance to and from the site? All of these questions and more should be dealt with before the powers to be salivate with their tongues hanging out at the thought of spending some other taxpayers money.
Master Plan!! Really do you think its going to work? No, we have empty industrial parks in both counties and what i understand is they are going to turn the helicopter field by Navy Federal into a mast jobs area.
If its so Master for thousands of jobs why don’t they go ahead and start instead of waiting years to develop?
Pensacola is not an Industrial town, we have a few big industrials Accend, IP, but they don’t even buy from local business. they support out of town agreements. Check it out.
Jane ! You do make a point. But if memory serves there’s no railroad service nor river access to the hwy 29 complex. It also sounds like a new egress/ ingress to I -10 in Beulah area accessed from a expanded/repaved Muscogee road which is also called Becks lake rd to the east of hwy 29 at the light ? The hwy 29 complex was probably planned as a very small and light industry type of commerce complex, but hasn’t panned-out as hoped ? The ” Bluffs” project seems to have all of the infrastructure available to be successful . It could provide lots of good jobs albeit more traffic & congestion to north central Escambia County.
@Jane–Because this is new money, big money in their pockets as well as a chance for lower key folks to get their names out while helping the clique get their way. Drink the cool-aid and get on board or move outta the way is the mentality.
I’m against it because im from here. My parents and grandparents are from here. For the first time (in my generation), I now see yankees and yuppies not from here, making decisions and changes that effect my life and way of life. This is going to bring even more folks out my way wanting the “country life” but still having the convenience of town which will bring more stores and crap my way.
I have already been bugging my wife to consider moving further north. This may be the time. Definately wouldn’t sell until this is in full swing to maximize potential but I feel it’s a foregone conclusion.
Look out David, we may be your new neighbors….:-)
There is already an empty industrial park in Cantonment , on Hwy. 29. Why aren’t they trying to fill up that one? Or would they rather pollute the river and cut down a lot of trees and waste money? Just wondering why they don’t try to get companies into the empty one?