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Mayor: There’s A Buyer For The Former Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company Property, New Jobs Promised
August 9, 2017
The sale of the former Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company property in Century is in the works, with the buyer set to bring new jobs to town, according to Mayor Henry Hawkins.
The property includes 330,200 square feet in eight buildings on 38 acres that is zoned industrial. The largest building is 128,000 square feet, the smallest 10,400. It has been listed in recent years for as much as $2.75 million, but is currently listed on real estate websites for $1.5 million. Property records show it is currently owned by a holding company in Navarre.
The property was heavily damaged in Century’s February 2016 EF-3, including a collapse of the rear portion of the largest building. Portions of the buildings blew into, and in some cases through, houses along Front Street. Since the tornado, residents have pushed the town and Escambia County to clean up the property. Estimates for a cleanup have topped three-quarters of a million dollars.
But the new buyer, according to the mayor, will look to repair some of facility for their business. As negotiations are ongoing, Hawkins has declined to name the potential purchaser.
Hawkins said there are numerous county liens against the property that will reduce the selling price, and he plans to work with the county attorney’s office to determine the exact amount owed to Escambia County.
“It’s a pretty significant lien,” County Attorney Alison Rogers said Tuesday. “We are willing to work with the Town of Century…if they were to present a request in writing to reduce or forgive some of those liens for economic development, the board (Board of County Commissioners) would certainly consider that request.”
Hawkins said the sale of the property could close as early as next week.
Pictured top: A ground level view of the back of the main building at the former Alger Sullivan Lumber Company in Century in February 2016. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
14 Responses to “Mayor: There’s A Buyer For The Former Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company Property, New Jobs Promised”
Oh how I wish this would be true! We on Front Street are so tired of hearing that tin and steel rattle when the wind blows. We always look for that steel to be in our yards and through our houses!
I would give that white elephant to the first person with the capitol in hand to start it up.
Get the jobs going and collect those taxes. That place is not making anyone money laying derelict. Let them have credit at easy terms and tax breaks.
I hope it all works out this time. Although there is a problem with skilled labor in this town, a little encouragement, a steady ,well paid job can development this town wonderfully. We’ve gotta overcome our pessimism. They’re are some very hard working people in this town.
As far as Burger King goes although there were some problems, it’s never a good idea for such a small town to have so many burger joints. We don’t have enough people to support them all. We have some tourists during the summer but not enough to keep thrm all open during the down season. City hall and chamber of commerce should consider this before bringing them in. We need diversity.
Is this just more rhetoric?
There are county liens against the property. The owners apparently neither want to pay the liens nor clean up the property, and the county doesn’t want to enforce either. The owners want the liens reduced or forgiven because the liens reduce the selling price. An unnamed buyer, if there is one, “will look to repair some of facility for their business.” Why won’t they be required to clean up and repair all of the property? Who will clean up the remaining portion? If the buyer backs out, will the liens be reinstalled? Any lien reduction or forgiveness should be conditional.
I am all for economic development. I agree with Nana, Citizen and Watcher. I want to see the Town grow and prosper and the lives of the citizens in Century and surrounding communities made better. Bring businesses and jobs here. If there are not enough people in Century who are able and willing to work, then let others come in and do so.
To encourage progressive growth in Century, the area in question should be rezoned. Change the Comprehensive Plan, Future Land Use Map, Land Development Code and Zoning to residential to allow developers to come in and build houses. Such residential development would be growth.
Industrial uses should be colocated at the Industrial Park.
I would applaud any legitimate efforts made by the Mayor, the Council and the County to make these things happen. Perhaps the Chamber of Commerce would get more involved in bringing other businesses here as well.
Open it to the public to scrap it.
Probably make more sense for economic development.
Let it be a race…
Nothing to see here…move on. Century is and has been dead for a longtime. No jobs are coming to this site…be real.
Well said Watcher!
@Just Real
No Doubt. The Century Burger King is an example. But how is the What a Burger doing?
It must have come down to management and expectations, and yes no doubt the actions and behavior of the people was noticeable, the condition of the store and food were incorrigible. They did it to themselves.
A Pop Eye’s Chicken (same company –restaurant brands inc own them) could go in there and flourish. Just do not hire or retain individual unable or unwilling to do a job, no matter where they live or who they are.
A business could open in Century and could draw people in from the surrounding areas. The Food Giant is booming. Is every one who works there or shops there from Century?
No
As far as people development the closing of Century school was a blessing Northview is a great school. The college is there in Century , you hear nothing about it.
I suppose people that do not take advantages of opportunity, freely given, to educate, better themselves, get a job or a trade. Well that is on them. No excuses. It is their choice and their fault. PERIOD.
If they drag around, complain, whine, be lazy or what ever and get fired..tough stuff.
Miracle??..Bull..
Law and Order, Hard Work, Holding Leaders and People accountable. that’s your miracle
There can be no Economic Development where there is no People Development. The reason other investors have passed on Century is because of a lack of skilled labor. While Century may be valuable property-wise, it loses value to an investor due to skilled labor demographics. Lets be honest for a moment. Not long ago we were all harping on Burger King closing and voiced in agreement a main contributor to its closing was the workforce employed there. We all saw it, we all complained about it when we sat in the drive-thru for an extended period of time. Investors know how to scout a potential property for placement of their companies. They are in it to make money. While an area like Century is appealing for potential low labor cost, you still have to have reliable, competent, willing and able bodied personnel to run your business. The reflection of the town is that we, as a people, can’t even care for the maintenance and upkeep of our own properties. Why would an investor think we would treat their property any different? Hoping for a miracle.
Smells fishy, but hope they buy it and clean it up. Probably the holding company selling it to themselves to avoid fines.
But if it is forcing them to be accountable..what ever..
Who knows..
Clean it up.
Get er done!!
What are the leins? Code enforcement to the holding company? http://www.escpa.org/CAMA/Detail_a.aspx?s=085N301101001001
DMT holding? http://dory.escambiaclerk.com/LandmarkWeb/Search/DocumentAndInfoByBookPage?Key=Assessor&booktype=OR&booknumber=5815&pagenumber=1986
https://www.corporationwiki.com/Florida/Navarre/dmt-holdings-llc-3211648.aspx
Sue them to clean it up. This is an OUTRAGE!!!!!
Hold the owner, the holding company in Navarre accountable for the clean up. It should have been insured. It is a crime to leave it that way and an injustice for the county code to have not been fining them. Hope it works out.
BT – if this is true and a potential clean up and prosperity for Century PLEASE don’t bad mouth it. Century has for years sat ideal and let a lot of things pass by because no one wants things to change in our small town. Sorry, life goes on the telephone was invented, electricity, indoor plumbing etc… Help Century grow, get out of poverty and prosper…all of this will improve your way of life and others too!
CONGRATULATIONS to the Town of Century Florida and the people interested in investing into…”The Dawning of A New Century”.
Economic Development is where the growth is……
It’s a fixer upper.