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Century’s $10 Million Application For Gym, Shelter Project Hits Another Snag
April 6, 2023
Century’s plans to seek a $10 million grant to turn the old Century High School gym into a multipurpose facility that could also serve as a hurricane or other disaster shelter has hit another snag.
The town does not own the old gym, which was constructed in 1960; it belongs to Pensacola State College.
The town council voted this week to continue with the grant application, contingent upon PSC giving transferring the building and property to the town. A long term lease, Council President Luiz Gomez said, is not an option.
As we previously reported, town consultant Robin Phillips, who is managing the grant submissions, said the gym is laden with asbestos and lead. It has been essentially abandoned for years, and is in poor condition. For those reasons, Phillips said an architect is recommending that the building be demolished and rebuilt.
A few weeks ago, the council considered PSC as a co-applicant for the grant, but that plan is off the table.
Phillips said she will write the grant as being contingent upon the ownership transfer. Otherwise, the town will withdraw the application.
Mayor Ben Boutwell said he spoke to the college president, but their board must approve the transfer. The PSC board’s next meeting is not until just after the April 14 grant application deadline.
The council discussed seeking the $10 million to build the multipurpose building and shelter elsewhere on town-owned property, including the industrial park. Phillips said there was not enough time before the deadline for a required public notice and comment period in order to change the location.
Century is also seeking a seperate $2,862,137 grant to replace a failed bridge on Freedom Road that has been closed for three years, and make drainage improvements to two other bridges that suffered embankment erosion during Hurricane Sally. The bridge and drainage grant will not be impacted by the continuation or withdrawal of the gym application.
The grant, if awarded, would be from Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Small Cities Hurricane Sally Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding through the Rebuild Florida Infrastructure Repair Program.
Comments
6 Responses to “Century’s $10 Million Application For Gym, Shelter Project Hits Another Snag”
Building needs to be condemned and PSC needs to pay for the hazardous material cleanup. Century does not need to saddle itself with any more problems. If it’s too late to apply for a new location to build, then quit wasting any more time on it and wait for another grant opportunity. Due diligence should have been done before even allowing any grant discussion. A lot of time wasted.
How about if PSC transfers the building to Escambia County and its uses ARPA dollars to deal with the asbestos problem and upgrade it into a community center and storm shelter not just for the Town of Century but all of North Escambia? Escambia County has the money and expertise to do this and make it look easy. Escambia County would get the credit for the “save” but everyone in the north part of the county would benefit. Escambia County would also pay for the routine maintenance. Escambia County would probably have more success getting grants since its a regular part of its department heads duties as City Administrator Moreno recently said on the radio. Mayor Boutwell should at least venture down to Escambia County HQ to see if there’s a way forward with Century benefiting from Escambia County taking the lead here.
The town of Century has violated the seven “P’s” for the last 20 years!!!! They could not find their way out of a wet paper bag.
So they need to back away and put that money towards bridges, infostucter, ETC.
The City of Century doesn’t own a lead/asbestos infested delapidated building.
Real Solution: Condemn it and make PSC tear it down on their dime.
Century Solution: Ask for ownership and apply for a grant to rebuild a delipidated building, which will likely require lead and asbestos abatement work. A new building likely could be built for less money.
What a waste of grant money.
So PSC owns the old school gym and that makes the it PSC’s community nuance problem. This information was a key fact that Century should have known going into the grant process. With that said, the town needs to quickly move along with a new plan to meet the dead line. Century, remember your seven “P’s”: Positive Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Practice.