Escambia Commission Delays Action On Pending OLF-8 Offers For Now

September 25, 2024

The Escambia County Commission on Tuesday discussed two pending offers for portion of the county-owned OLF-8 property on Nine Mile Road, but didn’t not make any final decisions for now.

Commissioners authorized county staff to continue to talk regarding two offers on the table. They also said that there may be a third offer forthcoming.

Several members of the public said they would like to see the commission postpone any decisions until after the November election.

The county has two unrelated letters of intent for different parcels from two unnamed companies. Both are on the agenda for the Escambia County Commission to discuss at their Tuesday morning meeting.

Unnamed Companies? Why the Mystery?

The companies making offers for the OLF-8 parcels remain “secret”. Most details about the new companies and their plans remain confidential during discussions, as is allowed under state law. It’s standard in economic development across Florida.

Project Dynamo

Another letter of intent with the codename “Project Dynamo” was submitted August 23 with an expiration just six days later on August 29. The offer was submitted by KBC Advisors, a nationwide real estate advisory firm.

The offer is for 24.79 acres for $2.479 million with $25,000 in refundable earnest money with a 210-day contingency period. During that period, the purchaser would determine at their “sole discretion whether the Property is suitable for Purchaser’s intended use”.

“At any time prior to the expiration of the Contingency Period, Purchaser may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Agreement for any reason and receive back the Earnest Money,” the offer states.

While the exact project remains secret, there are some clues that have become public.

According to minutes from a June 25 Pensacola-Escambia Promotion and Development Commission (PEDC) meeting, then-FloridaWest CEO Brian Hilson explained this project will be a distribution center occupying an industrial building of 100,000 square feet.

“Mr. Hilson shared insights about a prospective OLF8 candidate that requires 20 acres of land. The company’s timing requires construction and occupancy by the fall of 2025 with employment up to 125 workers. Revisions to the OLF8 master plan and installation of water, sewer and road infrastructure must be expanded,” the PEDC minutes sate.

Project Meridiem

The latest offer is under the codename “Project Meridiem”. The letter of intent is for about 12 aces located along Frank Reeder Road at $100,000 per net useable acre, or about $1.2 million.

The company is offering a $25,000 refundable deposit applicable to the purchase price with a 90-day due diligence period that could be extended if an environmental study is required for development. The sale would close within 30 days of the end of the due diligence period.

The company is asking the county to provide some infrastructure for the project: “Seller shall be responsible for providing any required access roads up to the boundaries of the Property as well as providing all utilities to the site including but not limited to water/sewer, power, and high-speed network infrastructure. The Seller shall also be responsible for installing appropriate drainage infrastructure surrounding the Property as well as providing regional detention that will satisfy all requirements for the subject Property.”

The letter was submitted on behalf of the unnamed company from JLL, is a worldwide commercial real estate and investment company. The offered terms expire September 27, 2024.

What’s next for the two offers?

Both letters of intent are on the agenda for discussion at the Escambia County Commission meeting on Tuesday, September 24 at 9 a.m. The commission could decide to take action to accept or reject either letter of intent, continue negotiations, table action or simply do nothing.

What about the rest of OLF-8?

There are two outstanding offers outstanding. One is from Tri W Development for $36 million for the entire property, and one is from Beulah Town Center for 290 acres at $25 million.

NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

8 Responses to “Escambia Commission Delays Action On Pending OLF-8 Offers For Now”

  1. Bonnie Exner on September 30th, 2024 1:44 pm

    Please delay this decision until after Nov 17th when we have all 5 commissioners in place.

  2. bob c on September 27th, 2024 4:03 pm

    D-E-L-A-Y ACTION….Yes, until we have the 3 new BoCC members sworn in and seated Then make some real Progress on OLF-8
    This boondoggle has been an albatross around the necks of TAXPAYERS for way too long.
    When government gets involved in commercializing real estate it is bound to end in a huge mess.
    Good Move to Wait and have a full board of 5.

  3. Mark on September 26th, 2024 3:36 pm

    I don’t understand why this entire property is not already covered with solar panels. They wouldn’t even have to mow down trees.

  4. somewhereselse on September 26th, 2024 12:21 pm

    Dennis,
    “They would have little or no working knowledge…” – True, but commissioners only make decisions for/against potential projects. County staff, usually professionals with years of experience, do all vetting of potential county projects. At least it should be this way, but this is escambia county – remember soccer complex fiasco.

    kick the can down road to next commission, current lot have made zero progress, which says much about them.

  5. Dennis on September 25th, 2024 9:51 pm

    So, you want to wait until the new officials are in place so they can make a major decision on a project that has taken years to achieve. They would have little or no working knowledge of anything that has happened other than hear say from locals that, may have good intentions, but may not be in the best interest of all the citzens of Escambia county. The things they are seeking was suposed to happen in Milestone, but never happened. Why keep tiring the same old thing. Sell it to the best offer that is in line with the modified plans for OLF that would be in the best interest of the citzens of Escambia county.

  6. John Connor on September 25th, 2024 11:31 am

    I agree they need to shelve and discussions on anything related to money until the new blood gets in. Especially the 90 million for some indoor sports complex. How does that benefit the county if it is so far out of the way from hotels, the core of Pensacola. With out Pensacola the county would not have the tourism it is has. So stop leaving the city out of spending discussions when it involves tourism tax dollars.

  7. JJ on September 25th, 2024 10:39 am

    Sell the da*# thing and collect taxes on it. Maybe we can get Pine Forest Rd redone with NEW COUNTY COMMISHS in November

  8. Anne on September 25th, 2024 7:36 am

    BoCC should NOT make any Big decisions until the New Board is seated.
    This business of spending Millions of Taxpayer Dollars on projects, sales, new contracts is a poke in the eye to We the People.
    The New Board should be part of making the decisions they will be responsible for in the future.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News