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Escambia County Continuing Community Center, Bridge Projects In Century
February 25, 2025
Escambia County is continuing to move forward with implementing millions of dollars in state grant projects on behalf of the Town of Century that will fund a community center and bridge improvements.
In August 2024, the state terminated millions in grants with Century.
The state terminated $12.8 million in grants with the town for two bridges and a hurricane shelter that will double as a community center and multi-purpose building. However, the state funds were awarded to Escambia County and the projects will continue.
Escambia County has received the $12,877,137 grant for the community center/shelter and for Jefferson Avenue and the Alger Road bridges. According to Escambia County, the status of those projects is as follows:
- Community Center: This project is currently in the early stages and is being managed by our facilities department. The land on Hecker Road was transferred from Pensacola State College to Escambia County at no cost to the county, under the conditions that it must remain a community center/shelter. Phase I will include an environmental study. From there, they will bid for design and move forward with the process. Approximately $10 million was awarded for this project. The environmental review has been advertised and a consultant has been selected. Negotiations are ongoing.
- Jefferson Avenue/Alger Road Bridge: This project will be a rehabilitation of a pipe culvert along Jefferson Avenue and a bridge replacement on Alger Road. Freedom Road was initially included in the scope, but it was later revised out as Century had secured separate funding (see below) to replace that structure. The environmental review has been advertised, a consultant has been selected, and negotiations are ongoing. The deadline was last week for design solicitations. The project is funded by $2,862,137 in grant funds.
A $3.255 million grant for a community center on Jefferson Avenue is essentially gone. The town council approved an amendment making the original grant just a simple planning grant, removing all construction and cutting funding from $3.255 million to $514,650. The just over a half million dollars awarded will pay for the work completed by an engineer, architect, and the grant administrator. Under the agreement with FloridaCommere accepted by the council, there is no money whatsoever for construction of the community center on Jefferson Avenue. The funds were taken back by the state and no part of the money awarded to Escambia County.
FloridaCommerce cuts the state grants due to “due to financial and fiscal solvency issues the Town is facing”, opting to have Escambia County continue the Jefferson Avenue/Alger Road bridge project and the community/shelter project.
A legislative appropriation to the town for replacement of a failed bridge on Freedom Road remains in place.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
6 Responses to “Escambia County Continuing Community Center, Bridge Projects In Century”
I would like to know when the bridge on Freedom Rd. will actually have something done. They shut down that end of the road over 5 or 6 years ago and there hasn’t been anything done. I grew up on Freedom Rd. and so did my daughter.
Can someone PAVE Briggs Blvd and Clancy? It is like playing frogger with all the holes! We pay a LOT of taxes on that street and receive NO help!
@worried resident
I dont live in Century, but I feel your new Mayor Boutwell might be the new sheriff in town. Remember, he knew he was beat with the former mayor on the council!
The town keeps electing uneducated, unqualified people to run it. Until we chose better leaders we will keep getting what we are getting. You have a council chairman who can’t speak a correct sentence and most of the other council members just nod in agreement. It’s sad really. Every councilmember goes to the same church and most live Nextdoor to one another. Where’s the fair representation? And better yet why does no one else in town care enough to stop this nonsense by standing up and getting to work. I live here but am old and disabled so I can’t but I would like to see this town grow and become prosperous so that we don’t have to depend on government handouts which by the way our “leaders”. Don’t even know how to manage. Why do we even have a town?
By the time they put a shovel in the ground construction prices will have gone up so much that more money will be needed of course.
There’s your sign, people.
When the state won’t directly give the inept town money; but, gives it to the county, instead, to manage, so there is some level of competency handling it….
Citizens of the town should demand a vote on dissolving the town government and divesting assets.
When will enough be enough?