Comments on: Bergosh: OLF 8 A Win-Win For Escambia Residents

By: David Lamb

David Lamb — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 02:20:03 +0000

Jeff,
Sorry but that is exactly my “bellyache ” with OLF8. A value of 17.8 million while everyone tried to make Langley Bell deal sound like the “win-win for 4H. 4H coffers should have been in the 10 million range. I have said all along that the kids took one for the “gipper ” on that deal and Navy Federal , very importantly needed< got a very lucrative deal. I foresaw this happening years ago and watched it unfold as expected!
I have an Aggie classmate that I visit with. He bought and sold land and houses in Escambia and we both said that the Langley Bell Center was a steal and was a goat rope
Thanks for proving my point!

By: Jeff Bergosh

Jeff Bergosh — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 10:27:58 +0000

David Lamb: The County has spent roughly $17.3 Million thus far to acquire OLF 8 (via purchase and build-out of OLF X in Santa Rosa County to swap with the Navy.) The most recent appraisal from over two years ago estimates the value of OLF 8 at $17.8 Million. Jacqueline Rogers: Mid-County Commerce park Phase one is sold out with the exception of one 3-acre parcel. I did not say it was built-out yet, and I don’t consider this a smashing success, however it is not a strikeout either, by any means. It is a solid “single” to stick with a baseball analogy. The tech park, yes, I’ll call that a ground-out. But Heritage Oaks (6000 jobs supported today) Elyson Field (3,600 jobs supported today) and Marcus Pointe (1300 jobs supported today) have been solid home runs. And believe me, if you are one of the nearly 11,000 employees clocking a paycheck at one of our commerce parks, you probably are glad the county had the vision, commitment, and leadership to bring these projects to fruition. And if there was such a nefarious and unethical scoring of this project more than two years ago(which I do not believe)–where was the uproar at that time, where was the protest? Why is this just now being brought up? Seems a bit fishy to me. But back to what is truly important about government. It ain’t perfect. Will everything we touch turn to gold? Of course not, we’re not midas. But economic development is important work that we must continue to conduct, in my opinion. And I am positive, upbeat, and bullish on the future of this county!

By: David Lamb

David Lamb — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 02:08:24 +0000

Can someone tell me how much has been spent on the Santa Rosa land improvements and purchase to date, What was the cost per acre for how many acres?
How much has been spent on OLF8 to date and what is the value of that land per acre?

By: Northend

Northend — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 00:25:06 +0000

Looking forward to the new commerce park in Beulah.

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 19:44:45 +0000

Here is a video that I took today of the Central Commerce Park, north of the paper mill. As you can see, it is not even close to be adequately utilized.
This was not a successful economic development project.
Someone, of course, thought it would be and, hopefully, it will be filled in the future.
But holding it up as a success is quite the stretch.
Meanwhile, the infrastructure ages and what has the return been to the county?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/EscCitizensWatch/permalink/1730548133647611/

By: Wilykyote

Wilykyote — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 16:05:00 +0000

Jeff Bergosh: There’s been several well informed posters on this thread and
I’m not seeing/thinking they are against your considerations just
to be a Mr or Mrs. NO ! I’m thinking most want added jobs,
shopping convenience, good schools, safety, good housing
availability, and well thought out and planned ROADS that are
more than just adequate for today’s needs. The Beulah/I-10 exit
is a must and I don’t think you even mentioned it. I’d rather not
read what you’ve done in the past…..but what/where we’re going
today/tomorrow ! It seems to me Milestone worked out well and
of course NFCU…..business looks to be booming along 9 mile rd.
buts it’s also from the Bay and west towards the Alabama line.
Appreciate the hard work you guys put in but the opposing side
should not be put in time-out….after all, they work & live here too.

By: Theresa Blackwell

Theresa Blackwell — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 15:33:02 +0000

It has been the dream of a few developers to create a high-end commerce park on OLF 8 for 20 years or more. All that lovely land sitting vacant.They got the deal started and think that entitles them to directing the project – but this will be public land. Times change, and a commerce park out in Beulah never really made sense (as you can see from the traffic problems we have already). Once Navy Federal’s campus for 10,000 was built, a large commerce park next door made even less sense. That time has passed. To proceed with the old plan will just sacrifice the quality of living even more for Beulah residents besieged by new cul-de-sac neighborhoods sprouting in the middle of every block.

By: David Lamb

David Lamb — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 14:28:10 +0000

OLF8 has been a dirty little secret for many years. There are a group of elite (they think that they know best) chomping at their bit to get on the money band wagon.
When many of us suggested that OLF8 be used for Navy Federal and save the Langley Bell Center, they rebelled and said “it could never happen”. Why not? Because they were already scheming and frothing over the money to develop it into something more lucrative and were already planning back then. Now that 4 H got a poor deal that they tried to push as a great deal , they are on their way to doing what they intended to do all along,,, ie … get richer,. This OLF8 deal has politics all over it!

By: Jeff Bergosh

Jeff Bergosh — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 10:47:10 +0000

There will always be conspiracy theorists among us that believe the fix is in–I don’t buy that. I take A;an McMillan at his word and I believe his explanation about learning more about the project and indicating that on his score. But some people will find a conspiracy behind every disagreement, and that is sad. That’s what the other side is espousing because they lost the last presidential election. They are still trying to figure that out and they think it was Russia. Those same tin-foil hat wearers believe in Bigfoot and UFO’s….Back to Escambia County and Economic Development and what is truly important, though: I am bullish on the future, and I believe we have done a good job with our commerce parks. Not perfect, but a good job. Let’s put it in Baseball terms for you…If you are the manager, would you, or would you not let this batter keep coming to the plate if his last 5 at bats were the following: Grand Slam Home Run (Heritage Oaks), Home Run (Marcus Point), Home Run (Elyson Field), Single (Phase one of Mid-County nearly sold out) and ground-out (tech park)? Would you bench that batter? Look: there are no guarantees, but if you are not out beating the bush trying to create opportunities and bring better jobs, then you are not doing your job so far as I’m concerned. That’s why in 2013 on the School Board I voted to align some of our vocational programs to increase aerospace technologies (ahead of the then-planned VT MAE project), and as a Couty Commissioner I voted to front the $8 Million from the county to help the City finish the hangar–and why last Friday I was there on the stage thanking everyone in attendance for the leadership displayed to bring that project to fruition (and 400 more good jobs for Escambia County). It takes, vision, leadership, and focus to do this work and there are no guarantees. To answer one poster below–yes, I have personally been to every park. and to answer Bob C–yes we have received approval from Restore for several environmental remediation and stormwater projects. I don’t have the exact dollar figure but I’ll get it.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 09:22:12 +0000

“9-Mile road will be 4-lanes next year, an interchange at Buelah road is progressing”

In other words, 9 mile road might be complete in 18 months, the end of 2019. Looking at the pace of construction on numerous FDOT projects around Pensacola, don’t hold you breath.

And the last I had heard, an I-10 interchange at Beulah Road was not likely to happen anytime soon. The progress being mentioned is probably a study costing 100’s of thousands of dollars for information one could guess at with an internet connection and google maps. Approval to build, permitting, and construction is 2025 at the earliest.

Why road infrastructure seems to be an afterthought or take 5-10 years to study,
permit, and build, I have no idea. Why don’t we try and put it in place this time BEFORE anything is built on OLF-8 that will increase traffic by one car. Somehow I doubt that happens as the cart always seems to precede the horse.

Finally, I think Ellison Field was a great idea. What I don’t like is there is still a lot of undeveloped land held by owners who want to build and then lease, once the leasee is found. There needs to be a timeline for development by whoever buys the land in these types of projects or it should revert back to the county at what was paid for it. Remaining undeveloped for 20+ years employs no one.