March 28, 2024

Northwest In the News - May 2005

Charlotte Crane | 5/1/2005
Century -- Three helicopter sales are giving a lift to FH1100 Manufacturing Corp. following a falloff in business after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Owner Georges Van Nevel has sold two new FH1100s -- list price $860,000 each -- to Southeast Jet Group of Fort Lauderdale for delivery late this year. And German customer Holger Zimmermann bought a refurbished 1970 helicopter "for fun." The sales could mean new jobs at the 4-year-old factory.

Crestview -- Okaloosa County Industrial Airpark will have a new tenant later this year when North American Turbines relocates from Opa-Locka. A division of International Seger Group, the company overhauls and repairs turboprop engines for aircraft, including the C-130 series. Two other companies in the airpark also work on various components of C-130 series aircraft. North American's move will create 188 jobs at Crestview.

Franklin County -- The county's first-ever tourist development tax, voter-approved by better than 2 to 1, is expected to generate $544,580 this year. A two-year plan developed by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council calls for spending 60% on infrastructure development, including beach and park maintenance and recreational facilities, and 40% for off-season promoting, visitor center activities and administrative expenses.

Freeport -- The Department of Environmental Protection, aided by $1 million from the Department of Defense, is paying real estate speculator and conservationist M.C. Davis $17.2 million for a conservation easement on 17,000 acres to add to the Northwest Florida Greenway. Davis, who's also donated 1,500 acres to the Greenway, said the buyers got "a bargain," quoting a market price of $100 million. The property is part of Davis' 53,000-acre Nokuse Plantation wildlife preserve.

Panama City Beach -- Aquatica Beach Resort and Magnolia Bay Club, high-rise condominiums planned for construction start this year, will offer elements that enable buyers to adapt the residences to their accessibility needs. Structural features will make it easy, for example, to adjust kitchen cabinet heights or insert grab bars into drywall. The U.S. Tower Division of Sarasota-based Taylor Woodrow is developing the projects, which will offer 1,160 units between them.

Pensacola -- Construction has started on the $40-million National Flight Academy, a 245,000-sq.-ft. adjunct to the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

H. Britt Landrum has been appointed to the board of directors of the Jacksonville Federal Reserve branch, the first Pensacolian named to the post in 20 years and the fourth ever. Landrum, 67, is president of Landrum Staffing Services and AmStaff Human Resources, which provide jobs or human resources services for 500 clients in 20 states.

When Gulf Power's $5-million Mercury Control Research Center at Crist Plant is completed this fall, it will be the largest and most complete research site to test ways to control mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. The project has generated interest from utilities and equipment suppliers in the U.S. and abroad.

Port St. Joe -- The St. Joe Co. (NYSE-JOE) and Pensacola's Sacred Heart Health System are working with Gulf County to fill the void left by Florida Agency for Health Care Administration's March closure of long-troubled Gulf Pines Hospital. The county will move ahead on building a 25-bed hospital even if Gulf Pines manages to reopen, says Doug Kent, Gulf County Health Department director and chairman of a county-appointed healthcare committee. St. Joe will donate the land and $5 million.

Tallahassee -- Regions Financial Corp.'s first Tallahassee branch will be followed by two more offices in the next few months, according to the Alabama-based bank.

Wakulla County -- The state has agreed to buy the 600-acre Searcy Estate in the Apalachicola National Forest for nearly $1.4 million. The acquisition will help conserve more than 1.7 miles of riverfront along the Ochlockonee River and protect habitat for the Florida black bear, alligator snapping turtle and Florida pine snake.

Walton County -- St. Joe-Arvida is moving ahead with plans for 1,400-acre WaterSound North, which will be the county's second-largest development. Situated north of Highway 98, it will consist of 1,380 residential units, two golf courses (one six-hole, one nine-hole) and commercial space. Only 2,400-acre Sandestin is larger in Walton County. County and state development approvals are needed.

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