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Northwest Fla., Panhandle Business Briefs - Oct. 2008
Chipley
One South Bank, scheduled to open this month, will be Washington County’s only locally chartered and headquartered bank, operating under the corporate umbrella of Early Bancshares of Blakely, Ga.
Escambia County
The Escambia County School District plans to sell its downtown administration building, valued at up to $8.5 million, and relocate to the former Gulf Power headquarters building nearby. Included in the $6-million purchase from Gulf Power are 12 acres where the school system will build a $25-million elementary school, consolidating three existing schools.
Leon County
The County Commission plans to spend $20 million over the next five years on library projects, including a 12,000-sq.-ft. Lake Jackson branch. Two other libraries are to be expanded.
Northwest Florida
Rate increases mean Gulf Power Co. residential customers are paying 11.3% more for electricity, and commercial customers are paying 15% to 18% more.
Panama City
The first shipment of 30,000 metric tons of wood pellets produced by the Green Circle Bio Energy plant embarked from Panama City in July, bound for Europe and Green Circle’s utility-company customers. The shipment marked the start of a 10-year port contract.
Pensacola
A travel slowdown has Pensacola Regional Airport reprogramming its $100-million expansion timetable, scaling back construction to $71.1 million. Expansion of the terminal began in August, but the completion date for the 1,100-space addition to the parking garage is being pushed back from 2010 to 2012.
Pensacola Beach
Julian MacQueen’s Innisfree Hotels is adding an 11-story Holiday Inn to its chain of Pensacola Beach hotels. The 206-room hotel is blueprinted for opening in spring 2010.
Port St. Joe
Construction has begun on the $35-million, 25-bed Sacred Heart Hospital and adjacent medical office building being built by Pensacola-based Sacred Heart Health System on 27 acres donated by St. Joe Co. The targeted opening date is fall 2009.
» Bulkhead construction and canal dredging under way point to the return of a port for Port St. Joe. The $5-million, seven-month effort at the mouth of the Gulf County canal as it enters St. Joseph Bay will provide access to a new 68-acre port site on land purchased from St. Joe Co. Three potential customers are signed up.
Quincy
The state Attorney General’s Office filed a civil lawsuit against AdSurfDaily, an internet marketing company, saying it bilked investors of more than $100 million in a Ponzi operation.
Santa Rosa County
The school district is buying 41 acres at Navarre for $2 million for a school site.
Walton County
Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans has opened its first satellite gallery, at the WaterColor resort.
