New Shopping Development Planned for Downtown Pensacola
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A new shopping center anchored by a grocery store could soon be coming to downtown Pensacola.
Developers are proposing a retail focused project at 200 W. Garden Street, the long vacant property near the corner of Garden and Spring Street. The project will go before the City of Pensacola Architectural Review Board on March 19for conceptual review.
The site sits within the Palafox Historic Business District, meaning the design must meet special guidelines to ensure it fits within the historic character of downtown.
A Shift from Condos to Retail
The property was originally planned for a luxury residential development known as The Waverly, which would have included condominium units along with apartments and retail space.
Developers later abandoned those plans citing economic challenges.
The updated proposal now focuses on retail development centered around a grocery store, which many local leaders say could be a major addition to the downtown area.
A Grocery Anchored Shopping Center
According to conceptual plans submitted to the city, the development would feature a 30,990 square foot grocery storesurrounded by smaller retail storefronts.
The project is being proposed by Branch Acquisition Company, part of Atlanta based real estate firm Branch Properties, which specializes in grocery anchored shopping centers across the country.
Preliminary plans show:
• A brick and masonry shopping center design
• Retail storefronts surrounding the grocery anchor
• Aluminum canopy entrances
• Decorative sconce and LED lighting
• More than 100 parking spaces
• A small pocket park planned at the corner of Romana and Spring streets
The design also aims to incorporate elements that reflect the site’s historic past.
Historic Site with a Long Past
The property once held buildings dating back to the World War II era. The location previously served as a USO facility and trade school, and later became the headquarters for the Escambia County School District.
In 2011, the school district sold the property to private investors. Parts of the original structures were demolished during preparation for the earlier Waverly development project.
According to past development filings, parts of the original architecture including historic arches and structural elements were expected to be preserved within the new design.
Could a Publix Be Coming?
Concept renderings show a grocery store with green signage, which has led to speculation that the store could be a Publix.
However, neither the developers nor the grocery chain have confirmed the identity of the anchor tenant.
At nearly 31,000 square feet, the store would be one of the first full scale grocery options located directly within the downtown core.
City Leaders Encouraged by the Proposal
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves has said he was encouraged by conversations with the developers and their attention to how the project fits into the downtown environment.
Because of the property’s location in the historic district, the Architectural Review Board will carefully review elements like building materials, layout, parking placement, and overall design before allowing the project to move forward.
Next Step: Architectural Review Board
The proposal will go before the Pensacola Architectural Review Board on March 19 for a conceptual review.
This step allows the board to provide feedback on the project’s design, building materials, and overall scale before a final development plan is submitted.
If approved, the project could bring new retail, grocery shopping, and additional foot traffic to the downtown Pensacola area.
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