Proposed 18-Story Tower Could Bring 16 New Residences to Pensacola Beach
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A new residential project is being considered for one of the most visible stretches of Pensacola Beach.
Plans submitted for a development known as Luna call for an 18-story condominium building at 2 Via De Luna Drive, near Casino Beach and between Crabs on the Beach and the Hampton Inn.
Despite the height of the proposed building, the project would contain only 16 residential units.
The Santa Rosa Island Authority is expected to review the concept during its August 26 meeting.
Where the Proposed Tower Would Be Located
The property sits along Via De Luna Drive in the central Pensacola Beach commercial area, just east of Casino Beach.
The proposed location places the building close to several of the beach’s busiest destinations, including Casino Beach, the Gulfside Pavilion, Pensacola Beach Boardwalk and nearby hotels and restaurants.
The site is also near UFO’s Mini Golf.
What the Luna Development Would Include
Current plans show an 18-story residential building with 16 condominium units.
The development would also include parking within the structure rather than relying on a separate parking garage.
Other proposed features include private residential amenities and large balconies extending around the units.
H & S Development LLC is behind the proposal, with the project connected to Innisfree Hotels. Pensacola firm SMP Architecture prepared the conceptual design.
The Project Is Being Designed as Residential, Not a Vacation Rental Tower
One of the most significant details in the proposal is how the units are expected to be used.
According to information shared by Innisfree Hotels CEO Ted Ent, the condominiums would be intended for owners rather than functioning as short-term vacation rentals.
Third-party rental activity would be restricted under the proposed concept.
That would give Luna a different operating model from many condominium properties on Pensacola Beach that rely heavily on weekly and short-term rentals.
This Is Not the First Development Plan for the Property
The property has been part of previous development discussions.
Earlier concepts involved additional hotel rooms, parking and other development connected to the neighboring Hampton Inn property.
The newest Luna plan represents a much smaller residential approach.
According to the developer, a previous version included 89 additional hotel rooms and a separate parking structure. Those elements are no longer part of the current proposal.
Instead, the project would concentrate the development into 16 residential units with parking incorporated into the tower.
What Could Happen to the Area Around UFO’s Mini Golf?
The proposed building would be located on property associated with the Hampton Inn and nearby Club Coco holdings.
That has naturally raised questions about how future development could affect UFO’s Mini Golf and the surrounding property.
At this stage, the proposal being reviewed is conceptual, and there has not been a final construction approval.
Additional site plans and development documents would likely provide more detail about how existing uses on the property would be affected if the project continues moving forward.
Approval This Week Would Not Mean Construction Begins Immediately
The Santa Rosa Island Authority is considering conceptual approval, not a final building permit.
If the board allows the project to move forward, the developer would still need to complete additional planning and regulatory steps before construction could begin.
That process can include detailed site review, permitting, building code requirements, floodplain requirements and other development approvals.
Because Pensacola Beach sits within a coastal high hazard area, large developments also face additional design and construction considerations.
Santa Rosa Island Authority Meeting
The project is expected to come before the Santa Rosa Island Authority on:
Wednesday, August 26
5 PM
Santa Rosa Island Authority
1 Via De Luna Drive
Pensacola Beach
The board will consider whether the Luna concept can move forward into the next stages of development review.
Why This Project Could Get Attention
A building this tall in the Casino Beach area would be difficult to miss.
If eventually built, Luna would add a new residential tower directly within the commercial center of Pensacola Beach while adding relatively few individual residences compared with a traditional high-density condominium project.
Supporters of the concept may point to the small number of units and elimination of additional hotel rooms as a lower-density use of the property.
Others may focus on the building’s height, its location near Casino Beach and broader concerns surrounding traffic, development and the changing character of Pensacola Beach.
For now, the project remains in the proposal stage.
The August 26 Santa Rosa Island Authority meeting will determine whether the current concept takes another step toward becoming a reality.
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