USPS Publication Number 16300
THE
SUMMATIONWeeklyy
This Community Newspaper is a publication of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association
S E RV I N G T H E F I RS T J U D I C I A L C I RC U I T
A BOLD FUTURE Vol. 24, No. 45
SummationWeekly.com
November 6, 2024
1 Section, 10 Pages
Section A, Page 1
MARITIME PARK EXPANDS WITH NEW HOTEL AND LUXURY APARTMENTS
Image courtesy of REVERB by Hard Rock By Nicole Willis
A
new development is in the works that will permanently change the skyline of downtown Pensacola. Pensacola’s Community Maritime Park will see significant changes with the recent approval of plans for a REVERB by Hard Rock® hotel and a new 12-story luxury apartment complex. The recently announced project will bring a dynamic mix of entertainment, hospitality and residential options to downtown Pensacola. Spearheaded by The Dawson Company (doing business as Inspired Communities of Florida), the mixed-use development was approved by the Pensacola City Council in August, and is now in its planning phase. The Dawson Company is a second-generation real estate development firm that has worked on a variety of projects throughout the country, including here in Pensacola. The company has played a major role in the development of other properties throughout the city, including the Maritime Park Office Building, Southtowne Apartments, the Urban Core Office Building and The 52 World. “We used to focus on larger markets, such as Atlanta, which is where we started, and we've done pretty big developments across the country. Now, our focus has transitioned to tertiary and quaternary markets. We’ve done some work in Cincinnati, we looked at Baltimore and we're potentially doing some work in Rochester and Huntsville, and, of course, Pensacola. In terms of our role in the maritime park development, we are the lead developer and owner for that development. We won the rights to lot numbers three, four, five, six and eight,” President and COO of The Dawson Company Tamara Bowens said.
The council voted 7-0 to approve the 100-year lease after adding an amendment that requires at least 70 percent of the street-level of the building to be "activated" with some type of retail or office use, including "pop-up" retail that could be removed in the event of severe weather. The hotel and apartments will be located on lot five, situated next to the Blue Wahoos Stadium. The Dawson Company originally won the rights to build in Maritime Park back in 2020, but the project was delayed due to COVID-19. The final cost of the project is still to be determined. “We just got our final blessing from the city on August 8 and now, we are in the process of actually signing the lease agreement for lot five and pricing everything out,” Bowens explained. Some of The Dawson Group’s partners in this project include the renowned global architecture firm Gensler and interior design consultant Kravitz Design, a global conceptual design firm helmed by music and style icon Lenny Kravitz. Development partners also include Emmitt Smith of EJ Enterprises and Thornton Tomasetti, who will provide specialized expertise in mass timber design and engineering. The properties will be constructed using mass timber, which is an eco-friendly building method that promotes a net-zero carbon footprint. The REVERB by Hard Rock will serve as the property’s central attraction, offering upscale accommodations with sweeping views of Pensacola Bay. This 125 to 150-key hotel will feature all of the staples of Hard Rock Hotels, with a modern twist. REVERB is Hard Rock International’s trendy and tech-forward hotel brand concept designed with the modern traveler in mind.
Hotel features include technologyenhanced rooms and designated spaces for both work and play. The hotel will also offer a variety of dining options, including a rooftop bar, a cafe and fast-casual dining spot. “It will have an RT60, which stands for Rooftop 60, and is part of the Hard Rock brand. If you visit any of their hotels, you’ll find an RT60 there. We’re definitely going to have that at the REVERB hotel and it’s the only restaurant or dining concept that is certain. There will also be a Constant Grind, which is another Hard Rock concept that will be located inside the hotel. It’s a casual sit down or grab-and-go venue that also serves coffee and espresso specialty drinks,” Bowens explained. Apart from dining options, other hotel amenities will include a rooftop terrace with a bar, fitness and wellness centers, swimming pools and a variety of entertainment opportunities. The property will also host a podcast recording studio for local talent and creators as well as a meeting space for conferences. “Given that it’s the Hard Rock, we'll definitely have programming
Renderings by Gensler courtsey of The Dawson Company from a music perspective. We really want to create more cultural experiences centered around music,” Bowens said. The proposed multi-stor y luxury apartment complex will be situated next to the hotel on lot five. The multi-story building will have at least 240 units. “The way the process works is we have a vision of what we want the property to look like and how we want it to be situated on the lot. From there, we work with Gensler to determine what the unit mix is and how many units there will be. We definitely know we'll have a minimum of 240, but it could be more than that,” Bowen said. Similar to the hotel, the apartment complex will boast luxury amenities including a rooftop terrace, a co-working space, a coffee bar, a swimming pool and a commercial-grade gym. Bowens describes the planned fitness facilities as “a gym that is very much in line with what you have to pay for every month.” The two developments will sit directly across Cedar Street from the main entrance to Blue Wahoos
Stadium. Both buildings would be built on parking deck "podiums" of at least three stories, and they would be connected by a thirdfloor breeze-way that will host retail or restaurant options. Being that the completion of the project is still a few years out, the expected pricing for rent is not available yet. However, Bowens explained that the developers will also use the Florida Live Local Act to have mixed-income housing, with 40 percent of the units priced affordably for individuals who make between 80 percent and 120 percent of the area median income for the Pensacola area. Rent prices will be announced at a later date. The anticipated groundbreaking date for the project is 2026, with a projected opening of 2029, according to Bowens. Under the lease, developers have 12 months to obtain building permits from the city and construction must begin within 45 days of getting the permits. For updates on upcoming Hard Rock properties, visit the website hotel.hardrock.com. Learn more about The Dawson Company at thedawsoncompany.com.■
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