[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6096790,"mediaKeyId","2830653-843113107ec0a89797528621a4c110c9","parentId",2830653,"title","Planning board grants conceptual approval for Reverb by Hard Rock project; developer to return for final aesthetic review","audioSeconds",4325,"startMs",751000,"endMs",5076000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2830653-843113107ec0a89797528621a4c110c9&start=751&end=5076","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2830653-843113107ec0a89797528621a4c110c9/thumbnail_751000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6096790/Pensacola/Escambia-County/Florida/Planning-board-grants-conceptual-approval-for-Reverb-by-Hard-Rock-project-developer-to-return-for-final-aesthetic-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096790-aefc09377cc41b0725313bc4f1a75061/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151445&Signature=YKcQAPAXMt5BR~p2v4WvmFHsQ6msJAlpi1nlNj6FyUHJrGE1vXp1N5QQi3OxDP59OGnuMIaQDt6ZP5~Dz6mESpfPyFRJZ6olmCqen-i5vMUqiiBPBm85VsvTnguXrm6YwlzcYVNR1nI1RmMNPLVp7dh7zVzO2d7ZBAvbCLJs7ERbb6EumJg6BIXT12LYEb90cPeSIyiWBKEpQQhuqHPvjvIduXkLEltjhA5r~7uiww1dN~04rUWlpQ5gi2CzqNtWbuqIcf3DNSzu8gnIY30wi6n15~SqL7VMEJfPavsldPiKY9KbzpCWDgxeij0kbZqEZRYiJ8cI0W2TsO-X94yLCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Pensacola, FL ","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","The City of Pensacola Planning Board on March 11 unanimously approved conceptual aesthetic review for “Reverb by Hard Rock” and an adjacent mass-timber residential building proposed for Lot 5 at Community Maritime Park. The project team said the plan uses Florida’s Live Local Act to achieve increased height and density in exchange for affordable units.

Dennis Pemberton, executive managing director with the Dawson Company (doing business as Inspired Communities in Florida), told the board the residential tower will be roughly the Live Local maximum of about 150 feet measured from the lowest occupiable floor; the team said 40 percent of units would be reserved for households with incomes between 80 and 120 percent of area median income (AMI). Pemberton said the hotel and residential program are being coordinated so the development will work closely with the adjacent Blue Wahoos stadium and Maritime Park activities.

Lester Ewan, design director at Gensler, walked the board through concept renderings and design principles. The proposal includes a concrete podium (to resist flood exposure) with mass-timber construction above the podium, a multi-level portal and plaza aligned with the stadium entry, public art and mural treatments on large end walls, a rooftop bar (Reverb RT60) visible from the ballpark, and a public plaza intended for programming and performances. Ewan described mass timber as an aesthetic and structural decision: ‘‘We will design the building with glass. Glass, high performance glass performs much better to get today and still allows, visibility through the glass,’’ and said the timber would be used above the concrete podium and be visible in interior spaces.

The development team explained several resilience and stormwater approaches. Ben Webber (Gensler) said the site’s finished-first-floor elevation is about +15 and that the local flood elevation is elevation 9; the team proposed locating primary hotel and residential program above a concrete podium and using floodproof glazing and other measures at grade. Doug Schutte (Gensler) said the project ties into a district stormwater system and the team is studying how to capture and convey stormwater for both typical rain and intense storm events. The team said the project will provide three levels of parking within a podium and that some parking is partially below grade; geotechnical and groundwater issues for below-grade parking remain under study.

Board members and the public focused questions on several recurring issues: the north façade that lies on a shared property line with Lot 4 (the team requested clarity on whether the city can provide an easement or other mechanism so those façades can include windows and not be forced to close if Lot 4 develops independently), potential groundwater and flood risks for subgrade parking, stormwater and permeable-surface strategies for the sidewalk/plaza, and the use of murals and public art. Planning Board member Larson urged the team to pursue windows and public-facing articulation rather than a blank end wall if at all feasible; several board members and audience commenters supported murals and local artists for the façade art.

Planning staff and the applicants clarified this was only conceptual aesthetic review; the project must return for final aesthetic review, which will include floor plans, final material specifications, lot-coverage calculations and other engineering details. The board’s conceptual approval does not change zoning maps; the team said Live Local is a Florida statute that allows increased height and density in exchange for affordable housing set-asides and would be used to allow up to roughly 150 feet and 135 dwelling units per acre where WRD1 otherwise limits height to about six stories.

A board motion to approve the conceptual aesthetic submission carried unanimously. Staff said the development will return to the board for final aesthetic review before permitting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Pensacola Planning Board Meeting Mar 11, 2025 ","oneSentenceSummary","The City of Pensacola Planning Board on March 11 unanimously approved conceptual aesthetic review for a mass-timber Reverb by Hard Rock hotel and an adjacent mass-timber residential tower on Lot 5 at Community Maritime Park.","taxTitle","Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida","taxId",56151,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096784,"Planning staff reports strong participation in LDC update workshops; attendees favor walkable development and density-for-affordability incentives",212,5132000,5344000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2830653-843113107ec0a89797528621a4c110c9&start=5132&end=5344","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2830653-843113107ec0a89797528621a4c110c9/thumbnail_5132000.jpg","/articles/6096784/Pensacola/Escambia-County/Florida/Planning-staff-reports-strong-participation-in-LDC-update-workshops-attendees-favor-walkable-development-and-density-for-affordability-incentives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096784-e3f73887bbc12fc098590bd3f4334775/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151445&Signature=e8Wj5ReaAR4AVQgy1tEgGyaJgYf1FPI78jjXXQCsyz6yXbFYGCLdlzLaa1dkoZA7pcTHkIRW4vXeR06PhNk1IGRTOMpBvQ9fcO-vOgYd7PA57JhL0BrxZp3YhRg0sbrjaem35xs23L5OzWaLiCM3naqQRDgL0rrtbSDVSGClsbw3sR-6tZxr9N6IyRo5zNkavgsLFM-mj~qsAAX2cZaf9izs4pm4ojy7dOFhKpzCMLP9ATUD6VZmuy-7-Ft7uwi230AAuaNdahe1SXDmnrAeJrjpblm0Op1A2OzIZQ9HXT8ubfZx9W1-q5mscBKj8vtc0c47F2RuKccYMLQ5vNKNEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Pensacola planning staff reported on March 11 that the first public workshop and an open-house session for the Land Development Code (LDC) update attracted substantial public participation and produced early policy guidance for staff and consultants.

Staff member Cannon (Planning Department) said more than 50 people attended the evening public workshop and another 28-plus attended the open house the following morning. The project website, staff said, includes an idea board and a map where members of the public can add comments and react with thumbs-up/thumbs-down to indicate interest; more than 80 surveys had been completed as of the meeting.

Staff summarized key takeaways from the first outreach round: attendees generally favored walkable, pedestrian-friendly urban development over auto-oriented suburban expansion; participants supported incentives that trade increased density for affordable housing, vertical mixed-use development and public open space; views on building height varied but recommended balancing growth with neighborhood character and historic preservation; and participants emphasized the need for clear floodplain protection and stormwater management rules, noting concerns about feasibility and parking requirements for small-scale projects.

Planning staff said a 41-page final report for the public workshop is available on the project website and that staff will continue to update the board as the LDC revision process progresses.

No formal board action was taken; staff requested the board continue to monitor public input and noted additional outreach will follow.","City planning staff reported that initial public outreach for Pensacola’s Land Development Code update drew significant participation and produced a set of preliminary public priorities: walkable urbanism, incentives for affordable housing, and stronger flood/stormwater clarity.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096795,"Planning board approves Blue Wahoos batting-tunnel building at Community Maritime Park",660,90000,750000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2830653-843113107ec0a89797528621a4c110c9&start=90&end=750","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2830653-843113107ec0a89797528621a4c110c9/thumbnail_90000.jpg","/articles/6096795/Pensacola/Escambia-County/Florida/Planning-board-approves-Blue-Wahoos-batting-tunnel-building-at-Community-Maritime-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096795-dbf3658ddc4b945c653914e7e7c26784/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151445&Signature=Hh01gD1M0EFD3Go2M2OWB-ZlJ7wmetwOje2GVIYDZxdqlWMvBFjz4J5mFHUOa7akQNo~fklZeMx~8dUgJzY86LIeFJ~7xmMGxqFvdTwQzv8EKfwmUFnkv9Ua~y0PKTQPJ0pb7s-4UBj2wNuDP6ZtenoWT4svcWiVgoqiMte8x4R4GZiXMU8xT2DfendwBhnUKQFAocbsFEEylMbYS-S535f9TaBu4JQCnRePsOQFEeiTcyl6aUexkHPN-0pvnjT-3yien-aA9WeycGeo3LClF7w5IQ9GgOBpO96d3z88-02zdOcs7l5YFcd-JcSlm2D5vCmLD9RkSHFc2U6jtOjfKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Pensacola Planning Board on March 11 approved final aesthetic review for a new standalone, single-story Blue Wahoos batting-tunnel building on Lot 9 at Community Maritime Park.

The project, proposed by Northwest Florida Professional Baseball, will provide two batting-tunnel lanes and a locker room with restrooms on a parcel adjacent to the Blue Wahoos stadium. Planning staff said aesthetic review was required because the site sits in the waterfront redevelopment district (WRD1).

Architect Craig Schmidt of Ewen Cole, principal in charge for the design team, told the board the program was driven by Major League Baseball requirements and by a lack of room inside the existing stadium. “The program is the 2 heading tunnels and a female locker room. Those are thing those things are currently lacking from the current, facilities, player facilities in the stadium,” Schmidt said, explaining why the team proposed a small, window-limited structure. He said the design team aimed to match the stadium’s materials, including the same brick and stucco colors, while keeping the long building’s elevations articulated rather than appearing as a “giant brick box.”

Board members asked detailed questions about materials. Planning Board member Gudenhofer asked why the design did not carry brick across the face of the building to better match the stadium. The project architect replied that applying the same brick at a lower single-story elevation produced an overly imposing brick mass, and the team preferred a mixture of brick pilasters and stucco reliefs. Gudenhofer also raised long-term durability concerns about stucco in Pensacola’s humid, rainy climate; another board member said stucco is “harder to maintain.”

No members of the public indicated they wished to speak on the item. A board motion to approve final aesthetic review carried 3-1. Planning staff noted this is one of the first anticipated developments within WRD1 and that the project packet included material samples and a landscape plan.","The City of Pensacola Planning Board approved final aesthetic review for a standalone Blue Wahoos batting-tunnel building on Lot 9 at Community Maritime Park. The one-story structure will house two batting lanes and a locker room; board members debated exterior materials before a 3-1 approval.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning board grants conceptual approval for Reverb by Hard Rock project; developer to return for final aesthetic review

Planning staff reports strong participation in LDC update workshops; attendees favor walkable development and density-for-affordability incentives

Planning board approves Blue Wahoos batting-tunnel building at Community Maritime Park