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Core area to see upgrade

Eddy The issue of beautification of the Gulf Breeze area long has been a hot topic, and the recent approval for a $350,000 grant could go a long way to meet expectations.

“Prior to me coming onboard the (City) Council, and during the course of my involvement with the Council, the beautification issue has been secondary only to financing challenges,” said councilman Dana Morris. “Those who supported my appointment to the Council were and still are very hopeful to make this a more appealing and attractive area for people to live and work in. When we enhance the corridor, we not only enhance the area for residents; we are making it a more attractive area for business.”

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) grant must be used along the U.S. Highway 98 corridor, and the city must provide maintenance for the project created with the funds.

“The state law requires FDOT to do this beautification grant project, and we are very appreciative that they have looked upon our grant application with favor,” said City Manager Edwin “Buz” Eddy. “When you look at the state of the economy and the increasing costs for essential municipal services, it is more significant to receive beautification money now that will enable us to make improvements.”

The project submitted for consideration of the grant was a landscaping plan including the median and both sides of U.S. 98 from Andrews Jackson Trail up to Daniel Drive. Improvement to the “Blue Monster” overpass is not included in the plan, but a separate FDOT project was approved last year and funded this year to paint and maintain the walkover.

City requests architectural bids for municipal garage

The City of Gulf Breeze has announced its Request for Bids for architectural design of its municipal parking garage. The City Council approved the concept of building the garage in September in support of the $12 million, 80,000-square-foot AppRiver building expansion project in the Live Oak center. The city garage will sit on land donated by the developers and a portion of the FDOT surplus right-of-way adjoining the proposed development.

According to Eddy, the Council will select an architect in January from the RFQs submitted. Selection of the final design should follow in March or April.

Staff has suggested a threedeck parking garage option that would accommodate 342 parking spaces and could cost up to $4.5 million. The garage will be financed with Community Redevelopment Association (CRA) funds.

AppRiver, a rising international e-mail messaging and Web security company, is planning its expansion in the Live Oak Office Park at 1101 Gulf Breeze Parkway. Pensacolabased Avalex Technologies, a leading national supplier of flatpanel displays and digital mapping systems, revealed it also was relocating to Gulf Breeze to share the Class A space with AppRiver. The two companies currently employ approximately 160 people. The expansion, however, could generate as many as 300 to 400 new highpaying jobs in Gulf Breeze over the next decade.

AppRiver President and CEO Michael Murdoch expects the expansion could spark growth that would transform Gulf Breeze into an international technology and medical hub. The expansion is planned directly across the highway from the world-acclaimed Andrews Institute and not far from the headquarters of Studer Group, a world- renowned health-care consulting company currently located in the Harbourtown Center.

The CRA encompasses the core business area of Gulf Breeze and affords special funding for development of blighted areas. The City of Gulf Breeze established the Community Redevelopment Association (CRA) in 1989. Citizen priorities underlining guidelines include making the city CRA walkable, more uniform and attractive.

The CRA currently generates about $500,000 per year of tax increment revenue. As improvements drive values up, the income opportunity goes up as well, according to Eddy. Projects already funded by the CRA include the Daniel Drive Extension and improvements for Moulton Property’s Sea Shell Collections, the Hospital Road behind Andrews Institute, and the fencing surrounding Gulf Breeze High School.