For six years, the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners has grappled with the future of the OLF-8 property, a 540-acre site acquired in a land swap with the Navy. After extended deliberations, the board has unanimously voted to sell the property to Beulah Town Center, LLC, for $50 million. However, the path to this decision was fraught with debate.
Commissioners’ Perspectives
District 3 Commissioner Lumon May showed exasperation at the lack of progress at last week's commissioner meeting.
“We keep moving the needle. At some point, we make a decision... This is what we’re gonna accept in the negotiation... And if you can’t negotiate it, come back. We will negotiate it with somebody else,” he said.
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District 4 Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger focused on ensuring the development would deliver good employment opportunities.
“Who do we believe is going to provide the highest paying jobs and the most of them for this piece of property?” Hofberger asked.
District 2 Commissioner Mike Kohler also voiced his frustration.
“We’ve been doing this for two years. We’ve had the same discussions. For me, it’s time to move,” Kohler said, moments before announcing the unanimous vote.
The commissioners have included the 2021 DPZ Master Plan — a vision for a mixed-use community with commercial and residential spaces — in the restrictive deed for the sale. Kohler emphasized this as a safeguard, “It (inclusion of the restrictive deed) is kind of our guiding light to try to keep their feet to the fire to meet the master plan.”
Beulah Town Center, LLC is partnering with Metro Development Group, a firm specializing in master-planned communities. While some commissioners expressed optimism, concerns remain.
Community Concerns
Beulah community advocate Theresa Blackwell questioned the contract’s payment structure, which references phased closings tied to the master plan.
“I don’t think anyone had that on their radar," she said. "That there’s the possibility that 50 million would come in chunks as they resell it."
Blackwell also criticized previous proposals involving the Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission (PEDC), which included leasing the property for profit-sharing.
“Why in the world would we do that? They borrowed our local option sales taxes to buy OLF-8. That’s money that should go to our infrastructure,” she argued.
The decision to sell to a private developer means the possibility of forfeiting a $14.2 million Triumph Gulf Coast grant, which required public ownership of the site to fund infrastructure improvements.
Developer’s Response
Despite this, Fred Hemmer of Beulah Town Center, LLC, expressed enthusiasm.
“We’ve been working on this for five or six years... We look forward to delivering,” he said.
Commission Chair Mike Kohler had a clear message for Hemmer, “Don’t make us look bad and bring some jobs.”
Theresa Blackwell remains vigilant. “Everybody requires scrutiny. What I care about is the best result for Beulah,” she said.
The sale marks a pivotal moment for Escambia County, as residents and officials alike wait to see if the development will meet expectations.
Final Selection and Terms
The commission selected Beulah Town Center’s $50 million offer and will use the 2021 DPZ Master Plan as a restrictive deed.
- 271 acres for commerce and industrial use
- 61 acres for residential
- 47 acres for mixed-use
- 45 acres for trails and public amenities
The county now has 30 days to finalize a contract with Beulah Town Center.
