The state Agency for Health Care Administration said Wednesday it has given final approval to new or expanded nursing homes in a dozen counties, including some in the Pensacola metro area.

The Agency received applications for new or expanded nursing homes before announcing last month that it had given tentative approval for 2,600 beds in 25 counties. Those projects, totaling 762 nursing-home beds, include:

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How it works

The approval process involves issuing what are known as "certificates of need," and the agency's tentative decisions were subject to legal challenges.

The legal challenges are scattered across the state and, at least in part, were filed by applicants who were turned down last month by the Agency for Health Care Administration. The agency said Wednesday it had issued certificates of need for projects that went unchallenged.

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— A 90-bed facility proposed by NF Escambia LLC for the 32514 ZIP code. AHCA documents indicate that NF Escambia refers to itself as an affiliate of Gulf Coast Health Care, and that 20 of the 90 beds for this project would be delicensed at 120-bed Bayside Health and Rehabilitation Center.

The project involves 69,044 gross square feet of new construction. The construction cost is $12,676,500. Total project cost is $19,032,800. Project cost includes land, building, equipment, project development, financing, start-up and other intangible assets/deferred costs.

— Adding 30 beds at Sandy Ridge Health and Rehabilitation. The 60-bed facility is on Glover Lane in Milton. The project involves 17,766 gross square feet of new construction. The construction cost is $2,572,000. Total project cost is $3,328,073. Project cost includes land, building, equipment, project development and financing costs.

The NF Escambia project will include converting some rooms at Bayside into private therapy suites and adding an occupational therapy suite.

The new 90-bed facility will provide skilled nursing and restorative care and rehabilitative services include:

— Six interior courtyards for residents.

— Each side of the facility provides for a separate living room and activity room for residents.

— Each side of the facility provides for a gathering room with a featured aquarium for residents’ enjoyment.

— The resident room availability within the facility is 45 privates, 15 semi-privates and 15 suites.

— A large, centralized dining room, back of the house functions located in centralized areas and not intermixed with resident rooms and areas of the facility, and therapeutic areas grouped for efficiency.

News Service of Florida contributed to this report.