Hopes high for Privateer's Alley in downtown Pensacola
- December 30, 2014
- / Carlton Proctor
- / training-development
Downtown developer Robert Montgomery and his business partner, Chan Cox, are going into 2015 with high hopes of developing several lots within in Aragon Court.
But they admit the "Privateer's Alley" project they envision still has several hurdles to clear before any ground is broken; not the least of which is securing financing.
"Chan and I are planning — and I will stress planning — to do a pretty major development on the Aragon property that faces Ninth Avenue," Montgomery said. "We're just starting to work on plans, and I don't have the financing yet.
"We want to move ahead with it, but we have a ways to go."
What Montgomery and Cox have planned for the Aragon site is a two-story retail/residential structure that would encompass about 12,000 square feet under roof.
The ground floor space will house a wine bar, a craft bar and retail shops. Montgomery and Cox were two of the three partners who started the successful Wine Bar on Palafox several years ago, but recently sold their interest to the third partner.
The second floor could become either more commercial space or residential units.
[caption id="attachment_13665" align="alignright" width="300"]
Developers hope this space could become the home of "Privateer's Alley."[/caption]
Montgomery said the project would begin with the purchase of three, 30-foot-wide lots on the corner of Ninth Avenue and Romana Street.
A fourth lot, on which they also plan to buy and construct a two-story building, fronts Romana and is divided from the other three lots by a 20-foot alleyway.
"We're thinking it would be really cool to have that walkway between the two buildings with tables and covered seating next to the buildings, and really create a kind of festive atmosphere," Montgomery said. "We would design it so as to control the sound so it wouldn't disturb the residential neighborhood."
Montgomery said he believes there is a strong market for this kind of development at the eastern end of Romana overlooking the bay.
"Palafox is doing great, but I think there are a lot of people who don't necessarily want to be on Palafox and are looking for something a little calmer and a little more sophisticated," he said.
While financing the project remains a challenge, Montgomery said he and Cox are not letting the stormwater problems around Aragon and other low-lying areas downtown blunt their enthusiasm.
He said Privateer's Alley building will be built four-to-five feet above grade.
The Aragon area was among several in the city hit hard by the massive rains and accompanying floods on April 30 and May 1 of this year.
Over the past eight months since the flood, the City of Pensacola has been working on a number of flood control infrastructure improvements.
But to address the kind of massive flooding that occurred this year, the city will have to spend tens of millions of dollars on flood control improvements.
"We want to see pressure kept on the city to make these storm water improvements," said Montgomery. "But that's not stop us from moving forward with our project."
Developers hope this space could become the home of "Privateer's Alley."[/caption]
Montgomery said the project would begin with the purchase of three, 30-foot-wide lots on the corner of Ninth Avenue and Romana Street.
A fourth lot, on which they also plan to buy and construct a two-story building, fronts Romana and is divided from the other three lots by a 20-foot alleyway.
"We're thinking it would be really cool to have that walkway between the two buildings with tables and covered seating next to the buildings, and really create a kind of festive atmosphere," Montgomery said. "We would design it so as to control the sound so it wouldn't disturb the residential neighborhood."
Montgomery said he believes there is a strong market for this kind of development at the eastern end of Romana overlooking the bay.
"Palafox is doing great, but I think there are a lot of people who don't necessarily want to be on Palafox and are looking for something a little calmer and a little more sophisticated," he said.
While financing the project remains a challenge, Montgomery said he and Cox are not letting the stormwater problems around Aragon and other low-lying areas downtown blunt their enthusiasm.
He said Privateer's Alley building will be built four-to-five feet above grade.
The Aragon area was among several in the city hit hard by the massive rains and accompanying floods on April 30 and May 1 of this year.
Over the past eight months since the flood, the City of Pensacola has been working on a number of flood control infrastructure improvements.
But to address the kind of massive flooding that occurred this year, the city will have to spend tens of millions of dollars on flood control improvements.
"We want to see pressure kept on the city to make these storm water improvements," said Montgomery. "But that's not stop us from moving forward with our project."
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