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What is going on on PANAMA CITY
BEACH.......?
BUYING AND SELLING IN
PANAMA CITY BEACH ~~~ WHAT IT HAS TO OFFER NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.....
Panama City Beach has 27
miles of sugar-white beaches and beautiful emerald-green waters.
Over six million visitors spend an estimated $ 1.5 billion annually while
visiting "The World's Most Beautiful Beaches".
THE BEACHES OF PANAMA
CITY have received numerous awards including:
# 1 Beach--- Dr.
Beach (Stephen Leatherman) 1995
# 4 Most Popular
Vacation Rental Destination--Hotels.com --2004
#8 Beach in
American -- The Travel Channel---2005
Along with the
above....Panama City Beach and Bay County will see growth and development
and become a major destination in northwest Florida in the near future. As
in most communities, growing pains; development changes, social and
economic growth are all signs of an upward struggle to push locals and
investors alike into a community that is solid and here to stay. CHECK
OUT WWW.PCBFLA.ORG for a great website on the "New" Panama City Beach.
Airport:
The Forbes/Slatin Real Estate Report
THE SLATIN REPORT March 29, 2006
Bay County Florida is about to become one of the
fastest growing areas in the nation.
"Build it and they
will come.” Occasionally that happens in real life, and in the case of
Bay County, Florida, it's about to happen in a big way. By the end of
this decade, Bay County (and its main city, Panama City). Promises to be
among the fastest growing areas in the state, if not the nation. "It"
in this case is a new international airport in Bay County, the first major
airport developed in the United States in years. "They" are home-buying
retirees from the Midwest and Northeast, time-sharing vacationers,
beachfront aficionados, spring-break revelers, real estate investors,
developers, speculators and flippers. The rush is just beginning.
Airport relocation: The Federal Aviation
Administration released its final environmental impact statement or EIS
that serves as the next to last Hurdle in efforts to move the Panama
City-Bay County International Airport to a 4,000 acre West Bay site. The
project is estimated to cost $312 million. The project would take a
total of about three years to complete.
By Valerie Lovett News Herald Writer (May
12, 2006)
Pier Park
Pier Park is a 900,000 square=foot
parcel running from Front Beach Road at the Pier to the heavily traveled
Highway 98 (PCB Parkway).This fun family oriented retail destination will
mix shopping, dinning and entertainment and will be a great entertainment
place for either a few hour hours or the whole day into the evening.
Pier Park is being developed by Simon Property Group Inc.
"Pier Park, we’ve always felt, could be
and would be the downtown of Panama City beach, Ajdaharianh said, Simon
Region Vice President. Stores projected for Pier Park include Southern
Theaters will open a 16-screen 3, 0000 seat theater with stadium seating
Ron John Surf shop plans a 12,000 square foot store. Old Navy will open a
14,800 square foot store, while Panama Breads 5,000 square foot will seat
175 people. Starbucks and Target are also slated as businesses coming.
Regional vice president Paul Ajduharian announced the additional stores
will stores will open some time between late 2006 and early 2007.
Hathaway Bridge:
The
project, with an estimated $30 million price tag, will ease congestion in
the Hathaway Bridge
corridor by carrying eastbound traffic over the current Thomas Drive and
U.S. 98 intersection.
Please visit Hathaway Bridge.com for
more information on this on-going project and estimated completion dates
Grand Lagoon
Bridge Project
The Grand Lagoon Bridge was constructed
in 1952 in an aggressive salt water environment and is in need of
replacement. Improvements are needed to accommodate projected traffic
increases and to improve safety conditions. The proposed widening of
Thomas Drive to four lanes and the replacement of the Grand Lagoon Bridge
would improve the ability of the region to evacuate in the event of a
hurricane.
Sidewalks and bike lanes in each direction
will also be provided in the proposed plan. County traffic engineering
director John Alagahemand also spoke during a workshop abut the financial
progress and timeline of replacing the bridge. The county is working on a
study that will guide the project concept, considering what is best from
an engineering, natural environment and economic standpoint. He said that
should be completed by spring, the design phase can begin. The earliest
that work could begin on bridge replacement is 2008, and it would take tow
or three years to finish, he said. A temporary bridge will be erected on
the west side of the current bridge when construction starts.
Sources: Ryan Burr News Herald Writer
February 1, 2006
Mr. John A. Alagahemand, P.E. Transportation and Technology Director Bay
County Board of County Commissioners.
Bonifay~~ Theme Park and animal Kingdom
Sources: Christopher Mitchell News 13 on
Your Side
Daniel Carson News herald
Writer
For Three years, "project Jim," named for
world-renowned naturalist and "Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” TV
personality Jim Fowler, has been the subject of much discussion and
anticipation in Homes County and surrounding areas. The project's plan
“Life in the Wild" will be located on 790 acres around Smith Lake...an
area located south of Interstate 10. "Fowler representative, Bill Hardy
said the park will have a wide regional impact, coming in concurrence with
the planned new Panama City-Bay County International airport in West Bay
and the widening of State 79. Bay County Tourist Development Council
Executive Director Bob Warren echoed Hardy's comments, adding that Panama
City Beach incorporates a regional perspective on tourism and would be
looking to offer day trips and travel opportunities to the park once it is
completed.
News is "rumored" to have a music theme
park located close to the Life in the Wild Park. Officials did say that
both attractions expect to employ somewhere between 1500 to 2000 people
and that significant economic impact will be felt in communities within a
60 mile radius.
Front Beach Road Community Redevelopment Area
Great new website with information on the
Front Beach Road CRA www.pcbonthemove.com
Source: City of Panama City Beach
The CRA reports Front Beach Road will become
more family and pedestrian-oriented. Plans are underway for a major
facelift of the area including installation of sidewalks, bike paths and
parking structures,tree-scaping with lights, benches and burial of
utilities, landscaping of native plants and palms and a fresh new look for
all signing. The CRA is planning a public trolley system that will run
continuously throughout the beach, joined to a central garage.
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