New Dome at the Port of Panama City

The above photos are from this morning taken from the St Andrews Marina. Asked a couple of friendly marina codgers and they gave me the low down, so then found the following article...

The Port of Panama City Florida unveils new dome

New dome revealed at Port of Panama City Florida.(WJHG)

By Alex Joyce

Published: Sep. 9, 2022 at 6:59 PM CDT|Updated: 13 hours ago

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - A multi-million dollar expansion effort at the Port of Panama City is set to create hundreds of new jobs.

“This is going to create an additional 279 direct and indirect jobs for the Port Northwest Florida region, timber industry, timber harvesting, the rail industry,” Alex King, executive director for the Port of Panama City Florida, said. “All this is from a 2018 report with Martin and associates that we worked with to have this date done for this project.”

The new dome will house wood pellets as part of the expansion.

Currently the Port is able to move 850,000 tons of pellets, but this new design will push that weight to over 1 million tons.

“This is a 16.4 million port infrastructure expansion project,” King said. “We load vessels about every 10 to 12 days from the Port of Panama City. Full ship loads, 27,000 to 30,000 tons each going to Europe. These wood pellets are used to co fire and create energy and power generation in European countries.”

The project is expected to be completed in August of next year.

https://www.wjhg.com/2022/09/09/port-panama-city-florida-unveils-new-dome/

GOOD NEWS! Restoration of Historic Home in St Andrews

Scroll down for updates

HISTORIC HOUSE 

New owners are restoring his 1911 classic which has been standing derelick for several years. I pass it daily on my bike ride and am thrilled it was not demolished after Hurricane Michael in 2018.

2504 9th St W, Panama City FL

   

https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/local-news/local-couple-restoring-historical-home-to-list-on-airbnb/

Local News 

Local couple restoring historical home to list on Airbnb 

by: Chloe Sparks Posted: 

Aug 4, 2022 / 06:56 PM CDT Updated: Aug 4, 2022 / 06:57 PM CDT

 

ST. ANDREWS, Fla. (WMBB) — A local couple is doing their part to keep a piece of Bay County history alive. They’re restoring a historical St. Andrews home, built in 1910. 15 years ago, Margaret Gamble stepped into what is now called the ‘Fortuna Cottage.’ She was on a house tour and immediately fell in love with the century-old home on West 9th Street. 

 

“We walked this area almost every night and talked about this house and we were just so worried someone would buy it and tear it down,” Margaret Gamble said. “So finally we approached the owners again and said we figured out how we can make this work. We really want to save this house.” Gamble and her husband Michael Higdon are soon going to be in the Airbnb business. 

 

They said their intent is to save a valuable piece of St. Andrews history for the community to enjoy just as much as them. “Before St. Andrews became the community that it is, it was actually called ‘Ware Town’ which was based off of that pioneer family that moved here in the late 1800’s,” Higdon said. He said Otwe Ware was well-known in the area as the harbor master. Ware built the folk victorian home in 1910 and lived there the rest of his life. The history-loving couple is trying to preserve as much of the historical home as possible. They’re keeping many of the imperfections that make it so unique. 

 

But new wiring, plumbing, and insulation are priorities. The three-bedroom Airbnb will sleep 8-10 people comfortably. Michael and Margaret hope to have the Fortuna Cottage ready for rental by January 2023. The couple said when they retire, they might move into the cottage permanently. 

 

SEPT 26, 2022 UPDATE

Painter Mike Natale is doing a great job!

 

 

St Andrews Marina Pavilion Gone - August 2, 2022

 

AUGUST 3, 2022 UPDATE 

Clean up!

SOCK BURNING & BLESSING OF THE FLEET IS MAY 14, 2022

All along Beck Avenue in historic St Andrews, hanging socks can be seen here and there.

The Sock Burning  & Blessing of the Fleet is the day all locals look forward to as we say farewell to the chilly weather and burn our socks to symbolize the start of the warmer seasons and the blessing of safe travels for all the maritime vessels in the St. Andrews Bay. 

The 25th Annual BLESSING OF THE FLEET, Fish Fry & Burning of the Socks will be held at the St. Andrews Marina on Saturday, May 14, 2022. 

Fish Fry will begin serving at 10:00am with Sock Burning event to follow. 

Processional of water vessels starts at 12:00 noon. 

Proceeds benefit Second Chance of Northwest Florida, a local non-profit organization that provides services to brain injury survivors and their families in the community. 

COME ONE COME ALL!

UPDATE ON THE 23RD STREET PLAZA REPAIR

SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES

Here are a few photos from today and we are told the project should be complete May-June depending on the weather.

Below is an article from a few months ago.

No more sinkhole at last! Repairs begin on collapsed road at 23rd Street Plaza in Panama City

Samantha Neely

The News Herald

PANAMA CITY — Residents and business owners near the West 23rd Street Plaza can soon breathe a sigh of relief.

The 23rd Street Plaza intersection has been closed and repairs have finally begun after a road there partially collapsed during Hurricane Sally more than a year ago because of failed drainage pipes.

Panama City officials issued a statement Friday saying BCL Civil Contractors would prepare the drainage ditch for the installation of two new concrete culvert sections, which are expected to arrive by mid-to-late March.  

In September 2020, part of Breezy Lane collapsed during the hurricane due to pressure on pipes from excessive rainfall and flash flooding. For over a year, traffic in the neighborhood has been temporarily rerouted without signal control through the 23rd Street Plaza shopping center parking area while the road crossing and culvert is “impassable.” 

Panama City:What's the latest on Panama City's restoration of the St. Andrews Marina?

More:Panama City makes progress on 23rd Street Plaza sinkhole fix more than year after collapse

Assistant City Manager Jared Jones said the pipe damage from Sally didn't become evident until the road started to give way. 

"Originally that roadway was ... privately developed and the city did not own that," Jones said. "But realizing that it was imperative for us to restore that access into that neighborhood and to the residents and businesses and provide appropriate fire, EMS, and police coverage, the city took on the responsibility of restoring that roadway."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is funding 75% of the project, Jones said.

Once the city got approval from FEMA, crews had to design a box culvert, which would be a pre-manufactured structure delivered to the site. Jones said while the turnaround time for a box culvert is six to eight months, it provides increased capacity and flow for stormwater.

"We're building it back the right way, where it wouldn't be a problem in any of our lifetimes," Jones said. "That box culvert is actually the best solution for an area like that, with as much traffic as it gets and it's much better than a coordinated steel pipe that would break down over time. We'll solve the problem, never have that problem again in that area."

Related:Want the latest on Panama City potholes? Officials are making a list with repair updates

It will take 45 days to complete the work and repave the roadway following the installation of the converts, according to the city's statement. 

"That would be, this box culvert installed, the headwalls are installed and the roadway base is reinstalled and we've got fresh asphalt down," Jones said. "So, May. The beginning of May is where we've set the target date."

Jones said city officials know how much the project has inconvenienced residents and business owners in the area for more than a year.

"I just think this still maintains our commitment to the citizens after any disaster that these things are taken very seriously," Jones said. "This is part of our vital infrastructure cornerstone and we have certainly built this back better than what it was to prevent future issues."

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April 29, 2022 UPDATE

MAY 6, 2022 ALMOST READY!!

THIS YAHOO ALMOST RAN OVER ME THIS MORNING!

The driver of this car almost ran me over while I was riding my bike in the crosswalk by the Oaks by the Bay Park. I chased him down and yelled at him. He never apologized saying he didn't see me which is hard to believe as we made eye contact! I told him I was going to call the police which I did.

 

RALLY at GOP Headquarters Today Nov 7, 2021