“Forgotten” Downtown Alley Transformed into Urban Public Space for Locals and Visitors
Posted: Jun 28, 2019 6:14 PMUpdated: Jun 28, 2019 6:15 PM
A forgotten alleyway behind the Jefferson St. Garage has received a major facelift thanks to the Downtown Improvement Board (DIB). For years, a narrow alley located between the western garage wall and the back entrances of several Palafox Street merchants has been a mostly-overlooked pass-through. The DIB hopes to change that and is revamping the alley with plants, landscaping, lighting, paint and other improvements. Cities around the world are transforming their hidden “laneways” from empty alleys to vibrant, creative spaces. “Back alleys can be some of the most unexpectedly lush, intimate spaces in cities,” wrote Lynn Freehill-May in Travel & Leisure. “Once home to dumpsters and deliveries, these small streets are being rediscovered worldwide, as locals plant trees, install public art, plan festivals and open shops.” The DIB envisions the revitalized alleyway becoming a vibrant, inviting spot for locals and visitors to relax and enjoy music, local food and drinks, public art and community gatherings. “It’s exciting to transform an underutilized alley like this one and expand the diversity of public spaces available downtown,” said DIB executive director Lissa Dees. The DIB has also made recent improvements to the adjacent Jefferson St. Garage entrance area, removing the unused guard shack, restriping the lanes and painting the exterior garage walls. “Through these projects we are prioritizing pedestrians, supporting the character of the downtown district and creating a new ‘front door’ to a forgotten space,” said Dees.DIB Invites the Public to Vote for New Alley Name
Posted: May 15, 2019 7:30 PMUpdated: May 15, 2019 7:46 PM
The Downtown Improvement Board (DIB) is inviting the public to choose a name for a new “activated” alleyway behind the Jefferson St. Garage, creating a shared space for entertainment, dining and community events. Votes can be submitted here.The four names under consideration are inspired by Pensacola’s multicultural heritage and include: The Mews — a British term for a safe, traffic-free environment often found along quiet, cobbled lanesBelle Ruelle — French translation for “Beautiful Alley”Allées des Papillon — French translation for “Butterfly Alley”Callejon Panzacola — Spanish translation for “Panzacola Alley”. Panzacola was a name of Native American origin that Spain later adopted as the name of the area“Our goal with the name is to pay homage to Pensacola’s rich history while creating a fresh, new space for all to enjoy,” said Executive Director of the DIB, Lissa Dees, “We want the public to be a part of this exciting project, and we look forward to seeing which name comes out on top.”The alley is currently undergoing significant improvements from pressure-washing and improved lighting to artistic ground painting and landscaping in preparation for the official opening. The alley will offer a colorful canvas for the community to come together in a fun and imaginative setting.In addition to these improvements, the DIB has removed the guard shack from the entrance of the Jefferson St. Garage, restriped the entrance and exit lanes and painted three of its exterior walls. “The safety and aesthetic appearance of the garage and the surrounding area are important to downtown visitors and to us,” said Dees, “and we love being able to transform this space into something for residents, business owners and visitors to enjoy.” Meet the New Downtown Pensacola Cleaning Ambassadors
Posted: May 7, 2019 3:07 PMUpdated: May 7, 2019 3:07 PM
You may have noticed two new individuals dressed in bright green DIB "Clean Ambassador" shirts and jackets. Lori and Jeremy are diligently working along downtown sidewalks and streets, stopping often to assist visitors (and injured baby birds, just ask Lori). Lori and Jeremy recently joined the DIB after being hired locally through StreetPlus, a 25-year-old cleaning, maintenance and hospitality service company that maintains more than 70 business improvement districts in the U.S. Each completed an extensive, 80-hour “Ambassador Academy” training program that included tracks on topics such as emergency response, cultural diversity and extreme customer service, and a session on the history, culture and current events of Downtown Pensacola. Their responsibilities include a wide range of tasks including litter collection, sidewalk cleaning, graffiti removal, pressure-washing and landscaping. But that’s not all; Lori and Jeremy are friendly with engaging and outgoing personalities and their extensive training also makes them great guides for Downtown Pensacola ready to offer directions and share information about attractions, events and other fun activities available in the district. If you happen to meet them on the sidewalk, be sure to say hello!The #RepastAndPresent Giveaway!
Posted: May 7, 2019 2:01 PMUpdated: May 13, 2019 1:29 PM
Friends of Downtown will award two tickets for Repast 2019 to one lucky winner in a new contest that launched May 5. To enter, post a photo of your favorite piece of Downtown Pensacola history on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #RepastAndPresent. At the end of the contest period, one winner will be randomly picked and awarded two tickets for the third annual Repast farm-to-table dinner on May 19 in beautiful downtown Pensacola, a $250 value.Here’s How to Enter:1. Take a photo of your favorite piece of Downtown Pensacola history2. Post the photo on Facebook or Instagram with the Hashtag #RepastAndPresentOfficial Rules and RegulationsEntries must be shared by midnight, May 12, 2019. Winner will be announced by May 14, 2019 and will receive two tickets to the Repast 2019 event.NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. OPEN TO US RESIDENTS, AGE 18 AND OVER. ELIGIBILITY: You must be eighteen or over to enter and win, and a legal resident currently living in the US. Employees and their immediate families of the Friends of Downtown (FOD) or its vendors, committees or board are not eligible. Only two tickets will be awarded to one winner. By entering, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules, and agree to release the Sponsors and Administrators from any and all liability for injuries, losses or damages of any kind resulting from participation in this drawing. TIMING: All entries must be received between 12:00 a.m. CST on May 5, 2019 and 11:59 p.m. CST on May 12, 2019 to be eligible to win a prize. ENTRY: Enter by sharing a photo of your favorite piece of Pensacola history on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #RepastAndPresent, or by mailing a 3x5" postcard with your name, address and phone number clearly printed, to: Friends of Downtown Pensacola, 226 S. Palafox Place, Ste. 106, Pensacola, FL 32502. GENERAL CONDITIONS: Void where prohibited. Illegible, unintelligible or incomplete entries or responses will be disqualified. FOD, Sponsors and Administrators are not responsible for any lost, misdirected, stolen or undelivered entries. FOD, Sponsors and Administrators are not responsible for technical, network, electronic, computer, hardware or software failures of any kind, including any injury or damage to entrant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating in or downloading any materials in the giveaway. In the event that technical or other circumstances compromise this drawing, FOD reserves the right to cancel the contest, and select winners for prizes from all eligible entries received prior to the cancellation. FOD, Sponsors and Administrators are not responsible for typographical errors in the contest site or these rules. FOD reserves the right to share entry information with Sponsors and Administrators.RELEASE OF LIABILITY: By participating in this promotion, you release Friends of Downtown (FOD) and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, employees, directors, agents, advertising agencies and all others associated with the development and execution of this Sweepstakes from and against any and all injury, loss or damage caused or claimed to be caused by your participation in the Sweepstakes and/or the acceptance, awarding, receipt, use and/or misuse of the prize, and you agree that these entities are not responsible for the condition of your purchases, nor any warranty, representation or guarantee, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to the promotion and/or the awarding of any prize. By entering, you further agree that (i) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Sweepstakes, or any prizes awarded shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action; (ii) any claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering the sweepstakes, but in no event attorney’s fees; and (iii) under no circumstances will any entrant be permitted to obtain any reward for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental or consequential damages and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased and any other damages, other than damages for actual out-of-pocket expenses.WINNER SELECTION: The prize winner will be selected through a random drawing of all eligible entries. All drawings will be conducted and judged by Friends of Downtown (FOD), whose decisions and interpretations of these Official Rules shall apply and be final. Winner will be notified by email or phone within one day of contest end date. If winner does not respond by the time indicated in the award email, FOD reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from the names of all entries that did not win a prize.PRIZE: Two tickets to Repast 2019. Tickets have no cash value and may not be redeemed for cash. Friends of Downtown reserves the right to change or replace the prize at any time with a prize of equal or greater value. The prize is not transferable, assignable nor redeemable for cash. All Federal, State and Local laws and regulations apply. Winners will be responsible for all Federal, State or other applicable taxes in connection with the receipt of prizes.OFFICIAL RULES AND WINNERS LIST: For a copy of these Official Rules, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Friends of Downtown Pensacola, 226 South Palafox Place, Suite 106, Pensacola, FL 32502. For information about the prize-winner, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Friends of Downtown Pensacola, 226 South Palafox Place, Suite 106, Pensacola, FL 32502. All requests for a confirmed prize-winner must be received no later than 45 days after the above-mentioned end date of the contest.Pensacola Named One of Country's Best Small Business Cities
Posted: May 6, 2019 5:45 PMUpdated: May 6, 2019 5:45 PM
Pensacola was recently named one of the 25 best small cities in the country to start a business in 2019. Go.Verizon.com compiled its annual list based on data and qualifying factors that include education, travel time to work, population, income per capita, broadband access, loans per capita and tax scores. The Go.Verizon.com team gathered data from nearly 300 cities across the country, focusing on certain factors that would categorize them as “small." These elements also indicated the financial climate of each city and an overview of its demographics.Pensacola came in at the number 17 spot. "Though it is true that when it comes to places rich with business growth and opportunity, small cities don’t generally come first to mind. But avoiding the chaos and competition of large cities and planting your roots in a quieter, yet equally industrious, pocket of the country puts your business in a uniquely advantageous position," Verizon said on its website.