Pensacola Gets $5M for Westside Corridor Revitalization

PENSACOLA, FL – The City of Pensacola secured $5 million in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding for the Pace-Cervantes Corridors Revitalization Project. This funding will transform commercial corridors in the city's Westside Community Redevelopment Area along West Cervantes Street and North Pace Boulevard.

The project revitalizes a 1.5-mile corridor encompassing about 160 acres, bounded by North A and North W Streets east-west, and West Desoto and West Wright Streets north-south. The CDBG-DR funded portion covers approximately 73 acres and includes 122 parcels.

The initiative aligns with the City of Pensacola’s 2025 Westside Community Redevelopment Plan and Pensacola’s Strategic Plan: Strive to Thrive 2035. Its primary goal is to redevelop the area into a sustainable mixed-use neighborhood. This includes acquiring blighted or dilapidated commercially zoned properties for future commercial or mixed-use redevelopment. Grant-funded work may involve site preparation, rehabilitation, demolition, new construction, and related infrastructure improvements.

Residents can expect increased commercial services, including grocery stores, restaurants, and spaces for food trucks. The project also aims to improve walkability and accessibility, making commercial services safer to access via walking, biking, and public transportation, especially for residents without vehicle access.

The City of Pensacola requested the release of these funds from the Florida Department of Commerce on or about April 28, 2026. This request followed a Tier 1 evaluation of the project area for compliance with federal laws and authorities. Site-specific reviews, known as Tier 2 evaluations, will address laws and authorities requiring parcel-level information, such as Historic Preservation, Contamination and Toxic Substances, Explosive and Flammable Hazards, and Noise Abatement and Control, as specific addresses become known.

As part of the Tier 2 evaluation for Historic Preservation, the Florida State Historic Preservation Office will review parcel-specific activities. For Contamination and Toxic Substances, properties will undergo Phase I Environmental Site Assessments to assess the likelihood of subsurface contamination.

The project complements the redevelopment of the former Baptist Hospital complex north of Cervantes, with its main gateway at "E" Street. This revitalization effort promises significant improvements to the Westside area, enhancing commercial opportunities and residents' quality of life.