Studer Community Institute

Senior living center project will go on without tax break

January 8, 2015
/ Carlton Proctor
/ economy

Construction of a $16 million senior living facility in Pensacola will continue despite Property Appraiser Chris Jones' rejection of the developers' request for a 10-year property tax exemption. Ground for the 89-unit facility was broken last month at the site of the former Pensacola Racquet Club. Once completed, the facility is expected to add 60 new jobs to the workforce. Jones said earlier Thursday that he and acting City Attorney Jim Messer met this week to discuss the legality of the application. After a review of state statutes setting criteria for Economic Development Ad Valorem Tax Exemptions, Jones and Messer agreed the request from Hardcourt Development LLC did not qualify as a "targeted industry." Despite the setback project spokesman John Myslak said the loss of a $46,000 a year tax exemption would not halt or delay construction. Myslak said he had heard the application had been rejected and sent back to the city, but as of late Thursday he had not been officially notified of the decision. "I know meeting with (Chris) Jones and city staff a couple of weeks ago there was confusion over the city's application form for EDATEs," Myslak said. "If you look at the city's application and the evaluation form, it clearly includes assisted living facilities." However, Jones said the state statute clearly identifies three categories of commercial projects that meet EDATE standards: 1) Manufacturing; 2) professional offices; and 3) businesses that produce products. "The city attorney agreed with us that Hardcourt Development was not a targeted industry and at that point the city asked us to send the application back," Jones said. The Hardcourt saga began late last year when developers, which include City Councilmen Larry B. Johnson and Brian Spencer, applied for an EDATE with City Hall. City staff provided Hardcourt with the application and evaluation form, and, subsequently, sent it to city council with a recommendation for approval. Jones said he first learned about Hardcourt’s EDATE application directly from Pensacola City Councilwoman Sherri Myers, and at that point intervened, notifying all parties that his office approval was necessary prior to the EDATE being green-lighted by City Council. Myslak said the application for a tax break would not be resubmitted. Both Spencer and Johnson did not participate in the council vote on the tax break. Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward, who had supported the Hardcourt application, said in December he would withdraw that support if Jones determined the project did not meet state guidelines. As a result, Hayward has ordered city staff to accept no additional EDATE applications until they are pre-approved by Jones' office.

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Senior living center project will go on without tax break

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