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Pitt's Slip

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On [[September 27]], [[1983]], Baird and Yates announced they wanted to end their development agreement, saying the city had failed to deliver marketable title "within a reasonable time" as stated in the contract. They also chided the city for announcing a resolution to the title issues after they had already approached officials privately about terminating the lease. "This kind of media ploy is not what we need," Yates said. "For any such project to be successful, there has to be open and honest communication between the groups."<ref>"Developers want out of Pitt Slip." ''Pensacola Journal'', September 28, 1983.</ref>
===Multiple marinasSpace & financing issues==={{sectstub}}After the withdrawal of Yates and Baird, Harbour Corp. changed hands to [[James R. Tanck]] and New Orleans developer Bernard Mason, who presented a revised proposal that added an antique carousel, an amphitheater, a railroad half-roundhouse attraction and a hotel. This plan required a much larger footprint, extending into [[Bartram Park]] and using a [[Port of Pensacola]] spoil site as parking for the hotel. When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers forbade the latter, Harbour scaled back its plan again: several buildings were eliminated, the three-story hotel was reduced to a 28-room "guest lodge," and floor space was converted to accommodate 373 parking spaces.<ref name="trimmed">"Council OKs trimmed Pitt's Slip." ''Pensacola Journal'', September 18, 1984.</ref>
The City Council gave approval to the four-acre, $11 million project on [[September 17]], [[1984]]. However, the developers had trouble securing retail commitments. According to Tanck, an unnamed restaurateur had agreed to open a restaurant in the building, but otherwise, the only solid commitment was from the project's architectural and engineering firm, [[Barrett, Daffin & Carlan]]. Tanck blamed the chronic delays for scaring away potential tenants, but hoped that stigma would vanish once construction commenced.<ref>"A Swamp of Uncertainty." ''Pensacola News'', November 30, 1984.</ref> However, the company missed two deadlines to submit "evidence of financing" to the city.<ref>"Pitt's Slip future up in air with foggy financial status." ''Pensacola Journal'', November 25, 1984.</ref> When construction had not begun on [[February 8]], [[1985]], the city's lease with Harbour Corp. was terminated. ==Harbour Village/Seville Harbour==
{{main|Seville Harbour}}
In [[1985]], after years of failed attempts, the [[City of Pensacola]] hired Orlando-based Florida Sun International, which had recently built the marina at [[Port Royal]], to develop a simplified plan called "Harbour Village at Pitt Slip." [[Sharpe, Inc.]] served as project contractor. The first phase, budgeted at $2.5 million, included a $1 million, 106-slip marina with a floating pontoon dock system and two 10,000-square-foot buildings, designed by architect [[Carter Quina]].<ref>"Pitt Slip's Harbour Village on track." ''Pensacola News Journal'', March 30, 1986.</ref> When the complex opened in [[1986]], its initial anchor tenant was the floating [[Good Neighbor Restaurant]]. Later phases were planned to add three more buildings along the southern portion of the property, but this never reached fruition. The complex was renamed "Seville Harbour" in {{sectstubdate needed}}. The land in the Seville Harbour block was rezoned by the [[Pensacola City Council]] on [[June 24]], [[1999]] to allow residential construction.<ref>"Council vote gives boost to waterfront condos." ''Pensacola News Journal'', June 25, 1999.</ref> Developers [[Ray Russenberger]], [[John Carr]] and [[Doug Halford]] planned to build 30 upscale condominiums on the site, but the project fell through.{{fact}}
==References==