Mayor Reeves Talks Birdon Approval, Palafox Rain Test, Library Future and More

Pensacola, FL (NewsRadio 92.3) -- Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves joined Pensacola's Morning News Tuesday with a packed update — leading with major news on the Birdon shipbuilding project and touching on everything from the library partnership with Escambia County to Florida DOGE round two.

Birdon Clears Second Stage — First Trump Administration Reshoring of Shipbuilding Jobs

The Birdon shipbuilding project at the Port of Pensacola has cleared its second approval stage with Triumph Gulf Coast — and Reeves says it would represent the Trump administration's first reshoring of shipbuilding jobs in the United States. The project calls for a $105 million building covering 400,000 square feet in the northeast quadrant of the port — producing vessels for the Marines and the Coast Guard. At full operation the facility would bring 2,000 jobs averaging $80,000 in salary and send $160 million in new annual payroll into the regional economy from outside the community.

Reeves says the city's economic development focus for the next four years will not be on finding the next big project — it will be on making sure local residents are positioned to fill those 2,000 jobs. He plans to convene a workforce development summit bringing together federal, state, and local leaders to identify problems and solutions before the facility opens. He also noted the buyer of the Gulf Power building downtown has reached out to Birdon about potentially using the space for management operations — though the city has no role in that conversation.

Palafox Street Passes First Big Rain Test

Thursday night's heavy extended rain gave Palafox Street's new stormwater system its first real test — and Reeves says it passed. He drove the street himself after the city council meeting and found it high and dry despite hours of heavy rainfall. Reeves — a former downtown business owner who kept sandbags in storage at Perfect Plain brewery on Garden Street — says the result is exactly what the $11 million investment was designed to deliver. He says downtown business owners who for years stored sandbags as a routine precaution can now think about what else to do with that space.

Library Partnership Future Uncertain

The future of the city's library partnership with Escambia County is an open question — and Reeves says the city is in assessment mode on both the legal and financial fronts before making any declarations. The city attorney is reviewing the legal landscape around the interlocal agreement. Reeves noted the partnership was formed around 2012 or 2013 largely because the city was struggling financially to maintain its own library system — and says that history has to be part of any honest conversation about what comes next. He says both parties have the authority to end the agreement and that the conversation will ultimately come down to one question — what is the future of library operations in the city and county.

Mayor Heading to Philadelphia Next Week

Reeves will join mayors from across the country in Philadelphia next week for the America's 250 celebration — a bipartisan gathering of city leaders marking the nation's 250th birthday. The event will be televised on C-SPAN.

Florida DOGE Round Two

Reeves says the city welcomes any public records requests from Florida DOGE — noting the city just completed a clean outside audit three weeks ago. He says citizens should only be concerned about public records requests if a government has something to hide — and says Pensacola does not. He acknowledged he cannot control how the records are subjectively assessed once provided.

East Hill Sidewalk Repairs

Sidewalk grinding and repair work is underway in Old East Hill and surrounding areas south of Cervantes — addressing trip hazards caused by tree roots and settling over time. Reeves says the work improves both ADA accessibility and safety for joggers and walkers and is the kind of unglamorous infrastructure investment that makes a city better even when nobody is paying close attention.

You can listen to the full interview here.