Panama City, Fla. -
Improvement plans for the Panama City Marina are kicking into high gear. At Tuesday's Panama City commission meeting, city leaders got a breakdown of the details - including how much it will take to fund the entire project.
The project will change the entire face of the marina, from the seawall, to the overall look of the marina itself.
The seawall was originally designed back in 1957. Engineers have looked at the wall and determined while some areas are in decent shape, other key areas in the cap and the wall are worn down, and need to be addressed soon. Replacing and repairing those parts would cost the city about $7.4 million, less than their original estimates.
The commission then took a look at the marina park and plaza. Improvements include more lighting, an amphitheater, trees and benches, and a variety of other features. Those improvements total $5.5 million. The estimated total for the seawall and the park and plaza project - $12.9 million.
There are several options for funding on the table, including bonds and bank loans, grants, or a combination of those options. Mayor Greg Brudnicki, who attended last weeks restore act discussion on Okaloosa island, says there are other options to help cut into that cost.
"There isn't anything that we're discussing here that doesn't qualify for that BP money," Mayor Brudnicki said. "So I think it would behoove us to go forward and see what is available."
The city is also looking into applying for another grant from NARDA - the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Program - and they are hoping that they can use that money not only for the Millville fishing pier, but also for a possible $2.5 million dollar fishing pier and boat ramp also at the downtown marina.
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