It is no secret that the area surrounding Navy Federal Credit Union has been growing fast, but those not following closely might be surprised just how much new development is underway.
In the northwest Pensacola region running east to west between U.S. Highway 29 and the Alabama state line and south to north from roughly Longleaf Drive and North Blue Angel Parkway up to 10 Mile and Frank Reeder roads, there are close to 2,500 new housing units being developed.
There are a dozen notable residential subdivision projects, excluding minor subdivisions, underway in the corridor, including Helms Ranch, Kaheeley Ridge and Saddle Ridge that are creating 1,545 single-family homes combined.
There are also a handful of new apartment complexes on the way, which are adding 926 multi-family units to the area altogether. Cumulatively, the projects will develop over 500 acres of land in the corridor.
The newest addition to the region is the D.R. Horton developed Ascend at Pathstone apartments, which were unveiled in a grand opening ceremony Aug. 6. Although only a few dozen units are available right now because multiple buildings in the community are still under construction., the project will ultimately add 300 apartments to the corridor.
“You’ve got Navy Federal, the military, our healthcare partners all looking to bring in people and housing is a big issue right now. People are looking for good, affordable housing and developments like this help,” said Todd Thomson, president and CEO of the Greater Pensacola Chamber. “This is one of the top issues I hear about all the time, housing, so having this in our community is going to be a big help in solving that.”
The driving force behind the corridor’s growth has been Navy Federal Credit Union, which over the last quarter century has expanded its Greater Pensacola Operations headquarters from a single low-rise building to a college-like campus with numerous buildings, cafeterias, wellness centers, a recreation facility and close to 10,000 employees.
“Typically with developments like this, they build a sense of community into the development. There are common areas, there are ways for people to interact,” Thomson said. “It’s not always about single-family homes, there are different options and this provides that.”
National homebuilders like D.R. Horton, Lennar and DP Developers are leading the way on residential development. D.R. Horton alone is building three of the four incoming apartment complexes, creating just over 630 new apartments through the projects.
The new Ascend at Pathstone community offers a variety of amenities to its residents like a pool, gym and even an area to wash your dog, alongside easy access to Navy Federal’s main campus, like many of the new communities in the area.
D.R. Horton is also integrating feedback on previous developments into their active projects in the region.
“It’s just a matter of what people are telling us,” Alisha Wright, community manager of Ascend, said. “That way we could fix it moving forward.”
Residential construction isn’t the only kind of development happening in the corridor as the growth has also attracted businesses, whether it’s new shopping plazas or a mixed-use community like Ransley Station, to the area.
Chains like Wawa, Panera Bread, Dutch Bros Coffee and Jeremiah’s Italian Ice have already planted roots in the corridor, while other notable companies like Chipotle, First Watch and Waffle House are joining soon.
“You’re seeing the growth continue here on the west side of Escambia County, led by Navy Federal, this is just the natural outcome of that and you’re going to continue to see it in the coming years,” Thomson said of the development boom.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: 2,400 homes, apartments coming to NW Pensacola as Navy Federal development boom continues
Reporting by Edward Bunch III, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
