A long planned Navarre Beach boardwalk inches closer to reality

A Santa Rosa County news release issued Monday declaring its Navarre Parkway Tourist Development Office would be "closed until further notice due to damage to the building caused by a faulty AC system" sounded more dire than it would turn out to be.

The building opened for business again on Tuesday and TDC President Julie White said water that had covered the floors had been cleaned up and safety concerns resolved. She laughed at the notion air conditioning issues might create the need to speed up a timeline for her office's relocation.

Relocation's coming, though, and White said she's ready for it.

"We've been talking about that since prior to COVID," she said. "It's been in the making for years. I'm glad to see it start making some progress. It's very exciting."

Plans are presently in the design phase, according to District 4 County Commissioner Ray Eddington, for what will be a major development along Navarre Beach, where a boardwalk is to be constructed on the east side of the Navarre Beach Causeway Bridge.

The boardwalk will feature a number of small open air-type shops, shaded areas easily accessible to handicapped beach goers, additional bathroom facilities and a big parking lot, White said. And a keystone amenity at the boardwalk will be a new visitor center and Tourist Development Office headquarters.

White said concerns about the current location of the Tourist Development Office and Visitor's Center originated with talk of replacing, and possibly relocating the footprint, of the Navarre Beach Causeway Bridge. It is thought a beachside location will be much more accessible.

"It's a better location, particularly after we get a new bridge," White said. "It will be easier to find for people who are looking for information, better for tourists at the end of the day."

The decision to build the boardwalk complex was reached after a survey found it was something the community wanted, White said. The TDC voted in March to set aside $5 million to assist in bringing the project to fruition.

The additional beach parking that will be added along with the boardwalk is also much needed at a resort area whose annual visitor numbers continue to rise, White said.

State statutes governing the use of tourist development, or bed tax dollars, allow for a portion of revenues to be used to cover the cost of facilities that would support tourism-related activities, a category under which the boardwalk would fall.

"I think it will be a beautiful place when it's all said and done," Eddington said, adding that he's grateful to be working for residents of the community to add amenities.

"It's time for Navarre to get stuff they need down here," he said. "I'm glad to be in the seat I'm in so I can help them do it. They've been left behind."

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And Eddington said that the County Commission is also about to get serious about doing something to replace the bridge, a two-lane span built in 1960 that the Florida Department of Transportation lists as "functionally obsolete."

"We are moving forward with the bridge," he said.

Eddington announced recently that the county has the funds to conduct the approximately $1.4 million Planning, Development and Environmental study that is required before it can replace the bridge,

County Engineer Rebecca Jones confirmed the funding for the PD&E had been allocated in the county's FY24 Capital Improvement program.  She said county staff is working toward advertising a Request for Qualifications in the next few months.

Once initiated, the study could take up to two years to complete.

The county also owns the roadway that crosses the Navarre Beach Causeway Bridge so it will be responsible for footing the bill to cover the cost of bridge replacement.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Navarre Beach visitor center moving closer to the beach