Mr. Robert Sonnenblick, has been chosen to moderate the Hotel Brands panel at Hotel ROI hospitality conference on October 11th

Press Release: September 21, 2017
Hotel Management Magazine and Questex Conferences Inc are pleased to announce that Mr. Robert Sonnenblick, Chairman of Los Angeles-based Sonnenblick Development LLC has been chosen to moderate the “Hotel Brands” panel at their upcoming Hotel ROI hospitality conference on October 11th.

The conference will be held at the Events Center at Johnson & Wales University in
Charlotte, North Carolina, and will begin at 8am. The Brands panel will feature hotel
industry leaders from across the East Coast.

For more info, go to: www.HotelsMag.com

Panama City Project Leaves Locals Divided

See on WJHG.com News Channel

The Panama City Marina project is moving forward, but not without some contention.

Tuesday’s public meeting on the Panama City Marina brought out many locals. The project’s developer Bob Sonnenblick laid out the latest designs.

Among the changes: more green space, a boardwalk, and a public fishing pier. also includes an amphitheater, water taxi terminal and retail stores with apartments on top.

“While I don’t know all the details. They’ve changed so much about the marina project. I do think that the growth and the potential that it has to bring more people to our area is great and I think it will be great for businesses,” Karen Vargas Hatcher, owner of Planted True said.

City leaders say things aren’t set in stone.

“We’re going to find out what the probability is now when these feasibility studies come back,” Mayor Greg Brudnicki said. “They will tell us what type of restaurants, how many restaurants, how many hotels.”

Others say the plans may be headed in the wrong direction.

“Say Mr. Sonnenblick builds all of this and it turns out to be nice, but maybe after a couple years some of the things maybe don’t work out which we’ve seen in many other areas,” Jane Lindsey, owner of Elegant Endeavors Antique Emporium said. “So is there a plan for what’s going to happen at that point?”

Lindsey says adding outlet stores to the plan may harm existing downtown businesses.

“If we bring in outlet stores we will have all of these stores that sell that type of things have a difficult time staying in business,” Lindsey said.

The Panama City Commission will meet again Tuesday to hear from locals who didn’t get a chance to speak at the last public hearing.

Latest plans revealed for Panama City Marina project

See on WJHG.com News Channel

By Byron Khalil | Posted: Tue 10:35 PM, Sep 19, 2017 | Updated: Tue 10:48 PM, Sep 19, 2017

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Despite new developments to the current plans for the marina project, some Panama City locals say they still are not pleased.

Project developer Bob Sonnenblick presented new plans with the changes he says the city commissioners have expressed to him and what locals have asked about.

Sonnenblick laid out his plans at city hall Tuesday evening in front of the community and commissioners.

He’s added triple the amount of green space, a boardwalk, a splash pad and a public fishing pier. He’s also tripled the number of benches and seating so people can enjoy the sunset by the marina.

The movie theater, water taxi terminal and hotels are still in place.

Some locals at the meeting praised the project saying it’s what the area needs for revitalization.

Others say the project could still use some fixing.

“That design is just nothing but glut. It’s like putting downtown Manhattan on the marina. It’s just a gross glut of buildings,” Frank DePinto, a vocal critic of the marina project said. “It’s blocking all the scenery and it’s destroying the marina.”

“Name a water front marina in the state of Florida that is not developed? You can’t. Now Bay County is one of the poorest counties in the state of Florida. Don’t we deserve a world class operation?” Larry T. Clemons, owner of Gallery 721 in downtown Panama City said, “Don’t we deserve a world class city and entertainment area for our children?”

Sonnenblick is working with Bellingham Marine. A representative from the company says they’ll be part of building more than 230 boat slips for the marina project.

Sonnenblick says these changes are still not set in stone. Panama City commissioners will discuss the marina project again at their next meeting on September 26th.

Sonnenblick Development: Latest concept plan revealed for Panama City Marina || with DOCUMENTS

By KATIE LANDECK News Herald Reporter
Posted Aug 31, 2017 at 5:43 PMUpdated Aug 31, 2017 at 5:47 PM

A small park, a splash pad, and the promise of trying to recruit a grocery store have been added to the design to appeal to locals hesitant about losing space.

PANAMA CITY — The latest concept plan for the Downtown Panama City Marina, submitted by developer Bob Sonnenblick on Thursday afternoon, is meant to draw in locals and tourists to the massive revitalization project.

A small park, a splash pad and the promise of trying to recruit a grocery store have been added to the design to appeal to locals hesitant about losing space. Inside the public boardwalk that forms the perimeter of the project are retail, parking garages, apartments and two hotels that create a ring around much of the land portion of the project, and a relocated water taxi terminal required the boat ramp to be moved to West Beach Drive. The T-dock keeps the marina store and boardwalk but adds at least two restaurants, a lighthouse complex with a sea organ, and a commercial space with a use that is yet to be determined.

“The concept plan should be viewed as a whole, and not as individual separate uses,” Sonnenblick wrote in his letter to commissioners. “Without all the different uses working together the marina project (as a whole) will not be feasible.”

The proposal, due by Sept. 1, is the first major submission Sonnenblick and his team were required to make under the amended exclusive negotiating agreement (ENA). The goal is “to give the commission a formal opportunity to conceptually approve the use, massing and function of the improvements to be placed on the marina site, subject only to subsequent confirmation,” according to the ENA.

PDF DOCUMENTS

Submittal letter

There will be at least two public hearings on the plan, and the commission can choose to conceptually approve the plan, approve with conditions, modify or deny the plan. However, to move forward with letters of intent and feasibility studies, Sonnenblick said he would “need” a favorable vote.

In his letter, Sonnenblick highlights how different pieces of the plan could become “assets” to the community, helping to buoy economic growth and tourism.

For example, he explains the 150,000 feet of retail space — one of the most controversial elements of the plan — could include local stores and fill community needs such as a long-hoped-for grocery store.

Our belief is that visitors will travel for an hour to a destination retail shopping district provided there are a variety of quality retail stores there,” Sonnenblick wrote, adding he expects gross sales revenues of more than $60 million. “Although visitors to Bay County will be attracted to this retail shopping district, it is our intention to also include local stores that would serve residents (who live in) the downtown area or nearby.”

He also wrote that in addition to the apartment spaces he proposed, which would be above the retail space and parking garages, the city should “explore providing incentive to entice other developers” to build downtown.

Feasibility studies still have to be completed to iron out the finances and logistics, but Sonnenblick said he believes the plan will be successful. He noted he believes the city’s infrastructure is adequate, including water, sewer and the road grid.

Sonnenblick has said he plans to be in town Sept. 11 for the first public meeting on the plan.

Read On PANAMA CITY News Herald

Marina project said to be on schedule

While the marina project was not on the agenda, it was the focus of the conversation during Tuesday’s commission meeting.

PANAMA CITY — Developer Bob Sonnenblick is expected to present the latest drafts of his plans to redevelop the Downtown Panama City Marina before the end of the month.

Under the exclusive negotiating agreement, the city set Sept. 1 as the goal for submitting the density for the project and as a juncture for the commission to give conceptual approval.

“Mr. Sonnenblick (is) to give to the city before Sept. 1 his desire as far as the density and site plan, and then the public hearings will occur in the first part of September,” said City Attorney Nevin Zimmerman. “I anticipate the submission coming relatively soon.”

Dates have not been set for the public hearings, but Zimmerman said the commission is considering Sept. 11 as a possible date. Two hearings are anticipated, according to the exclusive negotiating period.

While the marina project was not on the agenda, it was the focus of the conversation during Tuesday’s commission meeting. Ten speakers voiced support of the marina project during the public comment period, urging the commission to accept the conceptual plan.

“There comes a time in every politician’s life where you either cinch up your courage and do something significant or you kick the can down the road,” said attorney Alvin Peters. “And I think you are at that particular point.”

Read on Miami Herald

Panama City FL Locals express support for Sonnenblick Development marina redevelopment project

See on WJHG.com

Locals express support for marina redevelopment project

By Megan Bell |

Posted: Tue 4:52 PM, Aug 08, 2017 | Updated: Tue 6:55 PM, Aug 08, 2017
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – “You know it wasn’t on the agenda and so many people from so many different organizations came out today and the lion’s share of them were for marina redevelopment,” Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki said.

A plan to liven up downtown Panama City by redeveloping the marina has been criticized by many. Some locals have expressed their concerns, but others supported the idea at Tuesday’s city commission meeting.

“Everybody’s doing all their lobbying, you know the devil’s in the details, we’ve still gotta go through and figure out number one, what’s feasible, what we can put on here and we know we’re not going to make everybody happy, but there was a tremendous amount of positive feedback today, to pursue the development,” Mayor Brudnicki said.

Roughly 20 people attended the meeting in support of the redevelopment, all of whom agree that something has to be done.

“There’s been a flight to the beach, a flight up 77, a flight up 231, everything has left the downtown [area] and it’s continued to happen for many, many years and so we do need to do something that’s going to be the spur, the catalyst, the thing that’s going to rejuvenate the downtown area,” Brudnicki said.

Representatives from the Bay County Chamber of Commerce say community support for the marina redevelopment project and for commissioners overall, will help advance Panama City.

“The point that we’re trying to get across is: let’s take a look at this plan, let’s adopt the plan, do the next public hearings and then the feasibility [study]. That feasibility study will tell us what will and will not work,” Bay County Chamber of Commerce President Carol Roberts said.

The project developer, Bob Sonnenblick, will be presenting a conceptual plan to commissioners next month, but financing the project is still a concern for some.

“You know we’ve got this asset, we just have to be mindful that we don’t put the burden on the taxpayers, but that we do something that everyone can benefit from,” Mayor Brudnicki said.

If the plan is approved, the developer is expected to start construction by January of 2019.