“Historic St. Andrews, a village by the bay where cultural attractions, entertainment, and commerce thrive.”
The Panama City Commission recognized the need to revitalize the St. Andrews community and in 1989, designated St. Andrews as a Community Redevelopment Area. In 1997, to aid in the revitalization and redevelopment of this quaint coastal community, St. Andrews applied for and received a designation as a Waterfronts Florida Partnership Community under the state’s Waterfronts Florida Program. Through its Waterfronts Florida Partnership Program, the Department of Community Affairs designates communities to receive intensive technical assistance, training and education, and limited financial support to help implement community-designed vision plans for their waterfront area.
In 2012 the St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership, Inc. reorganized itself as the Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership, Inc., a non-profit organization. The City of Panama City engages the organization annually to operate the Panama City Publishing Company Museum.
MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of the Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership (HSAWP) is to revitalize Historic St. Andrews by preserving the historical, cultural, and environmental resources, advocating for public/private partnerships, and fostering community engagement.
KEY GOALS:
- Increase visitation to St. Andrews.
- Promote awareness of St. Andrews’ history.
- Find ways the past can catalyze revitalization.
- Promote St. Andrews’ environmental quality and encourage public access and enjoyment of natural resources; promote a clean, green appearance.
GET INVOLVED!
The HSAWP Board meetings are open to the public and held monthly on the 2nd Wednesday at 8 a.m. at the Panama City Publishing Company Museum.
HSAWP serves in several roles: an advisory group for the St. Andrews Community Redevelopment Area of Panama City; managing the museum, and managing the Market at St. Andrews. The Partnership encourages community involvement.
There are 3 standing committees for the Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership, with the exception of the Finance committee, community volunteers are encouraged to participate.
- Events Committee: currently vacant
- Museum Committee: Meetings are the 4th Thursday of the month at 5 p.m. at the Museum
- Finance Committee
We invite you to apply for a position on the Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership (HSAWP) by downloading our application linked above. We believe as you explore the HSAWP, you will want to partner with our organization in its multi-faceted focal areas in St. Andrews, from the Panama City Publishing Company Museum and the Market at St. Andrews to the growth and revitalization of the St. Andrews Community, and more.
Alice DeWall, President
Janis Boatright, Vice-President
Sterling Anderson, Treasurer
Nancy Hudson, Secretary
Robbie Hysong
Matt Cole
Melissa Smith
Gail O’Dwyer
Brad Stephens
Colleen Reilly
Sonya Caldwell, Ambassador-at-Large
Lisa Barnes-Tapscott, Executive Director
Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership
1134 Beck Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Museum@HistoricStAndrews.com
850-872-7208
In 1989, after a detrimental period of economic decline, the City of Panama City designated the commercial waterfront as a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) so that a portion of the property taxes generated in the area would support public improvement in the CRA. In 1995-1997, a two-year visioning project brought area residents and stakeholders together to define what a revitalized St. Andrews would be. In 1997, St. Andrews became part of the inaugural Waterfronts Florida program that would provide technical and limited financial assistance to the community in achieving its vision.
Since then, the Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership along with the City of Panama City, has accomplished numerous historic preservation projects and new construction projects have been completed in St. Andrews utilizing grants, volunteers, and CRA funds generated by increasing private investments made in the area, and will continue as we recover from Hurricane Michael. The vision is becoming a reality once again, and St. Andrews is coming back. We hope you will too!
Constructed in 1926, the school was restored and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.The school has been closed since Hurricane Michael severely damaged it in 2018. Currently, the county is collaborating on rehabilitation with Destination Panama City.
The church was constructed in 1887. In 2007, the $150,000 restoration project was financed in part with historic preservation grant assistance provided by the State of Florida, Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, assisted by the Florida Historical Commission. The steeple was destroyed in 2018 by Hurricane Michael but it has been rebuilt and has a bell for the first time since 1955.
The City of Panama City purchased the Panama City Publishing Company (circa 1920) building in 2005. The St. Andrews Community Redevelopment Area Tax Increment Funds (TIF) funded the purchase. In 2008, the $402,000 restoration project was financed in part with historic preservation grant assistance provided by the State of Florida, Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, assisted by the Florida Historical Commission.
The Community of St. Andrews envisioned more than 20 years ago to improve the parking facilities of St. Andrews. This has been an on-going process of purchasing land for public parking. The City has purchased property for public parking at two locations:
- Chestnut Avenue / 11th Court
- Beck Avenue / West 13th Street on the NE corner