Civil Municipal - April 2024

amenities. “Panama City Beach is at the top of our list,” Gonzalez asserts. Diving into the healthcare initiative, Gonzalez reveals the ambitious plan to establish a medical healthcare campus on The St. Joe Company property. This project, envisioned in partnership with Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, aims to encompass a research component, a teaching component, and clinical delivery, thereby attracting top-tier medical professionals and enhancing healthcare quality in the area. “Health care is as important for quality of life as anything else,” he affirms, highlighting the need for expanded and improved healthcare services to match the region’s growth. ADVANCING INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONNECTIVITY As Panama City Beach experiences rapid growth, Mayor Sheldon shares the city’s strides in improving infrastructure and connectivity. He highlights the city’s achievements in boosting connectivity, with multiple carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile introducing stiff fiber to various communities, including the Breakfast Point neighborhood. He emphasizes the importance of reliable internet service, especially in the wake of natural disasters like Hurricane Michael. Addressing the physical infrastructure, the mayor outlines significant road expansions and enhancement developments. The main highway, U.S. 98 but known locally as Back Beach Road, is transforming considerably from four to six lanes. Once scheduled for the distant future, this project has been expedited due to persistent advocacy at the state level, demonstrating the community’s commitment to improving transportation and accessibility. “That project from the 40-year plan is now actually under construction and fully funded,” he reveals, highlighting the city’s capacity to accelerate critical infrastructure projects in response to growing needs. Furthermore, the mayor discusses the Community Redevelopment Agency’s efforts to revitalize the Front Beach Road area. This project aims to beautify the space and introduce multimodal lanes to encourage outdoor activities and alternative transportation 156 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 04 BUSINESS VIEW AGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 01