Empty Building, Empty Promises. Here's The 12 Year Story Of Century's Big Industrial Building. And No Jobs. - NorthEscambia.com

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Empty Building, Empty Promises. Here’s The 12 Year Story Of Century’s Big Industrial Building. And No Jobs.

August 30, 2020

As the town of Century works toward deciding to sell the “Helicopter Technology” building or lease it, NorthEscambia.com is taking a look back at what has happened over the last 12 years the town-owned building has sat empty.

It’s a story of an empty building, and plenty of empty promises.

Federal Raid Shuts Down Helicopter Business

In June 2008, agents with the U.S. Office of Transportation raided Van Nevel Helicopters in the Century Industrial Park, seizing business records of the business and its owner, Georges Van Nevel. “Van Nevel is suspected of improperly refurbishing helicopters and helicopter parts, selling unapproved aircraft parts, performing improper repairs on helicopters and misleading the aviation community by false advertisements,” according to federal documents from the Office of Transportation obtained by NorthEscambia.com.

The company never reopened, and Van Nevel fled the country.

Judgements And Foreclosures Against Helicopter Company

Following a federal raid that shut down Helicopter Technology, a Costa Rican company won a $424,550.72 judgment against the company in federal court. In July 2009, Century’s foreclosure on Helicopter Technology was completed with a $740,999.43 judgement awarded to the town

Century Decides To Buy The Building, Unless Someone Has $800,000

The Town of Century decided in August 2009 that they did not want to part with the former Helicopter Technology building in the town’s industrial park — unless someone was willing to write checks that would total over $800,000. In late August 2009, the town bought the building at public auction for $1, and then-mayor Freddie McCall said he hoped to put a business in the building “right away” and bring jobs to town.

Hundreds Of Jobs Possible, Mayor McCall Says.

In 2010, Mcall said that two different companies had expressed interest in the building. One said it would expand to employee 100, and another said it would start with 20 employees and grow to 330 within three years. Nothing ever moved forward.

The Building Did Generate ̶R̶e̶v̶e̶n̶u̶e̶ Petty Cash In 2014. One Man’s Trash….

In October 2016, the building did generate $1,075.10 for Century. The town held an auction to sell items left behind by Helicopter Technology. Couches, desks, shelving, outdated computer equipment and other items were sold at a Saturday auction to clean out the building and make it more marketable.

Four Years Later, Hint Falls Flat

In mid-2016, then Mayor Freddie McCall hinted that interest had been expressed in the building, “If it works out, it is going to be great for Century,” he told chamber members. “Something is going to happen sooner or later for Century.” The hint never turned into reality.

FloridaWest Inquiry Goes South

In July 2017, FloridaWest told the council they had a serious business inquiry about the building from a company that might bring 40 to 60 jobs to Century. The town paid for an appraisal on the building, but no company or jobs ever materialized. The FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance is the region’s economic development organization.

Truck Company Proposal Was A Road To Nowhere

In June of 2019, the town received a “letter of intent” email to Mayor Henry Hawkins by Noble Trucking Solutions, LLC, of Sheridan, Wyoming.

The letter says the company specializes in oilfield water and sand hauling and wished to expand to Century, with the building service as a “multi-use facility that will house and serve as the Century Florida Annex for our Trucking, Logistics and CDL Trucking School with a CDL Certification Program”.

The project never went forward at all.

Cotton Storage Business Rejected

In May 2019, West Florida Gin Manager Robert Earl Godwin and businessman Larry Baxley, who were in the process of setting up North Escambia Warehouse and Storage, LLC, made a preliminary lease-to-own offer on the town-owned building at $4,000 per month for five years, for a total of $240,000. The company offered an $8,000 deposit, pay the first month’s rent in advance, and pay for any upgrades to the building. At the end of the lease term, they would have had the opportunity to buy the building for $100.

The offer was rejected.

A motion by then council member Ben Boutwell to proceed with negotiations and work on an agreement failed on a 3-2 vote with council members James Smith, Sandra McMurray-Jackson and Luis Gomez voting against. The dissenters expressed objections against the business because it would likely not create any jobs.

“I don’t see the benefit for us,” Smith said at the time. “Where’s the employment?”

Smith and Gomez expressed concerns at the May 2019 meeting that if the council were to lease the building below market value, the town would not have any available industrial space if another company wanted to locate in Century with new jobs.

“Someday it could produce jobs, even it’s 10-15 jobs for Century,” Gomez said.

Cotton Gin Makes Lease A Second Time.

West Florida Gin was the only company to respond to Century’s 2020 advertised request for proposals to lease the property The council tabled action on the proposal after receiving a purchase offer.

Project Fusion Business Wants To Buy Building, More Property

A company described as using an agricultural product to manufacture plastic alternatives has made a preliminary $879,000 offer for the building and adjacent property with a promise of employing 30 or more people within a couple of years.