—Concerns Mount Over Out-of-State Firm’s Role in Project— Community activist Hale Morrissette is sounding the alarm about the redevelopment of Pensacola’s Baptist Hospital Legacy Campus, raising serious questions about community displacement and the city’s choice to work with Bayou District Foundation, a New Orleans-based organization with a controversial track record.
A Warning From New Orleans
Morrissette’s concerns stem from the Bayou District Foundation’s history in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, particularly its Columbia Parc project in the St. Bernard District.
“They displaced a lot of people,” she said on the “(We Don’t ) Color On the Dog” podcast. “I’m actually trying to reach out to some of the families in New Orleans to hear about how it happened over there when they were getting displaced.”
St. Bernard was one of New Orleans’ largest family public housing developments, with roughly 1,300+ units, overwhelmingly occupied by low?income Black residents before Hurricane Katrina. Post?Katrina, HUD and the Housing Authority of New Orleans opted not to reopen St. Bernard or the other “big four” projects, instead pursuing HOPE VI–style mixed?income redevelopments, including Columbia Parc on the St. Bernard site.
- According to reports, only 125 of the 925 households that live in the district were allowed to move back.
Mayor D.C. Reeves has recommended the selection of Bayou District Consulting, LLC, which includes the Bayou District Foundation’s principals, for the development advisory services on the redevelopment of the Baptist Hospital Legacy Campus. The Pensacola City Council will vote on the recommendation at its Dec. 11 meeting.
Lack of Communication Fuels Distrust
Former Councilman Ronald Townsend, now in his early nineties, lives near Baptist Hospital with his wife. His primary concern isn’t just the redevelopment itself—it’s the complete absence of communication about health hazards from demolition and environmental issues. The Townsends aren’t alone.
- “Nobody has showed up on his doorstep,” Morrissette said, referring to fellow activist Jermaine Williams, whose family home sits just two to three blocks from the site. “I’m an old school door-knocking girl. There is no reason to me why we could have hired a few folks like myself to go knock some doors, go get some surveys done, go talk to the people.”
Morrissette described attending a meeting where she was asked to leave because sSunshine laws prevented her from watching presentations by consulting firms being considered for the project…