Category: Business

Two five-story hotels, a proposed upgrade for the Quality Inn by owner Farid Ashdji to upgrade to a Hyatt Place, and, proposed new construction of the Ponce Hotel, Inc., by hotelier Kanti Patel, were rejected on first reading by the St Augustine City Commission tonight.

Three 50-foot hotels planned for US-1 George Gardner St Augustine Report Three 5-story hotels are planned along US-1; one approved several years ago, and two more going before the City Commission Monday for Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning.

Mitch Pizik, EVP Sales and Marketing for VIA Air, shared good news with Historic City News local reporters today when the official announcement was made that the airline will continue to provide passenger service from Northeast Florida Regional Airport in St Augustine to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

In a new hearing on the question as to whether or not the City of St Augustine staff acted properly in issuing a building permit to 7-Eleven to construct a 24-hour convenience store with gasoline pumps, the city commission voted unanimously to uphold the appeal filed and led by neighborhood residents — rescinding the previously…

Visit full text article “Commission says NO to 7-Eleven building permit” »

A Historic City News reporter stopped at the Visitor Information Center today in response to a citizen complaint from a private merchant who was upset that he had to compete with the City of St Augustine for retail sales of souvenir and gift items.

There have been a number of occasions during 2014 when Historic City News editor Michael Gold, and our citizen reporters, have been accused of having a crystal ball.  We admit that if any of us truly had one, it would be a valuable thing. We could make a killing in the stock market.

On September 8, 2015, we will commemorate an important milestone in our existence; 450 years since Admiral Pedro Menendez led about 600 voyagers to establish the permanent military colony of St Augustine.

Businesses in St Augustine have long heard the remark that “they roll up the streets at 5:00” and many Historic City News readers have seen downtown retailers who do just that; but in 2015, there’s a whole world of business going on that you don’t see.