HISTORY OF BUILDING
On October 29, 2008, the Scottish Rite Building Association closed on the sale of the Pensacola Masonic Center, located at 2 E. Wright St., Pensacola, FL, to the First United Methodist Church of Pensacola. The building had been occupied by the Pensacola Scottish Rite Bodies since 1922.
The Building Association then entered into negotiations with the York Rite Bodies of Pensacola to purchase their building at 189 W. Airport Blvd. in Pensacola. The negotiations were successful, and the Building Association closed the sale on December 10, 2008. It was known from the beginning that the building on Airport Blvd. would not be of adequate size for the Valley of Pensacola and an expansion project would be needed. After consultation with a local architect, a project that included expanding the existing dining room, adding a suite of offices to the front of the existing building, and adding a storage room to the rear of the building was agreed upon.
The Building Association awarded the renovation contract to the F. E. Booker Construction Company; and after many permitting delays, ground was broken in June 2009. Construction was completed and the Valley of Pensacola occupied the newly renovated building on March 4, 2010.
The building was named the Pensacola Masonic Center and is home to the Valley of Pensacola, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction of the U.S.A.; the York Rite Bodies of Pensacola; and Pensacola Lodge No. 42, F. & A.M. of Florida.
Our hope is this beautiful building will give Pensacola Masonic organizations a home far into the future.
