Florida restaurants’ owner builds housing for employees

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (CNN/WJHG/WECP) — William Buskell hires hundreds to work at two restaurants he owns, but many of his employees need affordable housing.

William Buskell talks about building housing for employees of his restaurants, Pineapple Willy’s and The Wicked Wheel, in Panama City Beach, Florida. (Photo From Video/CNN/WJHG/WECP)

The owner of Pineapple Willy’s and The Wicked Wheel is building his own employee housing. “About two to three years ago, I got the idea that we needed to do something. We use 400 employees and this year has been a real squeeze.”

Now, Buskell’s employee housing idea is starting to take shape.

“This property became available, 4-1/2 acres over off Moylan,” Buskell said.

On those acres, The Pineapple Villas will soon come to life.

Forty duplexes are in the works to become home to 240 full-time staff members at Buskell’s restaurants.

“It’s set up three bedrooms, three bath. Reason why is each bedroom will hold two people with a bath so that they’re not all crowding into one bathroom trying to get ready,” Buskell said.

While the housing is for current employees, Buskell said, this will also help with staff from out of the country.

“Through the state of Florida we can get an eight-month permit now rather than a three-month as long as we have housing and everything for them,” Buskell said.

For staff at work now, the restaurant owner and operators said this housing is giving employees something to look forward to.

“Right now, it takes me about 45 minutes to get to work, and this location will be roughly five minutes away so it makes life a lot easier,” said Pineapple Willy’s employee Jessica McAdams.

“It’s beneficial for everybody,” Buskell said.

The owner of the restaurants said the project will be built in phases. In about three to four years, the homes will start going up.