Urban streetscape
Jacksonville developer launches lofts project in Gainesville
Every major city has one thing in common, a vibrant downtown, a downtown which serves as the nucleus or heart for an entire metropolitan area.
The word itself, downtown, even sounds like a heartbeat. This destination, this place to be, has been immortalized in countless Hollywood movies and hit television series. It is, just as Singer/Songwriter Petula Clark said, the place where you can forget your troubles, forget all your cares and where everything is waiting for you.
One local developer, Mike Langton of LB Jax Development, shares this vision of downtown and has centered his company and its subsidiary, West University Avenue Lofts LLC, around the creation of a 24-hour downtown where people live, work and play.
"We are bringing people to the urban core, creating a critical mass where residents have connectivity to the street," Langton said. "Times are changing, and we are seeing the seeds of change take hold in our city. In Jacksonville, as well as in Gainesville, there has been a shift in housing trends towards new urbanism."
Langton's company is a niche firm specializing in historic adoptive re-use projects such as the W.A. Knight building, a live/work loft apartment development in downtown Jacksonville and the Barnett Bank building, which is being renovated to be a mixed-use development consisting of luxury lofts, fine dining and a financial institution.
Langton's newest project, The Lofts at West University Avenue, is introducing upscale urban living with a twist to the heart of downtown Gainesville. The three-story mixed use development of 31 live/work residences and four retail spaces is being constructed by West University Avenue Lofts LLC.
"The Lofts at West University Avenue is an intimate urban in-fill development featuring attractive residences with open floor plans at a great value that is centrally located in the heart of downtown Gainesville," Langton said. "This location gives The Lofts residents great views of the urban streetscape and puts residents within walking distance from entertainment venues, restaurants, the University of Florida and just one block from Shands. Like our projects in Jacksonville, The Lofts at West University Avenue is a stimulus for future redevelopment in the area."
The Lofts at West University Avenue is situated on the corner of West University Avenue and South West Sixth Street in Gainesville. The development includes 31 luxury lofts and townhomes and four commercial storefronts facing West University Avenue. The lofts range in size from 670 square feet to 832 square feet, and the townhomes are sized at approximately 1,277 square feet of living space. Each of the residences offers luxury features with hardwood floors throughout, including the kitchens, ceramic tile flooring in all baths, glass-enclosed showers, crown molding in living and dining areas, custom style cabinetry and 9-foot ceilings. Paris balconies opening up to the urban streetscape below bring the excitement of bustling mid-town Gainesville in and provide an abundance of natural light through the 7-foot sliding glass doors.
The lofts and townhomes also include GE appliances, fire safety and sprinkler systems, and are pre-wired for cable television, Internet and networking. Residents will also have access to private on-site parking located in the interior of the complex. The Lofts at West University Avenue is expected to be ready for move-in by December 2005. Prices start in the $150,000s.
The Lofts at West University Avenue marketing center is located near the new development, which is just seven blocks from UF and one block from AGH/Shands, on South West Sixth Street. Since launching sales in early October, The Lofts at West University Avenue has seen tremendous success. During an onsite fall kick-off sales event, sales totaled more than $2 million. To date, of the 35 residential and commercial spaces, only 12 remain available for purchase.
"Since this project's inception, we anticipated great things," Langton said. "The buzz surrounding The Lofts at West University Avenue was been tremendous leading up to our kick-off event. The sales we experienced in only one week far exceeded our expectations."
Among the new buyers at The Lofts at West University Avenue is Jacksonville resident Louis Dyjak, who purchased a loft for his daughter, who is a freshman at UF studying engineering with plans to get her master's degree at the university.
"We were very impressed with the amenities and all The Lofts had to offer," Dyjak said. "My daughter is going to be here for several years, and we wanted her to be in a comfortable but nice living environment in a good location. The location is so convenient for students. She can ride her bike to class."
According to Langton, The Lofts at West University Avenue is appealing to many buyers in Northeast Florida who have children attending UF, who are themselves continuing their education or who commute to Shands. It also is attractive to buyers who are looking for a living space with connectivity to the street and who, like Langton, believe in the concept of new urbanism.
"We have an absolute belief in this community and this project," Langton said. "Positive things are happening in the way of redevelopment, and it's exciting to be a part of this trend."
Similar in history to Jacksonville, Gainesville also experienced a rebirth and revitalization after major fires devastated the city. New brick structures began being built throughout Gainesville, which aided in the transformation from town to city at the dawn of the twentieth century. Over the decades, Gainesville continued to prosper and was named Money Magazine's "most livable city in America" in 1995.
Gainesville is located a short drive from many of Florida's most popular cities including Jacksonville, Orlando, Tallahassee, Tampa and St. Augustine. The city and surrounding areas offer something for everyone with numerous parks, nature preserves, gardens, trails, cultural venues, entertainment, shopping, fine dining and some of the best college athletics.
For more information about The Lofts at West University Avenue, call (904) 598-1348, or visit www.gainesvillelofts.com.
