Is Laura Place deal dead?

[bobliocatt]

Signet Development's proposed plan

It

[Urban_Legend]

I sure hope that they get started with the construction soon. Especially with the Super Bowl coming. I really think that the revamping of these buildings will greatly improve the aesthetics of the central core. I'm glad that the city is cracking down on fruitless projects like Laura Place and the Shipyards Riverwalk extension. Let's hope they'll start work soon.

[Allan]

Why hasn't development started yet? This sounds a lot like Detroit...although we have more delays and more developments that fall through. Also, we are tearing down building for the Super Bowl instead of renovating them .

[bobliocatt]

Luckily Jacksonville isn't tearing down any buildings just for the Super Bowl, even though they demolished a great chicago school high-rise for the new library.

I don't know what the hold up is, but I agree with the other developers and the city. Either step up and get started or give up, move out of the way, and let someone else do it, instead of leaving the buildings there to rot.

[Urban_Legend]

Yeah, the longer those buildings sit there, the more work they're gonna have to do to fix them up. It makes sense to start right now!

[Allan]

Yeah, the longer those buildings sit there, the more work they're gonna have to do to fix them up. It makes sense to start right now!

Yeah. Everyone here realizes that, but the owners of the building obviously don't. We've got the same type of people in Detroit. They just keep putting off renovations until the buildings are practically ready to fall down on their own. Then someone shows up with a renovation plan, which usually falls through and has to be renegotiated...several times....before renovation can begin. Of course, some of these people are the same people who think it's cheaper to let a building sit there vacant instead of leaasing out office space. LOL.

Luckily, Jacksonville seems to have a much stronger downtown than Detroit, which would make renovation of these buildings more likely. Based on what I've seen, I don't think they'll sit empty for too long.

[bobliocatt]

^they're the two largest buildings left in downtown with a question mark of whether they will be renovated or not. The developer has already had millions of dollars in incentives approved for two years. The city really needs to step up and take the property and money back. There are several developers jumping at the chance to restore that centrally located downtown site.

[wolfdawg54]

I agree. It is time for jacksonville to take the initiative and develop this city!

[bobliocatt]

^The developer claims he is in the process of trying to add more residential units into the project, before construction begins. However, he still doesn't have a time table for construction. Hoepfully, something will get worked out fairly soon, because this is the last major piece of property along the stretch of Adams & Laura Streets awaiting restoration.

[wolfdawg54]

Well, at least Jacksonville is preserving its heritage.