Downtown Jacksonville

[Urban_Legend]

I like the Parks at the Cathedral. Their staircases might be a little funky, but I like medium-density townhomes and such. I'd like to see more townhomes in Springfield and Lavilla.

[richjagr]

I like the Parks at the Cathedral.  Their staircases might be a little funky, but I like medium-density townhomes and such.  I'd like to see more townhomes in Springfield and Lavilla.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I almost purchased one of the Townhomes there as my first home, however 2 friends of mine were going through the process and had said it had not been a pleasent experience at all. The delay in the expected move in date extended a year past when it was originally planned, and then as the date was closer there were several serious problems with their and other of the Townhomes that required more time to fix (as I understood it). I intend on moving downtown at some point, but at that time I was under quite a bit of time pressure so purchased very close to work in a stable 60's neighborhood off Old Kings between Powers and Baymeadows.

So far I am about 30 years younger than half my neighbors, but we get along great. Additionally the houses that have changed hands have primarily gone to ownership rather than renting, with caring owners. I myself purchased mine from the children of the original owner, who had just died. My house was the ugly duckling of the neighborhood at the time, with baby puke green body and baby poop brown trim however that has changed (after an interior remodel) to varying shades of blue-grey.

[RiversideGator]

Dont get me wrong, I love the idea of townhouses and I think we need more. I just thought the design was a little lacking - boxy and nothing distinctive. I would love to be able to build some townhouses, actually. I would like some that look like the ones in Kensington, London or maybe some brownstone type townhouses. Costs would probably be prohbitive though.

[vicupstate]

Offices for Southbank?

If all goes well at a Jacksonville Economic Development Commission design review meeting today, the Southbank might be gaining a new office complex in the near future.

Land developer Michael Sones, president of Ocean Blvd. Development Inc., is going in front of the commission today with plans for three new 4,000-square-foot office buildings to be built on Home Street.

According to preliminary plans, JEDC spokesperson Jean Moyer said the new buildings will be adjacent to the Home Street Lofts, which is another of Sones’ developments. The new buildings are currently slated to be used as medical offices, she said.

Moyer said the committee will look at the plans to decide what kind of impact the new buildings will have on the area.

Sones declined to comment on the project until after the design meeting.

Sounds very suburban. Three buildings with 4,000 sq ft each? Why not combine them and go up? Disappointing. I was hoping for more lofts, and surprised they didn't go that route. They HAD to make a nice profit on their Home Street Lofts project, IMO.

[Urban_Legend]

Pension fund hits City for $30 million

by Bradley Parsons

Staff Writer

The City will have to spend about an extra $9 million next year to help shore up a slow-growing Police and Fire Pension Fund.

The total contribution will likely exceed $30 million in the upcoming budget. The City is essentially picking up the slack for an underperforming stock market, according to a Feb. 15 letter sent to the City Council by Fund Executive Director John Keane.

The $850 million Fund has traditionally been about 60 percent invested in the stock market, which has struggled since peaking in 2000.

The sputtering market has caused a widening gap between the Fund

[bobliocatt]

Makes you wonder how in the world is the Fund going to be able to restore the Laura Street Trio. Seriously, I'm starting to get a sick feeling in my stomach, because I'm starting to feel like the city toying around with these buildings will ultimately end up with them being demolished, because the continued decay, will make them too expense to save.

[scongro]

All Right - How about some good news for downtown...

Lofts project wows the DDA

73 one- and two-bedroom condo units would be marketed in the $300,000s.

By RYAN GEDDES

The Times-Union

The Downtown Development Authority's Design Review Committee is known for meticulously dissecting its applicants' architectural plans, often debating details as minute as brick textures and awning angles.

But the committee rounded out Thursday's monthly meeting by unanimously approving a project that left its members nearly speechless.

Andre and Carla Bahri, husband-and-wife owners of a half-acre parcel of land bounded by Union, State and Main streets downtown, want to turn the busy corner into The Lofts at East Union, a 10-story residential condominium building, complete with two floors of controlled-access parking and 8,000 square feet of ground-level retail space.

"Wow. It's about time in Jacksonville," said committee member Tripp Stanley after the Bahris' presentation.

Stanley and other members praised architect Tony Jarzyna's design -- multi-tone brick facades, understated street-level detailing and tree-lined rooftop terraces.

"So we have a [parking] garage that doesn't look like a garage. I don't think you can do that in Jacksonville," joked committee member Oliver Barakat.

Since its inception, the committee has sparred with downtown developers over parking decks, pushing architects to wrap and conceal garages rather than build them as standalone structures.

Committee members also expressed excitement about the prospect of a large-scale residential project on downtown's northern boundary, a building that would connect the vitality of Springfield with the burgeoning residential urban core.

If built, it would be the first residential project in downtown's so-called "church district" since the city began emphasizing downtown housing development in recent years. Most previous condominium and apartment projects, such as 11 E. Forsyth, Berkman Plaza and St. Johns Place, have been located in the central business district, along Bay Street or on the Southbank.

According to the Duval County Clerk's office, the Bahris bought the vacant land for $350,000 in October. They plan to build 73 one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, which would be marketed in the $300,000s.

Carla Bahri said her company, Main Street Development Corp., would likely approach the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission about city incentive options.

"For now, everything is still in the works," said Bahri.

The company does not yet have a construction timeline, she said.

In other business, the commission gave final approval to the design of Sax Seafood and Grill restaurant (formerly Jax Casual Dining) planned for La Villa, deferred a vote on a T-Mobile cell phone tower, and gave conceptual approval to a medical office park proposed for San Marco.

[scongro]

A big day for the DDA...Another one

Committee OKs Riverside building

By RYAN GEDDES

The Times-Union

The Downtown Development Authority's Design Review Committee gave final approval Thursday to a 13-story office building proposed by Riverside Avenue Partners LLC.

The 200,000 square-foot office building and attached two-story parking deck is adjacent to the Fidelity National Financial campus on the corner of Riverside Avenue and Forest Street.

The partnership purchased the piece of land from Fidelity in 2004, and its members plan to develop and eventually occupy the building.

"It's a group of professional service firms in town, longtime independently-owned firms, that just feel like the downtown area is a great place to be and a great investment," said Paul Lunetta, the partnership's spokesman and an employee of Harden & Associates, a Jacksonville-based insurance services and employee benefits company.

Lunetta confirmed that Harden & Associates is one of the partner firms that will eventually move to the new building, but he declined to disclose the names of the partnership's other firms. The builder does not have a start date for the project.

[scongro]

The lofts are a little more expensive than I would have figured, but I think both of these are great for downtown!

[bobliocatt]

Its great to finally see some new downtown projects announced. It seems like its been a long time coming. I'm impressed by the look of the office building off Riverside Ave. Its a box, but its also a well designed one with street retail place. Hopefully, this will be a good example for Fidelity and their expansion plans.

I'm also impressed by the design of the residential project on Union Street. I've been waiting for a long for a residential project in that section of downtown, to help bridge the gap between downtown and Springfield. However, to get city incentives, I think they need to drop their prices a little. Personally, I don't see a market for one bedroom condos at $300k, in one of the more depressed areas of downtown, located blocks away from the river.

[BosTech]

And that is what you call very nice designed building,hopefully it gets build and maybe other join in creating something like this...functional and yet beautifull to look at it.....Too bad it is way too expensive for us mortars,but if I ever tunr into Blade I'll consider living there.....

[RiversideGator]

The Lofts at East Union are a great design. I believe we need to have a mix of traditional and more modern designs in downtown with the traditional architecture increasing in frequency as you approach Springfield and Riverside in order to blend with the existing bldgs. $300 K is a little steep for a 1 BR loft though. Let's hope this goes through to construction.

[Viper]

Great news and the Fidelity National building isn't listed with Emporis yet either so that's 7 UC, 1 apporved, and 5 proposed. Plus the new lofts but being 10 storys, I don't think they qualify with Emporis.

[wolfdawg54]

Great news! I read the article in the Times yesterday and I really like the project going in by Fidelity. It will help provide gret fill-in from 95 to downtown. That area will really benefit from the new construction as the Riverside Avenue expansion is completed.

[vicupstate]

The Lofts at East Union are indeed exactly what I would want to see go there. It is a great design. From the rendering, it looks as if shade trees are mixed with Palms at the street level.

I too question the prices they are asking. For those prices, I would expect concierge service and a rooftop pool, just for starters. You can buy a unit at San Marco Place today for less than that, which has river views.

I can read Ron Littlepage now, saying 'enough is enough' on incentives. I think these investors will have to decide between incentives and the high price points. I don't think they can have both.

[RiversideGator]

Maybe they can talk the city into giving incentives if they drop the smaller unit prices into the $200s. Then they can sell the city on it being more affordable housing downtown. With today's interest rates (and housing prices), $250,000 is fairly affordable housing. If you have a household income of $75,000, I think you could get approved for a mortgage.

[Urban_Legend]

OMG! I love these new projects! Those lofts are perfect for that area, even if they are over-priced. And I'm so glad that we'll finally get a project on Riverside Avenue that actually interacts with Riverside Avenue!

[RiversideGator]

From the Jacksonville Daily Record, February 28, 2005:

City Notes

[RiversideGator]

They do have a good web page:

http://www.arquitectonica.com/

[bobliocatt]

I like this news. Based on their past projects, this tells me that that Riverpointe's design will definately be something innovative and never before seen in Jacksonville.

[BosTech]

Palencia developer eyes Southbank condo project

Stewart Verney

The international real estate firm that developed Palencia northwest of St. Augustine will be a partner in a high-rise condominium project on the Southbank in Downtown Jacksonville.

Houston-based Hines announced a partnership Friday with South Shore Group Partners LLC to develop the first tower of a proposed two-tower condo project.

The proposed $100 million development, named Riverpointe, will include up to 300 condos and townhomes adjacent to the Aetna building.

The project had originally included two condo towers, but Hines Senior Vice President Michael Harrison said the company is concentrating on a single tower at this point. Hines has brought in a Miami architecture firm, Arquitectonica, to design the project, and plans to start construction by early 2006.

"If everything goes exactly right, it could happen in the fourth quarter of this year," said Harrison of the start of construction. "We just wanted to set out a realistic target date."

The site is between the Aetna building, formerly the Prudential building, and the St. Johns River. The developers are proposing a 120-slip marina as well as working with the city to extend the Southbank Riverwalk under the Acosta Bridge to the site.

Harrison said Hines thinks there is plenty of demand for Southbank condos, though he said the company is still doing market analysis and isn't ready to announce pricing. And Hines could work with South Shore Group Partners to build a second tower.

"SSGP still owns the other site, which is a phase two site," Harrison said. "That's still part of their plan and if everything goes well, we could do the second one."

[bobliocatt]

So its now a two phase project, which is understandable considering the size of these buildings. It also looks like, at least the first one, will really happen, since they're not asking for incentives and its now backed by two developers with deep pockets and experience. I can't wait to see the new rendering.

[Urban_Legend]

I'm glad they're trying to extend the Southbank Riverwalk! It'll help connect that site with the rest of the Southbank. I always thought the Aetna site was a little isolated, because of the Acosta Bridge and the railroad.

[bobliocatt]

It also pushes the riverwalk a lot closer to the old Fuller Warren Bridge, in case it ends up being a new pier.

[Dale]

^ I"m thrilled about this news ! I have to confess that the only thing I really liked about the KBJ design was the height.