Riverside Park Development Proposed For Brooklyn

[urbanlibertarian]

Are they competing?  220 Riverside appears to already have its financing.  I'd say, these projects complement each other as opposed to compete against each other.  Go down Gate Parkway or Southside Boulevard and you'll find thousands of similar units within close proximity of one another.  For whatever reason, this type of housing didn't take off a decade ago but there's clearly a pent up demand and that location is pretty decent (between DT & Five Points with the river a short walk away. 

With that said, this project's financing won't be hurt by moving the surface parking to the interior of the site and the building footprints to the exterior.  Such a move would reduce the amount of fencing desired while still keeping the thing's interior secured.  They could keep all the gates they want and that slight modification would still address most of the concerns raised by the DDRB.  I have a feeling they'll do just that.

It appears to me that isolation was a goal in the design of this project because investors believe that will expand the number of potential renters and make it more likely to be successful.  First and foremost I would like to see SOMETHING built there in the moonscape.  If it needs to be fenced and gated with a surface parking buffer zone to be built and fully rented, then so be it.

[thelakelander]

A more thoughtful layout that doesn't alter building footprints, gated features, number of desired parking stalls, etc. isn't going to sink a project like this.  Besides, this is typical in the conceptual design stage.  No reason to roll over so easily and early on something that will only improve the project and the area.  I fully expect Lincoln to come back with a better site layout.

[simms3]

Pope & Land is the developer of the project.  Lincoln will manage the property and receive fees from P&L.  Niles Bolton is the architect.  Let's not confuse roles.  Whatever the design ends up being will be a reflection on the developer, the lender, the design review board and the architect.  LPC will likely not have any say.

Whatever the design review board approves may not be acceptable in the end to a lender.  Lenders today don't just sign off on projects such as these; they take very active roles.  Considering Pope & Land is backing this and has previously faced disaster with its 3360 Peachtree highrise development in Buckhead, the lender may think it's more at risk than anyone here.

[thelakelander]

Although the project was represented by Lincoln at the DDRB meeting, who the developer is doesn't really matter when it comes to zoning regulations and the conceptual site planning process.  They'll go back and modify their site plan in a manner that better addresses the DDRB's concerns, without raising the project's cost or endangering its feasibility.  I used to layout projects like this for developers all across the state when the market was good.  What's taking place really isn't a big deal at this point.

[fsujax]

Here is the latest, they went back to DDRB yesterday and recieved approval for their concept.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=536116

[Tacachale]

What did they even change?

[thelakelander]

Looks like they added some carriage houses along the perimeter.

The new plan also includes additional two-story carriage house units, which are intended to improve the streetscape by blocking the view of parking areas from the street. The project is bordered by Park, Leila, Magnolia and Jackson streets.

The developer is seeking a variance from the City requirement of 531 parking spaces, based on the development’s proximity to public transportation. A bicycle storage area is also included in the design.

The design presented Thursday showed 348 surface parking spaces, 40 garage spaces and 22 carport spaces for a total of 410 parking spaces based on one parking space per bedroom.

[JeffreyS]

That will make the sidewalks nicer. Pedestrian access from the street would have made it more urban.

[jcjohnpaint]

I hope pedestrians at least have access to walk trough the walkways.  What is the empty portion in the front rt corner for/ future retail I suppose? 

[jcjohnpaint]

Also they are not showing the exterior, but I hope they are brick and not pink fo stucco. 

[fsujax]

that will be shown the next time they come to DDRB.

[acme54321]

Is there still a fence all the way around it?

[fsujax]

yep.

[copperfiend]

Excuse my language but having a fence like that is just butt ugly.

[Riverrat]

Wait - am I seeing this correctly? "Carriage Houses" will dot Riverside Avenue to shield Riverside Avenue from the parking lot? Wake up! This is supposed to be / should be an urban neighborhood that connects Riverside to Downtown...this could be one of the coolest locations in the city...it has the potential to be a great "Midtown" in Atlanta...or West End in Nashville...but instead, here's what has happened / is happening: LaVilla.

So, first, the Fidelity building goes in and has parking lots facing the street. Then, that weird Alfred duPont building goes in with its weird little winding road. Then, almost every single corner lot on Forest, between 95 & Riverside Ave. has been converted to a parking lot, retention pond, or culdesac...NOW we're adding in carriage houses?! And I recall reading somewhere of the possibility of a Courtyard Marriott going in to one of these projects? Seriously? Courtyard Marriott? There isn't a chain more "office park" related than Courtyard Marriott. Seriously, I'm waiting to read the "Brooklyn Frankenstein" story.

Suburbia doesn't work in what should be an urban neighborhood!