Riverside YMCA Plans to be Released Friday

[acme54321]

There is precedent for a Y to sell off part of their land.  In Arlington, they sold the riverfront to a residential developer (just before the res. market tanked).  Not sure what they did with the money, because, from driving by, it doesn't look like there's any new facilities.

So, maybe they will sell, or lease, the Riverside Avenue frontage to a developer?

I have little doubt that the Y would love to do that, if it can find someone interested in the property.  I think that's at least a few years away seeing as how the frontage at teh Haskell property has gone undeveloped at the retail in the Everbank building is empty.

With the residential going up over there that may quickly change

[cityimrov]

Lol, Welcome to Jacksonville.  We're still learning the importance of pedestrian scale design.  Hopefully, the layout will be improved once they start working with DDRB or DIA.

I see you added "hopefully" the layout will be improved.

Let's be serious....do we have a reason to be hopeful? What's the likely outcome? Something tells me when an organization like the Y spends thousands on plans for a $21 million dollar renovation, they're not going to want to spend more $$ to change what they already see as a good design.

I'm amazed at audacity of this thread.  A lot of people here are asking the Y to take on a much bigger burden than other buildings in the area.  Jacksonville doesn't make it easy to integrate urban design.  In other cities, you just have to look at your left and at your right and build a building that's similar in urban style.  The design, the planning, and the pedestrian walkways are given by their neighbors.

What you guys are asking is for the Y to do is to not only build their expansion building but to do all the urban planning (on their own dime) for the entire area from scratch!  Like the post above mentions, the Y has already spent thousands of dollars on this project and you guys are asking they spend even more that neither Haskell Building to the left nor the St Joe Building to the right has done.   They are the Y, not an urban land developer.  I might be wrong in this and the Y could have bigger ambitions but I think all they want is place to put their gym and some of their offices, not create the Shipyards II. 

[thelakelander]

If you're doing something that doesn't comply, you lose the right to cry about financial hardship. Besides, the Y would be fools to proceed through design development and construction document stages without first getting approval from the DDRB on their conceptual ideas.

Nevertheless, nobody is asking for the Shipyards II.  However, that doesn't mean to lay on your back and accept what every Tom, Dick, and Harry initially brings to the table either.  There's no harm in requiring projects to be designed to meet the area's design guidelines.  It's not like they are new. 

[cityimrov]

Nevertheless, nobody is asking for the Shipyards II.  However, that doesn't mean to lay on your back and accept what every Tom, Dick, and Harry initially brings to the table either.  There's no harm in requiring projects to be designed to meet the area's design guidelines.  It's not like they are new.

I think they are.  There are people on this thread who are talking about highrise apartments, retail frontage, and parking garages in the Y's lot. 

Does this area even have a design guidelines?  To the left is the Haskell building and to the right is the St Joe.  I'm not sure either buildings have urban design in mind.  A bit further from that and you have Times Union to the left and a parking lot to the right.  Those areas are definitely not urban.  If the Y is forced on higher standard then St Joe or Haskell, won't that be unfair to the Y? 

[thelakelander]

^Yes.

Does this area even have a design guidelines?

Yes.  Brooklyn falls within what the JEDC had officially recognized as downtown. Both 220 Riverside and Riverside Park had to have their designs approved by the DDRB earlier this year. 

To the left is the Haskell building and to the right is the St Joe.  I'm not sure either buildings have urban design in mind.  A bit further from that and you have Times Union to the left and a parking lot to the right.  Those areas are definitely not urban.  If the Y is forced on higher standard then St Joe or Haskell, won't that be unfair to the Y?

I'm sure those buildings were designed and constructed before there were design guidelines.  Some of them may be part of the reason we actually have them now.