Is it time to reassess the Berkman Plaza II

[Charles Hunter]

Was driving thru Orlando just recently, and commented that it looked like giant HVAC ductwork.

[Ocklawaha]

Its incomplete but I never considered it an eyesore.  It would have been great if Berkmann 2 was that far along before it went belly up.

Actually it's a beautiful building, and unless it's bound up in a legal quagmire there is no reason why it can't be finished out. As for location, it doesn't get much better in Central Florida then Altamonte Springs on the super slab.

[JayBird]

Oh my goodness the "eyesore on I-4" is what my sister and I call the "waterfall bldg" ... whenever we head south that is usually a stopping point for gassing up our motorcycles with the club we ride with or the mcdonalds at the next exit for food.  I thought it was just one of those bldgs that was paused until it had a buyer to finish it.  Now I see its been vacant for years?  What a shame.

As for the Berkman II, it should be torn down if only for the fact that is garage collapsed, killing a worker and who knows what deficincies are in this structure that may not become evident until more weight is built in.  The big problem here is the owner, probably biding time to do anything until the market picks up.  But if you call 630-CITY you can report it as an eyesore, and enough calls would prompt some reaction.  That empty structure is no less an eyesore on dt than your neighbors high grass.  And a surprising fact, in 2011 630-CITY fielded calls of "high grass/unkempt lawn" complaints from over 7,000 residents ... why can't dt get that amount of attention?

[Ocklawaha]

Actually the building on I-4 was started by a Christian TV network. Since that particular group adheres to Romans 13:8 "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law," the building was built painfully slow, one cash donation = one window at a time. It appears that they have now abandoned the project or sold out and it is now available on the commercial market.

[JayBird]

wait ... you mean churches can't just buy up large swaths of dt or big business parks?  and living in Jax I thought that was how life happened!!  Hey do you know a link for bldg sale or what it was called or who built it ... googled I-4 eyesore and a whole bunch of random came up

[thelakelander]

It was supposed to be the Majesty Building and an anchor to an area that Altamonte Springs wants to become its urban core.  Here is an article about it from five years ago.

The "Majesty Building." We all know it â€" we can’t help but see it. But what is it and will it ever be completed?

Claud Bowers, president and founder of SuperChannel WACX-TV, began the $40 million venture almost 7 years ago. The goal was to complete the building debt-free using charitable donations and through pre-leasing arrangements. Before the project even broke ground, there was a total of $36 million in pledges.

The Majesty Building is situated on 4.7 acres off of Interstate 4 on Central Parkway in Altamonte Springs. The structure contains 18 floors and towers 307 feet above Cranes Roost Park.

The current plans include:

Retail space in the rotunda and 2nd floor
Owner-occupied 3rd and 4th floors housing a banquet facility, theater, meeting rooms, and a film and video studio
Office leasing in the 5th though 16th floors
Owner-occupied 17th floor
Electrical and mechanical facilities and antenna leasing on the top floor
According to Bowers, the purpose of the project is to "serve the present and future needs of [WACX-TV] and help endow SuperChannel through funds generated by leasing a portion of office and retail space in the rotunda and tower."

The patio near the top of the structure can seat 200 people. Bowers describes this scenic gathering place as an "oasis in the sky" that will be adorned with fruit trees and other tasteful garnishments.

The design of the Majesty Building does not hold any particular meaning. It was inspired by another building Bowers admired and he applied some of the same characteristics to his own creation.

Bowers also emphasized the benefits to the community of Altamonte Springs in terms of employment opportunities and providing an attractive venue where sales meetings and civic events may take place.

The City of Altamonte Springs is advised regularly of the progress of the construction efforts and Bowers said the same contractors and architects have been working on the project since its inception. He also informed me that construction has never been interrupted and that they are currently installing retaining walls under the structure for the parking facilities. The target date of completion is between April and October of 2008.

SuperChannel is the only commercial Christian independent TV station in the Orlando area. According to Bowers, the station airs "original programs along with local and national client programming through individual contracts with agencies, independent distributors and program producers."

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/community_altamonte_blog/2007/05/the_majesty_bui.html

[JayBird]

Thank you, I found stuff after I typed it in right LoL

Wow what a story.  With immediate highway access in a rather densely populated area of the state I am surprised companies or even property managers aren't racing to snap it up

[thelakelander]

I can't imagine there being a big market for half completed highrise office space in Altamonte Springs, with downtown Orlando 20 minutes away.

[I-10east]

Just browsing I stumbled on this pretty cool Eyesore on I-4 youtube vid. The building is shown aerially from a hobby helicopter.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_FWzL37ZVQ

[JayBird]

good point Lake. 

Oh what a neat video, I like the way everything is mirrored off the glass.  As far as eyesores go, that is not too bad.  I actually like the way the building looks and as I mentioned earlier it certainly makes quite the landmark for the area.

[Jason]

^ Let's throw it on a flatbed and float it up the St. Johns and park it downtown at the old Riverwatch site.

As for the Berkman, I think it should be torn down.  The property should then be returned to the city and an RFP issued for its redevelopment.

[Overstreet]

This is something CSX, Crowley, and Haskell should consider working together on.

Substitute sliding glass doors/ bright color walls for cell doors /grey walls and it reminds me of a couple of prisons I built.

[Mathew1056]

This is something CSX, Crowley, and Haskell should consider working together on.

Substitute sliding glass doors/ bright color walls for cell doors /grey walls and it reminds me of a couple of prisons I built.

I admit the particular picture you are committing on does resemble something like a prison. I will say that not many people liked the Pompidou Center when it was built in Paris, but it is now a well known landmark. I wouldn't discount environmentally friendly building materials like cargo containers. There are some beautiful examples of it beig used in construction.

[Noone]

^^^The Prison District. We are already next to the jail. Reuse of the old jail. NCAA practice facility!

[Ocklawaha]

Wow, just think of the possibilities posed herein, we raze the Berkman II building, followed immediately by the old Courthouse, City Hall, Bostwick Building and you'll recall that plan to take down the Baywater Square Building. With these out of the way we could focus our ire at the Barnett Bank and Laura Trio. 9 buildings are all that is keeping us from greatness! Let's rip em down!

THE JACKSONVILLE SONG?

Well, come on all of you, big strong men,
Jacksonville needs your help again.
It's got itself in a terrible jam
Way down yonder near the county pen
So push down that plunger, we've already begun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.

And it's one, two, three,
What are we bitchin' for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Jacksonville is at it again.
And it's five, six, seven,
Implode it, before its too late,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! downtown's all gonna die.

(My apologies to Country Joe and the Fish)