Khan: Downtown's Laura Street Trio redevelopment deal 'alive but on life support

[joshuataylor]

The Marble Bank building will be the location of the Cultural Council awards this May, and an upscale restaurant headquartered in Atlanta is being brought in to cater the event. This restaurant will be the final occupant of the Marble Bank post-completion. Early rumors from within hint that it will be a high-end steakhouse.

[coredumped]

The Marble Bank building will be the location of the Cultural Council awards this May, and an upscale restaurant headquartered in Atlanta is being brought in to cater the event. This restaurant will be the final occupant of the Marble Bank post-completion. Early rumors from within hint that it will be a high-end steakhouse.

THIS May? As in 1 month from now? MJ has put up pictures of the interior and it needs a LOT of work - has work already begun on it? If not, I'd say May is way too soon for it to be open, let alone serving steaks.

[tufsu1]

^ yes and no....the awards dinner will be held there in May....any permanent establishment is months/years off

[tufsu1]

All 160,000 sf?

no...I think the plan is to renovate and occupy floors gradually

[thelakelander]

Hmm, so no school of higher learning?

[joshuataylor]

The Marble Bank building will be the location of the Cultural Council awards this May, and an upscale restaurant headquartered in Atlanta is being brought in to cater the event. This restaurant will be the final occupant of the Marble Bank post-completion. Early rumors from within hint that it will be a high-end steakhouse.

THIS May? As in 1 month from now? MJ has put up pictures of the interior and it needs a LOT of work - has work already begun on it? If not, I'd say May is way too soon for it to be open, let alone serving steaks.

Yes, the entire building has been cleaned and weatherproofed inside, and a subfloor has been built up in the main room to host the ceremony. But the actual renovation will be some months away. Still, it will be nice to finally know one of the restaurant concepts that will finally occupy the space alongside the Marriott (and just for rumor's sake... Capital Grille is an Atlanta-based chain, with the advantage of an existing Town Center location from which to cater...)

[Rynjny]

Wait....so is the Laura Street Trio project dead or alive??? I'm confused..

[thelakelander]

Wait....so is the Laura Street Trio project dead or alive??? I'm confused..

It never died. It's just going to take a while.......and city money.......to pull it off.

[ProjectMaximus]

This place is gonna get a lot of attention during One Spark. 

[river4340]

This place is gonna get a lot of attention during One Spark. 

most likely

"We're creating a hub for the millennial startup group," said Steve Atkins, whose SouthEast Holdings a year ago paid $3 million for the tower and the buildings known as the Laura Street Trio.

He already has commitments, including Elton Rivas, who said he's bringing his own trio of enterprises to the building. Rivas is the co-founder of One Spark, the creative festival that kicks off downtown on Wednesday. But he's also the co-founder of CoWork Jax and KYN, both geared to help new businesses get started and out on their own.

Rivas said the offices for all three are moving to Barnett, taking up about four floors to create what he called "the epicenter of an entrepreneurial eco-system."

http://members.jacksonville.com/business/2014-04-04/story/innovation-center-will-revive-historic-barnett-building-downtown

[edjax]

Wow!!! Freaking awesome news!! Get the younger people from this and from the old library transformation this will bring much needed life into dt.

[edjax]

And even better the financing is in place and no city money will be requested.  As Toney stands with hands open wide.

[thelakelander]

Nice.

[ronchamblin]

This has to be the best news I've heard regarding DT getting a big boost for building "occupancy".  Occupying buildings in the DT core is critical, and you can't get much closer to the center of the city. 

Steve Atkins is my hero for at least a year.  He's been determined to do the trio.  His persistence and hard work is paying off.

Let's hope nothing happens to obstruct what appears to be a going project.

[fsujax]

great news for downtown. it will be cool to see the Barnett Building all lit up and active.