Khan interested in developing shipyards

[CityLife]

I may have missed it, but did Khan say what would become of the old practice fields? Would the riverfront facilities essentially replace them?

Really like those plans Simms posted from San Fran, and I hope that Khan and the Jags can also find an established development firm to partner with on the Shipyards if/when they get it.

[jaxjaguar]

Just for the sake of really thinking with no limits.... The old practice fields could be converted into multi-use parking garages for the stadium / surrounding venues. The Jags could move their offices into the garages to still be near the stadium but allow future expansion within the stadium if needed. The SkyWay could connect to this garage as well. Throw in an "NFL Experience" center and something like the ESPN zone in Atlanta and you have a little pre/post event hotspot.

[Rynjny]

Y'all just need to stop arguing about this..just leave the shipyard empty that's what's good for the city and cost no money.

[thelakelander]

LOL, no reason to get sensitive. All this is, is just a conversation and a mixing of different ideas, theories, visions and dreams from the community. Nothing to lose sleep over.

[tufsu1]

I'm all about letting Khan develop the Shipyards site.  But the riverfront property is too valuable to just be handed over.  Development should be guided by what is in the public's best interest, and by no means should the land be given away for free. 

[urbanlibertarian]

My impression is that the Jaguars just want something active there.  They are willing to see that it gets developed but would prefer someone else does it.  I think COJ should extend the street ends to the riverwalk and RFP it in sections.  If they don't get good responses from that then divide it into lots and RFP it again.  Baby steps.

[MEGATRON]

I'm all about letting Khan develop the Shipyards site.  But the riverfront property is too valuable to just be handed over.  Development should be guided by what is in the public's best interest, and by no means should the land be given away for free.

How valuable is it considering the environmental liability?

[copperfiend]

Jax is currently being bashed by Colin Cowherd. He's talking about his super bowl experience. No downtown, no cabs, horrible  mulitmodal transportation network, limited dining, etc....yada, yada, yada....

Cowherd is a moron.

He's the Glenn Beck of sports radio.

[simms3]

The environmental liability cannot be overlooked as a major barrier in a small town with almost no demand for any such thing.

However, if the city were hot and pricing were better (rents, condos, etc) then the environmental mitigation simply becomes another step.  There are lots of cities that have successfully redeveloped their piers and shipyards.

All the more reason for the city to piecemeal the redevelopment...own the land, ground lease it to developers who can work with business owners such as Intuition or small condo developers.  Jax private (or public) market can't handle a single piece of land like the Shipyards.

[MEGATRON]

The environmental liability cannot be overlooked as a major barrier in a small town with almost no demand for any such thing.

However, if the city were hot and pricing were better (rents, condos, etc) then the environmental mitigation simply becomes another step.  There are lots of cities that have successfully redeveloped their piers and shipyards.

All the more reason for the city to piecemeal the redevelopment...own the land, ground lease it to developers who can work with business owners such as Intuition or small condo developers.  Jax private (or public) market can't handle a single piece of land like the Shipyards.

Currently, the City is not on the hook for the environmental liability.  If they lease it, they will be.

Agree with you about the demand for brownfield sites in other cities.  Atlantic Station in ATL is a prime example.

[simms3]

That is true...but that is where the public investment will need to come in.  A private group simply can't make stuff pencil out at the Shipyards.  If the city thinks there's a group out there that will assume full risk of mitigation, design, and implementation, the city is out of its mind.

The Warriors were going to build their new arena on a pier here in SF, hired a global starchitect for design, had a full plan.  They were going to spend $130M to retrofit the pier to hold the arena, and the city was not going to be liable for anything.  NMBYism forced them further south.  However, SF, Boston, and NYC are the only cities in this country where the demand is so hot and land so scarce that private developers will take on enormous financial risk.  Even AT&T Park here (Giants) is privately financed.

Jax needs *major* public commitment to turn this land around.

[tufsu1]

I'm all about letting Khan develop the Shipyards site.  But the riverfront property is too valuable to just be handed over.  Development should be guided by what is in the public's best interest, and by no means should the land be given away for free.

How valuable is it considering the environmental liability?

the part closes to the Berkman has been fully remediated.  The part east of the creek is what needs the most work. 

[MEGATRON]

I'm all about letting Khan develop the Shipyards site.  But the riverfront property is too valuable to just be handed over.  Development should be guided by what is in the public's best interest, and by no means should the land be given away for free.

How valuable is it considering the environmental liability?

the part closes to the Berkman has been fully remediated.  The part east of the creek is what needs the most work.

Remaining contamination will make installation of stormwater management facilities very costly.

[downtownbrown]

"I guess what I'm asking is "Are the Jags willing to pay the fair market price of a premium waterfront parcel for practice facilities, and is that the best highest use for all of the citizens of this city and county?"

What is the fair market value of land that no one is bidding on? Last I knew, the market sets the price, not some sort of intrinsic valuation based on what people think it ought to be worth.  And there is no such thing as giving land away for "free" if the property will generate beaucoup tax dollars forever.  Many of you guys are ignoring the fact that even if the city "gives it away for nothing", an investment of a property that is generating ZERO income that turns into a tax cash cow is a pretty damned reasonable strategy.

[mtraininjax]

Many of you guys are ignoring the fact that even if the city "gives it away for nothing", an investment of a property that is generating ZERO income that turns into a tax cash cow is a pretty damned reasonable strategy.

Uh, ok, let's use your logic, what is the taxpayer's return on the 43 million given to Khan for JUMBO PONG Screens? How many years before we get that money back??