Beacon Riverside Renderings Released

[Charles Hunter]

The developer could build a segment of riverwalk along their frontage, to eventually be connected with the City's when they get around to an extension.  This is often required for sidewalks, why not a riverwalk?

[acme54321]

I'm not sure the Price Tower fits Prairie style

I Agree, it was build well after his style had shifted away from the prairie school.

[thelakelander]

^It reminds me of his work at Lakeland's Florida Southern College, which was also largely done later in his life (1938-1958). Two other Prairie school style highrises I'm quite fond of are Sullivan's Wainwright Building in St. Louis and the Guaranty Building in Buffalo.

Wainwright Building


Guaranty Building


Overall, although the Beacon Riverside appears to be a modified version of Villa Riva down the street, I can clearly see Prairie style influences in the Beacon's facade.  While I'm fine with the building's design in general, I do wonder if plans are being made to build or accommodate a portion of a future riverwalk.

[Riverrat]

I think instead of having to look at it and say "yeah, I guess I can see some prairie style influences in there" ....I'd rather it just be more drastic and OWN the prairie style. But overall, a fine look and a great project for the neighborhood.

[fsujax]

Any idea on if they must presale a minimum number before they start construction?

[thelakelander]

I think instead of having to look at it and say "yeah, I guess I can see some prairie style influences in there" ....I'd rather it just be more drastic and OWN the prairie style. But overall, a fine look and a great project for the neighborhood.

Overall, I don't really care if the designer attempts to pay homage to historical architectural styles that are dominant in the surrounding area or not.  I'd rather them design for this era, make sure it works at the human scale level and call it a day.



Unfortunately, I know this is too much for many living in Jax but the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies' building in Chicago (completed in 2007) clearly speaks 21st century, despite being immediately adjacent to 19th-century historic buildings by Daniel Burnham and Louis Sullivan. In general, I wish the design community in Jax would take more chances in designing for today as opposed to dusting off and copying century old architectural styles while using inferior building materials and detailing.

[Stephen]

The mixture of the stark glass towers next to the Louis Sullivan or Frank Loyd Wright styles is very striking and enhances the looks of both...This is very evident in London where you can see a building from the 16th century next to a glass tower...It takes nerve and a sense of style. Fake stucco Spanish with tile roofs is getting a bit boring.

[Scrub Palmetto]

Overall, I don't really care if the designer attempts to pay homage to historical architectural styles that are dominant in the surrounding area or not.  I'd rather them design for this era, make sure it works at the human scale level and call it a day.

[. . .] In general, I wish the design community in Jax would take more chances in designing for today as opposed to dusting off and copying century old architectural styles while using inferior building materials and detailing.

+1!

For Jacksonville, I learned years ago to be satisfied with, "Well, I don't hate it."

[CityLife]

That building in Chicago is certainly interesting. When I saw it from a distance this past summer, I thought there was scaffolding covering it.

Europeans have no problem using glass in unique ways next to historic areas. One of the most prominent buildings from the top of the Arc De Triomphe is Publicis Drugstore on Champs Elysees, which looks very cool. Germany rebuilt the Reichstag with modern glass and an extremely modern dome, and it looks great...in fact its a huge tourist draw.

Definitely agree with you Lake on the need for modern design in town.

[simms3]

Well I bet the average sale price for these units is about $1M, and assuming the developers are looking for a ~2x multiple on their equity and a construction loan for 60% of the cost, then we can infer the cost of construction to be about $37M.

This implies a 97% profit margin on the costs of the condos themselves, separating them out from building costs not associated with the structural that is related to the condos.

$2.1M for land ($1.5M/AC is what they paid for the 1.4 AC site according to BizJourn)
$37M for construction of building, $660K/unit

That's pretty high on a per unit basis, but when you look at square footage, these things start at 2,100 SF.  If they average 2,500 SF, then we're talking $264/sf construction (not truly apples to apples, but assuming that structural related to condos is only $28.5M and the remaining structural/other costs is $8.5M, then each condo is being built for about $509K/unit, or $204/sf).  For top of the market luxury this is not very high.

If they sell for an average of $1M and their average size is 2,500 SF, then $400/sf for sale price.  For luxury this is not that high, though it is for the market.

Which means, they are spending more to deck out the interior with luxury features like granite, hardwood, craftsmanship, appliances, and they are being scrupulous on exterior details knowing that cheap facades sell well in the market (look at VillaRiva, which is as cheap a looking building from the outside as it gets but it has all of the who's whos living there!).

...All in all, I'm worried about the quality of the materials on the exterior.  In my opinion the physical design in the rendering is not all that bad, but the materials used could break the architecture...

Disclaimer - I pull numbers out of my ass, but I like to think I'm not that far off, so my guesstimate is as good as anyone's.  The analyst in me is constantly put to work.

[heights unknown]

I like this tower.......a lot!!!

[Ocklawaha]

hahaha.  yeah.  those idiots.

I never said that; I can't say that I've heard of that megalopolis Bartlesville, OK either. At first, I thought that tower was in Tulsa or OKC somewhere. Thanks Wikipedia, an underrated and often unadorned info source.

I'm your OKIE HUCKLEBERRY!


































Hey and all that is missing is Kevin Costner.

PRAIRIE SCHOOL ON THE PRAIRIE! What a novel thought! Bartlesville is BEAUTIFUL! During the early 20th century when my father was working in the oil patch, the 'Glen Pool' came in with some of the sweetest oil ever to leave the ground. 'Sweet crude' actually as a slightly sweet smell and requires far less refining then heavy crude, shale or fracking. This was followed by booms in Cushing, Cashion, Ralston and as far south as Lawton. Frank Phillips founded his little oil company in a small tent city boom town called Bartlesville. By 1920 the city was nearing 100,000 persons. Today, the boom is long over but they are drilling throughout the area again as new technologies allow us to recover oil that was once considered lost. Bartlesville is a modern boom town with great roots and a tradition of millionaires and billionaires spending lavishly on the city and its public spaces. Bartlesville ranks among the top cities in the USA for new job growth, and tech jobs. Conoco-Phillips now split into two units operates their research facilities in Bartlesville. The city is also home to the Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Visitors to historic Johnstone Park can enjoy viewing a replica of the Nellie Johnstone #1, the first commercial oil well drilled in what is now the state of Oklahoma on April 15, 1897. Prairie Song is a pioneer village that stands in the midst of an authentic working ranch, from the late 1800's and shows life, work and play as it was in those days. The Bartlesville Community Center was designed by Wesley Peters, chief architect of Taliesin West–The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. There's no place like Kiddie Park! Originated in 1947, the Bartlesville area Kiddie Park today boasts 18 amusement park rides and the last train ride is always free. Phillips Petroleum Company Museum tells the story of Phillips' transformation from a small Bartlesville business to a global energy enterprise. You can also visit the Frank Phillips Home
and experience the sumptuous town residence of oil baron Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips Petroleum Company.

The Bartlesville Micropolitan Area has a population nearing 40,000 and it is within a easy drive from the greater Tulsa MSA with a population just below that of Jacksonville, around 1 million.

[mtraininjax]

I'm with the group that's panning this as 'meh'.

I don't see anything that resembles cutting edge, nor do I see anything that 'embodies' what's existing in the neighborhood.  What would one say that IS the embodiment of the existing neighborhood?

Where is the parking?  (for the cars or the boats)

Is the decorative ivy going to be purchased in 25-30' lengths?

Looks like stucco to me.  Jacksonville Beige, even. 

The only color that 'pops' is the back-lighting of the glass along the river.  Everything else seems kind of bland.

Now.... Don't take those comments and think that I don't approve of the project.  I think it's worlds better than much of what I see up and coming.  I think it will be a fantastic project; I'm just not completely smitten with the exterior.

Holy crap, the artists put up 2 renderings, which will more than likely change, and you dump all over their project. Nice! And you call me a troll? Pot, black!

[Gatorziggy]

There is reserved 25 feet for the future riverwalk expansion as part of the design if the city goes through with it.

[simms3]

I just read in Bizjournals I think that Hallmark is partnering with the developer of VillaRiva (forgot his name already) - doesn't bode well for design in my opinion (I think VillaRiva is one of the most hideous buildings in the city), but it probably bodes well for experience in designing and marketing condominiums given that guy's experience and incredible success selling out at VillaRiva.  Hopefully Hallmark can implement quality control with respect to certain aesthetic standards and integration of the tower into the community and public realm.