Esplanade

[British Shoe Company]

Thats where you would be wrong. Nocatee is not like any other development. The Davis family considers Nocatee to be a big part of their legacy here and is not in this for the short term. Any other developer and this whole Nocatee thing would be a bust. They have pored a LOT of money into this development and have done a spectacular job. The economy will come back and when it does Nocatee is poised to be the place to be for years to come in Jacksonville. If you haven't been down this way, come and check it out. I bought a home here in Coastal Oaks and I think it is just amazing what they have done here already.

I've driven through there plenty of times and am far from impressed. Basically another "signature" Florida development of stucco homes with lots of grass and fewer trees. The only brownie points I give them is for "preserving" the Intracoastal frontage.

For Nocatee to become the place to be a dethrone SJTC, it'll take a lot, and I mean A LOT more than what is going on down there now. To get the stores that SJTC has now, the metro area as a whole needs to double or triple it's population in order for retailers to look at setting up another location. I'm talking about the high-end retailers, not the typical, every mall stuff.

Sounds like reednavy does likes Ben Carter's development better than The Park Group's development.  Is it because of the location, an success, or the environmental impact Nocatee has had?
The Davis family legacy will be Winn Dixie.

[British Shoe Company]

[quote author=reednavy)

So, as with the WGV, Nocatee will probably not be built as was originally planned because the freckin bottom fell out of a rather speculative residential market, which hurts the overall plan.
[/quote]
I agree that the bottom fell out.  The new plan has far less homes planned.  (300)

The original plan was for 1,400 residential units.  Go to original plan on the below link.

http://thedevlingroup.com/gallery_esplanade_st_johns.html

[British Shoe Company]

SJTC exists on a  former dairy pasture, and what used to be one of the  most picturesque views in Jax.

From I-95 to the Beach is now desired real estate. It took about 20 years.

SJTC is built on old dairy pasture.    Skinners Dairy.  It never ran from I95 to the beach.  Who would describe a dairy pasture as "most picturesque"  Did you ever go cow tipping in your life?

[British Shoe Company]

If the Esplanade isn't dead, its indefinitely delayed.  There is also a recession at SJTC.  None of those long rumored department stores (Macy's, Nordstroms, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, etc.) that were locks to open at SJTC have showed up.

I do not think the developers know what the finished product will look like.

I do know that it will be very upscale, and great for the people who in the area.  In addition,  the people going north, and south on I95.

[reednavy]

Sounds like reednavy does likes Ben Carter's development better than The Park Group's development.  Is it because of the location, an success, or the environmental impact Nocatee has had?
The Davis family legacy will be Winn Dixie.

Pfft, keep tellin yourself I like the Esplanade over anything in Nocatee. I honestly hate both of em.

[thelakelander]

If the Esplanade isn't dead, its indefinitely delayed.  There is also a recession at SJTC.  None of those long rumored department stores (Macy's, Nordstroms, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, etc.) that were locks to open at SJTC have showed up.

I do not think the developers know what the finished product will look like.

I do know that it will be very upscale, and great for the people who in the area.  In addition,  the people going north, and south on I95.

The Esplanade is dead.  It won't be cheap or upscale.  Carter isn't moving forward with it.  They've moved on.

[British Shoe Company]

Esplanade at St. Johns
Status: Unknown.

Location: A 30-acre site at the northeast quadrant of International Golf Parkway and Interstate 95 adjacent to the World Golf Village.

Developer: Ben Carter Properties Inc. and The Devlin Group.

Original plan: Up to 1.3 million square feet with a retail mix of department stores, movie theaters, shops and restaurants along with 15 outparcels.

First proposed: Construction was expected to be complete in the summer of 2009.

Update: Developers did not return phone calls and e-mails.

[Jason]

Its tied to Devlin who has defaulted on the San Sebastian Harbor... I don't see this thing ever being built.

[ProjectMaximus]

http://jacksonville.com/business/2010-04-15/story/first-coast-building-projects-still-taking-shape

Esplanade at St. Johns

Back in 2007, developer Ben Carter announced a large shopping center planned near the World Golf Village in St. Johns County. The Esplanade at St. Johns would be 1.2 million square feet and similar to the St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, which Carter also developed.

It would open, he said, by 2010.

But within a year, as the economy struggled, the center was already on hold. Now it's gone completely.
Carter said Wednesday that while he expects someone will put a large retail center into that area eventually, he no longer has any plans to do it.

[British Shoe Company]

http://jacksonville.com/business/2010-04-15/story/first-coast-building-projects-still-taking-shape

Esplanade at St. Johns

Back in 2007, developer Ben Carter announced a large shopping center planned near the World Golf Village in St. Johns County. The Esplanade at St. Johns would be 1.2 million square feet and similar to the St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, which Carter also developed.

It would open, he said, by 2010.

But within a year, as the economy struggled, the center was already on hold. Now it's gone completely.
Carter said Wednesday that while he expects someone will put a large retail center into that area eventually, he no longer has any plans to do it.

The developer who signs an anchor tenant first will be the developer!

I still think Ben Carter is still in the race, because on SJTC's performance.

[British Shoe Company]

So, how's the Streets of Buckhead doing?

Not so good from the last time I checked, and with it being Ben Carter's golden egg, don't expect much, if any, progress on this development for a while, if ever.

6/4/10
Breaking news: Streets of Buckhead
project construction to resume in July
By staff reports

According to an Atlanta newspaper, the Streets of Buckhead project will resume construction as early as July after an 18-month hiatus.

Ben Carter, founder and chairman of Buckhead-based Ben Carter Properties, which is developing Streets, said he will close on a new $200 million loan in mid-July, and construction would resume right after the funding is secured.

Carter would not disclose the lender but said it is an American firm that will provide the funding to help finish the $800 million project.

Carter broke ground on the development in August 2007 but construction halted last year when he decided to renegotiate costs with his general contractor after the economy soured.

The Streets projects aims to become the “Rodeo Drive of the South,” Carter said, with high-end shops, restaurants and apartments. He also said he has letters of intent from restaurants, a movie theatre with a bar and restaurant, an upscale bowling alley and office space for a catering company, but would not name the tenants.

Carter said Streets is expected to open in November 2011. The project was originally supposed to open in late 2009.

Carter already had a traditionally structured land loan for $170 million from Bank of America and $150 million in other funding from CBRE Investors. The project got another $20 million in private funds from Carter and three business partners, he said.

Buckhead Coalition President Sam Massell said the announcement that construction could resume next month is a blessing to the neighborhood.

“It’s very meaningful because it’s really become a focal point of our community and it has great potential for benefit to the surrounding area," he said. "Great developments have always required faith on the part of the investor, and the public hopefully will have faith in Ben Carter.”

[Ocklawaha]

Dirt, lots and lots of dirt, a freaking mountain of dirt is moving in the SW corner of I-95 and International Golf Parkway in WGV! WTF? Anyone know?


OCKLAWAHA

[St. Auggie]

Ock, what I have been told is they are "working" on the site to maintain their permit.  I am not in construction, just have heard from folks who are.  No building for some time.

[reednavy]

No building for some time to say the least. The # of homes and residents they expected will not materialize for many more years now, and there is no need for a development of this size to begin with right now. It'd just be adding more commercial space in an already more than saturated market.

[St. Auggie]

Reed,  I would disagree w/ regards to what was proposed at the SW corner of IGP and 95.  That was going to be basically a stripmall w/ big box retailers.  Between the residents of 210, WGV, 16 and Palencia you have more than enough.  Maybe not for the mall/Esplanade, but def. for a big box strip mall.  LOTS of people live out that way.