The Jacksonville Landing's Redevelopment Plan

[jaxjaguar]

The garage did collapse and it killed 1 person and injured 21 others. One of the reasons it sat so long was because our legal system nationwide sucks...

[Anti redneck]

Either way, that should be top priority. It's an embarrassment to have that sitting there for so long.

[tpot]

Just a quick note on differences between how Miami and JAX do business deals........as part of the deal negotiated with the Miami Heat playing in the arena, the Heat donate 1 million a year to the city park system, instead of the city paying for say swimming pools and big screens.......if you read about the redevelopment of Bayside in Miami, the investment for the upgrades is coming from private investment and that is on top of the investors giving 10 million upfront to the city and more money in a trust for further development of Miami.......

[edjax]

^^while true, Miami is not some stagnant metropolis either.  Private money follows the glitz and glamour. 

[avonjax]

What will probably happen......they will demolish The Landing and something will happen with financing etc before the new structure gets built and JAX ends up with yet another vacant lot.......

Now where have I heard this before...?

I have said the same....LOL

If history is any guide, what is most likely to happen is that the current Landing structures will be demolished to make way for the new development, but then something will happen and the result will be that the empty land will just sit there for at least a decade.

[Anti redneck]

What will probably happen......they will demolish The Landing and something will happen with financing etc before the new structure gets built and JAX ends up with yet another vacant lot.......

Now where have I heard this before...?

I have said the same....LOL

If history is any guide, what is most likely to happen is that the current Landing structures will be demolished to make way for the new development, but then something will happen and the result will be that the empty land will just sit there for at least a decade.

I think that's what they want to have happen. Screw it up so bad you can't fix it. That's GOB politics for you. Same way with the courthouse. I think Peyton drained all of the money from the BJP solely to that courthouse just so there wouldn't be any money for anything else. I'm sure others can see that as well. Can anyone really be that stupid?

[avonjax]

What will probably happen......they will demolish The Landing and something will happen with financing etc before the new structure gets built and JAX ends up with yet another vacant lot.......

Now where have I heard this before...?

I have said the same....LOL

If history is any guide, what is most likely to happen is that the current Landing structures will be demolished to make way for the new development, but then something will happen and the result will be that the empty land will just sit there for at least a decade.

I think that's what they want to have happen. Screw it up so bad you can't fix it. That's GOB politics for you. Same way with the courthouse. I think Peyton drained all of the money from the BJP solely to that courthouse just so there wouldn't be any money for anything else. I'm sure others can see that as well. Can anyone really be that stupid?

Or maybe the design will follow the pattern of the court house from "OK" to awful. Each new design has gone further into the dumpster for me.
I especially liked the comment that was quoted in the TU yesterday about how this was a nice design because it was setback from the river more and it was lower density.
Maybe I know nothing but lower density sounds more like suburbia to me not a downtown that wants to create 24 hour life.
Sometimes the thinking in this city is it's worst enemy.

[Anti redneck]

^ That's why I hate the Times Union and wish a better newspaper would take its place. *hint, hint*

[thelakelander]

^I believe that was a part of a quote from Terry Lorince at Downtown Vision, Inc. Can't blame the Times Union for that. The theme of the article is about people's views on the project as proposed. Others include Chris Flagg, Ted Pappas, Steve Tocknell, and Steve Lovett.

Lorince said that when a riverfront expert met with her group several years ago, he had several examples of cities with roads running along riverfront promenades.

"I think we still need to see how it relates to the Times-Union Center, where the road is leading, how it impacts other buildings," she said.

"But I think the project continues to evolve," she said. "The renderings are getting better and better. There's more of a setback from the river, there's lower density."

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-08-26/story/jacksonville-landing-proposal-gets-mixed-reviews-non-remarkable-design#ixzz3BgPj4A8W

[KenFSU]

Sanity prevails!

Via the Jax Daily Record:

Thursday update: Jacksonville Civic Council says more work needed on Jacksonville Landing plans

After reviewing the latest redevelopment concept for the Jacksonville Landing, the Jacksonville Civic Council wants a more thorough process before $11.8 million in public money is spent.

In a statement released this morning, Bob Rhodes, chair of the council's Downtown Task Force, said rather than endorsing the proposal, the community should use leading local and national architects and developers though an open design process.

The former Downtown Development Authority chairman went on to say in view of the $11.8 million Mayor Alvin Brown has proposed providing the project, the council supports a more thorough and inclusive process for re-imagining the riverfront retail venue.

"Community engagement with key stakeholders will also ensure that the Landing provides the type of unique downtown venue that our citizens deserve," Rhodes said.

He praised the Downtown Investment Authority's " thoughtful" Business Investment and Development plan recently introduced to City Council.

"As a key component to unlocking the DIA plan, the Jacksonville Landing deserves an equally thoughtful community review process before public dollars are invested," Rhodes said.

He encouraged the DIA to have a review process to "engage the public and capture the expertise of professionals" to create a Downtown destination that reflects the true nature of the city.

"Public investment in the Landing can only occur when a community engagement process is conducted and an iconic design is completed and presented," Rhodes said.

The Civic Council comprises more than 60 members from a range of industries and disciplines including banking and financial services, commercial real estate development and management, engineering and design and law.

It has taken on issues such as the city budget and pension reform, promoting Jacksonville as a center for medical care and research and Downtown's renewal.

Read more at:
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=543740

[I-10east]

Sanity prevails!

Amen! I couldn't have said it better.

[JaxNative68]

i still think you can visual open the landing from the river to laura st successfully without touching the current roof line. i can remember the days when the landing was vibrant place to go.  there is no reason it can't be that again, but the owner of the building needs to get off his wallet first and quit waiting for hand outs from the city.

[downtownbrown]

Either way, that should be top priority. It's an embarrassment to have that sitting there for so long.

It's going to happen, and sooner than you think.  I hope.

[02roadking]

Sleiman's got a guy.

Sleiman wants the city to spend $11.8 million to improve the public space surrounding the two redeveloped Landing buildings, estimated at $55 million to $75 million.
As Sleiman handles the political side, lobbying City Council and working with a supportive Mayor Alvin Brown, Senkbeil will take over the project development.
"He's my point man now. I assigned everything to him," Sleiman said.
That includes bids, development, project construction, "everything," Sleiman said.

From the  http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=543767

[simms3]

More scared than ever.

There is not one comp in Post/Carter/Weeks to the Landing.  There really isn't a comp anywhere in Atlanta.  And I'm pissed that we are going the multifamily route.

This article reads like Tom Senkbeil is a god of real estate.  He's a brilliant guy no doubt, but his background within real estate doesn't seem all too conducive to what I would like to see happen at the Landing.

The article keeps talking about 41 years experience, and how that means all of our problems are solved.  Senkbeil has taken companies public and worked for a public multifamily REIT.  I don't see how that is all that relevant to the Landing unless one wants a Post-like apartment building on that site.

Oh...well apparently people do.  The article posts lots of pictures of examples of Post properties, mentions Four Seasons Residences in DT Austin and Ritz Carlton Residences at 3630 Peachtree in Atlanta, and says this,

During Senkbeil's tenure, all the Post developments were high-density, mixed-use urban properties.

Errrrrrr, No!!!

This quote bugs me to no end, as well:

He also knows residents like retail. He said 401 Oberlin's retail space includes the Tupelo Honey Café, a Southern restaurant that operates in North and South Carolina, Tennessee and, next year, Atlanta.

Perhaps the Jacksonville Landing? "I'll certainly call them."

Senkbeil said the Landing holds similarities to 401 Oberlin, saying both are high-density projects with "high-quality multifamily properties" and structured parking.

OMFG

Here is 401 Oberlin (same source, from link):




Shoot me now.



People of Jax, you are being duped.  With the multi route, everyone is giving up.  The easy route is to put up "urban" multi wrapped around a garage (that fabulous "structured parking" that seems to be a perk and automatically means "urban" nowadays in the south), throw in a bit of retail, calling on a couple of contacts who represent businesses not yet in NE FL (but undoubtedly on way since everyone who is "new" is really trying to expand into a successful chain) to say "we put in restaurants new to the area" a la Tupelo Honey, which I have actual experience putting into a project as well, lol, and telling everyone in Jacksonville the Landing is fixed.

What everyone will get is an ugly stick frame apartment building with 2-3 restaurants and some lawn space, called public space, and boom, we'll be told everyone succeeded finally in turning the place around.


YOU GUYS ARE BEING SOLD A BILL OF GOODS!!!!!!  BEWARE