Levels: A Look at Laveranues Coles Plans for Downtown

[blizz01]

On which endeavor?

[DDC]

What did I miss? The strip club is for a place that already was a strip club in the past. What has this got to do with downtown? Other than he is doing nothing with it?

[thelakelander]

Update on another Coles endeavor:

FSU Alum Laveranues Coles Looks to open Jax Showbar 

Full article: http://floridapolitics.com/archives/190639-fsu-alum-laveranues-coles-looks-to-open-jax-showbar

[downtownbrown]

I think Coles has pulled the plug.

Well, the dumpster has been removed from the front of Levels, and no work is going on inside as far as I can tell.  Maybe he needs some money.  Unless Khan and the city reach an accord soon, the whole elbow seems at risk in the short term.  As usual, hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

[urbanlibertarian]

"... the whole elbow seems at risk in the short term."

Hmmm.  Hourglass seems to be doing fine.  TSI is being replaced by something that looks promising.  Marks is experimenting with Sunday hours.  Olio is experimenting with evening hours.  Underbelly, 1904, Burro Bar, Indochine and Dos Gatos chugging right along.  Burrito Gallery expanding.  Future looks bright to me with or without shipyards development.

[downtownbrown]

"... the whole elbow seems at risk in the short term."

Hmmm.  Hourglass seems to be doing fine.  TSI is being replaced by something that looks promising.  Marks is experimenting with Sunday hours.  Olio is experimenting with evening hours.  Underbelly, 1904, Burro Bar, Indochine and Dos Gatos chugging right along.  Burrito Gallery expanding.  Future looks bright to me with or without shipyards development.

hope you are right. 

[thelakelander]

Rip out that courthouse parking deck and throw an exhibition hall on the old courthouse site and that area will be fine for decades, with or without the Shipyards.

[Charles Hunter]

Drove by this morning, and it looks like the dumpster is back.

[thelakelander]

Coles is out. Insetta is back in.

Insetta gets back Bay Street building

By Karen Brune Mathis

Restaurateur Jonathan Insetta, who operates two high-profile neighborhood restaurants with another in progress Downtown, now has another building available on the Northbank.
Retired NFL wide receiver Laveranues Coles Jr. conveyed the Downtown building he bought from the Insettas back to the family.

Coles had planned the Levels Nightclub at the 323-325 E. Bay St. structure, but stopped work on it. He declined comment Tuesday, but said he could share information later.

Insetta said Tuesday he doesn't have immediate plans for the structure and might put it back on the market.

"We've always liked the building," he said. "It's in great condition. Bay Street is kind of coming into its own."

Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546633

[JaxJersey-licious]

^^^ What a shame since it looked like his company put a lot of work into that building and could hopefully fetch some decent offers when put back in the market. At least Laveraneus Coles didn't partake in DIA retail grant $$

And speaking of stalled projects, whats the latest on the project at 120 E. Forsyth? 

[JaxJersey-licious]

And what also sucks about this is that Dive Bar is also shuttered creating an extended dead zone between Mark's and the Hourglass Pub. Although that will be remedied some what with the TSI renovation, connectivity is vital for that area to thrive as an enteratinment district.

[thelakelander]

^^^ What a shame since it looked like his company put a lot of work into that building and could hopefully fetch some decent offers when put back in the market. At least Laveraneus Coles didn't partake in DIA retail grant $$

And speaking of stalled projects, whats the latest on the project at 120 E. Forsyth? 

I think that one is up in smoke.

[coredumped]

And what also sucks about this is that Dive Bar is also shuttered creating an extended dead zone between Mark's and the Hourglass Pub. Although that will be remedied some what with the TSI renovation, connectivity is vital for that area to thrive as an enteratinment district.

What? When did DiveBar close???

[UNFurbanist]

I really hope that this makes way for someone with a renewed vision to come in and capitalize on these spots. I see the Elbow as having huge potential and it is already pretty good but it's all about understanding what the market needs/wants and adding it to the mix.

[jaxlore]

I am not sure what its going to take to re-energize the elbow, but its needs something. So far the same ideas keep getting rehashed over and over again(a lot of $$$ gets spent on a club/bar build-out and then whoever runs the place cant get people to fill it). I am hoping the new bistro and club will energize things a bit when it opens fingers crossed. Maybe Bold City will bring some energy down there as well.