SJTC's Ben Carter interested in urban development but not in DT Jax

[thelakelander]

Ben Carter may be selling his share of the SJTC soon.  He's also focused on urban development.  However, he's not willing to spend any of his investment money in or near Downtown Jacksonville.

Carter's focus these days, he said, is outlet malls and urban development, including a $75 million deal in Downtown Savannah, Ga.

"I don't feel like a whole lot of regional malls or town centers are needed right now," he said.

Despite the push on Downtown revitalization in Jacksonville, Carter said he isn't interested in pursuing urban projects here — and he's more than familiar with the urban core.

"I'd consider it if there were anybody behind it," he said, "but I'm not interested in being a pioneer. No developer wants to come into a market where's there's not broad support for what you're trying to do."

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2014/03/20/why-ben-carter-is-selling-his-share-of-the-st.html

[fsujax]

Interesting. Broad support from whom, I wonder? I would think there would be broad public support as expressed in the Jax2025 Visioning process that took place. Wonder if he means public support or local government support?

[simms3]

Of course he means public support.  He wants non-recourse financing to do a sizable and risky pioneering deal that can change downtown if it succeeds, but doesn't wipe out his personal net worth if it doesn't.  Kinda' like what Sleiman has said he's going to do with the Landing.  Though I envision Carter really referring to something more significant.

What would eliminate part of the "pioneering" risk is if DB decided to employ thousands of people downtown, especially if they were relocations from elsewhere or new hires locally.

[finehoe]

What would eliminate part of the "pioneering" risk is if DB decided to employ thousands of people downtown, especially if they were relocations from elsewhere or new hires locally.

Who/what is DB?

[tufsu1]

Of course he means public support. 

in other words, somebody please give me a handout.  Thanks but no thanks.  I would prefer smaller-scale organic development downtown, and that's not Mr. Carter's specialty.

[thelakelander]

^Unfortunately, small scale organic development faces the same challenges in downtown. Just recently, Mike Langton stated he would have never moved forward with the Republic Title Building retrofit if some incentives were not involved.

They say, you can't turn a hoe into a housewife.  Well that's literally what we're trying to do with DT Jax after decades of letting her turn tricks for pennies on a dollar.  To a degree, we're going to have to put in some Richard Gere work, money and time to fix her up Pretty Woman style.

Speaking of Carter and Savannah.  Are they giving him money to pull off whatever he's doing there?

[tufsu1]

^ I'm fine giving financial incentives to the right projects and the right developers.

[simms3]

A firm I worked for did a student housing deal in Savannah for SCAD, rehabbing part of the block, and building parking/new construction housing (meant to blend into architecture of surroundings) around some of the old.  I did not work on the deal and am only vaguely familiar with it (little ~$30M deal with 300+ beds and some retail/parking), but I don't think we received incentives from the city.  There may have been *some* historic tax credits (federal), though not likely given the small size/lack of importance of the component that was saved and renovated.

[spuwho]

They say, you can't turn a hoe into a housewife.  Well that's literally what we're trying to do with DT Jax after decades of letting her turn tricks for pennies on a dollar.  To a degree, we're going to have to put in some Richard Gere work, money and time to fix her up Pretty Woman style.

Mining Netflix recently?

Saying that Jacksonville compares with the Miss Vivian? A big smile, but no manners?

[ronchamblin]

At least two significant things are necessary to force the Jax city core to emerge from its current stagnation, to a condition of progress toward revitalization.

Because of the great difficulty of the task of achieving revitalization, as everything seems to be against it, the city must garner assets, both physical and mental, so as to approach a condition we might call a war footing.  The war footing attitude requires that all citizens contribute and sacrifice with great dedication so that the goal of revitalization can be achieved.

The war footing can only be achieved through the efforts of a great leader, preferably a leader with qualities approaching that of a dictator.  Only then will all citizens sense and act upon necessities as if they were at war.

War is difficult.  Obviously, revitalization of our city core is difficult.  Therefore, it seems reasonable to suggest that we elect a strong leader (Mayor) so that the war can be won, else we continue to meander in mediocrity.  I want war !!

[finehoe]

They say, you can't turn a hoe into a housewife. 

I can vouch for that.

[mtraininjax]

Carter was chairman of a Downtown taskforce put together by then-Mayor John Peyton, and he is also participated in another Downtown panel coordinated by Mayor Alvin Brown and chaired by Preston Haskell.

He said he provided a number of suggestions in both experiences, but none of them were ever implemented.

"I'd consider it if there were anybody behind it," he said, "but I'm not interested in being a pioneer. No developer wants to come into a market where's there's not broad support for what you're trying to do."

Please be on our task force, produce ideas...........we'll get back to you because we think we are smarter than you. ->slap in the face of Ben Carter. His property on the southside expected to fetch 750 million, he doesn't need that from Mayor Brown.

What Brown has been doing has not worked yet, I'm with Ron, we need a change, not more of the same.

[Steve]

I'm not going to sit here and say that Mayor Brown has been a downtown God, but we've had more happen downtown in his 3 years than Peyton's 8.

[Tacachale]

^And he'll take credit for every bit of it, whether he had any part in it or not.

[Steve]

When you're the CEO of a company, you get credit for everything that happens, good or bad.