Midrise Infill Downtown Project Moving Forward

[Metro Jacksonville]

Midrise Infill Downtown Project Moving Forward



Beneficial Communities, a Sarasota-based affordable housing developer, is moving forward with plans to construct a 7-story, 72-unit apartment building in LaVilla.

This week, the developer will go before the Downtown Development Review Board (DDRB), requesting Final Design Review that includes a deviation from the city's 60' height restriction to allow for the 88' tall structure and a reduction in required parking from 139 to 53 vehicle spaces. Here's a look at what Beneficial has in store for downtown Jacksonville. Let us know what you think.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-dec-midrise-infill-downtown-project-moving-forward

[simms3]

Great project.  This is exactly the kind of infill that will make a difference.

[whyisjohngalt]

Well that's just great

[avonjax]

I like it

[coredumped]

Why is there a height restriction? What is it trying to protect, the surface parking lot views?

[jaxjaguar]

This is awesome. My only concern is the limited parking. I understand this is a senior facility, but I feel like providing half the required parking continues putting money into surface lot owners hands... Maybe I don't know enough about senior living and that number is good though. Regardless, any kind of affordable housing downtown is good. Hopefully this spark continues to grow.

[Kay]

Not thrilled with the design or demolishing the cool historic structure.  The use is great and am totally fine with parking reduction.

[gedo3]

Sounds like a good possibility.  But I'm wondering about pricing ("affordable" is obviously relative).  Also...are the dumpsters only on the ground floor--and people will have to take garbage down?  That could be a problem particularly with seniors.

[Dapperdan]

It will most likely be a garbage chute system on each floor.

[acme54321]

All things considered I think this is a positive.  Unless they demo the existing structure then never build anything....

[UNFurbanist]

Overall good stuff I think. The loss of an old building is unfortunate but I get it. The use however perplexes me. Aren't there already a ton of senior living facilities in the Cathedral district? I really wish some more developments were being planned for millennials in mind because that's really who is going to liven up downtown and frequent businesses. I've always thought that LaVilla could be built into a really cool neighborhood for the "creative class". At least in the south where all the vacant lots are, we need to preserve the history too so the northern part should really center around Jax's awesome African American history, the Ritz theatre and the great musical culture that it generates. Just my personal vision for LaVilla at least.

[thelakelander]

This project is being built with federal tax credits. I'm not sure the program that makes this project feasible is applicable to regular DT housing.

[IrvAdams]

Awesome. And at seven stores high, it will be tall enough to be noticed from quite a distance, and encourage more re-development in an area that needs it. Also, as the description says, only a short walk from many downtown destinations.

I like the looks of the future of DT.

[Jason]

Holy cow!  Where did this come from? 

Looks like it will be a nice fit in LaVilla!!

[acme54321]

I like that it doesn't look like the concrete box 70's/80's retirement towers that are in the catherdral district and Riverside.  I think this will blend in much better with whatever is built around it.