San Marco's Florida Baptist site to become apartments

[jaxjaguar]

Anyone know if this is still happening? This would be an excellent compliment to the new apartments going in behind tidbits.

[MusicMan]

Saw an "AVAILABLE"  sign on the property the other day and wondered what was up.

[edjax]

Is this project completely dead?

[remc86007]

I'm pretty sure I recently saw a dumpster outside that had stuff in it like they were clearing it out.

[acme54321]

Went by earlier and there was an empty dumpster next to the building.  It looked like it had recently been put there but was pretty small.  No other signs of life though.

[acme54321]

Yesterday I noticed the new dumpster was full and a second empty had been delivered.  So something is going on, but nothing major.

[Tacachale]

If East San Marco couldn't pull off mixed use, it's hard to imagine this one pulling it off.

[MusicMan]

Reading this entire thread from the beginning, the initial announcement was August 2016. This being Jacksonville, expect demo and site prep in 2 years, August 2020....  Seriously, why pay over $6 million and then let it sit?

On a related note, the old Morton's Steakhouse location at 1510 Peninsula closed last week. $1.7 million and being re-developed for a December reopen into high end OBGYN offices.

[jaxnyc79]

Reading this entire thread from the beginning, the initial announcement was August 2016. This being Jacksonville, expect demo and site prep in 2 years, August 2020....  Seriously, why pay over $6 million and then let it sit?

On a related note, the old Morton's Steakhouse location at 1510 Peninsula closed last week. $1.7 million and being re-developed for a December reopen into high end OBGYN offices.

I was wondering the same thing.  Is there some way it's within Jax's power to compel these landowners to do more.  I was just reading about the Boston Redevelopment Authority's state-granted powers when parts of Boston were in dire straits in the late 1950s.  Its mandate was to seize neglected property and put it back into productive use.  Most agree that it's worked and Boston is probably the best it's ever been - some argue that the powers should end because the city no longer needs such drastic measures.  Also, to keep the BRA accountable to voters, I believe they're directly installed voters. 

So imagine - Jacksonville Downtown Redevelopment Authority - power to seize neglected properties throughout the core and put back into productive use (with a focus on walkability and street-activation) - Duval County Voters vote for the Authority.  Now that's transformational. 

[edjax]

Reading this entire thread from the beginning, the initial announcement was August 2016. This being Jacksonville, expect demo and site prep in 2 years, August 2020....  Seriously, why pay over $6 million and then let it sit?

On a related note, the old Morton's Steakhouse location at 1510 Peninsula closed last week. $1.7 million and being re-developed for a December reopen into high end OBGYN offices.

I was wondering the same thing.  Is there some way it's within Jax's power to compel these landowners to do more.  I was just reading about the Boston Redevelopment Authority's state-granted powers when parts of Boston were in dire straits in the late 1950s.  Its mandate was to seize neglected property and put it back into productive use.  Most agree that it's worked and Boston is probably the best it's ever been - some argue that the powers should end because the city no longer needs such drastic measures.  Also, to keep the BRA accountable to voters, I believe they're directly installed voters. 

So imagine - Jacksonville Downtown Redevelopment Authority - power to seize neglected properties throughout the core and put back into productive use (with a focus on walkability and street-activation) - Duval County Voters vote for the Authority.  Now that's transformational.

Well the COJ doesn't exactly have a great track record of getting property it already owns reactivated.   So I'm not sure I'd wish too hard to go this route.

[jaxnyc79]

Reading this entire thread from the beginning, the initial announcement was August 2016. This being Jacksonville, expect demo and site prep in 2 years, August 2020....  Seriously, why pay over $6 million and then let it sit?

On a related note, the old Morton's Steakhouse location at 1510 Peninsula closed last week. $1.7 million and being re-developed for a December reopen into high end OBGYN offices.

I was wondering the same thing.  Is there some way it's within Jax's power to compel these landowners to do more.  I was just reading about the Boston Redevelopment Authority's state-granted powers when parts of Boston were in dire straits in the late 1950s.  Its mandate was to seize neglected property and put it back into productive use.  Most agree that it's worked and Boston is probably the best it's ever been - some argue that the powers should end because the city no longer needs such drastic measures.  Also, to keep the BRA accountable to voters, I believe they're directly installed voters. 

So imagine - Jacksonville Downtown Redevelopment Authority - power to seize neglected properties throughout the core and put back into productive use (with a focus on walkability and street-activation) - Duval County Voters vote for the Authority.  Now that's transformational.

Well the COJ doesn't exactly have a great track record of getting property it already owns reactivated.   So I'm not sure I'd wish too hard to go this route.

I understand that point - but if you had a body solely focused on urban core land use and redevelopment and that body was elected by voters and had voters to answer  to - don't you think land-use repurposing and redevelopment would be operating under a very different set of drivers and the circumstance would force a great deal more activity?  Also, just the fact that such a body exists could spur more existing private landowners to actually do more with the property once in possession of it.  I understand the reasons to doubt this approach, like such a heavy hand from government might discourage or repel private interest and investment, but I just thought the Boston experience was quite an interesting one.

[aubureck]

Drove by yesterday and several of the windows on the different floors were open (didn't even know those things could open).  It appears something is happening on the building, probably cleaning it out.

[thelakelander]

^What project site did you drive by?

[acme54321]

^What project site did you drive by?

The "tower" on the Florida Baptist site.  The top story windows have been open for a while, at least during the day.

[bl8jaxnative]

4 - 6 weeks they had a contractor on site drilling and doing soil testing.   Throw in the dumpster and open windows and it would appear something is going on.  Maybe the owner preparing the property for sale?



BTw - Does anyone have details on the new apartments / condos going in just norht of there on the other side of I95?