New life for Berkman II? Owners seeking Commercial CBD Rezone

[fieldafm]

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2019/04/12/no-ferris-wheel-for-downtown-berkman-ii-site.html?ana=e_jac_bn_breakingnews&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTldRME9ETmtPRFJrTW1OayIsInQiOiJBMmg1NGdFZ0pQcUlTaWliK2UyRXVJRzNnRzB2cHI2Y1wva0xhT3FXY3pya2U4THRjRnpZRVRKR0ZSWGtvdVwvSDNyWm02bmFhWlBoaTBYUmpBcUI1USsxNkVFUFBZbXNxQ0huNUtQdFFQNHB2K2w2YWpaSmhcLzNDQmU4ZW1OZVg5MCJ9

well, that was fun while it lasted.

Well that is not completely shocking whatsoever....

Also, say hello to more surface parking lots along Bay Street and the river:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2019/04/12/no-ferris-wheel-for-downtown-berkman-ii-site.html?ana=e_jac_bn_breakingnews&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTldRME9ETmtPRFJrTW1OayIsInQiOiJBMmg1NGdFZ0pQcUlTaWliK2UyRXVJRzNnRzB2cHI2Y1wva0xhT3FXY3pya2U4THRjRnpZRVRKR0ZSWGtvdVwvSDNyWm02bmFhWlBoaTBYUmpBcUI1USsxNkVFUFBZbXNxQ0huNUtQdFFQNHB2K2w2YWpaSmhcLzNDQmU4ZW1OZVg5MCJ9

The DIA and the developers will also have to figure out a parking solution for the project since the developer will not be building a parking garage.

The parking garage would have been built over the most contaminated portion of the property. Providing a surface lot instead of having to actually dig a foundation for a garage is the cheapest way to remedy that environmental hurdle.



But don't worry, the one-person DIA staff being led by someone that has no professional real estate experience is on it!

https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190408/investor-behind-proposed-berkman-ii-delinquent-in-taxes-in-new-orleans-project

"If it was only a single developer, that might change the equation," said Hughes, who said he learned about the issues that arose in New Orleans before his staff finalized the proposed economic incentive deal. "Given the team and the presentation, the risk is nil for taxpayers."

[fieldafm]

^This is what a dose of reality will do to such projects. It also further points to why it would be a good idea to have a downtown master plan and identified vision for what the city wants to see with its parcels and an identified timeline for incremental implementation. Seems like actually determining what can and can't be done with the shipyards property (and at what cost) is in order. Maybe it should be the "front lawn" some want, assuming that means you don't have to dig up and deal with whatever is under there?

So, you're saying things like having a waterfront master plan, and then having some sort of subsidiary (non-profit, foundation, etc) to manage the implementation, fundraising and programming of said master plan... is something done in cities that have vibrant waterfronts?

Seems as though some might agree with that assessment:
https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190409/mark-woods-if-we-build-front-lawn-what-will-come-of-it

But beyond that, we should have greenspace for the sake of greenspace.

Yes, it needs to be more than a lawn. If we simply replace an orange roof with green grass, we're destined to trade one kind of disappointment for another.

The Jaxson, a multimedia project dedicated to urbanism on the First Coast, summed it up well: "A lawn alone is something people tend to drive past without stopping. Downtown needs spaces that attract people to congregate and spend time in. Great parks can do this, but they also require the inclusion of amenities that go well beyond grass and sidewalk."

Like the Discovery Green in Houston — a 12-acre park that's much more than a lawn.

Discovery Green came with a hefty $125 million price tag, covered partly by philanthropic groups. The Houston Chronicle recently reported that an average of 1.5 million people visit Discovery Green each year, 200 percent more than the park planners imagined — and that the space has become an economic engine, helping to spark a $1.2 billion building boom around it.

All of this leads to a broader, more basic question: What is our plan for the Northbank?

After years of watching little happen on the Northbank, it's understandable to want to see things finally happening. But we need to get this right. Building isn't automatically progress.

Chris Hong's story in Tuesday's paper detailed why we should have concerns about plans for the proposed Berkman II redevelopment. The head of a Mississippi-based firm behind the project, which could receive $36 million in public incentives, owes more $200,000 in delinquent property taxes on a New Orleans condo project, plus another $79,000 to contractors.

Beyond the financial concerns, there is the question of whether the plan itself is right for downtown's riverfront.

This is one example of why some are calling for the city to develop a true master plan, with defined design standards and a clear blueprint for entire waterfront — not just unrelated projects popping up along the river.

[thelakelander]

^Pretty much! Without it, we're likely to end up placing some investments in position that make little sense in the grand scheme of things. So much that in 2029, we'll be questioning what the hell were we thinking in 2019 and proposing spending millions more to dig us out of the hole of previous questionable public investments!

[thelakelander]

With that said, 100 years of heavy industrial use just likely saved taxpayers a bunch of money. That amusement park would have failed just as fast as Flint's AutoWorld.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoWorld_(theme_park)

[fieldafm]

^Pretty much! Without it, we're likely to end up placing some investments in position that make little sense in the grand scheme of things. So much that in 2029, we'll be questioning what the hell were we thinking in 2019 and proposing spending millions more to dig us out of the hole of previous questionable public investments!

You mean like what happened 10 years ago?

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/why-preservation-not-demolition-has-worked-downtown-page-2/

Or like 30 years ago when the downtown merchant association disbanded in protest of locating a convention center a mile away from the core of the city

Or like... nevermind, its Friday... time to be positive

[Kerry]

With that said, 100 years of heavy industrial use just likely saved taxpayers a bunch of money. That amusement park would have failed just as fast as Flint's AutoWorld.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoWorld_(theme_park)

At least Flint had an excuse - their water was contaminated with lead which made them stupid.

[fieldafm]

Brian Hughes, per the Daily Record

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/plan-to-redevelop-berkman-ii-property-with-an-amusement-park-withdrawn

"At this point, the property owners will have the capacity to let the property sit idle for quite some time into the future if they choose," he said.

It wasn't just a few months ago that they were all thumping their chests about 'winning', 'getting stuff done' and 'changing downtown' regarding Berkman.  Generally, someone that is familiar with real estate development, would have been much more cautious with the bravado... but, to each their own.

[thelakelander]

^This will be your story with the courthouse site and Landing property too, if razed. They'll sit empty through the next recession at a minimum.

[Bill Hoff]

Brian Hughes, per the Daily Record

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/plan-to-redevelop-berkman-ii-property-with-an-amusement-park-withdrawn

"At this point, the property owners will have the capacity to let the property sit idle for quite some time into the future if they choose," he said.

It wasn't just a few months ago that they were all thumping their chests about 'winning', 'getting stuff done' and 'changing downtown' regarding Berkman.  Generally, someone that is familiar with real estate development, would have been much more cautious with the bravado... but, to each their own.

Pretty funny. Mark Lamping was just quoted as saying it may be good to just let the Landing site sit idle for a while after the demo too, until things heat up with downtown development.

So, looks like we're going to have some major idle on the Northbank riverfront.

[heights unknown]

I was going to move back to Jacksonville what with all the hoopla in the last 8 months to a year...but.......should I? (Garry can hear a pin drop)

[Kerry]

I was going to move back to Jacksonville what with all the hoopla in the last 8 months to a year...but.......should I? (Garry can hear a pin drop)

If you want a lifestyle of walkable urbanism the answer is No.

[vicupstate]

It wasn't just a few months ago that they were all thumping their chests about 'winning', 'getting stuff done' and 'changing downtown' regarding Berkman

a few months ago as in just before the election?

[thelakelander]

Sounds pretty petty....

In reality though, downtown is pretty screwed if it gets to a point where the majority of leaders in this city don't even question some of the moves being made for fear of retaliation.

Jacksonville City Councilman: Mayor's staffer threatened retaliation for Berkman criticism

A Jacksonville City Council member said Brian Hughes, Mayor Lenny Curry's chief of staff and the interim leader of the Downtown Investment Authority, threatened retaliation against him after he criticized an incentive-rich deal to redevelop downtown's vacant Berkman 2 property, which faces an uncertain future after a Mississippi development firm backed out of the deal last week.

Full article: https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190415/jacksonville-city-councilman-mayors-staffer-threatened-retaliation-for-berkman-criticism

[acme54321]

Shocking.

[vicupstate]

JAX city politics is pretty thugish. Maybe there should be a Charter Amendment to make all city offices nonpartisan. That would take out a lot of this needless rancor.