Wells Fargo Building Lobby Renovation

[FlaBoy]

This is a small but possibly significant improvement if we could get some street retail/restaurants facing Laura and Bay, especially in the retail next to the Wells Fargo bank location on Laura. That would actually be a pretty cool place for a restaurant with outdoor seating there. Possibility for a lot more interaction rather than dead space especially as Laura picks up.

http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=549794

Lobby improvements are in store for the iconic Wells Fargo Center at 1 Independent Drive Downtown.
As CBRE Group Inc. assumes leasing responsibilities from building owner Banyan Street Capital, the foliage-focused lobby will be redesigned.

CBRE Senior Vice President Kaycee Gardner, part of the leasing team, said architects are being interviewed, so specific designs have not been determined.

She said millennials are a good portion of the workforce and will make up 70 percent by 2020, "so we want to make it easier for employers to attract and retain those millennials."

She said the team wants to develop the 37-story building like a community, offering Wi-Fi and different types of furniture, such as high-top tables and reclaimed wood, and also offer a fitness center and perhaps a game room.

She didn't have a time frame but said the building "defines the skyline" of the city and the goal is to "transform this building to be the best in Downtown."

[thelakelander]

I'd like them to flip the retail storefronts to face Bay and Laura Streets.  That alone would transform the atmosphere of the Wells Fargo lobby level.

[FlaBoy]

I'd like them to flip the retail storefronts to face Bay and Laura Streets.  That alone would transform the atmosphere of the Wells Fargo lobby level.

They wanted it to be a mall originally, correct? They would attract a lot of passers by for their businesses if they were open to the street. It would be great for business and help the stores in there, even if just open during work hours at this point.

[thelakelander]

It was basically an enclosed mall originally:

[Steve]

I'd like them to flip the retail storefronts to face Bay and Laura Streets.  That alone would transform the atmosphere of the Wells Fargo lobby level.

They wanted it to be a mall originally, correct? They would attract a lot of passers by for their businesses if they were open to the street. It would be great for business and help the stores in there, even if just open during work hours at this point.

It was very reminiscent of office towers from the 1970's, and for a few reasons:

- "mall" feel, to your point
- security
- "all in one" building. They were thinking that if they could provide a one stop building for people they'd feel at home and never leave. This also led to taking pedestrians off the street.

In addition, there was also a plan that was in the 1971 master plan where the street level would become for cars, utilities, etc., and the shops would actually be on an elevated, second level. This building would have been able to integrate with this. There's a few other buildings that have this look, like the BB&T building.

[FlaBoy]

I'd like them to flip the retail storefronts to face Bay and Laura Streets.  That alone would transform the atmosphere of the Wells Fargo lobby level.

They wanted it to be a mall originally, correct? They would attract a lot of passers by for their businesses if they were open to the street. It would be great for business and help the stores in there, even if just open during work hours at this point.

It was very reminiscent of office towers from the 1970's, and for a few reasons:

- "mall" feel, to your point
- security
- "all in one" building. They were thinking that if they could provide a one stop building for people they'd feel at home and never leave. This also led to taking pedestrians off the street.

In addition, there was also a plan that was in the 1971 master plan where the street level would become for cars, utilities, etc., and the shops would actually be on an elevated, second level. This building would have been able to integrate with this. There's a few other buildings that have this look, like the BB&T building.

There is a really cool opportunity to have some outdoor seating and things on Laura and Bay St. I hope someone with some influence in this renovation hears this!