First Baptist Ready To Sell Nine Blocks of Downtown Jax

[thelakelander]

The national trend of declining church attendance has finally impacted Downtown Jacksonville. Struggling to maintain 1.5 million square feet of space, the First Baptist Church approved plans to sell off nine blocks of its urban campus in order to survive.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/first-baptist-ready-to-sell-nine-blocks-of-downtown-jax/

[Tacachale]

Some very interesting potential uses for these properties. Let's hope it moves forward in a positive way for everyone involved. Putting 2 auditoriums on the market is really a *huge* change.

I'm less thrilled about demolishing the old Sunday School building for smaller new one with a fancy entrance, but maybe they'll be amenable to working on that.

[Bill Hoff]

Just saw 125 West Church on Google street view. It would be a shame to lose another perfectly functional, historic building with character.

[thelakelander]

Yea, I'm not exactly sure why it is believed that the demolition or modern mid-block entrance is needed. If gathering space is needed, I hope some additional creativity is explored, including revamping the streetscape and sidewalk width of Hogan and Church Streets. Doing so would likely reduce the amount of loan money the financially struggling institution would need to restore the Hobson Block.

[Steve]

The other thing that makes no sense is I'm assuming the plan is to keep the garage on that block, so wouldn't a more urban-centric welcome center that ties into the garage make more sense? Like....do something INSIDE the existing building accessible from both the street and the garage?

[Tacachale]

Yea, I'm not exactly sure why it is believed that the demolition or modern mid-block entrance is needed. If gathering space is needed, I hope some additional creativity is explored, including revamping the streetscape and sidewalk width of Hogan and Church Streets. Doing so would likely reduce the amount of loan money the financially struggling institution would need to restore the Hobson Block.

Thinking of what I remember of the building and what it looks like from the image, I wonder if they're planning on configuring the Hobson church to open from the back, and have the entrance coming in from that new welcome center. I'm not sure how it's configured now but you'd think it would be just as easy to have it open from the street.

[Tacachale]

The FAQs are interesting. They appear to be focusing more on their suburban campuses for future growth. It also sounds like First Baptist Academy isn't long for this world, at least Downtown.

What happens if membership grows more? How do we fit them in the Hobson?

We are praying that our church will grow, and we expect that we will. Our plan is to accommodate growth through multiple services and multiple locations.

...

What will happen to the Academy?

We are working with the head of school and the FBA board on transitional and long-term plans for the school.

https://www.fbcjax.com/thestorycontinues

[thelakelander]

^That building, block and adjacent garage would quickly get gobbled up by a charter school or college, IMO.

[vicupstate]

A massive opportunity to be sure. That said, I could see it mostly being a missed opportunity.

Some buildings and parcels would lend themselves to a quick sale, like 2 & 7. Hard to see a buyer for the garages except the city. 

Seems like a 10,000 seat Auditorium could be turn into something significant like a Conference/Convention Center but we all know what the future of that is.   

[Kerry]

A massive opportunity to be sure. That said, I could see it mostly being a missed opportunity.

Some buildings and parcels would lend themselves to a quick sale, like 2 & 7. Hard to see a buyer for the garages except the city. 

Seems like a 10,000 seat Auditorium could be turn into something significant like a Conference/Convention Center but we all know what the future of that is.   

Yea, I'm not holding my breath for any great outcome.  Without the Sunday church crowd the parking garages are completely worthless and that is half of the properties.

[Ken_FSU]

You hear the term "catalytic" a lot in terms of big-ticket developments like the Shipyards and the District, but this is the real deal right here.

Nine blocks becoming available, perhaps at once, in the most strategically important corridor in downtown Jacksonville.

I hope First Baptist and JEA are talking, as the JEA tower could be an amazing complimentary redevelopment for whatever happens with FBC.

I wonder if Atkins would be interested in modifying his old JEA plan to include some of the FBC property:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/atkins-wants-more-urban-core-development

[Steve]

You hear the term "catalytic" a lot in terms of big-ticket developments like the Shipyards and the District, but this is the real deal right here.

Nine blocks becoming available, perhaps at once, in the most strategically important corridor in downtown Jacksonville.

I hope First Baptist and JEA are talking, as the JEA tower could be an amazing complimentary redevelopment for whatever happens with FBC.

I wonder if Atkins would be interested in modifying his old JEA plan to include some of the FBC property:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/atkins-wants-more-urban-core-development

I'd agree. This is truly a once in a generational thing that's coming open - 8 blocks in the core of downtown doesn't happen often. While I honestly don't think the mayor is going to be that focused on it (let him play with his Lot J), this could be WAY more impactful.

If done right.

[acme54321]

A massive opportunity to be sure. That said, I could see it mostly being a missed opportunity.

Some buildings and parcels would lend themselves to a quick sale, like 2 & 7. Hard to see a buyer for the garages except the city. 

Seems like a 10,000 seat Auditorium could be turn into something significant like a Conference/Convention Center but we all know what the future of that is.   

Yea, I'm not holding my breath for any great outcome.  Without the Sunday church crowd the parking garages are completely worthless and that is half of the properties.

I think those garages would be pretty valuable to whoever is buying the other parcels.  Probably more valuable than the auditorium itself because it's essentially a massive single use building that is way to big for that use, hence the sale.  Whoever redevelops the other parcels is going to need parking like it or not.

[vicupstate]

A massive opportunity to be sure. That said, I could see it mostly being a missed opportunity.

Some buildings and parcels would lend themselves to a quick sale, like 2 & 7. Hard to see a buyer for the garages except the city. 

Seems like a 10,000 seat Auditorium could be turn into something significant like a Conference/Convention Center but we all know what the future of that is.   

Yea, I'm not holding my breath for any great outcome.  Without the Sunday church crowd the parking garages are completely worthless and that is half of the properties.

I think those garages would be pretty valuable to whoever is buying the other parcels.  Probably more valuable than the auditorium itself because it's essentially a massive single use building that is way to big for that use, hence the sale.  Whoever redevelops the other parcels is going to need parking like it or not.

A major office building on Block 5 could use the garage in Block 4 or Block 8 in theory.  But if you are going to build an office building that big, why would you put it there? Brooklyn, LaVilla, the now vacant City Hall/courthouse site or even Lot J would be more appealing.  And those parcels would not require an expensive demo and debris removal that Block 5 requires.   

[Captain Zissou]

3 of the 9 blocks are for parking, and each other block is at worst diagonal from said parking garages.  You COULD put in another Wells Fargo Tower, BofA tower, Everbank building, Vystar tower, whatever the Wachovia building is called now, and a BB&T building on the remaining 6 with the necessary parking mostly already there. 

This property essentially frees up an additional ~50% of the CBD for development.  Huge news.