Khan, Jaguars expect Lot J development to begin early 2020

[thelakelander]

Lot J is in Gaffney's district, so I'd suspect that he'd definitely be in favor of it.

[jaxlongtimer]

Lot J is in Gaffney's district, so I'd suspect that he'd definitely be in favor of it.

I don't see that it will do much for the voters in his district.  Has he demanded a slice of this project to benefit his constituents directly?  Many may actually be cynical about or otherwise opposed to Lot J.  How much has the Eastside benefited from the Jags so far?  I bet Eastside residents are wondering where their millions in City infrastructure and other investments are.

A big fallacy of Trump's Opportunity Zones (Lot J is in one) is it's another huge giveaway (this time from the Feds who waive 100% of  income taxes on gains) to Khan (and other developers like Trump and his son-in-law, Kurshner) , that the City should also be taking into account as a major incentive.  There are no requirements (such as minority or small business set-asides, area hiring, reinvesting increases in property taxes in the Zones, etc.) for investors to do anything for the residents of said census tracts.  Many residents may actually be losers as the Zones will accelerate gentrification for areas already primed for redevelopment.

[thelakelander]

Lot J is in Gaffney's district, so I'd suspect that he'd definitely be in favor of it.

I don't see that it will do much for the voters in his district.  Has he demanded a slice of this project to benefit his constituents directly?  Many may actually be cynical about or otherwise opposed to Lot J.  How much has the Eastside benefited from the Jags so far?  I bet Eastside residents are wondering where their millions in City infrastructure and other investments are.

A big fallacy of Trump's Opportunity Zones (Lot J is in one) is it's another huge giveaway (this time from the Feds who waive 100% of  income taxes on gains) to Khan (and other developers like Trump and his son-in-law, Kurshner) , that the City should also be taking into account as a major incentive.  There are no requirements (such as minority or small business set-asides, area hiring, reinvesting increases in property taxes in the Zones, etc.) for investors to do anything for the residents of said census tracts.  Many residents may actually be losers as the Zones will accelerate gentrification for areas already primed for redevelopment.

I'm assisting a group of Eastsiders that want to withintrify as opposed to gentrify. A big part of that revolves around community organizing and getting in front of development opportunities before they swallow your community up. A major goal of the Eastside is to see A. Philip Randolph be able to develop as a pedestrian friendly commercial district where those seeking an authentic Black Jacksonville cultural experience can find one. More events and people in the Sports District (and assuming a Soccer stadium is built north of the expressway) provides that strip with a solid anchor on the south end.

The vision there, also complements the stuff being proposed in the Sports District. For those who get tired of chain restaurants and food at Lot J, an APR with local businesses offering authentic BBQ, soul food, seafood, etc. could position itself well as a nearby complementary alternative. The more businesses can flourish there, the more likely they'll create jobs and hire from within the community. The more the dollar can begin to recycle in the community before leaving it, the higher the opportunity for inclusive economic prosperity for residents will become. As the area becomes more economically sustainable, its influence with politicians at city hall will increase.

As for Gaffney, Lot J being in his district is probably enough for him to support it. How it may or may not benefit people living north of the expressway is another discussion altogether.

[jaxlongtimer]

^ Lake, are you getting any support from the Jags?  the City? Gaffney?

[thelakelander]

I wouldn't call any of them the leaders but none of them are objecting. I would say the mayor's office and council must be in support. They've approved deals to bring the armory back online, a soccer stadium north of the expressway, and a plan to retrofit the Union Terminal Warehouse into a mixed use development. All three of those projects can help the community with coordinated planning or gentrify it without coordination.

With that said, I'm not leading the effort either. I'm just helping a larger coalition of people in the corporate, nonprofit, planning, and public government volunteering to work with the community to ensure inclusive revitalization and preservation of the neighborhood's historic sense of place. With LaVilla and Brooklyn as prime examples, we know what can happen when there's no effort to get in front of the development push. Hopefully being proactive pays off for Historic Eastside.

[Ken_FSU]

Gaffney has been talking to Zed Smith (COO of Cordish) quite a bit about the Eastside.

They were supposed to take a tour together late last week, though I have no clue if it actually happened.

What Lake is describing is exactly what Cordish told Gaffney. That their projects tended to have positive spillover into surrounding neighborhoods when people start looking for a less big-box experience in the area.

If this Cordish relationship does turn into a multi-phase ordeal, would love to see us do what Kansas City has started doing.

They're basically requiring that Cordish take on affordable housing projects in the area in exchange for subsidizing the luxury stuff:

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2018/03/23/cordish-three-light-subsidy-affordable-housing.html

[thelakelander]

In terms of the Eastside, I see projects like The Doro, Union Terminal Warehouse, Made at Armory and the Armada soccer stadium having a bigger impact than Cordish and Lot J. Basically because of their proximity and likeliness to be completed well before Lot J comes online in 2027. When I think about it, the sum of their parts are also much larger than Lot J in terms of residential, office and commercial space.

However, whatever happens at Lot J and east of Hogans Creek is a positive by bringing in more people to the area on a consistent basis, Most of these projects are being proposed on sites that were either surface parking, empty or underutilized. In the long run, everything will begin to cluster together and as that happens, the neighborhood has an economic opportunity to benefit from better utilizing its complementary assets (ex. architecture, history, culture, streetscape, residents, etc.). This is something I think the Mayor's Office and Jags have failed to understand in a manner to where they could use it to sell Lot J a bit better.

[jaxlongtimer]

^ I thought a lot of these types of benefits for the Eastside were hoped for when we landed the Jags and rebuilt the stadium (and the arena and the baseball grounds).  What's the addition of Dailey's done for the area?  To add, the Jags and the Landing were supposed to boost Downtown - more misses.

This is Jacksonville and nothing has really changed.  And, with the Mayor we have, I believe everything is promised to seduce, not to deliver.  So, I guess I am very skeptical that you will find what you are looking for here.  Especially when the whole Lot J proposal is vague and specious.  Not off to a very good start.  The vision is great/amazing and deserving but I hope Eastsiders aren't getting taken for a ride.

I might see this as possible if Khan/Cordish and the Mayor had a public event/action that specifically said $x million are going to be spent to implement the Eastside vision.  How about starting with a City approved master plan for the entire Eastside?  Only thing I have seen is millions to move MOSH to the Shipyards which seems to be much more of interest to Curry and Khan than the Eastside.

One has to also consider that Kahn (and, vicariously, the Eastside) is soaking up $245 million of limited City resources.  Eastsiders will be competing with other parts of town for a share of the leftover scraps.

[thelakelander]

^ I thought a lot of these types of benefits for the Eastside were hoped for when we landed the Jags and rebuilt the stadium (and the arena and the baseball grounds).  What's the addition of Dailey's done for the area?  To add, the Jags and the Landing were supposed to boost Downtown - more misses.

This is Jacksonville and nothing has really changed.  And, with the Mayor we have, I believe everything is promised to seduce, not to deliver.  So, I guess I am very skeptical that you will find what you are looking for here.  Especially when the whole Lot J proposal is vague and specious.  Not off to a very good start.  The vision is great/amazing and deserving but I hope Eastsiders aren't getting taken for a ride.

Biggest difference I see is that four of these five projects (with 575 residential units) are actually in the Eastside:

• The Doro (2023 completion date) - 247 residential units
• Union Terminal Warehouse (2023 completion date) - 228 residential units
• The Armory Flats (? completion date) - 100 residential units
• Made at the Armory - Food Hall
• Jacksonville Armada FC (2025 completion date) - 10,000 seat stadium and 175,000 SF of commercial space

There's a possibility of at least 1,000 people living along East Union and APR before the Lot J site is even close to being clean. The Union Terminal Warehouse project is so big that it is expected to create 200 permanent jobs. In addition, the expressway that cut it off from the waterfront is also a blessing in a weird way, in that APR and the Eastside have prime frontage and an interchange on the busiest east/west corridor in the urban core. So the Eastside's vision and timeline to respond to infill development isn't dependent on the Jags, Mayor Curry or Lot J.

I might see this as possible if Khan/Cordish and the Mayor had a public event/action that specifically said $x million are going to be spent to implement the Eastside vision.  How about starting with a City approved master plan for the entire Eastside?  Only thing I have seen is millions to move MOSH to the Shipyards which seems to be much more of interest to Curry and Khan than the Eastside.

The Eastside has had several master plans over the last 30 years. There's a general vision already in place. Now it just needs to be implemented.

One has to also consider that Kahn (and, vicariously, the Eastside) is soaking up $245 million of limited City resources.  Eastsiders will be competing with other parts of town for a share of the leftover scraps.

Regardless of Lot J, there's already enough going on in the Eastside that it needs to organize and take advantage of the existing opportunities it has. If it does not, it will be well on its way to gentrifying before the first overpriced freezer burnt chicken wing is served at Lot J. Yet, if Lot J happens, I'm sure there will be a push to include job opportunities for local JSEBs and residents during the construction phase and at the businesses that will be located there.  In the meantime, the community should focus on what's at hand, preserving its landmarks, supporting its existing business base and perhaps pursuing a zoning overlay to protect itself from being overrun with incompatible Brooklyn-style infill development.

[marcuscnelson]

So the NAACP is out.

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/12/04/jacksonville-naacp-says-it-cant-back-lot-j-development-deal/

Here's their letter.

[thelakelander]

I imagine they could care less what the NAACP thinks about the project. I wonder if they also sent a letter to Gaffney and what he'd say to them in response.

[tufsu1]

Midtown Tampa has been mentioned in this discussion - here's an update

https://www.83degreesmedia.com/devnews/mixed-use-development-project-transforms-midtown-Tampa-111720.aspx

[marcuscnelson]

^ Apparently that extra $50 million is giving a lot more bang. 

[thelakelander]

Hmm...you just gave me an easy idea for a front page story tomorrow....

Midtown: What $500 million will get you in Tampa

[Steve]

(according to Jax Daily Record's Mike Mendenhall)

Jaguars President Mark Lamping said the Jaguars have been, "a free agent team" since he purchased the team in 2012.

Wow.