Doro Fixture Site to be demolished, replaced with Apartments/Retail

[jaxjags]

I wish they used more red brick at the corners to better match the arena. I also hope the "alley" concept comes to fruition. This will take city approval and agreement with Manifest, but adds character to the area and can help blend this area to lot J (if it ever gets built).

[fieldafm]

I wish they used more red brick at the corners to better match the arena. I also hope the "alley" concept comes to fruition. This will take city approval and agreement with Manifest, but adds character to the area and can help blend this area to lot J (if it ever gets built).

A point of clarification, that street is an abandoned right of way that is now owned by private parties. Part of the Manifest/Intuition property line extends slightly past that section of the sidewalk, and the rest of that area is owned by the current (and will convey to future) owners of the Doro complex.  The City does not own that portion of the road.

Except for maintaining downtown design standards for the streetscape (which will be part of the DDRB review), there is no other city approval or agreement needed with either Manifest nor Intuition.

[bl8jaxnative]

The ironic thing is this development is right next door to one of the best examples we have of rehabilitation and reuse (Intuition)  I was in Charleston last week (first time) and was absolutely blown away. I've all but given up that we will ever sniff the work done in Charleston and Savannah.

No worries, in a hundred years we'll have a building just as historically insignificant as the one they're looking to remove.  Added bonus we'll have a century of actual, valuable use.    Over that hundred years the city and school district stands to collect $20million more in taxes than from the current structure.

[MusicMan]

Looks like $2.5 million was paid for the block where Doro sits in 2016. No doubt that was discussed on a related thread. That's a lot of money for an acre and a half.....

[Ken_FSU]

3-2 approval by the DDRB.

https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20200312/eight-story-apartment-building-approved-for-jacksonvillersquos-sport-complex

[vicupstate]

Prediction: the Doro buildings will be demolished in the near future. Then the economic downturn will put the new construction on hold.

[Peter Griffin]

Prediction: the Doro buildings will be demolished in the near future. Then the economic downturn will put the new construction on hold.

My therapist calls this "catastrophizing" and says it's bad for your mental health 

[Tacachale]

Prediction: the Doro buildings will be demolished in the near future. Then the economic downturn will put the new construction on hold.

My therapist calls this "catastrophizing" and says it's bad for your mental health 

In Jacksonville we call it "the story of every other empty lot Downtown."

[Kerry]

Prediction: the Doro buildings will be demolished in the near future. Then the economic downturn will put the new construction on hold.

Valid concern. There should be a way to craft a condition that will protect against this in the development order. I can think of a few possible options off the top of my head and I'm sure Lori Boyer and Brenna Durden (both seasoned land use attorneys) at the DIA could figure it out. If the people advocating against this project are resigned to it getting approved, they should at least push for the City to put some protections in the DO.

There is an easy way to do it - just make demolition inherent in the issue of a building permit.  The developer can get all their financing in place, approval to build, and everything else ready to go before they ever have to remove a brick.  As it is now, all of that has to be done AFTER the demo permit is issued, just in case the demo isn't allowed.  The gap of time between demo and construction approval is a development killer.

[Steve]

Prediction: the Doro buildings will be demolished in the near future. Then the economic downturn will put the new construction on hold.

My therapist calls this "catastrophizing" and says it's bad for your mental health 

This absolutely happened during the last downturn. Not a crazy thought whatsoever.

[Kerry]

Prediction: the Doro buildings will be demolished in the near future. Then the economic downturn will put the new construction on hold.

Valid concern. There should be a way to craft a condition that will protect against this in the development order. I can think of a few possible options off the top of my head and I'm sure Lori Boyer and Brenna Durden (both seasoned land use attorneys) at the DIA could figure it out. If the people advocating against this project are resigned to it getting approved, they should at least push for the City to put some protections in the DO.

There is an easy way to do it - just make demolition inherent in the issue of a building permit.  The developer can get all their financing in place, approval to build, and everything else ready to go before they ever have to remove a brick.  As it is now, all of that has to be done AFTER the demo permit is issued, just in case the demo isn't allowed.  The gap of time between demo and construction approval is a development killer.

That's better than nothing, but still the wrong approach. You can easily have a building permit issued and not even start a project. You also can't make up arbitrary completion requirements as part of building permit issuance. Something like that has to be done during the entitlement process and approval of a development order. 

As someone that has worked as a lobbyist for developers and planning director on behalf of the public, I believe that the DIA should be able to craft a reasonable condition that the developer can live with and still protect the public at the same time.

Yes, a building permit can be issued without construction ever starting, but who would spend money on a demo unless they were actually going to spend money to build something else...unless the building permit application was obtained fraudulently just to do the demo?

[Papa33]

I say they (the developer) cannot use the name "Doro" unless they are going to preserve/rehab/reuse/incorporate Doro.

[Peter Griffin]

I say they (the developer) cannot use the name "Doro" unless they are going to preserve/rehab/reuse/incorporate Doro.

You tell 'em, buddy!

[bl8jaxnative]

I say they (the developer) cannot use the name "Doro" unless they are going to preserve/rehab/reuse/incorporate Doro.

So knock down the 3, 4 structures on the site and save a few bricks or a window or something  in the new ?  I'm not sure what that would accomplish.

[aubureck]

I know that this building has no protections and they have every right to move ahead with their demolition permit.  However, given the current economic turmoil I HOPE that they don't move ahead with the demolition and then the project fails to materialize and we end up with ANOTHER vacant block.  My hope is they keep the permit in hand until they are more sure that they will be able to complete their project.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/demolition-permits-sought-for-the-george-doro-fixture-co-block

Rise Properties LLC applied to the city for permits to demolish properties on the George Doro Fixture Co. block to prepare for a proposed Downtown mixed-use and retail project called The Doro.

Realco Recycling Co. Inc. is listed as the contractor to demolish warehouse structures on the block bounded by A. Philip Randolph Boulevard and Adams, Lafayette and Forsyth streets.

Three permits show a job cost of $225,015 for demolition of structures at 128 A. Philip Randolph Blvd.; 102 A. Philip Randolph Blvd., the main George Doro building; and 951 Forsyth St.

Permit documents show Realco Recycling intends to use an excavator and attachments for the demolition. Debris will be disposed at the Old Kings Road Landfill.

The Downtown Development Review Board approved conceptual designs March 12 for Valdosta, Georgia-based Rise Properties to build a residential and retail development at the site. It needs final design approval before construction can proceed.

The DDRB canceled its meeting scheduled for April 9, due to social distancing measures for COVID-19. The May 14 meeting still is planned.

Jacksonville Properties I LLC proposes an eight-story, 247-unit mixed-use project at 102 A. Philip Randolph Blvd.

The developer said in March it has the property under contract. Matthew Marshall, vice president of development at RISE: A Real Estate Company, said then he anticipates Rise Properties will buy the property in May or June from Jacksonville real estate investors Farley and Paul Grainger.

He said Rise Properties hopes to break ground by the end of the summer and he expects a 22-month construction period, but that was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 1.63-acre property is next to Intuition Ale Works and Manifest Distilling, near the Downtown Sports Complex.

The oldest building on the Doro property dates to 1914, and more structures were added through 1954.

Mapping Jax, a local historic preservation and Downtown revitalization group, brought 11 members to the March DDRB meeting to oppose the demolition. They asked developers to merge the oldest Doro Fixture building into the proposed new construction instead of demolishing it.

Downtown Investment Authority staff consulted with Christian Popoli, city planner supervisor for the Community Planning Division, Historic Preservation Section, for its report.

Popoli said the state Historic Preservation Officer at the Florida Department of State determined the Doro Fixture building doesn't meet the criteria for Jacksonville's Downtown National Register District.

The structure is not a locally registered landmark and doesn't have historic structure protections.

DIA staff recommended conceptual approval for The Doro.

Rise Properties said it wants to incorporate a sense of history. The project architect said he worked textures, colors and materials from the original Doro Fixture building into the designs.

Project renderings show a seven-level parking garage and 4,875 square feet of ground-level retail, commercial and restaurant space.

The retail use at Forsyth Street and A. Philip Randolph Boulevard will face an outdoor area that Rise Properties calls "The Alley" between the south side of the development and Intuition Ale Works.

The eighth floor of the apartment building will focus on retail space and resident amenities. Plans show 2,652 square feet of outdoor retail space with a rooftop terrace for customers.

Marshall said Dec. 13 that the rooftop space would be an indoor-outdoor bar and lounge.

The top floor also has a terrace and resident amenity space with a swimming pool.

The development will be the first mixed-use residential project built in the Downtown Sports and Entertainment District.

Marshall said his company will seek federal and local tax incentives.

Rise Properties will apply for a city-backed Recapture Enhanced Value Grant, which rebates over 10 years the increase in ad valorem property taxes generated by the project, and Opportunity Zone funding.

The federal government designated Downtown Jacksonville's Sports and Entertainment District an Opportunity Zone — a program created by the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

"The REV grant would be an important piece of this, making it financially feasible," Marshall said.

The REV grant will need City Council approval.