Berkman Getting Close....Again

[Ken_FSU]

Looks like she's coming down soon after the Florida-Georgia game.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/developer-applies-to-demolish-the-unfinished-berkman-plaza-ii-downtown

[BridgeTroll]

Well thank god we are gonna preserve it for the game...

[fhrathore]

Do we know what has been proposed on the site after demolition?

[thelakelander]

From the linked article above:

Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization intends to redevelop the property with mixed-use retail, a 300-unit residential development and public park space.

[fhrathore]

From the linked article above:

Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization intends to redevelop the property with mixed-use retail, a 300-unit residential development and public park space.

I see. But I assume there are no publicly available info in terms of design or images.

[thelakelander]

Nothing concrete! Here is a conceptual rendering that was shown last month:

https://news.wjct.org/post/potential-buyers-want-demolish-unfinished-berkman-ii-redevelop-property

[ProjectMaximus]

Nothing concrete!

I would agree. Probably just a grass and dirt "park" for the foreseeable future 

[downtownbrown]

Nothing concrete!

I would agree. Probably just a grass and dirt "park" for the foreseeable future 

....which would be awesome...

[albert_m2]

Why is it more efficient to tear down what is there instead of finishing/adapting with what is a substantial amount of structure..?

Sorry if I missed it, but I am confused.

[thelakelander]

One man's trash is another one's treasure. Although the shell appears to be structurally sound, it really depends on the buyer and the product they seek to do.  The previous buyer planned to finish/adapt the existing structure. The current buyer does not.

[bl8jaxnative]

Consider the original garage structure wasn't supposed to collapse and yet the garage did.  Do you really want to roll the dice that the same builders somehow got it perfectly right on the remaining tower?

Throw in the high cost of high rises and a small market overall and little obvious demand for that location and.... ya, not the sort of thing most people want to undertake.

Keep in mind that there there are 2 residential high rises going up right now.  One over in Brooklyn and the other on the south bank next to the Acosta.   I suspect the nail in the coffin is the poor location of the tower.

[marcuscnelson]

Should we really consider 7 stories high rise, in the case of the Southbank?

[jaxjags]

Consider the original garage structure wasn't supposed to collapse and yet the garage did.  Do you really want to roll the dice that the same builders somehow got it perfectly right on the remaining tower?

Throw in the high cost of high rises and a small market overall and little obvious demand for that location and.... ya, not the sort of thing most people want to undertake.

Keep in mind that there there are 2 residential high rises going up right now.  One over in Brooklyn and the other on the south bank next to the Acosta.   I suspect the nail in the coffin is the poor location of the tower.

Just to be clear the garage was designed by a different engineer and being built by a completely different contractor.

[bl8jaxnative]

yes, 7 stories is a high rise

[thelakelander]

the National Fire Protection Association defines a high-rise as being higher than 75 feet (23 meters), or about 7 stories.