Curry administration to withdraw Metropolitan Park bill

[thelakelander]

Mayor Lenny Curry's administration will withdraw a bill that refunds $1.725 million in federal grant funding instead of finding a replacement for Metropolitan Park Downtown.

The move comes weeks after a development company owned by Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan released a plan that incorporates the park into its mixed-use Shipyards development.

Full article: https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/curry-administration-to-withdraw-metropolitan-park-bill

[Steve]

Sorry I posted this to a different thread.

In some ways I actually like this. I've always thought closer to the core was a better location for the park.

Now it comes down to how the dollars and cents work on this.

[heights unknown]

What exactly does this mean in relation to Lot J, Shipyards Project, and possible Convention Center?

[thelakelander]

It just means there will be some green space integrated into the developments, that will replace what's being lost at Metropolitan Park. It means very little in the timeline of something actually being built on any of these properties.

[downtownbrown]

...so in other words, the empty space east of Berkman 2 and in front of Maxwell House will remain empty?

[thelakelander]

For the foreseeable future. I hate to be wrong but everything I said about these projects, years ago, has come true. The Landing, Berkman 2, Shipyards, Lot J, City Hall Annex, etc. City Hall should not be in the real estate development game. It's pretty bad at it.

[Bill Hoff]

For the foreseeable future. I hate to be wrong but everything I said about these projects, years ago, has come true. The Landing, Berkman 2, Shipyards, Lot J, City Hall Annex, etc. City Hall should not be in the real estate development game. It's pretty bad at it.

Lest we forget the legend of Sax Seafood. What might have been.

[Ken_FSU]

What exactly does this mean in relation to Lot J, Shipyards Project, and possible Convention Center?

Nothing.

Either it gets developed or it doesn't.

This greenspace has long been included in Iguana's Shipyards plan, I think this just formalizes its Met Park replacement status.

[thelakelander]

For the foreseeable future. I hate to be wrong but everything I said about these projects, years ago, has come true. The Landing, Berkman 2, Shipyards, Lot J, City Hall Annex, etc. City Hall should not be in the real estate development game. It's pretty bad at it.

Lest we forget the legend of Sax Seafood. What might have been.

Lol Sax! We're well over a decade now of it being in its current state.

[jaxlongtimer]

Lest we forget the legend of Sax Seafood. What might have been.

Lol Sax! We're well over a decade now of it being in its current state.

I toured the Sax building with a potential restaurateur a few years ago.  The place was almost a goner then, can't imagine its condition now.  This is the site that Daily's might have been better locating their "Downtown" station at than at the foot of the Acosta Bridge.  They could not only tap into Downtown traffic but also I-95.  Would also be better for Downtown given its a bit more removed from the core area.  Go figure.

[marcuscnelson]

I don't understand how something like Sax Seafood could even happen. Something as basic as a small restaurant building, and it goes through three mayors with no action? What???

There's incompetence, and then there's just being a complete disaster.

Two of those mayors were Republicans, how can you just leave a property off the tax rolls for over a decade like that?

[vicupstate]

how can you just leave a property off the tax rolls for over a decade like that?

It's easier here !

[Bill Hoff]

For the foreseeable future. I hate to be wrong but everything I said about these projects, years ago, has come true. The Landing, Berkman 2, Shipyards, Lot J, City Hall Annex, etc. City Hall should not be in the real estate development game. It's pretty bad at it.

Lest we forget the legend of Sax Seafood. What might have been.

Lol Sax! We're well over a decade now of it being in its current state.

The count down to historic landmark eligibility is on! Just a few more missed economic cycles/decades and we're there!

[thelakelander]

Environmental testing proposed at Metropolitan Park

The Downtown Investment Authority board of directors will consider a resolution Aug. 19 to allow Iguana Investments Florida LLC to conduct environmental testing at Metropolitan Park.

The resolution states the testing may be performed "in anticipation of preparing an offer" to acquire the property.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/environmental-testing-proposed-at-metropolitan-park

[Steve]

I'm sure it's clean lol. The fact that it was a working shipyard I'm sure didn't contribute to any issues in the previous 150 years.

I guess from Iguana's perspective, this would be a COJ responsibility. At a minimum, it would factor into the agreement $$$