A Northbank renaissance in the making

[thelakelander]

Here are 14 projects within a three block radius of James Weldon Johnson Park that could change the atmosphere of Downtown Jacksonville before 2025.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/a-northbank-renaissance-in-the-making/

[simms3]

Great update.  Hopefully all of this starts soon - I wonder what the holdup is with the Vystar parking garage.  I also heard something about there being a rooftop bar on the Life of the South building?  That would be an interesting addition - if there is anything we have learned about ourselves over the last few years it's that we love our rooftop bars!

[Captain Zissou]

Great update.  Hopefully all of this starts soon - I wonder what the holdup is with the Vystar parking garage.  I also heard something about there being a rooftop bar on the Life of the South building?  That would be an interesting addition - if there is anything we have learned about ourselves over the last few years it's that we love our rooftop bars!

The rooftop bar is underway.  It will be run by bread and board, but i don't know much else.  I can see them working on it from my office.  Will zipline there from my desk when they open.

[landfall]

Two years on from this article and I don't think it would be unfair to say progress has worse than snails pace on the whole.

[marcuscnelson]

I think it's a little unfair. The article suggested these projects would be done before 2025, and that still seems realistic for most of these:

Gulf Life Insurance - Design proposed, construction not started
Jones Brothers Furniture - Major redesign, construction not started
Old Federal Reserve Bank - Under construction
Florida Baptist Convention Building - Under construction
Thomas V. Porter Mansion - Not sure of current status
Ambassador Hotel - Under construction
Marine National Bank - Not sure of current status
Independent Life Building - Under construction
JEA Corporate Headquarters - Nearing completion
Laura Street Trio - Limbo
VyStar Parking Garage - Nearing completion
VyStar Corporate Headquarters - Complete
Central Fire Station - Not sure of current status
Ashley Square Apartments - Complete

Out of 14 projects, 2 are already done, 2 more will likely follow this year, and another 5 are under construction and will likely be complete by next year. That's not unreasonable.

[BridgeTroll]

That's not unreasonable.

For Jacksonville...

[thelakelander]

VyStar garage and Porter Mansion are both complete or pretty close to it. It takes a minimum of two to three years to construct many of these types of projects, regardless of the city they are located in.

[jaxlongtimer]

Looks like two projects are starting to drag out.... The Hardwick and Ambassador have both asked for extensions.

Developer of former courthouse site seeks second extension on plan deadline

The developer of the mixed-use project Hardwick at Ford on Bay has asked for an extension to submit a conceptual design for the project located at the site of the old Duval County Courthouse....

....Also Wednesday, the DIA will review $1.6 million in loans for renovations at the 333 E. Bay St. property and granting an extension to the Ambassador Hotel project on Julia Street....

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2023/03/13/dia-hardwick-developer-asks-for-extension.html?utm_source=st&utm_medium=en&utm_campaign=me&utm_content=JA&ana=e_JA_me&j=30827881&senddate=2023-03-14

[Jax_Developer]

Hardwick seems like a pipe dream now. Doubtful it makes it to the finish line.

[Jax_Developer]

Just read the meeting notes. Nothing is hard until Dec, 31, 2023 now. Just amazing to me. A developer basically has "rights" to this parcel for 2 years?? Without any commitment to go hard? What is going on DT.. absolutely damaging to our credibility in issuing RFP's.

[thelakelander]

Looks like two projects are starting to drag out.... The Hardwick and Ambassador have both asked for extensions.

Developer of former courthouse site seeks second extension on plan deadline

The developer of the mixed-use project Hardwick at Ford on Bay has asked for an extension to submit a conceptual design for the project located at the site of the old Duval County Courthouse....

....Also Wednesday, the DIA will review $1.6 million in loans for renovations at the 333 E. Bay St. property and granting an extension to the Ambassador Hotel project on Julia Street....

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2023/03/13/dia-hardwick-developer-asks-for-extension.html?utm_source=st&utm_medium=en&utm_campaign=me&utm_content=JA&ana=e_JA_me&j=30827881&senddate=2023-03-14

Ambassador is a real project. It's under construction. Hardwick is a conceptual dream at this point. I'm confident that the Ambassador will be completed. I'm not putting too much faith in the Hardwick until it breaks ground and vertical construction is completed.

[thelakelander]

In the meantime, U-Haul has broken ground on a new self-storage building off West Forsyth and Myrtle Avenue.

[marcuscnelson]

Hardwick seems like a pipe dream now. Doubtful it makes it to the finish line.

Apparently they're adding a hotel to it?

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/mar/16/dia-board-gives-the-hardwick-ambassador-hotel-projects-more-time/

I guess Southeast was on to something. I wonder if the Hyatt is going to have any issues with that.

[thelakelander]

It will be interesting to see what they come up with but this project is years away from even breaking ground.

[Jax_Developer]

Hardwick seems like a pipe dream now. Doubtful it makes it to the finish line.

Apparently they're adding a hotel to it?

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/mar/16/dia-board-gives-the-hardwick-ambassador-hotel-projects-more-time/

I guess Southeast was on to something. I wonder if the Hyatt is going to have any issues with that.

If I was Southeast, I'd be pretty upset at how this has gone down. Not saying they wouldn't make changes too.. but the Carter group has already value engineered quite a bit, and is now, all of a sudden, looking to add a hotel component.. LOL. Don't get me started.

Not to mention all of the other plans Southeast has put forward with the DIA/DDRB basically ignoring them.. That master plan by his would have done more for DT than all of the Sports Complex & Riverfront Park development combined. I've never seen a city unable to capture waterfront development like Jacksonville is right now.

I'll be that greedy developer and say that "preserving" all of the Riverfront is a huge mistake. Literally just create the code to MANDATE a green space that is connected.. just like the riverwalk but beefed up. The Landing, being as infamous as it is, is probably the most obvious example for Jacksonville proving my point. Lets add River City Brew House to that list also! Development/improvement begins at the water and trickles its way upland. Happens everywhere but in JAX...

We will sit here in several years, looking at a completed park system that gets some temporary attention.. to then only be forgotten about because there is no reason to go there due to delayed or dumped projects. Forgotten renderings will continue to be our reputation nationally. Maybe I will be proven wrong, but we still have a very attractive jail right down the road, so this has to go well.. right!?