Berkman Plaza 2

[Steve]

In terms of the shops at 220 Riverside, one thing to consider is the support available from the Brooklyn (apartments behind fresh market), and if a restaraunt, the potential lunch draw from the Riverside Avenue offices.

Also, I'd personally consider 220 much more walkable and desirable than Berkman 2. Though a longer walk than for me (I like at Bell Riverside, formerly known as The Villas), and the only thing I need a car for day to day is to go to work (Butler and 95 isn't exactly walking distance). Berkman on the other hand doesn't offer you a grocery or a ton in the way of eateries.

[downtownbrown]

Simms is right.  From Berkman, the Florida Theater is a mere mosey.  Along the way you pass Mikes, Lavernius Cole's new club about to open, the Underbelly. Olio, which got national recognition recently, will eventually be open for dinner.   Across the street from the FT is the best bar in all of Jax, Dos Gatos.  New cigar joint on Ocean if you need a rest from that 5 minute stroll.  Hungry? You can't beat Indochine.  Really really hungry? Burrito Gallery right in the same building.  Another few minutes and you are at La Cena (if you can afford the wait for service...), and as long as you are on Laura, a few doors down on West Adams is the new whiskey bar, Volstead.  And I'm only mentioning a fraction of the whole.

If that whole footprint were in NYC it would be called a small neighborhood (the Village, Little Italy, SoHo, you name it).  Any suggestion that any Core spot from Berkman is out of reach is just plain silly.  This is urban living, and the opportunities are growing, not shrinking. It's not for everyone, and clearly most people in Jax want to be way way out in the burbs, but the Core could clearly attract the young talent demo that Jax needs, if only they had a place to live. 

Build Berkman 2 as an affordable apartment format, and it will fill quickly.

Oh, and by the way, Berkman is only a 1.8 mile stroll to the RAM by the well lighted and attractive Riverwalk, so clearly Brooklyn is part of the story.  It's not either/or.

[tufsu1]

^ very well said

[simms3]

In terms of the shops at 220 Riverside, one thing to consider is the support available from the Brooklyn (apartments behind fresh market), and if a restaraunt, the potential lunch draw from the Riverside Avenue offices.

Also, I'd personally consider 220 much more walkable and desirable than Berkman 2. Though a longer walk than for me (I like at Bell Riverside, formerly known as The Villas), and the only thing I need a car for day to day is to go to work (Butler and 95 isn't exactly walking distance). Berkman on the other hand doesn't offer you a grocery or a ton in the way of eateries.

Commercial uses at 220 Riverside will not be able to rely on just Brooklyn office or residential if they want to survive. At buildout, still not a lot of residences right there, and at the end of the day really not that much office either (and really not walkable for office).

I think I'm reading your mind and reading that you can more easily walk over to Riverside from 220 Riverside.  Yes.  This is very much akin to Mid-Market's revitalization where I live and the ability to walk from there to Hayes Valley since there isn't much yet in Mid-Market.  I think city to city, the same kind of demographic that lives in 220 Riverside lives in the new apartment towers springing up in Mid-Market here (i.e. lots of tech workers who own cars and commute to the Peninsula/Valley and are paid kind of at  the top of the market for their age bracket, and Twitter employees who can walk next door to their new office).

When I moved to SF, I looked at Mid-Market.  Atlanta's just a totally different city and I was used to living in a fairly new high rise, so Mid-Market being that I took a first look.  In this city, it just wasn't for me.  The area wasn't vibrant or convenient enough to all the goodies I wanted.  I think Berkman II is still more walkable - more consistent shade in the summer, too.  Being anywhere close to the 6-lane highway that is Riverside Ave is a little too sterile for me and a totally unnecessary heat pad.

[Steve]

I definitely don't think that the retail should rely 100% on office workers, but they help. The restaraunts in 5 points don't rely 100% on the downtown/Brooklyn office workers, but they definitely don't hurt.

I think you got my point on the walk ability from 220. My guess is most of those people would use Fresh Market rather than Publix if walking, despite the walking through the asphalt.

Good point on the heat....Riverside Ave does suck.

[downtownbrown]

Hey, so today is the day!  I figure the "auction" (really just a formality) will last about five minutes.  The local media will breathlessly report that the building has a "new owner" (Choate, who is taking the building with a gun to its head as they try to salvage something from their construction lein).  This will be followed by a long, long period of silence, and the Vagrant Hotel will continue with operations as usual.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

haha that was epic... If it comes to pass... that better stay in the archives for all to see.

[edjax]

No takers. They say they did not expect any actually. Looking to sell it now for development. They indicate has been interest. We shall see.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

wouldn't the price of the auction have included that 10 million in lawsuit as well

[edjax]

They have said they do not expect to get anywhere near the 10 million of any sale. Sounds like they are hoping to sell to someone who may take them on as the contractor so they will be able to recoup some more. At least that is the way I read the article which is up on JBJ.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

They have said they do not expect to get anywhere near the 10 million of any sale. Sounds like they are hoping to sell to someone who may take them on as the contractor so they will be able to recoup some more. At least that is the way I read the article which is up on JBJ.

Shame I didn't see that article. I may have been a little enticed to look into it more. Oh well.

[Tacachale]

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2014/04/29/exclusive-choate-construction-will-look-to-sell.html

[ProjectMaximus]

They have said they do not expect to get anywhere near the 10 million of any sale. Sounds like they are hoping to sell to someone who may take them on as the contractor so they will be able to recoup some more. At least that is the way I read the article which is up on JBJ.

Shame I didn't see that article. I may have been a little enticed to look into it more. Oh well.

You should look into it. The point of the auction was to give them the property, now they can negotiate a sales price with somebody like you if you're interested.

[CityLife]

Potentially very good news. Hopefully Choate moves quickly and finds a quality developer. I also hope whoever buys it looks into changing the façade/architectural style if possible. Imagine they would just have to modify their PUD/development plans with the city. Berkman 1 is meh to put it kindly.

[I-10east]

An Actionnews story on some of the challenges that a potential developer would face concerning saving Berkman 2.

www.actionnewsjax.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=5073173&navCatID=20896