Culinary Institute of America exploring Downtown campus

[fsu813]

I believe CIA was recruited to Jax with this specific location/project/vision in mind, not sure a drastically scaled back version would be as appealing to them - they didn't ask to be here, we asked them. Just a guess.

[Ken_FSU]

I believe CIA was recruited to Jax with this specific location/project/vision in mind, not sure a drastically scaled back version would be as appealing to them - they didn't ask to be here, we asked them. Just a guess.

I'd disagree with this framing. The CIA has said that they were looking for a new Southeastern hub, and that Jacksonville's growth, medical facilities (for food around health and wellness), and military population made Jax attractive as a host city. And what convinced them to enter formal negotiations wasn't an approved campus but a $35 million guarantee from the city, plus nearly $30 million more in state and private donations. Nothing in the City Council package tied the CIA to a specific space.

[CityLife]

The site has a historical educational slant, and it kind of matches the vibe of the San Antonio campus:

Not a huge deal, but the picture you shared is part of the main CIA campus in Hyde Park, NY. This is the San Antonio campus. It's not nearly as nice.



I like your idea of finding the spot for the CIA that makes most sense for the City too, especially if there is a huge incentive ask. But I would be shocked if Corner Lot doesn't have some type of exclusivity agreement that limits the CIA from working with any other developers in a geographic radius for a set amount of time. If they don't, they might need a new lawyer.

[jaxlongtimer]

Just curious, that building in San Antonio looks like it could be an industrial reuse.  The brick smokestack looking appendage attached to a rusting metal structure hints at reuse. Did this play off an existing structure or was it new from the ground up?

If reuse, it would seem we could offer that in Jax as Ken proposes.

[CityLife]

The San Antonio campus is a new build designed to look like adaptive reuse to match the area around it. The Hyde Park campus is a mix of adaptive re-use and new builds, Copia location in Napa is an adaptive reuse of a newer building, and the St. Helena location in Napa is an adaptive reuse of an amazing historic building (see below).

Seems like they can work with anything.

[Ken_FSU]

Not a huge deal, but the picture you shared is part of the main CIA campus in Hyde Park, NY. This is the San Antonio campus. It's not nearly as nice.

Thanks dude! Definitely VERY different.

[fsu813]

I believe CIA was recruited to Jax with this specific location/project/vision in mind, not sure a drastically scaled back version would be as appealing to them - they didn't ask to be here, we asked them. Just a guess.

I'd disagree with this framing. The CIA has said that they were looking for a new Southeastern hub, and that Jacksonville's growth, medical facilities (for food around health and wellness), and military population made Jax attractive as a host city. And what convinced them to enter formal negotiations wasn't an approved campus but a $35 million guarantee from the city, plus nearly $30 million more in state and private donations. Nothing in the City Council package tied the CIA to a specific space.

I'm somewhat familiar with how this went; you didn't say anything that conflicted with my description.

[thelakelander]

Just curious, that building in San Antonio looks like it could be an industrial reuse.  The brick smokestack looking appendage attached to a rusting metal structure hints at reuse. Did this play off an existing structure or was it new from the ground up?

If reuse, it would seem we could offer that in Jax as Ken proposes.

The CIA in San Antonio is in a mixed-used district that used to be the Pearl Brewing complex. I ate in a food hall there years ago. I didn't pay CIA any attention, but biked through the area because I'm a sucker for industrial adaptive reuse. Here are some pictures I took at the time.

[jaxlongtimer]

^ Looks like CIA's building complex appears in several of your pictures.  I would say the rust touch up on the metal connector in your last picture looks like something a Hollywood set would go to such lengths to create a realistic setting, not CIA  .

Great job and thanks for the greater context.