Post Housing Boom: How Does Jax Stack Up to Other Florida Cities?

[heights unknown]

Before the housing bust, all of Florida major cities, and some small to mid-sized cities were experiencing a construction boom in their downtowns; espescially with the residential high rises.  Now that the party's over and there has been and now is a significant downturn in downtown construction projects, how is Jacksonville stacking up against other Florida major cities, and Florida cities in general in this area? 

I've had the chance to view most of Florida major and small to mid sized cities and the construction in their downtown areas and construction has either diminished or come to a screeching halt.  Jacksonville in particular is now seeing very small to mediocre projects under construction and almost no major projects in the planning or proposition stage.  However, compared to other Florida Cities, it appears that Jacksonville is lagging behind.

That being said, I have come up with a listing and ranking of what Florida cities are ahead and which ones are behind in the downtown projects/development(s) construction race; they are:

1) Miami
2) Miami Beach/South Beach
3) Hollywood
4) Hallandale
5) Fort Myers
6) St. Petersburg
7) Tampa
Orlando
9) Fort Lauderdale
10) Jacksonville

I believe these are pretty accurate.  Tampa and Orlando are almost neck and neck.  I know most of you will argue whether Jacksonville is dead last in this top 10 but from what I've seen relative to other Florida cities downtown construction projects, not much is now happening in downtown Jax, and Jax is in fact behind all other Florida cities.  Let us know what your list and rankings are!

Heights Unknown

[alta]

I read an article about a year ago that downtown Miami had 24,000 condo expected to be completed in the next two years.  This is on top of all the vacant units that they already have.  Don't think you will see any construction there for a while once the current projects are completed.  I will be in Miami for Christmas.  Looking forward to checking it out first hand.

[Keith-N-Jax]

I was in Miami in July for my B-day, its amazing the amount of construction that has taken place down there. So many new towers and not to mention there new Carnival Center. There skyline is off the chain. I could only dream of Jax having a skyline like that.

[alta]

If only the St. John could have broke ground before the market downturn.  That building would have had a dramatic change to our skyline.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Yes and shipyards.   

[heights unknown]

Someone mentioned in another thread that Jax is probably dead last in stacking up to other Florida cities relative to new construction and developments; I would agree whole heartedly with this assertion. The projectss we do have on the table are small to mediocre projects.  Hopefully as the market gloom and doom clears, there will be resumation of construction downtown.

Heights Unknown

[thelakelander]

I'll be in South Florida this weekend.  I'll take the camera down with me.

[heights unknown]

Will be glad to see those pics Lake; get ready everybody for sour grapes, bitter lemons, and "green with envy" once you see those pics that Lake will take.  I hate to say it but Jax's skyline is now dead last, in my opinion, of all of Florida's major cities; even St. Petersburg (they have many cranes up now) has overtaken Jax in the skyline and skyscraper race, not in sheer tallness, but numer of talls.

And oh, one more thing y'all; I know that people make a City; but we all are skyscraper enthusiasts in this forum; yes, all of us.  We love those full, heavy, and dense skylines with talls and super talls.

Heights Unknown

[tufsu1]

I was in Miami in July for my B-day, its amazing the amount of construction that has taken place down there. So many new towers and not to mention there new Carnival Center. There skyline is off the chain. I could only dream of Jax having a skyline like that.

yes...we should definitely be envious of the condo cavern that Miami has become....I was there for a conference last month and downtown Miami still feels like a ghost town at night...kind of like NYC in "I am Legend".

[Keith-N-Jax]

I was in Miami in July for my B-day, its amazing the amount of construction that has taken place down there. So many new towers and not to mention there new Carnival Center. There skyline is off the chain. I could only dream of Jax having a skyline like that.

yes...we should definitely be envious of the condo cavern that Miami has become....I was there for a conference last month and downtown Miami still feels like a ghost town at night...kind of like NYC in "I am Legend".

Yes in all its greatness it is nothing but condos and hotels mostly, but for someone who likes tall buildings its a dream come true. The drive from south beach into the city makes my mouth water. hmmm all those new condos who's buying them, whens the last time Miami put up a significant office tower?

[heights unknown]

And.......I'll bet 80 to 90 percent of those residential talls and supertalls are empty; I guess they're really banking on, "build it and they will come!"

Heights Unknown

[RiversideGator]

Well, eventually the highrises will be filled and they will have a vibrant area there.  The banks may go bankrupt but the buildings are still there. 

[thelakelander]

I was in Miami in July for my B-day, its amazing the amount of construction that has taken place down there. So many new towers and not to mention there new Carnival Center. There skyline is off the chain. I could only dream of Jax having a skyline like that.

yes...we should definitely be envious of the condo cavern that Miami has become....I was there for a conference last month and downtown Miami still feels like a ghost town at night...kind of like NYC in "I am Legend".

hmmm all those new condos who's buying them, whens the last time Miami put up a significant office tower?

Miami's Espirito Santo Plaza is one of my favorite recently constructed office towers in the South.



At 487' tall, its the 28th tallest building in Downtown Miami.  If it were in Jacksonville, it would be the third tallest behind BOA and MODIS.

Office towers currently under construction in Downtown Miami include Met 2 (647'), 1450 Brickell (540') and Brickel Financial Center (517'). 

Met 2


1450 Brickell


Brickell Financial Center


There is a ton of construction happening in that city.  A lot of it just gets overlooked by the sharp rise in condo towers as neighbors.

[jeh1980]

I predict that within the coming months we will start making a comeback on the construction boom. Keep the Faith!

[Keith-N-Jax]

Thanks for the info Lake, but I thought alot of those towers are mixed use and not just for office space.