JEDC News On Downtown

[stjr]

Friday, June 25, 2010, 2:38pm EDT
New biz developments for Downtown Jax
Jacksonville Business Journal - by Kimberly Morrison Staff writer

Demolition for Park View Inn at the corner of State and Main streets has been halted, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission reported.

Owners Robert Van Winkel and David Muyres now plan to convert the structure to a 400-space parking garage with ground-level retail. They have applied for federal funding to cover some of the costs, estimated at $2.5 million and $3 million.

The dilapidated building, which has sat vacant since closing in the mid 1990s, was slotted for demolition by the city after it secured $1.5 million in funding to raze it. The city will now have to reallocate the funding.

The JEDC also reported several new downtown tenants:

•Zodiac Bar and Grill has opened at 130 W. Adams St. where Mudville Grill was formerly located. The Greek-style restaurant moved from another Downtown location into the new space.

•A new art gallery, Salon, will open downtown in conjunction with the July 7 ArtWalk. The gallery is located at 109 E. Bay St., and is accepting new artists.

•Le Shea’s Homestyle Eatery, which serves homestyle and country food, recently opened at 119 W. Adams St.

•Burro Bags, a retailer selling custom, handmade messenger bags from billboard and other repurposed materials, recently relocated from its former Springfield location to 228 E. Forsyth.

http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2010/06/21/daily33.html

[tpot]

You have got to be kidding me.....................A 400 space parking garage?  Am I missing something?  Who the heck is going to park there???

[thelakelander]

Most likely the workers and shoppers of the ground level retail spaces attached to it. Btw, the two level garage is already there. The owner plans to keep the garage and tear down the hotel tower portion.

[Ocklawaha]

...and don't forget this place will have apartments and a major hotel... nothing like pulling into a strange city at 11 pm and finding out the parking is 22 blocks away!  From my Hyper-Transit prospective this too is ALL GOOD!

When we left these folks they were even thinking "STREETCAR LOOP"...


OCKLAWAHA

[comncense]

...and don't forget this place will have apartments and a major hotel... nothing like pulling into a strange city at 11 pm and finding out the parking is 22 blocks away!  From my Hyper-Transit prospective this too is ALL GOOD!

When we left these folks they were even thinking "STREETCAR LOOP"...


OCKLAWAHA

There's going to be apartments and a hotel attached to the site? I must've missed the news on that. Maybe that'll spur some development on State Street though. Can't have a hotel without having places to eat close by. I'd like to see somewhat of an upscale hotel there considering it's a main passageway through downtown.

[stjr]

...and don't forget this place will have apartments and a major hotel... 

Ock, that doesn't reconcile with the article:

Owners Robert Van Winkel and David Muyres now plan to convert the structure to a 400-space parking garage with ground-level retail.

[billy]

MARTA service is getting worse.

[billy]

MARTA service is getting worse.

sorry wrong category...distracted for some reason