Urban Construction Update: December 2010
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A look at the status of various projects under construction in and around Downtown Jacksonville during the month of December.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-dec-urban-construction-update-december-2010
Saw on the news that the cobblestones in the roundabout fronting the Landing will have to be completely pulled up and reset. It appears the sand used as grout between the stones is washing away and finding its way into the storm drains... Is anyone surprised?
Sand was the traditional grout used in street brick/block construction. Look for this to come down to engineering, and it has in fact been changed as construction moves forward.
Looking at the city starting to stir again, one has to wonder how much more it will take off when the first streetcar rails go down.
OCKLAWAHA
WOW! When did they put up that hanging basket of flowers? Holy shit Batman! Now I KNOW downtown is on the move... Wonder where they got a thing like that? Golly gee, get ready for the tourists people...
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: Ocklawaha on December 10, 2010, 08:58:43 AM
WOW! When did they put up that hanging basket of flowers? Holy shit Batman! Now I KNOW downtown is on the move... Wonder where they got a thing like that? Golly gee, get ready for the tourists people...
LOL
Next they'll be nailing down loose boards on the Riverwalk!
The much-debated Springfield car wash looks pretty good, is it finished?
slow & steady....not too much going on. Ready for January update.
Did Farah & Farah Abandon their idea of a new headquarters across from the court house? I remember seeing the rendering and it looked nice
Quote from: duvaldude08 on December 10, 2010, 09:58:35 AM
Did Farah & Farah Abandon their idea of a new headquarters across from the court house? I remember seeing the rendering and it looked nice
for now, yes
Unfortunately, this is the groundwork stage for many of the new projects. The exciting phase will be in a couple months once everything is vertical.
Treaty Oak Park, Friendship Park, and San Marco Street-scape seem to be almost stalled. I'm not surprised, just pointing it out.
Springfield Car Wash slated to open on January 1, 2011.
I do have to giggle sometimes at the photos. While I see progress in some projects, others, that would seem as though there should be people working to get the job done are nowhere in sight. To give the benefit of the doubt, you must take your pictures on a Sunday, right?
I like the regular updates. Thanks Ennis.
I wish they never had allowed that Suddath building and its parking garage to be built right up against the Treaty Oak. We're lucky they didn't kill the tree building so close.
Driving into work this morning, I glanced over to the John Gorrie project and saw a HabiJax truck on the lot (inside the fencing). Anyone know why HabiJax would be involved with the renovation?
Habijax may have been there to collect donated materials.
With regards to the hanging baskets, actually I love the flowers. My opinion is that if you REALLY want to bring in people as a result of your flowers you don't use Wal-Mart baskets, rather you choose one street... maybe Hogan with it's Skyway, and create a new world version of the hanging gardens of Babylon. THAT would bring in the tourists and locals alike, take it WAY OVER THE TOP enough to be a national model with international attention.
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Hows this for concept? All photos downtown Medellin.
OCKLAWAHA
I love that John Gorrie is being renovated...but everytime I drive by I think about how much I hate the windows they choose. they just really stand out as non historic and very white.
But atleast progess is being made!
Just past by treaty oak about an hour ago and workers are out there and a cement truck.
Quote from: Ocklawaha on December 10, 2010, 03:44:32 PM
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.............Hows this for concept? All photos downtown Medellin.
OCKLAWAHA
Always thinking green is OK. But clading buildings in green screen poses some interesting water proofing problems. For example, climbing things often send out roots that find the caulk joints and work their way between caulk and building. After a while leaks develop. Getting to the joint to fix it is now difficult without a cutting device. This building places screen close to the building. Others with room behind allow maintenance of the back side of the green screen.
Wow, Brooklyn looks like a borrow pit right now. Did they find gold? :)
I can't wait to see Friendship Fountain back to its original glory...
I know this might be a little off topic, but I have been hearing so much talk about the need for a new convention center. I really feel that the old courthouse location would be an absolute dream location due to the River and Bay St/ Anybody hear anything on this location or what might end up there?
What exactly are the doing to Friendship Fountain? Replacing it? Upgrading it? Brooklyn Park, how big will that be? As if Jax needs another park...maybe they are trying to lure the homeless away from downtown, and will look the other way if they hang out at Brooklyn Park instead of Hemming Park. Shame on them if this is the ploy.
"HU"
Quote from: jcjohnpaint on December 11, 2010, 10:23:45 AM
I know this might be a little off topic, but I have been hearing so much talk about the need for a new convention center. I really feel that the old courthouse location would be an absolute dream location due to the River and Bay St/ Anybody hear anything on this location or what might end up there?
Most would like to see a new convention center there. However, there is no money in place to construct one and the site won't be available until 2012.
Quote from: heights unknown on December 11, 2010, 04:46:31 PM
What exactly are the doing to Friendship Fountain? Replacing it? Upgrading it?
They are restoring the fountain and upgrading the park area around it.
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http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-nov-renovations-coming-to-friendship-fountain
QuoteBrooklyn Park, how big will that be?
Here is the site plan for Brooklyn Park. 200 Riverside will be built adjacent to it.
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http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-feb-200-riverside-continues-to-move-forward
Quote from: finehoe on December 10, 2010, 12:24:59 PM
I wish they never had allowed that Suddath building and its parking garage to be built right up against the Treaty Oak. We're lucky they didn't kill the tree building so close.
Yea, thats what I always thought.
What ever will become of Berkman II?
And please tell me whatever they did to the first floor of the Lerner building is just temporary! :-X
Cooly and Finehoe, I seem to remember the plan was to take down Treaty Oak until people raised h-e-double hockey sticks about it. So they saved the tree and made a small park there. That's why the Suddath building is so close to it.
Does any one know what being done on Kipp street. (across from Prudential surface lot) I see construction being done everyday off the interstate. I drove back there on lunch break on day and they are no indications of whats being built. It is just signs with the name of the construction company up. Thats it.
Quote from: Debbie Thompson on December 22, 2010, 01:35:32 PM
Cooly and Finehoe, I seem to remember the plan was to take down Treaty Oak until people raised h-e-double hockey sticks about it. So they saved the tree and made a small park there. That's why the Suddath building is so close to it.
I thought the plans to take down the tree predated the Suddath building construction?
Speaking of that building, I know it used to be an IBM building and I believe I read that there were significant incentives involved to entice IBM into opening a Jacksonville facility. Does anyone know anything more about this?
I was driving by the Olde San Jose condo site a few days ago and saw some activity. They were unloading a boom lift on the side of San Jose and there were multiple construction vehicles there.
There was no mention of it on MJ that I saw but I did find this: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2010/12/14/old-san-jose-condo-project-sold.html
Looks like they are going to begin to move forward with everything.
I was chatting with a Publix cashier at the Riverside location last night and he said that Publix will be opening a Pharmacy and Liquor store within the same development but in different buildings. He didn't know all the details, but he said the liquor store should be open by this time next year.
Also, Scott McAllister is opening a new venue near his King street compound. Soft opening Christmas night, full opening sometime in the next week. It's a small pub-style space.
Any word on EAST SAN MARCO?OCKLAWAHAQuoteCrispers entered the area last year with a Crispers Fresh Salads and Such restaurant on county Road 210, in the Publix-anchored Cobblestone Village at St. Augustine shopping center.
Calhoon said the restaurant's gourmet soup, salad and sandwich concept is similar to Panera Bread, a national chain operating 637 bakery-cafes.
Publix became Crispers' majority investor July 29, two years after it began financially backing the company. Publix will not disclose its investment amount.
Calhoon declined to discuss the company's finances or Publix's contributions, but said the private grocery chain has been "a good investment partner."
Publix is not involved in Crispers' daily operations, but does offer management support when needed, Calhoon said.
Crispers' upcoming Jacksonville-area restaurant openings coincide with Publix's plans to open four stores before the end of this year, on Race Track Road in Julington Creek, county Road 210 in St. Augustine, at the Shoppes at Bartram Park near Interstate 95 and county Road 210 and at the former Harris Teeter store on San Jose Boulevard.
Publix spokesman Dwaine Stevens said the company sees Crispers as a good investment because "it mirrors our service, cleanliness and quality."
Read more: Publix-backed restaurant chain cooking up area expansion | Jacksonville Business Journal
Chrispers closed at SR 13 and Race Track back last winter.
glad Crispers at US17 / Saint Johns Ave in Lake Shore, next to LaNop and FastBoys is consistently busy. Thankfully.
What's heppening at Lexington / Blanding?
From today's Times Union:
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-01-09/story/forest-street-project-ending-soon (http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-01-09/story/forest-street-project-ending-soon)
QuoteForest Street project ending soon
Road won't change, but utility improvements needed for developing.
By Larry Hannan
Motorists frustrated by construction on Forest Street between Riverside Avenue and Park Street can look forward to the construction ending soon.
But except for a resurfacing, the road and corresponding sidewalk will look exactly the same when construction concludes.
All lanes on Forest have been repeatedly closed at different times. There is currently one southbound lane that is shut down.
This $4 million project, officially called the Brooklyn Regional Stormwater System, is designed to allow development on 45 acres of land in Brooklyn. It includes connecting and modifying stormwater drainage ponds, and storm sewer and utility improvements along Forest, Riverside and Magnolia streets.
Karen Nasrallah, redevelopment manager for the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, said road lanes have been shut down because two stormwater ponds on opposite sides of the street are being connected.
The road construction is expected to conclude by the end of January, with the entire project ending in the fall.
Nasrallah said the project was important for redevelopment in the area even though there is no short-term benefit for motorists.
When the work is complete, a private developer will be able to develop the 45 acres of land at 200 Riverside Ave. Hallmark Partners plans to build a hotel, office building and another building with retail stores and restaurants on the property.
"It's the perfect connection from Riverside to the downtown," Nasrallah said.
Alex Coley, a principal with Hallmark, said connecting the retention ponds and getting improved stormwater infrastructure was needed before any building went up. But with the bad economy, it's impossible to say when construction might begin or end.
A video presentation on what Hallmark plans for the property can be found at www.hallmarkpartners .com.
"This is a cornerstone project for the Brooklyn neighborhood," Coley said. "It's essential to get this done for urban renewal.
Nasrallah and Coley both expressed frustration that it has taken so long to redevelop the Brooklyn neighborhood surrounding the project.
"I can't really tell you why this has taken so long," Nasrallah said. "We'd hoped to get everything done much sooner."
Hallmark isn't the only developer that has struggled to get development going in the Riverside area.
CB Richard Ellis recently dropped the price of 6.7 acres of land to the west of the Hallmark project. After originally asking for about $4 million, the price is now $2.75 million, said Oliver Barakat, first vice president at CBRE.
Barakat said he hoped the stormwater improvements would also make the property more attractive. It could be used for residential, retail or office space, he said.
"But with the bad economy no one is interested right now," Barakat said.