(http://www.southlinesteel.net/media/2298/berkman%20plaza2.jpg)
Looking out at the downtown skyline it is easy to be reminded of the economic pain felt by the 2008 Financial Crisis. The Berkman Plaza II stands as a monument to the housing bubble that ruined families and destroyed companies. My knowledge of the property is that the owners will not build out because they are not likely to make any return in investment. After being stuck in litigation for years, the property is possibly being foreclosed on. Regardless of the reasons why the building has sat static since 2007, economic prosperity is on the horizon and generation X and Y want to live in an urban setting. There will be a time in the near future when investing in the Berkman property will make economic sense.
In order to get the most out of the property we must ask ourselves what we want out of the structure. I'd argue that finishing the Berkamn to match the original is a bad idea. Just as the Berkman II is a reminder of prosperity lost, I feel that the architecture, if you can call it that, of the Berkman I also references a different time. I guess you can call it Mediterranean-Americana. You see this style throughout Jacksonville, at the beaches, at the town center, and in any neighborhood located off the asteroid belt that is i295. New plans should be drawn up, taking into account its location on a historic ship yard. The bones are there and Jacksonville could use a unique structure greeting travelers downtown. This ugly reminder could be turned into the spark that starts the downtown fire. Alvin Brown should be leading charges like this. Hopefully, he has address the issue in some capacity. Given his record on downtown issues so far, I doubt it.
(http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2009/04/img/container_city_onpage.jpg)
(http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/keetwonen1.jpg)
Unfortunately, Berkman II has been exposed to the elements so long that it's probably structurally deficient. If so, it needs to come down at some point.
If that is the case it is truely unfortunate. Given its past structural deficiencies, I'd say that is a major concern. Even if the structure has to come down the property is still of value and should be included in any visioning process the city conducts. The property lies at the edge of established infill development, and its on the river at that. I would just like to see the gear turning. I'm sick of downtown feeling like Chernobyl. Using innovative building processes, like the cargo container condos I posted above, would bring renewed interest in the riverfront and be a healthy reminded that Jacksonville is a thriving port. It's a subtle message, but it could have a big impact. I think more than anything I'm sick of seeing stucco everywhere.
Quote from: Mathew1056 on November 09, 2012, 10:42:39 AM
I think more than anything I'm sick of seeing stucco everywhere.
But it's the poly-elastomeric coating that binds us together....
I stand by my prediction:
Quote from: Lunican on August 31, 2010, 08:52:11 AM
I think it's going to sit in its current state for at least 10 years.
Quote from: Lunican on November 09, 2012, 11:47:02 AM
I stand by my prediction:
Quote from: Lunican on August 31, 2010, 08:52:11 AM
I think it's going to sit in its current state for at least 10 years.
Completely agree.
The infamous "eyesore on I-4" has been incomplete for over a decade now, and it doesn't appear there is any end in sight. I can't see Berkman II being much different.
Question for someone more knowledgeable than I on Florida building codes:
Isn't the owner required to show construction progress every six months and pass an inspection, or else risk heavy fines and/or losing the property?
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on November 09, 2012, 11:16:05 AM
Quote from: Mathew1056 on November 09, 2012, 10:42:39 AM
I think more than anything I'm sick of seeing stucco everywhere.
But it's the poly-elastomeric coating that binds us together....
LMAO!
Unlike the 'eyesore on I-4' the Berkman is a residential structure with multiple location advantages over the Orlando property. We are talking about two totally different types of development. One is located off a freeway in a suburban business park, the other is a piece of property located on a navigable waterway in the middle of an established dense walkable district. The next wave of development will be urban oriented, Jacksonville needs to be prepared.
This 31 story high rise in South Padre Island, TX is probably the biggest colossal failure of an edifice that was under construction. It was torn down due to an uneven foundation.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=20FKED_COhw
Tearing it down was at least progress.
Quote from: Mathew1056 on November 09, 2012, 09:20:13 AM
(http://www.southlinesteel.net/media/2298/berkman%20plaza2.jpg)
Looking out at the downtown skyline it is easy to be reminded of the economic pain felt by the 2008 Financial Crisis. The Berkman Plaza II stands as a monument to the housing bubble that ruined families and destroyed companies. My knowledge of the property is that the owners will not build out because they are not likely to make any return in investment. After being stuck in litigation for years, the property is possibly being foreclosed on. Regardless of the reasons why the building has sat static since 2007, economic prosperity is on the horizon and generation X and Y want to live in an urban setting. There will be a time in the near future when investing in the Berkman property will make economic sense.
In order to get the most out of the property we must ask ourselves what we want out of the structure. I'd argue that finishing the Berkamn to match the original is a bad idea. Just as the Berkman II is a reminder of prosperity lost, I feel that the architecture, if you can call it that, of the Berkman I also references a different time. I guess you can call it Mediterranean-Americana. You see this style throughout Jacksonville, at the beaches, at the town center, and in any neighborhood located off the asteroid belt that is i295. New plans should be drawn up, taking into account its location on a historic ship yard. The bones are there and Jacksonville could use a unique structure greeting travelers downtown. This ugly reminder could be turned into the spark that starts the downtown fire. Alvin Brown should be leading charges like this. Hopefully, he has address the issue in some capacity. Given his record on downtown issues so far, I doubt it.
(http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2009/04/img/container_city_onpage.jpg)
(http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/keetwonen1.jpg)
This is something CSX, Crowley, and Haskell should consider working together on.
I have a friend that lives in the Berkman I, and while visiting recently, I pondered this subject.
I have experience in construction and with various construction companies.
The lack of quality in construction practices and materials during the boom leads me to believe that the cities interests would be best served by demolition.
But, if rehab is the only option- they should do something like have a re- design competition, so we can have a riverfront that looks like a "up and coming city"...
IDK who thought a giant pair of elongated DR Horton houses would look "chic" on the riverfront....
::)
Were the Berkman(s) part of the "shipyard" parcel? Or was that a separate fleecing incident?
Quote from: GoldenEst82 on November 11, 2012, 01:36:49 PM
Were the Berkman(s) part of the "shipyard" parcel? Or was that a separate fleecing incident?
It was a separate fleecing incident. We have so many to choose from :)
Does anyone have a pic of the infamous "Eyesore on 1-4"?
(http://cs.infospace.com/ClickHandler.ashx?du=http%3a%2f%2fwestorlandonews.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2010%2f10%2fbuilding.png&ru=http%3a%2f%2fwestorlandonews.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2010%2f10%2fbuilding.png&ld=20121111&ap=2&app=1&c=fantastigames2&s=koyote&coi=372380&cop=main-title&euip=24.129.105.180&npp=2&p=0&pp=0&pvaid=38ccbc8ade7a410dac052ef07c0b9fe9&sid=1085232621.4063440527371.1352662842&vid=1085232621.4063440527371.1348914923.13&fcoi=407&fcop=topnav&fpid=2&ep=2&mid=9&hash=115FB1505ABA624E228E8136BE4C484C)
Its incomplete but I never considered it an eyesore. It would have been great if Berkmann 2 was that far along before it went belly up.
Was driving thru Orlando just recently, and commented that it looked like giant HVAC ductwork.
Quote from: thelakelander on November 11, 2012, 02:43:36 PM
(http://cs.infospace.com/ClickHandler.ashx?du=http%3a%2f%2fwestorlandonews.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2010%2f10%2fbuilding.png&ru=http%3a%2f%2fwestorlandonews.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2010%2f10%2fbuilding.png&ld=20121111&ap=2&app=1&c=fantastigames2&s=koyote&coi=372380&cop=main-title&euip=24.129.105.180&npp=2&p=0&pp=0&pvaid=38ccbc8ade7a410dac052ef07c0b9fe9&sid=1085232621.4063440527371.1352662842&vid=1085232621.4063440527371.1348914923.13&fcoi=407&fcop=topnav&fpid=2&ep=2&mid=9&hash=115FB1505ABA624E228E8136BE4C484C)
Its incomplete but I never considered it an eyesore. It would have been great if Berkmann 2 was that far along before it went belly up.
Actually it's a beautiful building, and unless it's bound up in a legal quagmire there is no reason why it can't be finished out. As for location, it doesn't get much better in Central Florida then Altamonte Springs on the super slab.
Oh my goodness the "eyesore on I-4" is what my sister and I call the "waterfall bldg" ... whenever we head south that is usually a stopping point for gassing up our motorcycles with the club we ride with or the mcdonalds at the next exit for food. I thought it was just one of those bldgs that was paused until it had a buyer to finish it. Now I see its been vacant for years? What a shame.
As for the Berkman II, it should be torn down if only for the fact that is garage collapsed, killing a worker and who knows what deficincies are in this structure that may not become evident until more weight is built in. The big problem here is the owner, probably biding time to do anything until the market picks up. But if you call 630-CITY you can report it as an eyesore, and enough calls would prompt some reaction. That empty structure is no less an eyesore on dt than your neighbors high grass. And a surprising fact, in 2011 630-CITY fielded calls of "high grass/unkempt lawn" complaints from over 7,000 residents ... why can't dt get that amount of attention?
Actually the building on I-4 was started by a Christian TV network. Since that particular group adheres to Romans 13:8 "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law," the building was built painfully slow, one cash donation = one window at a time. It appears that they have now abandoned the project or sold out and it is now available on the commercial market.
wait ... you mean churches can't just buy up large swaths of dt or big business parks? and living in Jax I thought that was how life happened!! Hey do you know a link for bldg sale or what it was called or who built it ... googled I-4 eyesore and a whole bunch of random came up
It was supposed to be the Majesty Building and an anchor to an area that Altamonte Springs wants to become its urban core. Here is an article about it from five years ago.
QuoteThe "Majesty Building." We all know it â€" we can’t help but see it. But what is it and will it ever be completed?
Claud Bowers, president and founder of SuperChannel WACX-TV, began the $40 million venture almost 7 years ago. The goal was to complete the building debt-free using charitable donations and through pre-leasing arrangements. Before the project even broke ground, there was a total of $36 million in pledges.
The Majesty Building is situated on 4.7 acres off of Interstate 4 on Central Parkway in Altamonte Springs. The structure contains 18 floors and towers 307 feet above Cranes Roost Park.
The current plans include:
Retail space in the rotunda and 2nd floor
Owner-occupied 3rd and 4th floors housing a banquet facility, theater, meeting rooms, and a film and video studio
Office leasing in the 5th though 16th floors
Owner-occupied 17th floor
Electrical and mechanical facilities and antenna leasing on the top floor
According to Bowers, the purpose of the project is to "serve the present and future needs of [WACX-TV] and help endow SuperChannel through funds generated by leasing a portion of office and retail space in the rotunda and tower."
The patio near the top of the structure can seat 200 people. Bowers describes this scenic gathering place as an "oasis in the sky" that will be adorned with fruit trees and other tasteful garnishments.
The design of the Majesty Building does not hold any particular meaning. It was inspired by another building Bowers admired and he applied some of the same characteristics to his own creation.
Bowers also emphasized the benefits to the community of Altamonte Springs in terms of employment opportunities and providing an attractive venue where sales meetings and civic events may take place.
The City of Altamonte Springs is advised regularly of the progress of the construction efforts and Bowers said the same contractors and architects have been working on the project since its inception. He also informed me that construction has never been interrupted and that they are currently installing retaining walls under the structure for the parking facilities. The target date of completion is between April and October of 2008.
SuperChannel is the only commercial Christian independent TV station in the Orlando area. According to Bowers, the station airs "original programs along with local and national client programming through individual contracts with agencies, independent distributors and program producers."
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/community_altamonte_blog/2007/05/the_majesty_bui.html
Thank you, I found stuff after I typed it in right LoL
Wow what a story. With immediate highway access in a rather densely populated area of the state I am surprised companies or even property managers aren't racing to snap it up
I can't imagine there being a big market for half completed highrise office space in Altamonte Springs, with downtown Orlando 20 minutes away.
Just browsing I stumbled on this pretty cool Eyesore on I-4 youtube vid. The building is shown aerially from a hobby helicopter.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_FWzL37ZVQ
good point Lake.
Oh what a neat video, I like the way everything is mirrored off the glass. As far as eyesores go, that is not too bad. I actually like the way the building looks and as I mentioned earlier it certainly makes quite the landmark for the area.
^ Let's throw it on a flatbed and float it up the St. Johns and park it downtown at the old Riverwatch site.
As for the Berkman, I think it should be torn down. The property should then be returned to the city and an RFP issued for its redevelopment.
Quote from: kreger on November 09, 2012, 04:23:50 PM
Quote from: Mathew1056 on November 09, 2012, 09:20:13 AM
(http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/keetwonen1.jpg)
This is something CSX, Crowley, and Haskell should consider working together on.
Substitute sliding glass doors/ bright color walls for cell doors /grey walls and it reminds me of a couple of prisons I built.
Quote from: Overstreet on November 12, 2012, 11:08:03 AM
Quote from: kreger on November 09, 2012, 04:23:50 PM
Quote from: Mathew1056 on November 09, 2012, 09:20:13 AM
(http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/keetwonen1.jpg)
This is something CSX, Crowley, and Haskell should consider working together on.
Substitute sliding glass doors/ bright color walls for cell doors /grey walls and it reminds me of a couple of prisons I built.
I admit the particular picture you are committing on does resemble something like a prison. I will say that not many people liked the Pompidou Center when it was built in Paris, but it is now a well known landmark. I wouldn't discount environmentally friendly building materials like cargo containers. There are some beautiful examples of it beig used in construction.
^^^The Prison District. We are already next to the jail. Reuse of the old jail. NCAA practice facility!
Wow, just think of the possibilities posed herein, we raze the Berkman II building, followed immediately by the old Courthouse, City Hall, Bostwick Building and you'll recall that plan to take down the Baywater Square Building. With these out of the way we could focus our ire at the Barnett Bank and Laura Trio. 9 buildings are all that is keeping us from greatness! Let's rip em down!
THE JACKSONVILLE SONG?
Well, come on all of you, big strong men,
Jacksonville needs your help again.
It's got itself in a terrible jam
Way down yonder near the county pen
So push down that plunger, we've already begun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.
And it's one, two, three,
What are we bitchin' for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Jacksonville is at it again.
And it's five, six, seven,
Implode it, before its too late,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! downtown's all gonna die.
(My apologies to Country Joe and the Fish)
It looks to me like it's just a concrete shell. Does a couple years of rain damage concrete to the point the whole thing has to be torn down?
How bout if we built some zip lines from it so tourists could zip down to Dos Gatos or onto a water taxi?
Quote from: Ocklawaha on November 12, 2012, 09:45:30 PM
Wow, just think of the possibilities posed herein, we raze the Berkman II building, followed immediately by the old Courthouse, City Hall, Bostwick Building and you'll recall that plan to take down the Baywater Square Building. With these out of the way we could focus our ire at the Barnett Bank and Laura Trio. 9 buildings are all that is keeping us from greatness! Let's rip em down!
THE JACKSONVILLE SONG?
Well, come on all of you, big strong men,
Jacksonville needs your help again.
It's got itself in a terrible jam
Way down yonder near the county pen
So push down that plunger, we've already begun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.
And it's one, two, three,
What are we bitchin' for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Jacksonville is at it again.
And it's five, six, seven,
Implode it, before its too late,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! downtown's all gonna die.
(My apologies to Country Joe and the Fish)
Ock,
That's funny. Instead of razing them lets save them all. Visit Jacksonville -Home of the national FEMA training center. We don't need a hurricane or tropical storm, earthquake, tsunami to have an urban core multiple examples of various degrees of high rise structures incapacitated to reenact the the types of rescue that are needed throughout the world in dense residential populations.
Craig Fugate- We need you man. I'll reach out to you.
Questions for Craig.
That was an opportunity when he was the Director of the Division of Emergency Management before he was made the Director of FEMA.
Mr. Fugate, In Jacksonville we have the Laura St. Trio. 3 clustered buildings. Are zip lines now being used in rescue and evaluation techniques utilizing the highest structure from the top and then taking it to the bottom for sustainable evaluation and support for residents until power is restored to these structures? is this being done anywhere?
In the interim let's have a food truck party at 601 East Church St and that 1915 solid brick structure that is now a leveled slab.
Or I'll take anyone kayaking and fishing next to Berkman Plaza-Plaza at Berkman and we can fish under the brand new No Fishing signs that was never before the Jacksonville Waterways Commission.
Visit Jacksonville- We are so Lost.
DIA board meeting tomorrow. Anyone going?
Just drove by and the WJXT TV truck is parked next to the Berkman Exoskeleton. News at 5 or 6?
I tuned into WJXT. I didn't catch any segments at that location. I was a little preoccupied so I very well could have missed it.
Unlike a lot of what J-ville tears down- this is not a historically significant structure- nor is it aesthetically pleasing.
I don't thing leveling the Berkman II is on par with the elimination of LaVilla (as an example).
We could go on all day about the ass-backwardsness of this city.
Looks like Berkman 2 didn't make the cut in Khan's video of the Shipyards.
http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/news/local/wake-shipyards-plan-reveal-city-leaders-debating-f/nkDrh/
I wish someone would make a move
What happened to the group that wanted to use the existing shell?
^^ That's a good question. So in the viedo they said the city doesn't own the building so that means there is nothing they can do??
Quote from: thelakelander on February 21, 2015, 06:51:06 PM
What happened to the group that wanted to use the existing shell?
Isn't that the current owner based out of Atlanta the reporter mentioned? Last I heard they wanted to turn it into apartments, but needed help from the city to settle some legal work / cleaning up the damaged areas... I'm not holding my breath for city council to get any of this done. I'll believe it when I'm rolling around in the new practice fields.
Choate owns the building. They brought a developer in to complete the building, but they needed $5M from DIA to make it worth their while, but DIA turned them down. Khan's people were allegedly talking to the Berkman people recently, but who knows where it is now.
I don't think the DIA has $5 million to give anyone. Money would have to come from another pot of public funds, in the form of tax incentives, etc. With that said, it will probably cost $5 million just to tear it down.
This particular thread was initiated in 2012. I think that says it all......................
word is that Khan's people are still talking to Choate after all. Sure would be nice to be a fly on that wall
I'm sure they are, considering they want to develop about 40 acres next to it. If Choate gets any offer that won't leave them in the poor house, they should take it and get out from the disaster
^except that they are in the construction business, so my guess is they'd rather find a developer to finish it. I suppose it could be better for them to demolish it and sell the clean dirt, but hard to imaging them making any money in that scenario.
"We have got to deal with Berkman Plaza. We began investigating that in my first week," he said. "Liberty Street was one of the first questions I asked. The Jacksonville Landing is ... um. Eh. I'll leave it at that."-Lenny Curry
So Berkman is on the mayor's radar. Good.
At this rate the property will receive historic designation in its current state.
The city better be levying fines daily and then the city can "foreclose" like the bostwick building.
Quote from: downtownbrown on December 16, 2015, 09:58:09 AM
"We have got to deal with Berkman Plaza. We began investigating that in my first week," he said. "Liberty Street was one of the first questions I asked. The Jacksonville Landing is ... um. Eh. I'll leave it at that."-Lenny Curry
So Berkman is on the mayor's radar. Good.
Quote is from this article if anyone is interested: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/morning-edition/2015/12/pensions-public-safety-taxes-and-downtown-mayor.html
He is referring to the hole in Liberty St., not Berkman Plaza II though, right?
No one comes to downtown Jacksonville and goes "wow, that empty structure sure would be something if it had cool shops and restaurants in it", nope, but they do it with The Landing.
The Mayor and Sleiman have to come to some agreement to get the Landing renovated, improved, something. But that thing on the river is the gateway to Laura Street and at this point, I think we need to see more progress than 2 design options and then "call it a day boys" mentality.
I can think of a dozen other projects that city or government funds should be sunk into before the landing is torn down and "improved". Berkman II is on that list. It does no good to tear down and build new something that is producing and leave something that is a true determent and says we may not be worth investing in. As the "Gateway to Laura Street" the iconic Landing does just fine. Think how much better the landing will be looked upon by people if the Laura Trio was done. Meanwhile, from the river view, the Berkman's send an eerie mixed message.
What can the city do though to really incentivize a developer to come in and finish the thing?
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 17, 2015, 10:09:14 AM
What can the city do though to really incentivize a developer to come in and finish the thing?
Demolish it.
Demolishing it and incentiving someone to finish it will probably cost taxpayers around the same.
Quote from: thelakelander on December 17, 2015, 12:02:06 PM
Demolishing it and incentiving someone to finish it will probably cost taxpayers around the same.
Does the city need to take control of it? I am guessing it is owned by a bank or financial institution.
Quote from: strider on December 17, 2015, 08:46:41 AM
I can think of a dozen other projects that city or government funds should be sunk into before the landing is torn down and "improved". Berkman II is on that list. It does no good to tear down and build new something that is producing and leave something that is a true determent and says we may not be worth investing in. As the "Gateway to Laura Street" the iconic Landing does just fine. Think how much better the landing will be looked upon by people if the Laura Trio was done. Meanwhile, from the river view, the Berkman's send an eerie mixed message.
Agreed. The Landing is not one of those "has to happen now" projects. It is still functioning, is not an empty shell of a building that speaks volumes about the city's recent economic struggles, and nobody can agree on what should go there. So I think the Landing is lower on the list of priorities.
^Yes.
Quote from: thelakelander on December 17, 2015, 12:02:06 PM
Demolishing it and incentiving someone to finish it will probably cost taxpayers around the same.
I only scanned through the OSHA report a few years ago, but I seem to remember the failure was due to a combination of engineering issues and improper removal of supports.
What type, if any, structural testing/re-engineering did they do to the main structure or were they even needed?
Not sure. The structure that collapsed was a separate parking garage. A few months ago, there was a newspaper report stating that the shell of Berkman 2 was structurally sound. A developer was also interested in turning it into apartments (during Brown's term) but wanted incentives from the city.
Would be great for Bay Street. I think apartments would do well there to be honest. Once Cowford, the Breweries, and some other places get going on Bay St (which is nearly dead right now), I could see it becoming more desirable in 2016.
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 17, 2015, 02:55:14 PM
Would be great for Bay Street.
Kayaked there today and did a Vivian Harrell KJB Bluebag cleanup right at the Jim Love, Kevin Kuzel 26' Berkman Floating dock compromise (Shipyards III) misrepresented by OGC during the 2013 FIND grant application process. Follow up by councilwoman Boyer on the Public Acess at Catherine St. when she was on Waterways. This too would be great for Bay St.
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 17, 2015, 02:55:14 PM
Would be great for Bay Street. I think apartments would do well there to be honest. Once Cowford, the Breweries, and some other places get going on Bay St (which is nearly dead right now), I could see it becoming more desirable in 2016.
I'm working in Palm Bay today but I'll try to dig and post a link to that old article when i get back to Jax tonight.
The collapse was the garage structure only. Yes it was improper removal of temporary supports from the concrete structure. The garage had a different design firm and different contractor from the main building. Their should be no issue with the main building in this short of time. Only the site's reputation so to speak.
Finish it as condos or apartments or a hotel that offer long term corporate and regular options and it will be a winner.
The site is actually (IMO) better than "Berkman I" because it is closer to the river and will look north with unobstructed views of the St Johns , the stadium, and what ever goes in at the Shipyards. Get lucky and it could have a spectacular view.
Has anyone showed it to TRUMP?
Here's a few articles from last year about the potential of turning Berkman's structurally sound shell into an 18-story apartment building:
QuoteAbandoned for more than six years and in litigation for nearly as long, the Berkman Plaza II condominium tower project sold at auction Tuesday in fewer than 60 seconds — for $100.
After being granted a $10.2 million judgment and lien, Choate Construction Co., the general contractor on the 18-story development Downtown along the St. Johns River, was the lone bidder in a foreclosure auction and secured the property for $100.
"We would much rather somebody walked in with a check for $10 million," Choate Chief Operating Officer Michael Hampton said this morning.
He said the outcome on the project obviously is not what the company intended, but all things considered, the latest chapter in the story creates opportunities for developers.
"We've had a lot of interest," he said. "They see it as a high-rise apartment opportunity."
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=542838
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-05-03/story/downtown-living-jacksonville-developers-favor-apartments-not-condos
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 17, 2015, 12:06:53 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on December 17, 2015, 12:02:06 PM
Demolishing it and incentiving someone to finish it will probably cost taxpayers around the same.
Does the city need to take control of it? I am guessing it is owned by a bank or financial institution.
Again, Choate Construction bought the building for $1 because they had a $10M construction lien on the property. Choate brought in a developer who wanted to finish it as apartments, but needed $5M from DIA to make it work. DIA turned the developer down. And here we are...
Quote from: downtownbrown on December 21, 2015, 11:43:33 AM
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 17, 2015, 12:06:53 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on December 17, 2015, 12:02:06 PM
Demolishing it and incentiving someone to finish it will probably cost taxpayers around the same.
Does the city need to take control of it? I am guessing it is owned by a bank or financial institution.
Again, Choate Construction bought the building for $1 because they had a $10M construction lien on the property. Choate brought in a developer who wanted to finish it as apartments, but needed $5M from DIA to make it work. DIA turned the developer down. And here we are...
Which is comical since the incentives the developers are asking for with projects like Berkman II and the Trio are peanuts for the city when you are talking about projects where the developers are willing to clean up the two most visibly disastrous building sites that scream out "this downtown is struggling!" to anyone visiting DT. There are no other sites downtown that express it so clearly for everyone to see other than these two. They are top of the list. Curry stated at the NAIOP seminar last week that fixing the pension fund issues could potentially free up $100 million a year for the city to invest elsewhere. $100 MILLION a year!!! This vs the one time $5 mil subsidy the developer was asking for Berkman II and the $8 mil one time subsidy for the Trio.
^^To be fair, a formal proposal was never presented to DIA, City Council, et al... but the numbers that were being kicked around were far more than $5mm in public assistance.
DIA has virtually no budget for any substantial housing-related project such as this. This would ultimately be a City Council issue.
^Gulliford says he's "looking into it", and the mayor just said it needs to get done, so I guess there is reason to be optimistic.
I imagine if the owners presented a real plan, the city would be willing to listen. Hopefully it happens soon.
Quote from: fieldafm on December 21, 2015, 12:47:59 PM
^^To be fair, a formal proposal was never presented to DIA, City Council, et al... but the numbers that were being kicked around were far more than $5mm in public assistance.
DIA has virtually no budget for any substantial housing-related project such as this. This would ultimately be a City Council issue.
What were the numbers then? North of $10 million?
How many units are in Berkman I?
208 units. However, Berkman II will probably end up with less. I doubt it will be as tall as originally envisioned if it is finished.
Judging from my pictures from this weekend it would be about 17/18 stories if completed as is and not mirrored to its neighbor. I wouldn't complain at all. I just want it completed and to have more residents downtown.
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/editorials/2016-03-07/story/berkmans-unfinished-tower-needs-be-finished-or-torn-down
Looks like our beloved newspaper just noticed there is a rotting hulk of a building in the middle of downtown. Let's see if Gaffney has any juice, or is it more of the same?
Gaffney is probably more worried about the federal investigation at this point than whatever is going to happen to berkman plaza 2. Just saying.
Quote from: jaxjags on December 17, 2015, 04:20:21 PM
The collapse was the garage structure only. Yes it was improper removal of temporary supports from the concrete structure. The garage had a different design firm and different contractor from the main building. Their should be no issue with the main building in this short of time. Only the site's reputation so to speak.
Wasn't Choate the general contractor of the garage, as well ?