More Trouble for Van Horne
Earlier today, Metrojacksonville.com was told by a Springfield developer that 8 more Van Horne properties have gone into foreclosure, this time all residential structures.According to our source, the bankers who have underwritten Craig's properties are beginning to seriously lose confidence in Van Horne's ability to continue to make payments---even given the history of his inconsistent performance-- and are quietly approaching potential buyers for the properties to avoid liquidation.Added to the Lis Pendens nailed to the front of the Van Horne Silverleaf Condo project (http://www.urbanjacksonville.info/2007/05/29/silverleaf-condos-in-foreclosure/) , this is clearly the beginning of the end for the controversial St. Augustine based developer. Unless something drastic occurs it will only be matter of time before his signature project, 9th and Main suffers the same fate.As reported on UrbanJacksonville.info (http://www.urbanjacksonville.info/2007/06/18/9th-and-main-not-open-last-weekend/) , this may already be the case, as the once popular restaurant was closed all weekend.Given the article by Joe Light in this week's Times Union: Left Behind in Springfield (http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061807/bus_177736006.shtml) , these developments cannot possibly be welcome to the Springfield Neighborhood, whose Main Street was so vibrant and full of possibility only 2 years ago.Find out more later this week about the roles played by Van Horne and Hionides in the rapid destruction of the once blossoming Main Street redevelopment.
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http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/474
you mentioned a vibrant main street two years ago, what city? this cities main street will NEVER be vibrant again or any time as long as the likes of so-called developers van horny toad and hioncrackes are still in the picture. what this city is sorely lacking is a true developer with vision, money and cojones to take on true development on the main street corridor, take on an inept and frankly disinterested city council and mayor!
otherwise will have to continue to wallow amongst our lovely chain linked fences, razor wire, trash and human excrement.
Lets not forget how the mayors office went to bat for us to keep the Job Corps from turning into a homeless shelter. Because of all the recent property rights legislation, there's nothing the city can do to make these guys do anything with their properties.
They City cant use eminent domain against deadbeats anymore, but they can certainly still use aggressive code enforcement to get properties cleaned up and properly repaired and secured.