Metro Jacksonville

Jacksonville by Neighborhood => Downtown => Topic started by: thelakelander on June 27, 2008, 04:42:42 PM

Title: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: thelakelander on June 27, 2008, 04:42:42 PM
Although not ground breaking news (this was mentioned here a few months ago), maybe the parking garage will come sooner, rather than later.

QuotePosted: Friday, June 27th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
The parking garage promised by Orlando developer Cameron Kuhn won’t be in limbo although he has left the Jacksonville market under a cloud of foreclosures.

An attorney representing Frank Vennes, the Jupiter investor who owns the downtown land where Kuhn sought to build a $250 million residential tower and garage, said Thursday a parking garage still will be built there.

That will fulfill a cityâ€"imposed requirement attached to the land that requires 375 parking spaces for the adjacent Jacksonville Landing.

Landing owners have said over the years that restrictive parking has hampered the downtown landmark’s success.

http://news.jacksonville.com/justin/2008/06/27/kuhn-is-gone-but-landing-parking-is-still-coming/
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: Lunican on June 27, 2008, 04:49:09 PM
So will this land forever be a parking garage or will they design the garage to support a building?
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: thelakelander on June 27, 2008, 04:56:00 PM
Who knows.  My guess is that it will remain a dirt lot for the rest of this decade.
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: Keith-N-Jax on June 27, 2008, 10:43:27 PM
Thats a good guess!!
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: thelakelander on June 28, 2008, 05:46:27 AM
No date of proposed construction or if the garage will be built with the possibility of adding a tower at a later date:

QuoteAlthough Orlando developer Cameron Kuhn has left town and his vision for a $250 million residential tower has died, the planned garage at that 1.6-acre lot across Independent Drive from the Landing will fulfill a longtime commitment to 375 parking spaces, according to a representative of the current owner.

But the Landing is not the only reason to build the garage, said Plymouth, Minn., attorney Craig Howse, who represents Jupiter investor Frank Vennes Jr. The neighboring SunTrust building needs parking, too.

"I think the need is pretty clear - they need parking downtown," Howse said Thursday. "The goal is to build a parking garage there, and we are working toward that."

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/062808/met_296802519.shtml
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: BridgeTroll on June 28, 2008, 11:22:35 AM
Oh boy... another parking garage... :'(
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: scaleybark on June 28, 2008, 12:06:55 PM
I thought downtown had lots of parking.  So why does everyone keep complaining about the lack of parking?  Or, is the complaining really about the lack of free parking?  I doubt if the new garage will be free.
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: Lunican on June 28, 2008, 12:38:34 PM
That's what is so ridiculous. There is so much parking already available, especially at night.
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: BridgeTroll on June 28, 2008, 01:19:55 PM
Quote from: scaleybark on June 28, 2008, 12:06:55 PM
I thought downtown had lots of parking.  So why does everyone keep complaining about the lack of parking?  Or, is the complaining really about the lack of free parking?  I doubt if the new garage will be free.
After six pm and on weekends all the street parking is free.  Ah... I know... the problem is WALKING two blocks. ;D
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: heights unknown on June 28, 2008, 01:47:15 PM
All we need; another parking garage; dammit Cammie (Khun).  I hope they are smart enough to design it to either add a superstructure (building/scraper) on top of it, or enough land to build a skyscraper next to it adjoined to it.  Knowing them, they'll build the damn thing (Parking Garage) over the entire property thus choking the chance to build a high rise or tower on or near the parking garage.

Heights Unknown
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: heights unknown on June 28, 2008, 01:49:39 PM
Quote from: Lunican on June 28, 2008, 12:38:34 PM
That's what is so ridiculous. There is so much parking already available, especially at night.

Yeah but not enough near the Landing and FOR the Landing.

Heights Unknown
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: BridgeTroll on June 28, 2008, 02:34:49 PM
Quote from: heights unknown on June 28, 2008, 01:49:39 PM
Quote from: Lunican on June 28, 2008, 12:38:34 PM
That's what is so ridiculous. There is so much parking already available, especially at night.

Yeah but not enough near the Landing and FOR the Landing.

Heights Unknown
There are hundreds of free parking spots within three blocks of the landing... The problem isnt parking its lazy assed people...
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: Jason on June 30, 2008, 12:23:18 PM
^ YEP!
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: Steve on July 02, 2008, 03:54:04 PM
The problem is that with Toney Sleiman's vision of the landing, he NEEDS parking, plain and simple.  He wants to being some upscale chain restaraunts to the landing.  However, they will not come unless the landing has X number of specific spaces (or a city-wide transit system).

Plus, congratulations Jacksonville - we are home to the most poorly signed parking facilities on the planet.  Case in point, did anyone know that the 9 story garage across from the Modis building is open for daily/hourly parking?  I'm downtown at least twice a week (I don't work downtown), and I just figured it out three weeks ago.
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: Eazy E on July 02, 2008, 04:02:41 PM
Really insightful and good comments.
One problem I have/foresee: once parking garagaes are built (which in and of themselves are a terrible use of downtown real estate space, but we already all know that) say a contractor/garage owner actually has the insight and intelligence to then say, "hey, you know what? an actual building here would be nice-- and smart," and decides to build a real building where there is a garage. Well, people will probably have come to rely on that garage and when one goes to remove the garage, even if the new building will have a garage on it, people relying on those spaces will be displaced for a year or two years or however ever long it takes to put up a downtown-sized building, thereby making an even bigger parking clusterf**k.
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: Dapperdan on July 02, 2008, 05:21:29 PM
Quote from: Steve on July 02, 2008, 03:54:04 PM
The problem is that with Toney Sleiman's vision of the landing, he NEEDS parking, plain and simple.  He wants to being some upscale chain restaraunts to the landing.  However, they will not come unless the landing has X number of specific spaces (or a city-wide transit system).

Plus, congratulations Jacksonville - we are home to the most poorly signed parking facilities on the planet.  Case in point, did anyone know that the 9 story garage across from the Modis building is open for daily/hourly parking?  I'm downtown at least twice a week (I don't work downtown), and I just figured it out three weeks ago.

The Water Street behemoth is also open for hourly/daily parking. Both of these garages are within 2-3 blocks of the Landing. why can't they be used?
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: Steve on July 02, 2008, 09:08:39 PM
My guess is that the Water Street Garage is probably too far (for that matter, for the chains, the Bay Street thing is probably too far as well.  I'm sure they want something that is no further than across the street
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: tufsu1 on July 22, 2008, 01:25:29 PM
here's an update on Mr. Kuhn

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-kuhn2208jul22,0,7925195.story (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-kuhn2208jul22,0,7925195.story)
Title: Re: Kuhn is gone, but Landing parking is still coming
Post by: RiversideGator on July 22, 2008, 01:42:58 PM
Good to hear that Kuhn is still working through his financial difficulties.  I respect his decision to try and settle out everything rather than take the Bankruptcy option.