QuoteJACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. - A popular Jacksonville Beach marina is undergoing a multimillion-dollar redevelopment.
Beach Marine is located on Beach Boulevard at the foot of the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. Plans for redevelopment include the construction of 40 waterfront townhomes, an office and retail building, 62-room boutique hotel and new restaurant on the site of the old Billy's Boat House restaurant.
"It's almost like a welcome center as you come across the Beach Boulevard bridge," said Stephen Williams of Edgewater Companies Inc.
Williams was hired by the property owners to sell the townhomes, which are priced from around $650,000 to $750,000. Williams said several units have already been sold with move-in expected by the end of the year.
Additionally, project developers said the hotel, the Saltwater Inn, was designed specifically to attract boaters.
Williams said he expects the new Beach Marine to pump millions of dollars into the local economy in addition to creating hundreds of jobs.
"All of the marina jobs and the hotel jobs that'll be created, the restaurant jobs that'll be created, it's going to have a tremendous financial impact for the entire beaches area," Williams said.
But not everyone is thrilled. Robert Bacom lives in Jacksonville Beach and told First Coast News he worries the new facilities will take away from the boating culture he loves.
"Once they build condos, I feel like it's just going to take away from that adventure that people that people seek on the weekends," Bacom said.
In response, project developers said Beach Marine will be transformed into a world-class marine facility with many amenities designed to improve the boating experience.
The total project is estimated to cost $35 million to be paid by the family who owns the property.
Construction on the first townhomes is expected to begin mid-summer. If all goes according to plan, the project could be complete in 2020.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/beaches/beach-marine-undergoes-multimillion-dollar-redevelopment/434361737
wow. brilliant.
Its a far cry from the development proposed just prior to the passing of the height restriction but glad to see the owners are moving ahead with a development.
It's nice to see this moving forward. I'm particularly excited that it includes a hotel.