https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/plan-makes-florida-blue-parking-lot-next-to-fidelity-campus-available-for-development
Also, a new parking deck available for public use will be helpful to ease traffic concerns in 5 Points. Bring back The Trolley!
Also, what piece of property is the city selling to Florida Blue?
Quote from: JaxAvondale on June 19, 2019, 09:41:47 PM
Also, what piece of property is the city selling to Florida Blue?
Wondering the same thing. The only City owned property at Park and Forest is the retention pond.
Quote from: Charles Hunter on June 19, 2019, 10:23:33 PM
Quote from: JaxAvondale on June 19, 2019, 09:41:47 PM
Also, what piece of property is the city selling to Florida Blue?
Wondering the same thing. The only City owned property at Park and Forest is the retention pond.
Yeah, are they talking about selling BCBS the retention pond site to build a parking deck on. The article is vague but that's what I'm thinking is happening, especially with the comment about the gateway to downtown. Seems like if all of this is happening FIS must have some serious expansion plans they aren't ready to go public with.
When I was a City Planner we allowed people to build on top of retention ponds.
Quote from: acme54321 on June 19, 2019, 10:38:42 PM
Quote from: Charles Hunter on June 19, 2019, 10:23:33 PM
Quote from: JaxAvondale on June 19, 2019, 09:41:47 PM
Also, what piece of property is the city selling to Florida Blue?
Wondering the same thing. The only City owned property at Park and Forest is the retention pond.
Yeah, are they talking about selling BCBS the retention pond site to build a parking deck on. The article is vague but that's what I'm thinking is happening, especially with the comment about the gateway to downtown. Seems like if all of this is happening FIS must have some serious expansion plans they aren't ready to go public with.
They definitely have some office constraints now. I know that they have some employees in other office buildings in the area.
Quote from: Kerry on June 19, 2019, 10:40:49 PM
When I was a City Planner we allowed people to build on top of retention ponds.
This is very common in areas with high land value. You have to do an underground vault or exfiltration trenches to offset the loss of stormwater retenion.
Quote from: JaxAvondale on June 19, 2019, 11:00:29 PM
They definitely have some office constraints now. I know that they have some employees in other office buildings in the area.
After the Sungard acquisition, their local presence almost doubled. They have a few hundred employees in the prudential building, about 600-700 employees in the Black Knight Building, and I think some others on the southside. If you consolidate those employees, you could have a nice sized campus. Back in 2006, FNF and FIS wanted to put a corporate hotel or lodge between their two buildings for clients and employees to stay in while in town. FIS has one of these in Little Rock already. With this new land acquisition, this may resurface. All this and I'm sure Black Knight would appreciate the extra space in their building.
Quote from: Kerry on June 19, 2019, 10:40:49 PM
When I was a City Planner we allowed people to build on top of retention ponds.
Yep - the Lot J plan (your favorite) includes a garage on the site of the current retention pond. It isn't cheap though, which is part of the reason that garage is high.
It would be awesome to build something there. Good for Oliver Barakat (who in my opinion has an up and down review from me on DIA) for stating that there needs to be retail in a garage there.
Quote from: JaxAvondale on June 19, 2019, 09:31:27 PM
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/plan-makes-florida-blue-parking-lot-next-to-fidelity-campus-available-for-development
Also, a new parking deck available for public use will be helpful to ease traffic concerns in 5 Points. Bring back The Trolley!
At this point, there is no one walking from Forest to 5 Points. There are too many other places to park that are far closer on the streets.
Exciting news in a time we need exciting news. Hopefully they plan something that interacts with Riverside Avenue while also interacting with the Riverwalk.
Regardless of what happens, it will be a huge win to replace that massive, junky surface lot on the river and put something on top of that retention pond. Both of them are big holes in Brooklyn. I always thought that pond was such a waste.
Quote from: FlaBoy on June 20, 2019, 10:41:50 AM
Quote from: JaxAvondale on June 19, 2019, 09:31:27 PM
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/plan-makes-florida-blue-parking-lot-next-to-fidelity-campus-available-for-development
Also, a new parking deck available for public use will be helpful to ease traffic concerns in 5 Points. Bring back The Trolley!
At this point, there is no one walking from Forest to 5 Points. There are too many other places to park that are far closer on the streets.
Exciting news in a time we need exciting news. Hopefully they plan something that interacts with Riverside Avenue while also interacting with the Riverwalk.
Once Park gets a road diet, I think we will see more people walking along Park. There has definitely been an uptick in pedestrian traffic since the Gate opened.
Let's get the new Residence Inn to drop it's surface parking and have valet only at the new garage across the street. Win for all. (If the Residence Inn ever gets built)
Quote from: jaxjags on June 20, 2019, 01:21:07 PM
Let's get the new Residence Inn to drop it's surface parking and have valet only at the new garage across the street. Win for all. (If the Residence Inn ever gets built)
This. 100%.
Quote from: jaxjags on June 20, 2019, 01:21:07 PM
Let's get the new Residence Inn to drop it's surface parking and have valet only at the new garage across the street. Win for all. (If the Residence Inn ever gets built)
Maybe I'm not the right example for this, but as someone who has stayed in a
lot of Residence Inns on vacation, my family would absolutely not pick one requiring us to give our car to a valet. That's a non-starter for us.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on June 20, 2019, 03:00:49 PM
Quote from: jaxjags on June 20, 2019, 01:21:07 PM
Let's get the new Residence Inn to drop it's surface parking and have valet only at the new garage across the street. Win for all. (If the Residence Inn ever gets built)
Maybe I'm not the right example for this, but as someone who has stayed in a lot of Residence Inns on vacation, my family would absolutely not pick one requiring us to give our car to a valet. That's a non-starter for us.
Agreed, If I am choosing a Residence Inn or similar type hotel for a weekend getaway or want to sink my money into "experiences" vice the place all I am doing is sleeping/showering then valet only is a non starter for us as well.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on June 20, 2019, 03:00:49 PM
Quote from: jaxjags on June 20, 2019, 01:21:07 PM
Let's get the new Residence Inn to drop it's surface parking and have valet only at the new garage across the street. Win for all. (If the Residence Inn ever gets built)
Maybe I'm not the right example for this, but as someone who has stayed in a lot of Residence Inns on vacation, my family would absolutely not pick one requiring us to give our car to a valet. That's a non-starter for us.
That's nearly every Residence Inn in an urban setting in America.
Then you haven't been to Charleston or Savannah or NY or ATL or even Charlotte and many other cities where ALL DT hotels have valet parking only. In Orlando most resort hotel charge a fee for self parking. One option is for the hotel to have an agreement with the garage to offer self parking at a lower fee. Also the majority of Residence Inn customers are business travelers who expect these types of situations and fees.
I'm pretty averse to valet parking or really paid parking of any type. However, we stayed at a Residence Inn in downtown West Palm Beach, which had valet only parking. It really wasn't a problem, and was actually a decent setup. I would imagine that a setup like that would work in this instance, I know that I really wouldn't have a problem with it, especially in a more urban setting such as this.
Quote from: Steve on June 20, 2019, 03:40:06 PM
That's nearly every Residence Inn in an urban setting in America.
Maybe that's why we almost never stay downtown on vacation.
Quote from: jaxjags on June 20, 2019, 03:46:26 PM
Then you haven't been to Charleston or Savannah or NY or ATL or even Charlotte and many other cities where ALL DT hotels have valet parking only. In Orlando most resort hotel charge a fee for self parking. One option is for the hotel to have an agreement with the garage to offer self parking at a lower fee. Also the majority of Residence Inn customers are business travelers who expect these types of situations and fees.
I've been to all but one of those cities (NY), and we're a large family that usually needs the two room suite. I can say for certain we've never stayed in a hotel with valet parking, both because of cost and likely also because my parents don't trust someone to decently park a full-size SUV with a cargo tray on it. Either way, we at least have consciously chosen our hotels based on the parking situation.
^Yes many do. When I travel, I normally select my hotel location based on the availability of reliable transit options within walking distance because I prefer not to rent cars or pay higher ride share fees if a cheaper, reliable mobility option is available. Luckily, many brands offer products in a variety of settings to cater to the consumer's multiple lifestyle choices. So in a way, a Marriott Residence Inn in a central business district without parking would be similar to a downtown McDonald's without a drive thru.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on June 20, 2019, 03:00:49 PM
Quote from: jaxjags on June 20, 2019, 01:21:07 PM
Let's get the new Residence Inn to drop it's surface parking and have valet only at the new garage across the street. Win for all. (If the Residence Inn ever gets built)
Maybe I'm not the right example for this, but as someone who has stayed in a lot of Residence Inns on vacation, my family would absolutely not pick one requiring us to give our car to a valet. That's a non-starter for us.
I stayed at a Residence Inn in Memphis that didn't have any parking, not even valet. I parked in a public garage about 3 blocks away. This maybe be part of that 'cultural' thing I mentioned in another thread.
FloridaBlue/Guidewell turned the empty lot on Park Street into a surface parking lot. I assume this means that we should know Fidelity's plans for Riverside Avenue soon.
Quote from: JaxAvondale on August 04, 2019, 09:53:36 PMI assume this means that we should know Fidelity's plans for Riverside Avenue soon.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/project-sharp-proposes-a-500-job-dollar145-million-hq-near-fidelity-national-campus
That's awesome news! Hopefully they can break ground soon
^Now that's a much better use of public incentive money. Hope it works out.
300,000 sq feet is pretty significant, but on that much land they don't have to go very tall. I suspect HU will be disappointed with the renderings.
So I might have missed it, but is the city planning to buy this parcel from BCBS then sell it to fidelity? Or lease it?
The article wasn't very clear on that piece.
Awesome news.
And a demo I can get behind because it's making way for a concrete, better option, even though I wish the Fire Station could be moved.
Great work by all involved.
Quote from: Captain Zissou on August 05, 2019, 11:05:21 AM
300,000 sq feet is pretty significant, but on that much land they don't have to go very tall. I suspect HU will be disappointed with the renderings.
That's a big lot. 245 Riverside is roughly 137,000 square feet of rentable space and TIAA Bank Plaza is around 222,000 square feet. Height will depend on if structured parking is included vertically or horizontally. My guess is that this will end up in the 10 to 15 story range. More importantly, when it comes to activating the street, will this include an opportunity for retail along Riverside Avenue? Same goes for the BCBS garage and Forest/Park Streets.
QuoteUnder the agreement, Sharp would receive $23 million in a Recaptured Enhanced Value grant from the city over 20 years.
The city and state will also offer a Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund of $3 million, or $6,000 per job. The state would pay $2.4 million and the city would pay $600,000.
The city also wants to extend a $3.5 million closing fund grant that Sharp would receive upon substantial completion of construction.
Looking closer at these numbers, for a $130-$140 million project that's also receiving $6.5 million in completion grants and tax refunds, $23 million feels like a pretty big REV grant on top of the completion grant and job credit, doesn't it?
This is more than what Berkman II was offered for Dave & Busters on Steroids ($20 million on a $120 million proposed development).
And
significantly more than what developers for historic rehab projects like the Laura Street Trio and the Ambassador Hotel/Apartments were offered (roughly 10% of project cost).
The million-dollar question is whether FIS would have consolidated more jobs in Jacksonville regardless after the $43 billion Worldplay aquisition, and if these will be net-new jobs to the area, or just economic diversion siphoning workers from other local companies.
Really happy this is happening, but with real momentum in Brooklyn, I wonder if a grant this large was necessary.
At the price, hopefully there's some mixed-used component to the development.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/dia-will-seek-proposals-to-relocate-former-fire-station-no-5-in-riverside
Not sure if the Fire station discussion has another section. Quick thought. How cool would it be for the Fire station to be relocated across the street from the Doro Block Brewery. Those two building being repurposed right down the street from the food hall would be epic.
Unfortunately, unless the city is throwing in Lot J type percentage money for a relocation, I'd be surprised if they find any serious takers. Revamping the building at the current location would already be an expensive endeavor. Add the cost of relocation of a building that size to the mix, and you're likely only doing it out of passion and love for the building itself, with no dreams of making a profit from the decision.
^Unfortunate but true.
QuoteCity officials say the fire station does not meet criteria to deem it historically significant to save it from demolition.
Translation - Demo Lenny wants it gone.
This way, the City can say, "We offered it for relocation, but had no takers."
I don't know if it's been announced, but Guidewell is moving a lot of employees over to the Florida Blue building in Riverside.
Up to 170, I believe.
They're moving somewhere on Baymeadows for the next two years while renovations are complete, and then heading to Riverside.
Will be a nice little get for the area.
Quote from: Ken_FSU on August 21, 2019, 08:51:19 PM
I don't know if it's been announced, but Guidewell is moving a lot of employees over to the Florida Blue building in Riverside.
Up to 170, I believe.
They're moving somewhere on Baymeadows for the next two years while renovations are complete, and then heading to Riverside.
Will be a nice little get for the area.
I'd wonder if those employees
want to be there though, to the point that they'll be spending and investing in the area rather than just driving to the office and driving back to the suburbs.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on August 21, 2019, 10:39:18 PM
Quote from: Ken_FSU on August 21, 2019, 08:51:19 PM
I don't know if it's been announced, but Guidewell is moving a lot of employees over to the Florida Blue building in Riverside.
Up to 170, I believe.
They're moving somewhere on Baymeadows for the next two years while renovations are complete, and then heading to Riverside.
Will be a nice little get for the area.
I'd wonder if those employees want to be there though, to the point that they'll be spending and investing in the area rather than just driving to the office and driving back to the suburbs.
Despite all the unmet potential in the greater downtown area, there is
extremely high satisfaction amongst downtown workers (90%+ in DVI surveys).
It's rare to see companies leaving downtown Jax for the suburbs in recent years.
Guarantee you that a lot of people are unhappy about the eventual move, but give them a month and I bet most of them love it.
Especially in that Brooklyn area, central to downtown and Five Points.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-receives-no-offers-for-fire-station-no-5-in-brooklyn (https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-receives-no-offers-for-fire-station-no-5-in-brooklyn)
Maybe The JAXSON could get inside the station for some pictures while it is still standing?
Quote from: vicupstate on December 20, 2019, 09:59:47 AM
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-receives-no-offers-for-fire-station-no-5-in-brooklyn (https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-receives-no-offers-for-fire-station-no-5-in-brooklyn)
Maybe The JAXSON could get inside the station for some pictures while it is still standing?
go do some UrbEx with your iPhone
QuoteBliss said many people he's talked to who do not want the building demolished don't "seem to have the financial capacity to mount any type of rescue."
"I think we're like everybody else we lament the demise of an old building ... to move a building like Fire Station No. 5 it takes a lot of money," he said.
This quote says it all. It already takes a lot of money and big risk to work with an old building where the previous owner has not adequately maintained it. Moving them only adds more to the expense. Short of the city opening agreeing the give the building away and fund the move, or a Dan Gilbert-like private donation materializing, there was never going to be much of a chance of someone moving it.