Quote(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/VyStar-Parking-Garage/i-wVdLkxs/0/299f523a/L/20201008_DDRB%20AGENDA%20PACKET_Page_030-L.jpg)
A look at the latest plans for a mixed-use parking garage proposed at the intersection of Laura and Forsyth Streets that will be developed by VyStar Credit Union.
Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/vystar-credit-union-parking-garage-renderings/
Previous design
(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/Forsyth-Street-Garage-December-2018/i-8ZCBpWJ/0/b54d30d7/L/20181213%20DDRB%20Agenda%20Packet_Page_067-L.jpg)
Current proposed design
(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/VyStar-Parking-Garage/i-wVdLkxs/0/299f523a/L/20201008_DDRB%20AGENDA%20PACKET_Page_030-L.jpg)
Previous design
(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/Forsyth-Street-Garage-December-2018/i-PVdfRnM/0/42dd3f0b/L/20181213%20DDRB%20Agenda%20Packet_Page_068-L.jpg)
Current proposed design
(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/VyStar-Parking-Garage/i-ngXBGS2/0/a11f733b/L/20201008_DDRB%20AGENDA%20PACKET_Page_026-L.jpg)
Looks pretty good for what it is, glad to see some form of retail frontage on Main St.
This is a pretty sexy garage if you ask me. I love the new facade. I would tweak two things:
1. Right now the entrance is adjacent to the Main Street Retail bay. I'd move to to be adjacent to the Laura Street Retail Bay. This would allow (once the retail market downtown improves) for the option to convert more of the midblock frontage to retail down the road.
2. If you look at the Main/Forsyth rendering, the Forsyth side of the retail bay is a blank wall. I'm not sure why you wouldn't do windows there as it would look better than a blank wall.
Otherwise build it!
I'm not crazy about parking garages but this in one I'd like to see get off the ground. It fills a huge void in the core of the Northbank and at a minimum, places pedestrian scale retail at two critical intersections. With the Landing now gone, it easily becomes just about the only spot in the Northbank core where something like a Walgreens or CVS makes sense.
(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/VyStar-Parking-Garage/i-4BVfvp2/0/fa3599a0/L/20201008_DDRB%20AGENDA%20PACKET_Page_031-L.jpg)
Quote from: Steve on October 02, 2020, 09:00:24 AM
This is a pretty sexy garage if you ask me. I love the new facade. I would tweak two things:
1. Right now the entrance is adjacent to the Main Street Retail bay. I'd move to to be adjacent to the Laura Street Retail Bay. This would allow (once the retail market downtown improves) for the option to convert more of the midblock frontage to retail down the road.
2. If you look at the Main/Forsyth rendering, the Forsyth side of the retail bay is a blank wall. I'm not sure why you wouldn't do windows there as it would look better than a blank wall.
Otherwise build it!
I second these recommendations.
It feels weird saying that this is an attractive parking garage, but it really is. You can see how similar it is structurally to the old design, but the changes have really taken this somewhere I didn't expect.
Quote from: Steve on October 02, 2020, 09:00:24 AM
1. Right now the entrance is adjacent to the Main Street Retail bay. I'd move to to be adjacent to the Laura Street Retail Bay. This would allow (once the retail market downtown improves) for the option to convert more of the midblock frontage to retail down the road.
It looks like they want to put the elevators closer to the larger retail space and put the entrance on the opposite "side" of the building from it. I can understand why they would do that.
Quote
2. If you look at the Main/Forsyth rendering, the Forsyth side of the retail bay is a blank wall. I'm not sure why you wouldn't do windows there as it would look better than a blank wall.
That's a stairwell, seems they want that whole part to not have windows.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on October 02, 2020, 11:47:33 AM
It feels weird saying that this is an attractive parking garage, but it really is. You can see how similar it is structurally to the old design, but the changes have really taken this somewhere I didn't expect.
Quote from: Steve on October 02, 2020, 09:00:24 AM
1. Right now the entrance is adjacent to the Main Street Retail bay. I'd move to to be adjacent to the Laura Street Retail Bay. This would allow (once the retail market downtown improves) for the option to convert more of the midblock frontage to retail down the road.
It looks like they want to put the elevators closer to the larger retail space and put the entrance on the opposite "side" of the building from it. I can understand why they would do that.
Quote
2. If you look at the Main/Forsyth rendering, the Forsyth side of the retail bay is a blank wall. I'm not sure why you wouldn't do windows there as it would look better than a blank wall.
That's a stairwell, seems they want that whole part to not have windows.
Regarding moving the entrance, I'm thinking where the handicapped parking spaces are now (wouldn't interfere with the elevators). Basically between Numbers 9 and 10 on the rendering vs. 4 and 5 now.
Regarding the black panel, I'm referring to the black panel that is JUST at street level between the proposed entrance and the stairwell.
I agree, for a garage, it looks decent. However, I think that, going forward, the City should require all the ground level parking other than the entry/exit ramps, be used for retail (i.e. the first parking level starts at the second floor). Why? Because you have most of an entire block that is going to be dead at street level for pedestrians. This isn't good for a downtown that wants to build excitement along its streets.
Nearly continuous retail should be the goal of City planners (do we have any in a position of authority 8)?).
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on October 02, 2020, 01:50:59 PM
I agree, for a garage, it looks decent. However, I think that, going forward, the City should require all the ground level parking other than the entry/exit ramps, be used for retail (i.e. the first parking level starts at the second floor). Why? Because you have most of an entire block that is going to be dead at street level for pedestrians. This isn't good for a downtown that wants to build excitement along its streets.
Nearly continuous retail should be the goal of City planners (do we have any in a position of authority 8)?).
I agree on paper, but the pushback you get is that the market can't support it and they'd rather get a paying use (or in the case of VyStar, a functional use as they will own this). This is why I suggested moving the entrance to the garage so if/when the market truly can accommodate it, the cost to retrofit isn't insurmountable.
Actually, the 11 East and Carling Garages are built with that in mind too. You can see that here:
11 East:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.32768,-81.6572016,3a,75y,217.21h,79.33t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-AsWuhYe3L2TfwUuTJgBBw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Carling: https://www.google.com/maps/@30.3286405,-81.6580148,3a,90y,209.93h,77.53t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s9eXyb6ZfqwlkF4p8zKtbEQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D9eXyb6ZfqwlkF4p8zKtbEQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearch.revgeo_and_fetch.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D283.7724%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192
Kudos to VyStar. Infinitely better design. That said, I do think you push for a little more retail space on the garage along Forsythe. Other than that, looks great!
In the DDRB meeting now - one nice thing about Zoom meetings is I can listen in while working.
The decision on the entrance near Main street was to better allow for traffic flow for people coming out of the proposed motor court at the Laura Street Trio hotel. The architect explained it. I do see his point - I wish it could be adjusted but I also get it too.