More than two-week outage now, reportedly after lightning struck the building and damaged air handlers. Reportedly the inside temperature in some restaurants has reached 99 degrees.
https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/regency-square-mall-has-no-air-conditioning-businesses-leave/77-319701b4-70eb-4256-a6bc-d08be728f4ec
I'd argue it's long past time for the city to show some leadership in reimagining this area instead of letting the place crawl on like a zombie. There's so much space to do so much with.
I'm not sure the city can do much, in terms of turning this dead mall around, other then buying the property and razing it (i.e. the Landing). Gateway, Normandy, Philips, Grand Boulevard, Roosevelt, etc. all fell apart too back in the 1990s. Those eventually ended up either as something else through the work of other ownership entities. Regency will eventually get there but it's days as a mall are over. It's probably cheaper for the owner to close the place down, then repair it.
I'm sure there are Code Violations that could help incentivize the owners to do something.
Decided to be goofy going into the weekend and waste a little time today putting together a concept of how one might redevelop the mall. The city could certainly be bold enough to do this and help meet regional housing demand but I don't think there's too much keeping an enterprising developer from doing this either.
Here's a big overview (note, this is absolutely not to scale, I am not an architect):
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1037573630906863666/1134606726289707098/Regency_Square_RD.png)
Inspired by Columbus Commons (https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/getting-it-right-columbus-commons/), this concept essentially leverages most of the existing mall's road layout (with some adjustments) to provide an urban street grid with buildable parcels that can be sold or ground-leased to developers. Think RiversEdge/The District but without having to first remediate everything and construct a bulkhead.
It includes roundabouts on two of the access roads, and eliminates some of the outer road in places where traffic can be redirected deeper into the core area. Eliminating the numerous curb cuts for parking aisles would provide the opportunity to include medians and other traffic calming tools to keep cars from endangering other road users. The blue lines represent multi-use paths for pedestrians and bikes, although I would imagine there being bike lanes and sidewalks on plenty of the other streets. It also includes an expanded transit hub, based on the one at Gateway Mall but still close to Atlantic Blvd in the event that the Arlington Expressway is eventually redeveloped or provides for a dedicated transit lane or rail line in the future..
JCPenney, Impact Church/Belk, and Sears (https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2022/may/16/closed-sears-properties-in-regency-orange-park-marketed-for-new-uses/) remain as standalone buildings that can be repurposed for other uses, and as such include smaller parking areas dedicated to each, although they could also be usable by residents. I can imagine developers might want to include additional parking on whatever they develop with their parcels until JTA decides to run buses like a million people live in Jacksonville. The idea that came to mind for the Sears parcel in particular would be some sort of entertainment use, akin to NoCo Center downtown or perhaps the Live! venue proposed at Lot J. Hence leaving it with a pretty large parking lot, particularly one with substantial frontage along Southside Blvd.
At the center of the concept is a nearly 18 acre linear park, incorporating the sports fields that already exist while providing plenty of other amenities for residents and visitors. It also provides a small amount of potential additional building space if needed later. Obviously the uses and scales and density suggested here would almost certainly be different if actually built, but it'd provide an achievable roadmap to redevelop the mall area over time. As part of that, here are partial concepts that only redevelop half of the mall:
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1037573630906863666/1134609036029988995/Regency_Square_RD_East.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1037573630906863666/1134609035308572692/Regency_Square_RD_West.png)
Quote from: thelakelander on July 28, 2023, 05:07:32 PM
I'm not sure the city can do much, in terms of turning this dead mall around, other then buying the property and razing it (i.e. the Landing). Gateway, Normandy, Philips, Grand Boulevard, Roosevelt, etc. all fell apart too back in the 1990s. Those eventually ended up either as something else through the work of other ownership entities. Regency will eventually get there but it's days as a mall are over. It's probably cheaper for the owner to close the place down, then repair it.
Just like Downtown, South Gate Plaza, Town & Country and Roosevelt Mall, much of the future is apartments/condos/townhouses. Too much office and retail and not enough residential leads to this fate for many a property destined for a refresh.
Regency would be a great opportunity for a version of Tapestry Park on steroids. One possibility might be to use existing buildings for ground level retail and build residential over the tops of them. Residential would provide a built-in customer base for retail in addition to visitors coming from off site. Imagine what something like this could do to reinvigorate the greater Arlington/East Jacksonville areas.
Regency Square Mall owners say contract finalized to sell the Arlington shopping center:
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/oct/02/regency-square-mall-owners-say-contract-finalized-to-sell-the-arlington-shopping-center/
Hopefully there's a plan to develop a massive mixed-use community there. Something like what Marcus illustrated above. There's room for thousands of units there...
My hopes aren't high. This group doesn't own the entire property. Other property owners like Sears, Dillards, and the church in the old Belk store, would all have to be bought out to do something like that on the property.
^Not necessarily. My concept was intended to allow some degree of flexibility in terms of existing owners. Dillards should be bought out as part of developing the street grid, but Sears and Impact Church could be essentially built around. The east side as I proposed it is all owned by "REGENCY MALL REALTY LLC ET AL" which I would imagine is what is being sold.
I don't believe this to be worth the undertaking/risk with several outparcels within the development. Ultimately the area needs to be leveled.. and outparcels here makes it that much more challenging. If it wasn't a magnet for homeless/crime, then I think that what you're saying Marcus would be possible.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on October 02, 2023, 11:43:05 PM
^Not necessarily. My concept was intended to allow some degree of flexibility in terms of existing owners. Dillards should be bought out as part of developing the street grid, but Sears and Impact Church could be essentially built around. The east side as I proposed it is all owned by "REGENCY MALL REALTY LLC ET AL" which I would imagine is what is being sold.
From what I have read, Sears could be for sale too since the stores were mostly acquired for their real estate to be sold off after the company was run into the ground. Sears and Kmart have suffered the same fate as part of the same company today. Always was about the real estate, not saving the stores. Sad but true.
Don't know about Dillards, but for a price, it probably could be bought if the building is empty. Why not?
Is the church still active?
^The church appears to still be there. Dillards is mentioned in the article as still being a clearance center, which I imagine wouldn't be hard to close if redevelopment was happening.
Quote from: Jax_Developer on October 03, 2023, 12:23:03 AM
I don't believe this to be worth the undertaking/risk with several outparcels within the development. Ultimately the area needs to be leveled.. and outparcels here makes it that much more challenging. If it wasn't a magnet for homeless/crime, then I think that what you're saying Marcus would be possible.
Would the Impact Church, repurposed Sears and repurposed or replaced JCPenney really make or break this? Ultimately the concept does demolish all of the mall buildings save for some big box parcels, which plenty of other mall redevelopments have reused or built around.
It could. If I'm risking my investment in Regency/Arlington, I'd want control of the property and not be subject to a church having the central section of the land.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 02, 2023, 05:42:17 PM
Regency Square Mall owners say contract finalized to sell the Arlington shopping center:
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/oct/02/regency-square-mall-owners-say-contract-finalized-to-sell-the-arlington-shopping-center/
If anyone believes that they are under contract you're crazy. They just happened to announce the sale to an undisclosed buyer days after receiving a letter from Yarborough? I suspect that there will be a follow up in a few months and they will announce that the buyer walked away in due diligence.
Hmmm....
Who would want to buy a broken down dead mall, that has a church in the middle of it and a significant portion of the property owned by two other entities, to immediately come in and have to spend millions to fix it up? Gateway had more tenants operating in it, when it was shut down. The amount of money it takes to maintain a property that size is way more than these five tenants are generating the property owner in revenue. It's time to let these people out of their misery and shut this chapter of Jax's history down for good.
QuoteCity issues code compliance citations to owners of Regency Square Mall
Owners say they are selling the mall and the buyer will work with the city to address repairs.
QuoteAs of Oct. 4, five tenants remained operating inside the eastern wing – Regency Square Dental, Regency Health Food, Jimmy Jazz, Rogers Jewelers and food-court vendor Tokyo Sakura.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/oct/04/city-issues-code-compliance-citations-to-owners-of-regency-square-mall/
Film a zombie appocalypse movie where the Thrilling Finale has the intrepid band of heroes torch the place, killing all the zombies.
Make a few bucks on rental and demo the property.
Figure any potential buyer would be paying a steeply discounted price. One potential use that might not be bothered by other landowners: car dealership. The JC Penney parking lot is already being used as one.
I see this property sitting underutilized for a long time. IMO, the new user will shut the mall down before spending big money to keep five small businesses operating on site. With a church owning that Belk plot (why would they sell? They are more likely to be the buyer than selling their space), I don't see major redevelopment or revitalization of a 1960s mall taking place.
Quote from: Charles Hunter on October 05, 2023, 04:19:50 PM
Film a zombie appocalypse movie where the Thrilling Finale has the intrepid band of heroes torch the place, killing all the zombies.
Make a few bucks on rental and demo the property.
I know you're joking, but I love this idea!
Quote from: thelakelander on October 05, 2023, 07:01:14 PM
I see this property sitting underutilized for a long time. IMO, the new user will shut the mall down before spending big money to keep five small businesses operating on site. With a church owning that Belk plot (why would they sell? They are more likely to be the buyer than selling their space), I don't see major redevelopment or revitalization of a 1960s mall taking place.
For money, everything is for sale. LOL. A lot of churches have faced declining membership. How is this one doing? What did they pay for their property? If they got a great return on it, maybe they would be happy to go somewhere else. If I could buy all the surrounding property for a bargain price and owning this parcel would greatly enhance all my holdings, I could afford to give the church an "offer they couldn't refuse." Isn't that part of the economics of developers?
^I think it's more likely this church would buy the mall before a development group doing true mixed use would do. Old dead malls come a dime a dozen these days. I imagine there are good opportunities in more advantageous markets.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on October 06, 2023, 11:05:08 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on October 05, 2023, 07:01:14 PM
I see this property sitting underutilized for a long time. IMO, the new user will shut the mall down before spending big money to keep five small businesses operating on site. With a church owning that Belk plot (why would they sell? They are more likely to be the buyer than selling their space), I don't see major redevelopment or revitalization of a 1960s mall taking place.
For money, everything is for sale. LOL. A lot of churches have faced declining membership. How is this one doing? What did they pay for their property? If they got a great return on it, maybe they would be happy to go somewhere else. If I could buy all the surrounding property for a bargain price and owning this parcel would greatly enhance all my holdings, I could afford to give the church an "offer they couldn't refuse." Isn't that part of the economics of developers?
According to today's new Daily Record article (https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/oct/06/regency-square-mall-on-the-verge-of-sale-facing-code-compliance-violations/) the church paid $7 million. That doesn't include whatever they might have spent inside the building to convert it into their facility.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 06, 2023, 11:38:59 AM
^I think it's more likely this church would buy the mall before a development group doing true mixed use would do. Old dead malls come a dime a dozen these days. I imagine there are good opportunities in more advantageous markets.
I would still note what Rimrock Devilin said about the place, even knowing they decided not to buy during the pandemic:
Quote"It's not often that you find a 70-plus acre tract of land in the heart of a community surrounded by rooftops, local businesses and national brands with frontage on a main thoroughfare encompassing over 100,000 passing cars each day," it said.
Rimrock Devlin said the mall is central in the Jacksonville market because it is a 15-minute drive to Jacksonville International Airport and the Beaches, not far from Downtown and 10 minutes from St. Johns Town Center.
Maybe city leadership is what ultimately needs to lay the groundwork here, and that's what can't be expected in the near term but I do think this is a good opportunity at the end of the day. Not the lowest risk but definitely a reward with creativity.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 06, 2023, 11:38:59 AM
^I think it's more likely this church would buy the mall before a development group doing true mixed use would do. Old dead malls come a dime a dozen these days. I imagine there are good opportunities in more advantageous markets.
Does a church need 70 acres of impervious land? Are they going to get into the development business? Do they have the dollars to pay for all the surrounding land? I don't see this as a likely outcome based on these questions.
I could see Corner Lot or JWB taking on this project. Corner Lot already built around a church in San Marco, too, so that might not bother them here. LOL.
^Those groups have their hands full already and revamping of regional malls isn't their area of expertise. If they took on a property that size and without also getting ownership of the other parcels, it would likely sit for a while.
Normandy Mall was purchased by a church. The old Sam's is the sanctuary. Part of the mall was sold to Sleiman, who converted it into a Winn-Dixie anchored strip shopping center. The church uses the rest of the mall for shops owned by its members and places that cater to that community.
Another example is the old Lakeland Mall in Central Florida. A Baptist Church acquired the entire mall and uses it for a variety of things.
https://flbaptist.org/first-baptist-church-at-the-mall-prepares-for-future-as-lakes-church/
The little old churches may be struggling. But a lot of mega churches are doing quite well.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on October 06, 2023, 11:49:43 AM
I would still note what Rimrock Devilin said about the place, even knowing they decided not to buy during the pandemic:
Quote"It's not often that you find a 70-plus acre tract of land in the heart of a community surrounded by rooftops, local businesses and national brands with frontage on a main thoroughfare encompassing over 100,000 passing cars each day," it said.
Rimrock Devlin said the mall is central in the Jacksonville market because it is a 15-minute drive to Jacksonville International Airport and the Beaches, not far from Downtown and 10 minutes from St. Johns Town Center.
Maybe city leadership is what ultimately needs to lay the groundwork here, and that's what can't be expected in the near term but I do think this is a good opportunity at the end of the day. Not the lowest risk but definitely a reward with creativity.
I wonder why they never closed? I also wonder what they've been up to since.
Knock down the mall. Build a new Multifamily mixed use development with ground floor retail. Build a new church by the theater and give it to them in a land swap so the church isn't in the middle of the development.
Thats what they did to this dead mall (minus the church) and its fantastic.
https://www.thevillageattotemlake.com/
^How strong is that market for that type of product at the Regency site? If Arlington was in South Florida, sure. Here, the realist in me believes it will be while. There's no Trader Joe's, Nordstrom Rack, etc. coming to save the day. Just about every potential type of anchor, is already present in various shopping centers within the two or three mile radius. I hope I'm wrong but I think this Regency property will be sitting empty and blighted for while.
Simply put, our rents just don't allow these products to be built, right now. Im with Lake, it's going to take a while. The highest and best use is a very intense multi-level site.. the economics won't allow that for a while.
The same macro factors that lead to the demise of Regency are still true. There hasn't been the demand for a shopping "mall" this far north.
Additional retail shopping is not much in demand in Arlington, but anecdotally I've observed the demand for housing and restaurants is very high. Dining choices are on average pretty sub-par compared to other areas of Jax (not that we don't have a few bright spots), but always seem to be busy. When new places open up, there's a surge of interest because most of our restaurants have been chains and fast food places.
This may not be enough to make the economics of developing said products worthwhile right now, given the site conditions, but I do think the demand is there.
^It all depends on the cost to acquire the property, the other properties and the cost to develop a product that the market can support. It's sort of like downtown. There's a demand for housing. However, you can't really build a product for a price that the market supports, without incentives to make the project feasible.
Maybe the area is Haunted...
More detail on that "finalized contract":
Quote"Blackwater Development has entered into a contract to acquire the Regency Square Mall property," President Rurmell McGee said in a statement Oct. 16.
"We are currently early in the initial phase of the due diligence process. Our primary objective at this juncture is to conduct a thorough assessment of the property and determine the project's feasibility."
It won't be a quick purchase.
McGee expects the sale could close in the third quarter of 2024.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/oct/17/blackwater-development-announces-contract-to-buy-regency-square/ (https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/oct/17/blackwater-development-announces-contract-to-buy-regency-square/)
According to the article, McGee was formerly employed at Rimrock Devlin, the last development group whose attempted purchase of the mall fell through. Blackwater Development was newly formed in 2022.
This has to be a major boneheaded move by a property owner to sell the dead middle of their property or for anyone else to buy it from them with this condition. Does the church also have an easement or ownership to/of any parking or access roads? Bad enough not own the Dillards and Sears stores but at least the are on one end close together. Talk about the tail wagging the dog.
(https://media.yourobserver.com/img/photos/2023/10/05/Regency_Square_Mall_graphic_t850.jpg?94beabde1e982a4eee8f83697e93b1d92468de7c)
They probably made millions by selling the Belk and AMC spaces. They never had any intention of helping this property survive as a traditional mall. They got it for scraps and made a big profit letting it die. I can't imagine the buyer (if the contract is ever finalized) will fix it either.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on October 17, 2023, 06:21:51 PM
This has to be a major boneheaded move by a property owner to sell the dead middle of their property or for anyone else to buy it from them with this condition. Does the church also have an easement or ownership to/of any parking or access roads? Bad enough not own the Dillards and Sears stores but at least the are on one end close together. Talk about the tail wagging the dog.
(https://media.yourobserver.com/img/photos/2023/10/05/Regency_Square_Mall_graphic_t850.jpg?94beabde1e982a4eee8f83697e93b1d92468de7c)
I'm holding out hope that Impact is agreeable and can be built around and these Blackwater guys recognize that. A little creativity on the part of all parties can make this work.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 17, 2023, 07:41:39 PM
They probably made millions by selling the Belk and AMC spaces. They never had any intention of helping this property survive as a traditional mall. They got it for scraps and made a big profit letting it die. I can't imagine the buyer (if the contract is ever finalized) will fix it either.
I mean it's right there in the graphic, they basically doubled their money by spinning off the AMC and Belk. Ironic to see Eddie Lampert mentioned because he did much the same with all of Sears.
I'm not saying there's no risk with redeveloping this property. But there's no reward without risk.
^It does! I totally missed the sell numbers in that graphic when looking from my phone a few days ago.
For the $7 million they got from the church, I wonder how much that "depreciated"' the value of the surrounding property and/or will cost today to work around it. Not sure that sale was worth it.
They purchased it for $14 million. They've already sold a fraction of the property for $33.23 million. In no way are they losing money on this.
Looks like the plan is simply to demolish the mall and sell outparcels to whatever gas station, restaurant, strip plaza, and/or garden apartment group willing to develop something.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2024/dec/10/site-plans-show-first-sign-of-regency-square-mall-redevelopment/
This one sucks to hear about. Not surprised at the end of the day... Just curious what they had to pay at this point.
Quote from: thelakelander on December 11, 2024, 06:21:24 AM
Looks like the plan is simply to demolish the mall and sell outparcels to whatever gas station, restaurant, strip plaza, and/or garden apartment group willing to develop something.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2024/dec/10/site-plans-show-first-sign-of-regency-square-mall-redevelopment/
We really need a mattress store and car wash over there!
Not a surprise at all. The mall has four different owners. This was always going to be a mess. It's a shame.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Miscellaneous/Miscellaneous/i-fN3vfPW/0/LqmBTC5ffnzV39HT4DwcS2BPd3SZxBFRdQcX3Qqhh/L/regency_square_mall_map_t850-L.jpg)
To some extent this is a given, but there are absolutely ways this could be better planned than a mere strip center.
I guess today is a parade of failures to lead.
Really sad. It's another example of Jacksonville just being too sprawling or the government too incompetent to properly plan anything. A city I was previously Planning Director in also had a defunct mall site that was located at a key intersection with redevelopment potential. It's fairly similar to Regency, in that there is a much more desirable commercial hub (ala St. Johns Town Center) on the better side of town affluence wise.
Rather than watch it flounder, we did some city subsidized master planning on behalf of the previous land owner that did not have the vision or capability to pull anything off. With our visioning of the site, we were able to bring in a well regarded developer that had done numerous large scale mixed-use projects. Then worked with the developer to craft new land development regulations that made the development work. So instead of having the mess that Regency will become, this will be getting built soon:
(https://www.palmbeachpost.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/08/20/NPPP/74876045007-villageplace-6.jpeg?width=660&height=409&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
(https://www.palmbeachpost.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/08/20/NPPP/74876100007-villageplace-4.jpeg?width=660&height=408&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
(https://www.palmbeachpost.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/01/30/NPPP/72413311007-village-place-3.png?width=660&height=370&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
I don't think sprawling by itself has anything to do with it. The land area of the city has little to do with its ability to plan, especially when so much of that land area is still rural open space, there is just a lack of desire by those in charge to do any planning. I stressed in this thread more than a year ago the need for and value in better planning redeveloping here. Even Downtown, with its wedding cake of stakeholders, people like lakelander have been beating this drum for years to relatively little effect. We can't even get Laura Street where it could easily be, much less Regency Square.
We can't rely on hoping that every developer will be Gateway Jax or else the project might as well be in St. Johns County.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on December 11, 2024, 11:06:39 AM
I don't think sprawling by itself has anything to do with it. The land area of the city has little to do with its ability to plan, especially when so much of that land area is still rural open space, there is just a lack of desire by those in charge to do any planning. I stressed in this thread more than a year ago the need for and value in better planning redeveloping here. Even Downtown, with its wedding cake of stakeholders, people like lakelander have been beating this drum for years to relatively little effect. We can't even get Laura Street where it could easily be, much less Regency Square.
We can't rely on hoping that every developer will be Gateway Jax or else the project might as well be in St. Johns County.
Jacksonville's government is effectively a county government, not a city government. For people that work in planning and development in Florida, it is well known that at the county level of planning, there is very little effort at creating special places. Hence why places like unincorporated Orange, Hillsborough, Broward, Palm Beach Counties and so on are just hodgepodges of sprawl. There is zero sense of place and limited desire/capability to change that. While Jax hasn't succeeded with it's Downtown development planning (which is a whole different story), it doesn't even try to do any real planning outside of Downtown.
Jacksonville has 19 City Council people all covering different districts over a massive land mass. The edge of Council District 12 (SW Side) is closer to the University of Florida than it is to the edge of District 2 (NE Side). The edge of District 11 (Nocatee) is closer to Castillo San Marcos than it is to Regency. The edge of District 14 (Oakleaf) is closer to Camp Blanding/Kingsley Lake than it is to Regency. You get the point. Similarly, at the staff level, you have a Planning Department that is focused on managing growth in a massive sprawling area. They do not have the time or capability to focus on retrofitting existing areas, when they are stretched so thin. With 19 Council people to answer to and so many different neighborhoods to cover, it's difficult to prioritize certain areas over others, so we're just left with a hodgepodge of crap, just like other unincorporated Counties around Florida.
I'm sure there are a lot of ways to resolve this issue, but one low hanging fruit that I've said in other threads before is to create Deputy Planning Directors in each of the 6 CPAC Districts and possibly even divide the junior staffers up to work under each of them. At the staff level, this would at least create a much stronger understanding of certain sides of town and have someone to hold accountable when the ball gets dropped.
Sporting Jax's wish to build its soccer "stadium" in the Regency Sears parking lot? Dead?
The soccer stadium idea was on the Sears side of the property, separate owner from this side of the mall.
Quote from: CityLife on December 11, 2024, 12:01:31 PM
I'm sure there are a lot of ways to resolve this issue, but one low hanging fruit that I've said in other threads before is to create Deputy Planning Directors in each of the 6 CPAC Districts and possibly even divide the junior staffers up to work under each of them. At the staff level, this would at least create a much stronger understanding of certain sides of town and have someone to hold accountable when the ball gets dropped.
I'm working with a few urban core neighborhoods. These places have gotten to the point, to where they are attempting to do their own visioning, planning and looking into zoning overlays to address their specific issues, challenges and opportunities. While it would be great if COJ overhauled its overall operation, our reality if places sit around and wait for that date, some of them won't be be around.
The administration is working through a couple of significant planning items right now, but the nearer-term bills focus on residential (especially affordability, missing middle housing, resiliency, etc) as that's the biggest issue right now. But regardless of how that goes it would be a while before we get to anything that would impact a project like this, so this kind of thing will continue to be up to the owners.
On NPR's Fresh Air today, a Wharton professor discussed that the answer to more affordable housing is higher density buildings replacing lower density ones, mainly in urban-suburban areas. He gave an example of a one story McDonalds replaced by a multi-story building with the McDonalds returning on the first floor. He noted that Tokyo is a model for building "affordable" housing in a major city with its countless high rises.
Here is a link to the broadcast:
Fresh Air: The U.S. is facing a severe housing shortage. Will Trump's proposals help?
https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/Here is a link to the transcript:
https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5223561Below is an interesting comment from the transcript. Of course, Jax is focused on the go-nowhere U2C rather than using public transit to support greater density over the wider urban core and its suburbs. And we wonder why developers are not pushing harder to build more density in or around downtown or anywhere else vs. the far-out suburbs. Just defies common sense.
Quote...Again, this isn't about building skyscrapers on every corner. It's about sensible densification, especially around transit, where we can reduce dependence on cars. And so this is relaxing single-family zoning and lot sizes, so allowing for things like duplexes or four-unit, very small multifamily developments. This is related to parking requirements and some of the other things that might be required in an apartment building that take up a lot of additional space where units would otherwise be useful.
So there's a number of things along those lines that I think, when combined with transit-oriented development - so developing near where public transit is available - can greatly relax some of these affordability constraints...
A gas station and fast food drive thru are the two new uses for a reimagined Regency mall site...
QuoteRaising Cane's shown on site plan for Regency Square Mall outparcel
The chicken fingers chain is the second new retailer indicated for a potentially redeveloped Arlington shopping center property.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/jan/29/raising-canes-shown-on-site-plan-for-regency-square-mall-outparcel/
Quote from: thelakelander on January 29, 2025, 07:19:32 PM
A gas station and fast food drive thru are the two new uses for a reimagined Regency mall site...
QuoteRaising Cane's shown on site plan for Regency Square Mall outparcel
The chicken fingers chain is the second new retailer indicated for a potentially redeveloped Arlington shopping center property.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/jan/29/raising-canes-shown-on-site-plan-for-regency-square-mall-outparcel/
Cool! Raising Cane is nice, but I wish we could get a Cookout here in Jax!
It appears from the attached site plan that demolition of at least a portion of the mall would need to be imminent for access to this site to be properly functional. Will be interesting to see the timeline here.
(https://media.yourobserver.com/img/photos/2025/01/29/canes_regency_hmw272l_t850.jpg?94beabde1e982a4eee8f83697e93b1d92468de7c)
At least the Raising Cane will be convenient to the JTA bus transfer site.
They are going to sell or ground lease all of the planned outparcels. Then, demolish the remaining portion of the mall they own for an apartment site(s) & big box retailer. It's by far the easiest & highest ROI plan. The site is easily worth $10M+ with that strategy in play. The way they get around the megachurch is by adding in a road diet that makes it functional in it's location, with a big box retailer adjacent to it. You'll notice the outparcels stop entirely once you reach the Mega Church parking lot. Likely some easement in play which makes a big box retailer an attractive option for that space.
Quote from: Jax_Developer on January 29, 2025, 11:06:40 PM
They are going to sell or ground lease all of the planned outparcels. Then, demolish the remaining portion of the mall they own for an apartment site(s) & big box retailer. It's by far the easiest & highest ROI plan. The site is easily worth $10M+ with that strategy in play. The way they get around the megachurch is by adding in a road diet that makes it functional in it's location, with a big box retailer adjacent to it. You'll notice the outparcels stop entirely once you reach the Mega Church parking lot. Likely some easement in play which makes a big box retailer an attractive option for that space. [/b[
(Part of) the reason the outparcels do not continue west of the current main entrance (at Atlantic Blvd) is the JTA's bus transfer facility takes up the first 500 feet or so of the ring road. This takes it a little farther west than the limit of Impact Church building.
Quote from: Charles Hunter on January 29, 2025, 11:38:21 PM
Quote from: Jax_Developer on January 29, 2025, 11:06:40 PM
They are going to sell or ground lease all of the planned outparcels. Then, demolish the remaining portion of the mall they own for an apartment site(s) & big box retailer. It's by far the easiest & highest ROI plan. The site is easily worth $10M+ with that strategy in play. The way they get around the megachurch is by adding in a road diet that makes it functional in it's location, with a big box retailer adjacent to it. You'll notice the outparcels stop entirely once you reach the Mega Church parking lot. Likely some easement in play which makes a big box retailer an attractive option for that space. [/b[
(Part of) the reason the outparcels do not continue west of the current main entrance (at Atlantic Blvd) is the JTA's bus transfer facility takes up the first 500 feet or so of the ring road. This takes it a little farther west than the limit of Impact Church building.
Yes but they could continue outparcels on the other side of the JTA station & they chose not to (for now). I believe that's not a coincidence & there's some easement that prevents that. Likely something to do with the existing Mega Church & Sears. Not a fact as I haven't seen any surveys.
Raising Cains is amazing, I'm excited I won't have to drive all the way down to Argyle Forest to enjoy a Caniac combo
Looks like Blackwater has finally closed the deal, with a rebrand: The Nexus at Regency.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/apr/09/sold-regency-square-mall-becoming-the-nexus-at-regency/
It will be interesting to see how they handle that church stuck in the middle of the property when (if) they actually redevelop.
I have very low expectations for his one. Looking at their website, Blackwater seems to only be building generic looking strip malls anchored by a grocery store and/or discount big box stores.
QuoteThe redevelopment plan includes multifamily residential communities, financial institutions and nationally recognized retail brands, the release said.
This sounds to me like predominantly generic suburban apartments with a few neighborhood support-type outparcels. They've already proposed a gas station and a Raising Cain's. Throw in a bank, maybe another fast food place, a nail and/or hair salon, a dry cleaner, a Dunkin (too many Starbucks close by, I think), and you're probably about finished.
It's been suggested here before that a Tapestry Park-like mixed use arrangement would be desirable, and I agree. But the current outparcel plan doesn't offer much encouragement.
Traffic is going to be a huge concern, as it's already quite busy over there despite the giant hole the Mall represents in its current state. Will JTA call this TOD because of the bus transfer station? ;D
Quote from: jaxoNOLE on April 10, 2025, 10:31:02 AM
Traffic is going to be a huge concern, as it's already quite busy over there despite the giant hole the Mall represents in its current state. Will JTA call this TOD because of the bus transfer station? ;D
Without a doubt. Probably take credit for the redevelopment even happening - despite the development being auto-centric.
Quote from: Charles Hunter on April 10, 2025, 11:55:33 AM
Quote from: jaxoNOLE on April 10, 2025, 10:31:02 AM
Traffic is going to be a huge concern, as it's already quite busy over there despite the giant hole the Mall represents in its current state. Will JTA call this TOD because of the bus transfer station? ;D
Without a doubt. Probably take credit for the redevelopment even happening - despite the development being auto-centric.
"Welcome to another one of our new TOD initiatives - Regency Mall! We're so ahead of the game with TOD that we created ordinance codes & marketing videos for TOD's... All while having zero eligible TOD transit options - including downtown!"
- JTA if they were honest
Blackwater has filed permits to do infrastructure work for the "Nexus at Regency" redevelopment. From the Jax Daily Record
Quote
Lake City-based Blackwater said it is submitting an application for civil engineering permits Sept. 18 with the initial phase focusing on the front 11 acres along Atlantic Boulevard and Monument Road.
Blackwater said the area is designed "to set the tone for the broader 77-acre project," which is at 9501 Arlington Expressway.
The permits encompass:
• Construction of new roads and infrastructure providing access to future outparcels.
• Installation of water, sewer and electric systems to service the outparcels.
• Development of a new roundabout at the main entrance to improve traffic flow and circulation around the property.
• Implementation of a landscaping plan "that will help bring freshness and vibrancy to the project from the very start."
...
Blackwater said the roundabout, a centerpiece of the infrastructure plan, is designed to enhance traffic efficiency and create "a welcoming gateway into the property."
It said the landscaping plan "will add greenery and life to the site, signaling to the Arlington community that meaningful change is already underway."
It looks like one of the first outparcels, adjacent to the main entrance, will be a Raising Cane's restaurant.
Quote
Blackwater Development said it looks forward to announcing the first wave of tenants when agreements are finalized.
...
City utility JEA issued a service availability determination letter April 30, 2025, for a 2,786-square-foot Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers fast-food restaurant on a 1.34-acre outparcel. It would have a double drive-thru and an outdoor patio.
The restaurant would seat 120 customers inside and out, up from 75 on a previous request in February.
A site plan indicates that Raising Cane's could be on Outparcel 1, which is at a main entrance into the mall.
The map shows the site is where Atlantic Boulevard meets the Arlington Expressway in the front of the Arlington mall.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/sep/18/blackwater-development-advancing-to-first-phase-of-the-nexus-at-regency/
I can't help but think this is going to look like a mess. There's going to be an empty half of a mall left with a church, a Dillard's clearance store and an empty Sears located next to what's likely to be a generic suburban strip mall.
And it sounds like the Firestone on the SE corner will stay.
^It will probably be an eyesore for years. If I had to guess, that JCPenney store will end up being renovated into a self storage space, just like the old JCPenney store at Gateway. A stick frame apartment will probably materialize at some point on the site of the East Mall. All of those outparcels will end up being more of what lines Atlantic, Beach, Southside and Blanding Boulevard. The big question is what will happen with the West Mall and Sears properties.
Quote from: thelakelander on September 25, 2025, 01:05:27 PMIf I had to guess, that JCPenney store will end up being renovated into a self storage space, just like the old JCPenney store at Gateway. A stick frame apartment will probably materialize at some point on the site of the East Mall.
This is becoming really common for these old retail buildings surrounded by parking. The old Sears in Melbourne was recently converted to self storage and they filled the parking lots with stick built apartments.
Can't wait to see the "Coming Soon" sign with stores like Marshall's, Ulta and a few chain restaurants.
How exciting.
Quote from: copperfiend on September 25, 2025, 02:46:26 PM
Can't wait to see the "Coming Soon" sign with stores like Marshall's, Ulta and a few chain restaurants.
How exciting.
Don't forget Fudruckers
Quote from: acme54321 on September 25, 2025, 01:18:55 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on September 25, 2025, 01:05:27 PMIf I had to guess, that JCPenney store will end up being renovated into a self storage space, just like the old JCPenney store at Gateway. A stick frame apartment will probably materialize at some point on the site of the East Mall.
This is becoming really common for these old retail buildings surrounded by parking. The old Sears in Melbourne was recently converted to self storage and they filled the parking lots with stick built apartments.
Unrelated to Regency, but I'm super curious to see what the next evolution of the nearly abandoned Borders, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bye Bye Baby megaplaza on Southside near the Avenues becomes. It's been largely vacated for a while now.
Here's WJXT's rehash of the Daiiy Record article
Quote
Phase 1: Clearing the way for what's next
According to the submitted plans, the initial phase focuses on roughly 11 acres at the front of the property, along Atlantic Boulevard and Monument Road. The work will include:
Demolition of a large portion of the East Mall
Construction of new roads and sidewalks
Installation of water, sewer, and electric lines
A new roundabout at the mall's main entrance
Landscaping and parking lot improvements
The seven outparcels, ranging from 1.1 to 2.25 acres, are designed for future retail, restaurant, or financial uses. While official tenant names have not yet been announced, preliminary utility filings suggest plans for a Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers and a Circle K convenience store and gas station.
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2025/09/25/iconic-regency-mall-sign-east-wing-face-demolition-in-first-phase-of-transformation/
Quote from: Ken_FSU on September 25, 2025, 07:22:36 PM
Quote from: acme54321 on September 25, 2025, 01:18:55 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on September 25, 2025, 01:05:27 PMIf I had to guess, that JCPenney store will end up being renovated into a self storage space, just like the old JCPenney store at Gateway. A stick frame apartment will probably materialize at some point on the site of the East Mall.
This is becoming really common for these old retail buildings surrounded by parking. The old Sears in Melbourne was recently converted to self storage and they filled the parking lots with stick built apartments.
Unrelated to Regency, but I'm super curious to see what the next evolution of the nearly abandoned Borders, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bye Bye Baby megaplaza on Southside near the Avenues becomes. It's been largely vacated for a while now.
I would think more apartments, it basically runs right into where the new ones being developed on the mall property are.
Fyi - September 30th
"Join OAI for our next meeting on Tuesday, September 30, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at Jacksonville University Gooding Auditorium. We are excited to welcome Rurmell Mcgee, president of Blackwater Development, the new owner of the Nexus at Regency. Rurmell will share his journey in acquiring the Regency Square Mall property and his vision for its revitalization, once Jacksonville's epicenter for shopping, dining, entertainment and social connection."
Quote from: Ken_FSU on September 25, 2025, 07:22:36 PM
Quote from: acme54321 on September 25, 2025, 01:18:55 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on September 25, 2025, 01:05:27 PMIf I had to guess, that JCPenney store will end up being renovated into a self storage space, just like the old JCPenney store at Gateway. A stick frame apartment will probably materialize at some point on the site of the East Mall.
This is becoming really common for these old retail buildings surrounded by parking. The old Sears in Melbourne was recently converted to self storage and they filled the parking lots with stick built apartments.
Unrelated to Regency, but I'm super curious to see what the next evolution of the nearly abandoned Borders, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bye Bye Baby megaplaza on Southside near the Avenues becomes. It's been largely vacated for a while now.
It appears H Mart is interested in taking over Timberlin Village. Another entry into Jax's booming Asian grocery sector. Lotte Plaza, RD International Market, Enson Market, and Patel Brothers all open or planning expansions here
QuoteExpanding Korean-American supermarket chain H Mart could to be preparing for an entry into Jacksonville.
An LLC linked to the chain bought the Timberlin Village shopping center at 8801 Southside Blvd. on Dec. 8 for $13.25 million.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/dec/12/asian-grocery-chain-h-mart-appears-to-be-looking-at-jacksonville/