QuoteA year-plus after the Downtown Development Review Board approved a contested proposal to build a Daily's gas station and convenience store in LaVilla, the city has issued a demolition permit for the last remaining building on the project site.
Issued Oct. 1, the permit allows for demolition of a closed bank drive-thru building at 60 N. Broad St.
C&R Contractors Inc. of Jacksonville is listed as the contractor to demolish the 986-square-foot building, canopy, parking lot and related structures on 0.43 acres at a project cost of $20,000.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2024/oct/01/demolition-permit-issued-for-site-of-dailys-lavilla-project/
More evidence that there is no real master plan for the future of Downtown... just a desire to support any investment someone wants to make no matter how random it is vs. a real plan.
I am probably in the minority here, but I do not hate this project at all. It is certainly an improvement over the current vacant lot and abandoned buildings. While we can argue about theoretical better projects, the reality is this an improvement for a part of town that has so many vacant lots and decrepit buildings and desperately needs new development.
We (LaVilla stakeholders) fought last year to improve the design and add density to the site. We didn't get the density we wanted but the pressure got the building moved to Broad Street to align with the vision of it being a walkable Street again. So when you walk down Broad, you will experience a convenience storefront with a restaurant upstairs and not gas pumps and a block of parking. We've moved on to getting more infill urban projects off the ground in LaVilla. I'm looking forward to construction starting.
Quote from: Joey Mackey on October 02, 2024, 03:07:15 PM
I am probably in the minority here, but I do not hate this project at all. It is certainly an improvement over the current vacant lot and abandoned buildings. While we can argue about theoretical better projects, the reality is this an improvement for a part of town that has so many vacant lots and decrepit buildings and desperately needs new development.
LaVilla has more going for it than the Northbank core does these days. LEVS Park and the Emerald Trail just opened, Johnson Commons is going up and a Whole Foods is planned right across the bridge in Brooklyn. Broad Street is a natural extension of Riverside Avenue in Brooklyn, which I why this site is so important to Daily's. In other words, the market has arrived. Our struggle will be to make sure desparate Jaxsons enforce urban design principles to the projects coming online. Otherwise, all we'll get is another Brooklyn. Hundreds of millions spent but the atmosphere may as well be considered a mini Town Center Parkway.
I really wish they could do more for walkability on the riverside ave to broad overpass. Terrible for pedestrians and I don't think it even has lights on it.
There are some things that can be done. There is a sidewalk separated by a concrete barrier from the southbound lanes of the bridge. The shoulder between the southbound lanes (each lane is at least 12' wide) and the sidewalk is also pretty wide. It's likely that barrier could be moved to provide enough space to make that sidewalk a 8' to 12' shared use path between Jefferson Street and Leila Streets. This is what FDOT D5 did on the US 17/92 St Johns River Bridge near Sanford a few years ago. However, it will likely take some serious pressure from the community and city leaders to make it happen quicker rather than later.
Weird story.
They're asking for a three-year extension?
Maybe it'll die?
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/jul/24/dailys-seeking-extension-to-build-disputed-lavilla-convenience-store/
Hopefully
Quote from: Ken_FSU on July 24, 2025, 03:23:51 PM
Weird story.
They're asking for a three-year extension?
Maybe it'll die?
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/jul/24/dailys-seeking-extension-to-build-disputed-lavilla-convenience-store/
My understanding is that Bold City Brewery will no longer be a part of this project. Hopefully, now that it is confirmed that UF will be right across the street, FCE will eventually flip the property for a higher and better use.
Quote from: thelakelander on July 24, 2025, 05:39:29 PM
Quote from: Ken_FSU on July 24, 2025, 03:23:51 PM
Weird story.
They're asking for a three-year extension?
Maybe it'll die?
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/jul/24/dailys-seeking-extension-to-build-disputed-lavilla-convenience-store/
My understanding is that Bold City Brewery will no longer be a part of this project. Hopefully, now that it is confirmed that UF will be right across the street, FCE will eventually flip the property for a higher and better use.
I was about to post this when your's showed up.
The way local breweries are dying, will Bold City Brewery still be around in three more years?
Took me a minute to realize FCE wasn't "First Coast Expressway" ;)