Downtown Development: Proceeding with caution

[thelakelander]

This week's Jax Biz Journal has a feature on downtown development.  Here's a few project updates from the article:

http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/04/07/focus1.html?page=3

1. 200 Riverside - Hallmark Properties:

This project will break ground this summer.  The residential portion of this development has been eliminated and replaced with a 2,500 room hotel.


2. The Landing:

Humana Inc., the city and Sleiman have reached an agreement to build a 1,000-space parking garage on the Landing's east lot.


3. The Library:

Construction will begin this summer.  Tenants include City Market grocery store, an Italian restaurant, a wine bar by San Marco's The Grotto, Folio Weekly, a billiards parlor and offices for a law firm.


4. Chamblin's Uptown Bookmine:

Opened on March 30, 2008


5. Downtown has $388 million worth of projects under construction and $2.2 billion proposed in 2007, down from $405 million under construction and $3.4 billion proposed in 2006.

[fsujax]

A 2,500 room hotel??? I wonder if they meant 250 room hotel?

[vicupstate]

Exactly, got to be a typo.

[thelakelander]

The paper says 2,500, but now thinking about it, the market can't support a hotel that large.  250 units is much more realistic.

[Lunican]

Chamblin's is open? They were closed during Art Walk.

[Steve]

2,500 would be larger than all of the other downtown hotels COMBINED.  250 Makes a lot of sense on that site actually.

[Steve]

Chamblin's is open? They were closed during Art Walk.

Yes, I went by Wednesday during the day.  They had the softest of soft openings.  It looks like what they did was when they started to unload the first box and put the books on the shelves, they opened the doors.  The upstairs is supposed to open April 13th, and the coffee shop in 2-3 weeks.

[Jason]

Great update Lake.

I wonder how many more hotel units Jax will now have as compared to when the Superbowl was in town.

[Steve]

If this is completed, then 250

[Jason]

What about the Kings Ave and the Brooklyn Park projects?

[David]

What about the Kings Ave and the Brooklyn Park projects?

And you're talking about hotels in the city as a whole i'm assuming, i'm sure with the towncenter and other sprawling developments around town we've added at least a couple hundred since 2005, not counting this one.

[Steve]

I guess Kings Avenue Station counts, even though it's technically outside of downtown.  Add another 220 then.

To be honest, until I see concrete getting poured at Brooklyn Park, I'm not holding my breath on that one, but it would be another 150.

So, if everything here broke ground, it would be 620.

However, if we are going to talk "proposed numbers, my guess based on the square footage would be 400 rooms for Bay St Station, between the two hotels.  That brings the total to 1020 rooms.

I don't see this happening, because it would be the equivalent of opening another Hyatt, and I don't think we can support this with our current craptacular convention center.

[Steve]

And yes, if you are talking about the city as a whole, I'd say someting in the 2500 range between proposed and built since 2005 in the metro area.

[copperfiend]

What about the Kings Ave and the Brooklyn Park projects?

And you're talking about hotels in the city as a whole i'm assuming, i'm sure with the towncenter and other sprawling developments around town we've added at least a couple hundred since 2005, not counting this one.

The Sheraton near the Town Center is almost done and they are supposed to be starting on the Westin at the Town Center soon. I'd like to see some of these higher end hotels near the core. The Hampton Inn on the Southbank is embarassing.

[suburbiasucks]

I said it before and I'll say it again: I'll believe it only when I see it.
I'd love to share everybody's excitement and enthusiasm every time new projects are announced on this board, but .... my rosy glasses are simply nowhere to be found. Not just that, but my pessimism is slowly turning into rage because I'm starting to feel like a fool when I read terms like "live-work", "pedestrian friendly", "walkable", "urban" etc. The projects that actually do happen are parking garages and ... and parking lots. Oh, wait .... and windowless office buildings!
But .... don't take my word for it! ;-)