Horton hears a boom

[Steve]

Hal Horton, owner of the mixed-use building that houses the Metropolitan Lofts apartments at the corner of Church and Pearl streets, thinks a pool would be a great addition to the roof of the nine-story building.

It’d be very expensive, and he’d have to add another elevator to the top deck. Permitting may also be a challenge.

But why not? After a $16 million gamble with his first Jacksonville project, Horton said he is making money and looking to keep his foot on the gas despite other developers hitting the brakes.

Horton filled up his 115 New York-style lofts in 14 months and is about 70 percent full for commercial and business space. And with a new County Courthouse project seemingly moving forward and other local developers looking to build nearby, Horton said his building on the fringe of Downtown may soon be in the heart of it all.

“My mind is on the courthouse,” said Horton, standing on his roof and looking at the empty La Villa lots where the $350 million project is planned to be built by 2011. “Once that happens, the city shifts this way. Then I’d be in the center of Downtown.”

Paul Crawford, deputy director for the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, calls Horton a “pioneer” for developing a successful project in that section of Downtown.

“He’s gone to a difficult area, as opposed to places over toward the river or the urban core where there is more synergy,” said Crawford. “He’s having to create that synergy. And when the courthouse is complete, it’s going to change the entire face of La Villa over time.”

But Horton said he’s heard optimistic talk before. When he bought the building in 2004, the messages from City officials and stakeholders were about “all this money available for developers, 10,000 residents in 10 years and creating a vibrant downtown,” he said.

Horton said he received no money from the City, while he saw more than $36 million go to the stalled Shipyards development for public improvements. There are reportedly about 2,000 residents living in the Downtown core, although a handful of new units are on the horizon. As for vibrancy?

“I wish they would stop talking about a vibrant Downtown and do things to help people who want to come here,” said Horton, a short and slender man who talks fast and isn’t shy about sharing what he thinks are Downtown’s problems and possible solutions. And others are listening.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=49971

[Jason]

Just the type of developer we need downtown.

[Driven1]

he doesn't sound like he is in the good ole boy network.  sadly, i doubt he will get far along the lines of city incentives.  

[vicupstate]

Finally! Could it be that there is someone that the city is actually listening to?

This guy is a real breath of fresh air.   Let's hope he doesn't get fed up and take his common sense elsewhere.

[Steve]

Or isn't cross financed like Cameron Kuhn