A New Look for Avondale's St. Johns Village Project

[Metro Jacksonville]

A New Look for Avondale's St. Johns Village Project



In preparation for tonight's Commander redevelopment Town Hall meeting, Metro Jacksonville shares revised conceptual drawings for the Fishweir Creek project.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-jul-a-new-look-for-avondales-st-johns-village-project

[soldiercourse]

Welcome to 'The Berkman on Fishweir'.

[fieldafm]

Welcome to 'The Berkman on Fishweir'.

This looks nothing at all like Berkman.

In fact, it's a compact mixed use development replacing a building that has not been kept up well and an outdated strip mall.

Not sure people really understand what the word 'progress' means.  Nor what the term 'walkable neighborhood' means either. 

[CG7]

I don't get the flat faced building that will be right next to the bridge. the rest looks fine, but that building looks like a parking garage on the property closest to the creek, what am I missing?

[thelakelander]

From what I can tell, it appears the flat faced building is still in early conceptual design and maybe a result of outside concerns to fear of height and overall density. Personally, I'd like to see more of an interactive/mixed use street edge at that corner. Retail would work better with more street traffic visibility and the interactivity around the green space and creek would make that a great third person type of plaza or space.

[fieldafm]

I don't get the flat faced building that will be right next to the bridge. the rest looks fine, but that building looks like a parking garage on the property closest to the creek, what am I missing?

That is a parking garage.  I haven't seen the a more detailed elevation for the garage, but would agree that a parking garage needs to be a little more than a flat faced front with no pedestrian interaction (retail) like some of those parking garages you see downtown.  It would be beneficial for the retail to wrap around the parking garage.  I was under the impression that retail would indeed wrap around the garage.

[fieldafm]

interactivity around the green space and creek would make that a great third person type of plaza or space.

Totally agree.  From what I understood, most of the space along the riverfront would be 'public space'.

That would have a bigger impact impact on the neighborhood than all the aribitrary 'intensity concerns'.

[tufsu1]

http://jacksonville.com/business/2013-07-16/story/avondale-project-gets-scrutinized-neighbors

[riverside planner]

From what I can tell, it appears the flat faced building is still in early conceptual design and maybe a result of outside concerns to fear of height and overall density. Personally, I'd like to see more of an interactive/mixed use street edge at that corner. Retail would work better with more street traffic visibility and the interactivity around the green space and creek would make that a great third person type of plaza or space.

Parking will be under the building at St. Johns/Herschel, which is currently proposed for residential use.  I have been told that this blocky look is simply a placeholder for massing study/footprint purposes and building articulation/design is still being worked out. 

It's a challenging site to say the least.

[river4340]

The flat building is simply an unfinished design. It's not going to look like that, according to Balanky and the architect. I think parking will be under each building.

[cline]

interactivity around the green space and creek would make that a great third person type of plaza or space.

Totally agree.  From what I understood, most of the space along the riverfront would be 'public space'.

That would have a bigger impact impact on the neighborhood than all the aribitrary 'intensity concerns'.

Agreed.  That public space would be a significant addition to the neighborhood.  If we do ever go through with the proposed dredging that would be a fantastic space available for use by the public.

[Josh]

I think it shows a lot of promise, and will undoubtedly be better than the status quo.

[grimss]

I know it's a challenging site, but personally, I'd like to see a design that better engages the St. Johns Avenue portion of the property. All the proposed buildings are pushed back to the water, which is essentially what we've got there now. I do like the clean-lined, more modern look of the architecture, however.

[ProjectMaximus]

what's the est time frame on this?

Edit: Ah, I see the TU article states they're hoping to break ground early next year.

[thelakelander]

The developer would like to break ground in early 2014.