Riverplace Tower West Parking Garage Proposed

[Seraphs]

The design is good and I agree it works well with the existing buildings.  Does anyone know if the observation area is still at the top of riverplace tower?  Back in the olden days when it was 'Gulf Life' and was Florida's tallest building there was an observation area.

[jeh1980]

How do we define "wishful thinking" ? What I had read in a magazine called "904", the developers were really seeing the future. The parking garage would help lead the way for a high rise development on the other side of the lot. Although, there were no pictures of any new future high rise, but it will soon come.

[Matt]

agreed. this is nothing but good b/c it is parking and retail. a step in the right direction.

[thelakelander]

According to 904 Magazine, this garage will be constructed this fall.  It will be 179,000 square feet with 470 spaces.  The garage will house retail space and allow for future high-rise development.

[ProjectMaximus]

It will be constructed to allow for future high-rise development on the lot or on top of the garage itself?

The garage will house retail space and allow for future high-rise development.

[reednavy]

According to 904 Magazine, this garage will be constructed this fall.  It will be 179,000 square feet with 470 spaces.  The garage will house retail space and allow for future high-rise development.

Sounds good to me. Hopefully, it will not be in the distant future for vertical expansion. Look at the BCBS Tower in Chicago everyone, now THAT is vertical expansion.

It'd be nice if 904 got it right about BOA Tower. It is tallest between Atlanta and Miami, NOT ATL AND ORLANDO!

[Ocklawaha]

Cool, I'm thinking something medium, not too obvious, maybe 80 floors or so...

WITH SKY-WALKS.

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

No skywalks please or at least evaluate them on a case-by-case basis.  They compete with the idea of getting pedestrians to walk at street level.  This makes it more difficult to lease street level retail spaces.  A compromise would be having street retail with a good canopy system.  This way pedestrians can use the sidewalks at street level and still be protected from the natural elements.

[RiversideGator]

I agree with Lake.  While skywalks have some merit and appear futuristic, they clearly take away from street life.

[Ocklawaha]

Lake, I'm not big on the SKY-WALK system of downtown circa 1980, all I'm pushing for is some connections to the Skyway Stations from some of our mega-venues. The Hotels, and any major buildings the walk happens to pass are good example of doing what we both want. Skyway connection for commuters and below, a sheltered, covered walk, vendors, performers etc.. These should IMO, only be used in cases like the current Kings Avenue Station. We have similar situations on the Southbank WEST  of San Marco Station, that could walk-over the Acosta Freeway, FEC RR and a maze of parking to bring commuters into Atena, Pru and Baptist.

The three level Skyway stations are naturals for this conneciton and for vendor spaces.

BTW did any of you see the New York Summer Street program? COOL JAX IDEA, memories of Godbold at his "Boss Hogg Best".

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

A skywalk from the San Marco Station over FEC's tracks, in the direction of Baptist and Aetna makes a lot of sense.  However, skywalks from Riverplace Tower, Crowne Plaza Hotel, MOSH, etc. would compete with the idea of replacing surface parking lots on Riverplace Blvd with buildings featuring retail and dining spaces at street level.

[Charles Hunter]

I think the only current 3-level Skyway station is the San Marco station, next to the Prudential tower.  A pedestrian bridge over the Acosta and FECRR to Aetna / Baptist / the eventual residential tower makes sense.

[Ocklawaha]

I believe you are right Charles, though there must be some way to access that other two or three stations where this idea would work. Riverplace just seems to be SO EMPTY of life. Like Jefferson Street without the mud park.

BTW, any word on when DOT plans the rebuild of Atlantic/Beach/95? I hear it's on the way. Wonder if we could lower some of it, or at LEAST pull some ramps to and from Atlantic. Perhaps Atlantic SB, both on and off, and Hendricks or Kings NB, both on and off. That would make the JTA garage make a lot more sense.
I'd love to see flyovers from midway between this and Emerson, head up into the old JEA lot, and pick up Prudential at street level. Perhaps a precursor to some future bridge at Randolph, for streetcars, pedestrians and limited auto traffic..

Dreams are cheap.

BTW: O(C)klawaha is spelled with a "C" but FDOT doesn't know it. Smile.

OCKLAWAHA

[JeffreyS]

Is there any mention of future potential for vertical expansion.

[Jason]

Any news on this proposal?