Historic Bostwick Building Demolition Meeting Tonight

[thelakelander]

And here's what it COULD be!!

That looks familiar.  I know the guy who took the pictures and created the graphic.....

[fsujax]

From today's Daily Record.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=539336

[Tacachale]

It will be awesome if that works out.

[JUGrad]

A little more info from Jax Business Journal...  Potentially restored for retail use?  Interesting....

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2013/04/26/bostwick-building-under-contract-for.html

[fsujax]

I really do not want to get to excited about this, because the buyer still has a due diligence report to complete. Would be a cool location for a CVS or Walgreens, urban style of course.

[Debbie Thompson]

Don't you just love what Val Bostwick said?  "A preliminary inquiry suggests the cost of stabilizing and restoring the structure would likely exceed the value of the finished product," Val Bostwick said in September. "That's the situation we're faced with, the situation anyone buying the building is faced with."

Like the building just happened to be that way, and the Bostwicks, who have owned the building for 100+ years, had absolutely nothing to do with the building's deterioration. They just woke up one morning, the building was fine the day before, and suddenly it had no roof and structural issues.  Just sayin...

Hoping this is good news for this historic building.

[duvaldude08]

Don't you just love what Val Bostwick said?  "A preliminary inquiry suggests the cost of stabilizing and restoring the structure would likely exceed the value of the finished product," Val Bostwick said in September. "That's the situation we're faced with, the situation anyone buying the building is faced with."

Like the building just happened to be that way, and the Bostwicks, who have owned the building for 100+ years, had absolutely nothing to do with the building's deterioration. They just woke up one morning, the building was fine the day before, and suddenly it had no roof and structural issues.  Just sayin...

Hoping this is good news for this historic building.

+10000 Ive been saying that all along. They are the reason the building is falling apart, and act they have nothing to do with it and want the city to feel sorry for them. NOT!

[mbwright]

If you left your car windows down, and let it run out of oil, it would not be the manufacturer's fault if it broke down, or got mildew.  The Bosticks are the sole reason this building is in the condition it is in.  There might be additional factors, but this did not happen over night, as a surprise.

[sheclown]

Big Huge THANK YOU to the historic planning department. 

Joel, Lisa and the crew.  You guys did it!!! 

You made it possible for alternatives to demolition to be found.

[Debbie Thompson]

Yes, absolutely. Duval Dude, the building needs to be preserved. And thank goodness for this news. I was merely commenting on the irony of Val Bostwick's comment.

[pwhitford]

Ovinte partners want to buy the Bostwick Building for restaurant development
 

The Bostwick Building, located at Bay and Ocean streets Downtown.

Tuesday, May 7, 6:47 PM EDT
by David Chapman, Staff Writer

Jacques Klempf, Chad Munsey and Fraser Burns, partners in the Ovinte wine, cocktails and tapas lounge at the St. Johns Town Center, have been identified as the purchasing group under contract for the Bostwick Building.

Building representative Karl Bostwick announced Friday the historic building Downtown at Bay and Ocean streets was under contract, but did not identify the potential buyer. The Bostwick family has owned the building since 1902.

It has been closed and vacant for some time and faced demolition.

The partners attended the City Council Land Use & Zoning Committee on Tuesday. Klempf and GrayRobinson attorney Terry Moore spoke at the public hearing on two pieces of legislation.

Klempf said the group was "aggressively moving forward" in addressing its side of contract-related conditions and has engaged an architect and other professionals to assess the building.

The due diligence portion of the contract ends June 14. The committee continued the legislative issues until June.

The buyers said they haven't developed a concept for the building, other than it will be restaurant.

"We just think it's a great venue and it just has great access, visibility and we feel like we can put a concept there that will really be great for the city," Klempf said.

Munsey said the concept will not be the same concept as Ovinte.

"We're going to restore the building … and put what I think is going to be the nicest restaurant in the city," Klempf said.

He said the group wanted to restore the building to its natural façade. Burns said the partners wanted to "do something really special."

"Whether or not that's 50 seats or 150 seats, we have no idea. We won't know until we really get in there," Burns said.

The group declined to discuss financials of the contract.

Val Bostwick, Johnson Enterprises Inc. senior sales associate, who has handled the building's marketing, also declined comment.

Klempf said the largest hurdle would be the due diligence period.

Moore told the committee the group has hired an architect and structural engineer to assess the building and will hire a water intrusion specialist.

"We need some time to assess this building," Moore told the committee.

Klempf said after the meeting that a lawsuit filed on behalf of a Bostwick Building neighbor regarding water damage intrusion must be addressed by the Bostwicks before the deal is complete.

Known as the "jaguar building" for its window murals, Klempf said the features will not be a part of the building under its ownership. He said the Bostwicks will take them.

dchapman@baileypub.com

[sheclown]

The new owner spoke tonight at the LUZ workshop meeting.  He was asking for a bit more time (2 weeks) -- to do what I'm not really sure.  He has negotiated with the city for the rolling fines, has hired Elkins construction and the company is working on a detailed time line.  The owner has anticipated 18 months for completion, but hopes it will be done sooner.  CM Redman asked about the corner issue and the owner politely told him that his contractor is aware of the problem.

Other than Redman, the LUZ wanted to kiss him.

[aubureck]

Appeal of demolition of structure and landmark status will finally be heard tomorrow, Tuesday November 19th at LUZ.

[Doctor_K]

Does that mean it's back on the chopping block to get torn down??

[riverside planner]

Does that mean it's back on the chopping block to get torn down??

Yes.