Beacon Riverside Renderings Released

[CCMjax]

I think I remember now. Isn't 220 going to build another apartment building on the 220 property soon as well?

The vacant portion of the current property is reserved for 200 Riverside, essentially the same thing as 220 and will add something like 150 to 200 more apartments.  Not sure what exactly needs to happen before that gets the green light, I would imaging 220 and the Brooklyn need to fill up first.

Currently in the city center of a vibrant Montreal in Summer.  Right near the Contemporary Art Museum is a fashion festival with crowds, beer-drinkers, eccentrics, and overall a ton of street life.  Montreal has a vast and DENSE array of modest apartments and homes right in the center of town, feeding the life of the city.  Can't Jax have thriving and DENSE/WALKABLE urban core communities of middle-class apartments, town homes, and homes?  Of course, there has to be security, lighting, and some decent parks.  But where are brand new 700-900 per month apartments in the urban core?  What transit-oriented developments are under way in Jax?

I'm cool with Jacksonville not having fashion festivals . . . too cosmo.  I think Jax should strive to not become too cosmopolitan like Miami and Montreal, etc.  Jax has a nice identity as being a laid back, outdoorsy river city.  The development that is sloooooooooowly coming back to downtown should pay close attention to this in my opinion.  As far as $700-$900 per month apartments in Montreal? . . .  that sounds like a 300-500 sf studio in that city center.  Are you sure you have those number right?  And what exactly do you get there at that price?  Parking definitely not included for that price, but don't need it in that city.  You can get a pretty nice studio (or maybe 1 bedroom) here in Jax at the Carling or Metro Lofts downtown for that price.  Not sure if that includes parking.

[ProjectMaximus]

Montreal has surprisingly cheap rents for such a quality city. You can easily get a 3 bedroom (by our standards...they count them differently there) for under a thousand in an artsy neighborhood close to the metro. I have friends who pay only 800 for that, but they were on the luckier side.

[jaxnyc79]

I think I remember now. Isn't 220 going to build another apartment building on the 220 property soon as well?

The vacant portion of the current property is reserved for 200 Riverside, essentially the same thing as 220 and will add something like 150 to 200 more apartments.  Not sure what exactly needs to happen before that gets the green light, I would imaging 220 and the Brooklyn need to fill up first.

Currently in the city center of a vibrant Montreal in Summer.  Right near the Contemporary Art Museum is a fashion festival with crowds, beer-drinkers, eccentrics, and overall a ton of street life.  Montreal has a vast and DENSE array of modest apartments and homes right in the center of town, feeding the life of the city.  Can't Jax have thriving and DENSE/WALKABLE urban core communities of middle-class apartments, town homes, and homes?  Of course, there has to be security, lighting, and some decent parks.  But where are brand new 700-900 per month apartments in the urban core?  What transit-oriented developments are under way in Jax?

I'm cool with Jacksonville not having fashion festivals . . . too cosmo.  I think Jax should strive to not become too cosmopolitan like Miami and Montreal, etc.  Jax has a nice identity as being a laid back, outdoorsy river city.  The development that is sloooooooooowly coming back to downtown should pay close attention to this in my opinion.  As far as $700-$900 per month apartments in Montreal? . . .  that sounds like a 300-500 sf studio in that city center.  Are you sure you have those number right?  And what exactly do you get there at that price?  Parking definitely not included for that price, but don't need it in that city.  You can get a pretty nice studio (or maybe 1 bedroom) here in Jax at the Carling or Metro Lofts downtown for that price.  Not sure if that includes parking.

The point wasn't fashion festivals.  The point was street life, vibrancy, community, energy, a real sense of local heritage and history instead of suburban heritage defined by remote boardrooms.  And in my opinion, Jax does very little to identify and promote a sense of unique identity.  Sadly, the bulk of the city's energy and residents' activities are among chain-laden suburban strip centers.  And you should have your laid back and outdoorsy corner, but I imagine there are plenty who want a city that celebrates big ideas and innovation and global outreach!

[CCMjax]

I think I remember now. Isn't 220 going to build another apartment building on the 220 property soon as well?

The vacant portion of the current property is reserved for 200 Riverside, essentially the same thing as 220 and will add something like 150 to 200 more apartments.  Not sure what exactly needs to happen before that gets the green light, I would imaging 220 and the Brooklyn need to fill up first.

Currently in the city center of a vibrant Montreal in Summer.  Right near the Contemporary Art Museum is a fashion festival with crowds, beer-drinkers, eccentrics, and overall a ton of street life.  Montreal has a vast and DENSE array of modest apartments and homes right in the center of town, feeding the life of the city.  Can't Jax have thriving and DENSE/WALKABLE urban core communities of middle-class apartments, town homes, and homes?  Of course, there has to be security, lighting, and some decent parks.  But where are brand new 700-900 per month apartments in the urban core?  What transit-oriented developments are under way in Jax?

I'm cool with Jacksonville not having fashion festivals . . . too cosmo.  I think Jax should strive to not become too cosmopolitan like Miami and Montreal, etc.  Jax has a nice identity as being a laid back, outdoorsy river city.  The development that is sloooooooooowly coming back to downtown should pay close attention to this in my opinion.  As far as $700-$900 per month apartments in Montreal? . . .  that sounds like a 300-500 sf studio in that city center.  Are you sure you have those number right?  And what exactly do you get there at that price?  Parking definitely not included for that price, but don't need it in that city.  You can get a pretty nice studio (or maybe 1 bedroom) here in Jax at the Carling or Metro Lofts downtown for that price.  Not sure if that includes parking.

The point wasn't fashion festivals.  The point was street life, vibrancy, community, energy, a real sense of local heritage and history instead of suburban heritage defined by remote boardrooms.  And in my opinion, Jax does very little to identify and promote a sense of unique identity.  Sadly, the bulk of the city's energy and residents' activities are among chain-laden suburban strip centers.  And you should have your laid back and outdoorsy corner, but I imagine there are plenty who want a city that celebrates big ideas and innovation and global outreach!

I agree and I know what the point of your post was, the fashion festival comment was a side point.  And those of us that have lived in world class cities know that Jacksonville is kind of like one mega suburb with only a few cool spots that resemble city neighborhoods.  Bad planning, zoning and bad fortune along with having to compete with the beaches 15 miles away from downtown have devastated the core in the last few decades.  Jacksonville does have an identity and it can get it back if more people and companies move back in and around downtown.  Companies are obsessed with locating big suburban sytle offices on the Southside because it is exactly halfway between downtown and the beaches and makes for an easy commute from Jax Beach and PV, not to mention St. Johns County.  This has spread the city out to oblivion because people can't make up their mind where they want to live. 

Would be awesome if St. Johns started taxing like crazy to hold back the flood of people headed out there for the good public schools.  If they were smart that's what they'd do, otherwise the communities in north SJC will become trashed just like the southside in Jax.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Would be awesome if St. Johns started taxing like crazy to hold back the flood of people headed out there for the good public schools.  If they were smart that's what they'd do, otherwise the communities in north SJC will become trashed just like the southside in Jax.

Ummmm.....

They are taxing more than we and have left all of their up-front fees in place regarding development, yet they're still outgaining us in both development and tourism. 

It's a simple concept that really applies to most everything - if you're willing to give it away, then it must not be worth anything to begin with.

What we fail to do is correct our mistakes.  We (the city of Jax) continue to give itself away and wonders why it has nothing nice.

[CCMjax]

Would be awesome if St. Johns started taxing like crazy to hold back the flood of people headed out there for the good public schools.  If they were smart that's what they'd do, otherwise the communities in north SJC will become trashed just like the southside in Jax.

Ummmm.....

They are taxing more than we and have left all of their up-front fees in place regarding development, yet they're still outgaining us in both development and tourism. 

It's a simple concept that really applies to most everything - if you're willing to give it away, then it must not be worth anything to begin with.

What we fail to do is correct our mistakes.  We (the city of Jax) continue to give itself away and wonders why it has nothing nice.

You are right and that is not how most healthy cities work (suburbs being able to tax more than city).  St Johns County doesn't really need a lot of middle class single family home buyers to keep flocking to north SJC to keep healthy county budgets, they have tourism and already outrageous property taxes in PV to collect from.  They should increase taxes even more and increase impact fees along the Duval border from a business perspective.  Families are starving for good public schools and are willing to pay higher taxes to live in SJC since they aren't too outrageous yet.  What will eventually happen is the cost to send kids to private schools in Duval may actually be more favorable financially than pay the higher property taxes in SJ and have to commute further (maybe).  I know that is currently the case for one of my coworkers, just spoke to him about it the other day.  It's a win win for SJ and Duval.  SJC doesn't become like the Baymeadows area and Duval sees less middle class family flight.

[simms3]

^^^Overthinking it.  Jax will have a hard time competing with SJC for families.  It needs to work on competing with other cities for young professionals.

[thelakelander]

sales suspended:

Despite the rosy projections noted in The Resident's November issue in a story titled "Low inventory in Historic District means seller's market," there is one sector in the housing market that is still struggling. New condominium developments, including Beacon Riverside, by HP 500 LLC, are finding it difficult to sell the concept.

Construction plans for the luxury condominium Beacon Riverside are at a temporary standstill as NAI Hallmark Partners seeks gap financing to start building, and sales have been suspended as well.

In the meantime, the company has returned deposits to early buyers, according to Bryan Weber, Principal, Multifamily, NAI Hallmark Partners. "It was in escrow, so there was no sense in holding on to it," he said about the deposits refunded.

http://residentnews.net/2015/12/01/beacon-riverside-suspends-sales-efforts-seeks-financing/

[jaxjaguar]

Does that mean the project is dead?

[mtraininjax]

Probably dead until the Condo market comes back with financing for owners. Most condo deals in Riverside, John Gorrie especially are cash deals. The condo financing just has not returned as strong as the Beacon needed. Till financing returns, yeah, I'd say its dead.

The Beacon owners really need to work hard to get Unity Plaza sold out. Has anyone heard any new numbers since the 40% occupied was released earlier this year?

[vicupstate]

The JAX market has been very slow to recover from the crash.  It still seems like 2011 here compared to other markets.  The condo market needs to stick to smaller scale projects until there is a full recovery.

[Lunican]

Will the Jax market even recover before the next crash?

[thelakelander]

Doesn't look like it.

[mtraininjax]

Sure was nice to have the city, Mayor Brown, allow the Beacon developers to tear down the building that used to be on the water in place of a trailer and some nice dirt......

Nice one Alvin!

[vicupstate]

Sure was nice to have the city, Mayor Brown, allow the Beacon developers to tear down the building that used to be on the water in place of a trailer and some nice dirt......

Nice one Alvin!

Glad to see you now support preservation.  What was the building btw? Was it inside the R-A boundaries?