Coming Soon to DT Jax: Lofts at LaVilla

[thelakelander]

The block between Bay and Forsyth hasn't been around for at least a century, if ever.  Although it was platted as a street, it didn't operate as one because that land was used as a railyard for the old freight railroad depot.  That depot was located between Forysth and Bay and stretched from Lee to Jefferson Streets. There was a pedestrian bridge that allowed people to go over the yard between LaVilla and the old Railroad Row district. South Davis was nothing more than a loading area for cold storage and produce warehouses. Here's a few old images:


Looking west along Bay Street. The Bay Street side of the depot is on the right. Where the buildings come up to Bay, in the distant background, is where that unopened Davis Street ROW was located. The old warehouses backing up to the terminal railyard (today's Water Street ROW) can be seen on the left.


Sanborn map showing a portion of the freight depot super block


Front of freight depot at Jefferson and Forsyth.


FEC staff inside the freight depot

[Steve]

^Good to know. I thought that Barnett messed it up. The Rail lines make a lot more sense though.

I do think that as that area redevelops (however long that will take), that at least one street should be there, if not both of what was platted. I have to assume both Madison and Davis were platted.

[Jim]

Given that I work directly across the street from this project, I'm rather excited to see it take shape.   Even better if I can secure one.

[thelakelander]

Looks like they are moving forward on this. Here's an article that mentions construction should start in September:

Ryan Hoover, vice president of TVC Development, said construction should start Sept. 1 and be finished a year later. The total cost, he said, will be about $23 million.

Last year, the Downtown Investment Authority approved a $270,000 loan from the Downtown Economic Development Fund.

The rents will be $634 for a studio, $676 for one bedroom, $811 for two bedrooms and $937 for three bedrooms.

That's $400 to almost $1,000 a month less than the new complexes that opened last year just a few blocks away on Riverside Avenue.

But in order to qualify for an apartment, the income limit for one person is $27,300 a year. For two people, it's $31,200.

http://jacksonville.com/business/real-estate/2016-06-16/story/work-affordable-housing-complex-lofts-lavilla-commence-sept-1

[Jim]

There's activity at the site now.

[thelakelander]

Pretty cool. The more downtown housing, the better. Especially in LaVilla.

[heights unknown]

Pretty cool. The more downtown housing, the better. Especially in LaVilla.

Yeah; at present LaVilla is like a "no man's" land.

[thelakelander]

I took pictures for this week's October construction update article earlier today. Here's a picture of this site:

[aubureck]

Groundbreaking Wednesday on downtown apartment building

Groundbreaking will be held Wednesday for Lofts at LaVilla, a 130-unit affordable housing apartment building on Water Street near Prime Osborn Convention Center.

The five–story building is limited to those with a maximum income of $27,300 a year for one person, $31,200 a year for two. That's 60 percent of the median income for the area. Rents will be $634 for a studio, $676 for one bedroom, $811 for two bedrooms and $937 for three bedrooms.

The $22 million project was financed with a combination of funding from Florida Housing Finance Corporation tax-credits, the Downtown Investment Authority and Jacksonville Housing Finance Authority.

It's being developed by TVC Development, part of Vestcor Companies, and is expected to be completed next fall. Th groundbreaking begins at 9 a.m.

http://jacksonville.com/business/2016-10-25/groundbreaking-wednesday-downtown-apartment-building

[thelakelander]

Vestcor is also working on getting the necessary tax credits for another 100-110 unit workforce housing project in LaVilla. They got a loan from the DIA for that one earlier this month.