Developer proposes 13-story Southbank apartment tower

[valhalla]

Personally would prefer to see something more like The Peninsula in terms of shape, taller with smaller footprint. But I imagine they will fill pretty fast if prices appropriately.

Something like this?

[thelakelander]

^Lol, lots of crazy proposals back in the booming mid 2000s. If we're worried about traffic from 300 units, imagine if those 750ft twin condo towers would have been built on this site.

[valhalla]

^Lol, lots of crazy proposals back in the booming mid 2000s. If we're worried about traffic from 300 units, imagine if those 750ft twin condo towers would have been built on this site.

Even funnier, the second pic was the revised plan and only had a single tower with 300 units... Same as this plan.

[remc86007]

It's exciting to think that we may only be a few years away from new towers building on the Northbank. This project (along with the Broadstone, 200 Riverside, Healthy town and the Publix development) seem to indicate that investors think the urban core is worth the it from a ROI perspective again.

[Kerry]

Maybe with all this development FEC and the City will consider creating a Quiet Zone between Emerson and Prudential.

[PeeJayEss]

I don't see the issues with traffic so much. Traffic is annoying for maybe 30 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the evening. Anyone referencing their experiences with "big city" traffic shouldn't think anything of the traffic in this area. In my experience, the worst bottlenecks, aside from 95 construction (which is technically temporary but not practically), are getting through San Marco to point south and getting across the Acosta to the Southbank. Relative to those two, traffic within the hospital is much less rush-hour dependent and really not all that painful. With no signal at the entrance on Prudential, it might be tough getting out of the place from 5:15 to 6pm, but getting in (what most people will be doing) shouldn't be that hard once you get into the South Bank. Coming from 95 S across the Fuller Warren is probably the toughest option, and it's still easier to get into the hospital from there than it is to get into/through San Marco.

Besides, anyone living there working downtown or on the Southbank doesn't need to be driving, and they should expect to deal with traffic living in such a developed place. I don't see how the efficient use of space proposed in this strangely-shaped design is a negative in any way.

[JaxNative68]

Sorry to burst your bubble Kerry, but I know what urban living is all about. I have lived for many years in urban cities that make the Jacksonville downtown area look like an outskirt kind of town.

* * *

Yes remc, I agree it looks great, I just don't agree with it's location at the moment.

So, are you merely making a comment about location aesthetics or are you saying your preference is for this project to be blocked?

I think it is pretty obvious that I am only disliking the location. I like the design of the project very much.

[JBTripper]

I don't see the issues with traffic so much. Traffic is annoying for maybe 30 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the evening. Anyone referencing their experiences with "big city" traffic shouldn't think anything of the traffic in this area. In my experience, the worst bottlenecks, aside from 95 construction (which is technically temporary but not practically), are getting through San Marco to point south and getting across the Acosta to the Southbank. Relative to those two, traffic within the hospital is much less rush-hour dependent and really not all that painful. With no signal at the entrance on Prudential, it might be tough getting out of the place from 5:15 to 6pm, but getting in (what most people will be doing) shouldn't be that hard once you get into the South Bank. Coming from 95 S across the Fuller Warren is probably the toughest option, and it's still easier to get into the hospital from there than it is to get into/through San Marco.

Besides, anyone living there working downtown or on the Southbank doesn't need to be driving, and they should expect to deal with traffic living in such a developed place. I don't see how the efficient use of space proposed in this strangely-shaped design is a negative in any way.

Real traffic doesn't exist anywhere in Jacksonville, unless there is a major accident. I have to laugh whenever someone complains about traffic, or suggests "beating the traffic," or posits that infill development will further exacerbate some imagined traffic problem. Anyone who thinks traffic is bad because it takes them a couple of red lights to get through San Marco at 5:10 pm, or because it takes 45 minutes to get to the beaches after work, needs to go drive in a real city one day.

[Keith-N-Jax]

You wanna see traffic, I lived in ATL for 8 years, that's traffic, I was in New York and drove to Niagara Falls, that's traffic,

[JaxNative68]

I only bring up traffic for this particular site due to the rail line that cuts it's only one way in and out. The train always seems to pass through there around 9am, noon and 5pm. Also, if I recall properly, the Hendricks avenue exit from the Acosta bridge is being closed, leaving the prudential drive exit that dumps into that same intersection. I have sat in that intersection for 20+ minutes due to the trains.

[Tacachale]

^It' likely that a large percentage of residents will be Baptist employees. Rush hour in and out will be substantial but it'll probably make up for it by location.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

^It' likely that a large percentage of residents will be Baptist employees. Rush hour in and out will be substantial but it'll probably make up for it by location.

And the majority of the actual medical personnel in the hospital don't work 9-5 hours anyhow.  They're clocking in before 7 and after 7 on a typical day.  It's the administrative staff that works the normal hours. 

You'll rarely hear of nurses and staff docs complaining about traffic.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Yep, I've been in healthcare for over 20 years, most of us never work 9-5, right now I work 7a-7p, so I never see traffic. I am guessing many of these people will work DT which would be great to be able to walk, bike, skyway to work.

[Kerry]

Also, if I recall properly, the Hendricks avenue exit from the Acosta bridge is being closed, leaving the prudential drive exit that dumps into that same intersection. I have sat in that intersection for 20+ minutes due to the trains.

They just rebuilt that off ramp.  I don't think it is going away.

[thelakelander]

Yeah, it's not going away. You just won't be able to get to Hendricks from Main Street anymore.