Riverfront Jacksonville: $1.1 billion Master Plan

[Bativac]

You know, I've walked on that bridge and taken pictures of my kids all over that  bridge and park. So I see what you are saying. I guess my only observation is that it's so seamlessly woven into the natural elevation and topography of the spot it seems as if it's always been there.
Can we pull off something like that?

The Jax is structured to be interactive--water features, dynamic lighting, and walkable under/through/and around. I understand you're not a fan--but I think the intent is there to have some of those kind of elements to activate the art. If there's a proposal to change the design and achieve the same goals, I wouldn't complain.

Jacksonville has a long and storied history of failing to maintain anything with water features and dynamic lighting

[heights unknown]

In downtown Jax now. Surveying going on at Broad and Forsyth. Anyone know what's going there? Light crane doing work at the Ambassador Hotel. Looks Like they're tearing the old windows out. Large parking garage on block north of Wells Fargo building is underway it seems, as is the Laura Trio. Seems the Orleck will be here before the end of the year...a friend of mine posted it in one of my Navy forums I Admin...Navy Vets are wetting their pants over that. Lot of "stuff" taking shape in big Jax.

[jaxoNOLE]

You know, I've walked on that bridge and taken pictures of my kids all over that  bridge and park. So I see what you are saying. I guess my only observation is that it's so seamlessly woven into the natural elevation and topography of the spot it seems as if it's always been there.
Can we pull off something like that?

The Jax is structured to be interactive--water features, dynamic lighting, and walkable under/through/and around. I understand you're not a fan--but I think the intent is there to have some of those kind of elements to activate the art. If there's a proposal to change the design and achieve the same goals, I wouldn't complain.

Jacksonville has a long and storied history of failing to maintain anything with water features and dynamic lighting

True, but I think that highlights a needed change in our MO vs. throwing in the towel and saying we can't support those types of amenities. If we avoid building new versions of things we have historically neglected, we should also be avoiding parks, schools, and anything downtown (if you'll forgive a bit of hyperbole).  There's a lot of discussion over the design, but that discussion pales in comparison to the question of whether the city will actually commit resources to both build and maintain anything that resembles the vision articulated by the bidders. Not to mention the other in-design proposals downtown that would also require ongoing maintenance.

[landfall]

In downtown Jax now. Surveying going on at Broad and Forsyth. Anyone know what's going there? Light crane doing work at the Ambassador Hotel. Looks Like they're tearing the old windows out. Large parking garage on block north of Wells Fargo building is underway it seems, as is the Laura Trio. Seems the Orleck will be here before the end of the year...a friend of mine posted it in one of my Navy forums I Admin...Navy Vets are wetting their pants over that. Lot of "stuff" taking shape in big Jax.

Interesting they are starting working on the Trio already.

[heights unknown]

In downtown Jax now. Surveying going on at Broad and Forsyth. Anyone know what's going there? Light crane doing work at the Ambassador Hotel. Looks Like they're tearing the old windows out. Large parking garage on block north of Wells Fargo building is underway it seems, as is the Laura Trio. Seems the Orleck will be here before the end of the year...a friend of mine posted it in one of my Navy forums I Admin...Navy Vets are wetting their pants over that. Lot of "stuff" taking shape in big Jax.

Interesting they are starting working on the Trio already.

What I meant was I saw people milling around the Trio; what they were doing, really, I do not know. I just assumed some type of work, whether inspecting, surveying, etc., seems to be underway.

[marcuscnelson]

Atkins has increased the scope of his proposed master plan to rope in everything else along the Northbank (including Khan/Iguana's proposed projects) and apparently some other ideas for downtown.

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2021/10/21/developer-wants-to-tie-new-downtown-projects-together-with-1-billion-master-plan/

Last June he summited his ideas for what he thinks should go near the former Landing and City Hall sites. Now he has drawn up a new map and presented it to the city as a master plan for the city to follow.

He believes the city needs to think of the riverfront as a whole and not piece out individual projects.

He is also suggesting:

• 15 acres of riverfront public park and plaza spaces with resiliency infrastructure
• More than 1,000 multifamily units (including apartments and condominiums)
• A 208-room, entertainment-oriented, boutique-style hotel
• 90,000 square feet of well-certified office space, which could be converted to multifamily based on market demand
• 155,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space
• A 280,000 square-foot Exhibition, Entertainment & Technology Center with retail and virtual venues
• Approximately 4,500 structured parking spaces across five garages
• An expanded pier with retail and entertainment venues

Adkins's ideas were not solicited by the city. He just wants them to be considered.

He estimates the project could cost around $2 billion. He is not asking the city for any money upfront and said he does have some financial backers and needs to act quickly. Adkins has several successful downtown projects including the renovation of the Old Barnett Bank building. He is also involved in the Laura Street trio proposals.

News4Jax reached out to the Downtown Investment Authority and the mayor's office for comment. The mayor's staff said the project is ambitious and exciting. His staff went on to say that the DIA should hear from all entities who have a willingness to invest in downtown.

[WarDamJagFan]

We have more downtown renderings in the last decade than Jags have losses.

[thelakelander]

They should remove all parcels they and COJ don't own for a more realistic look at what can logically be done.

[acme54321]

My favorite part of that is the removal of the rest of the expressway ramps (and jail/Sulzbacher) to restore the street grid in that area with the big park along Hogan's Creek. 

[Steve]

They should remove all parcels they and COJ don't own for a more realistic look at what can logically be done.

I agree. My first reaction here is I do like the plan overall, putting aside my feelings of how realistic given the market aside. I'd have to go through a few times to understand the details of some things, but conceptually, it's the kind of thing the City should be showing, not Atkins.

I also get why they show projects they don't oversee (Jags practice facility, Four Seasons site, etc.). And actually, there isn't much not owned by COJ in this rendering actually. The main things would be the Hyatt, and the Run up of Catherine Street. There are others, like Berkman 1/2 and a few things like that, but in those examples I don't think they're trying to take credit for those developments (or maybe they are, who knows).

Bottom line is this - this rendering is what DIA was capable of putting together 5 years ago. Why didn't they?

[thelakelander]

DIA would be good to hire whatever firm is doing the graphics for Southeast. Yes, the master planning effort should have been publicly displayed in a similar fashion years ago for whatever long term strategy they have. The overall vision should never be kept in the dark. That hurts downtown more than helps it.

[thelakelander]

And actually, there isn't much not owned by COJ in this rendering actually. The main things would be the Hyatt, and the Run up of Catherine Street.

Looking at the overall plan a bit closer, the Catherine Street corridor is a huge chunk although it appears to be more of their vision....which is another topic, since visioning should be a community led effort. There are some projects that are overlapping in that the city or another entity is already attempting to do something with them. Nevertheless, yes the visioning stuff should have been done by the DIA years ago and not in a piecemeal fashion.

[marcuscnelson]

He's really hitting all the press this time, isn't he?

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/atkins-ups-riverfront-jacksonville-proposal-to-dollar2-billion-adds-hydropower

Not sure how to feel about this bit:

His proposal would only work as a master-planned development and SouthEast will not bid on piecemeal components as the DIA puts city-owned parcels on the market, Atkins said.

SouthEast's financial partners are investment banking firms Goldman Sachs and Piper Sandler & Co.

He said his Riverfront Jacksonville development partners need a major private sector capital investment opportunity for the project to be worth their time.

"If you break it up and slice it up into individual small pieces with no guarantee of other investments, it's not enough, frankly, for them to be interested," Atkins said.

[WarDamJagFan]

Goldman knows how to make money but a bit surprised they see that huge of a chunk of DT Jax real estate as something worth pursuing. Given the city's track record of how they've managed these pieces decade after decade, may not be the worst idea in the world to let the big boys takeover. Didn't something similar happen with Detroit after their bankruptcy? As in the city council was basically given the back-seat as conditions of their bankruptcy arrangements?

[fieldafm]

Goldman knows how to make money but a bit surprised they see that huge of a chunk of DT Jax real estate as something worth pursuing

That's part of the showmanship of this carefully orchestrated PR campaign.

Goldman's involvement in this proposal would be as a bond holder for the public infrastructure financing for all of these pieces to come together. The City has to bond out money to pay for roads, and Lenny's Lawn, etc- and that's where Goldman comes in.  Goldman is already the underwriter/issuer for most of COJ's bonds.

What people think when they see/hear that 'Goldman Sachs wants to invest billions into Downtown' is that GS is lined up to finance a bunch of spec office buildings, a hotel and condo towers... which isn't really the case.