Iguana requests changes to proposed Shipyards project

[thelakelander]

Plans for the Four Seasons Hotel & Residences near TIAA Bank Field are on their way to be modified. Iguana Investments Florida LLC seeks a Request for Modification to Final Approval of Downtown Development Review Board (DDRB) Application 2021-013 for the Shipyards Mixed-Use Development. Take a look and let us know what you think!

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/iguana-requests-changes-to-proposed-shipyards-project/

[simms3]

Lots of VE on that office building.  Looks pretty blase now, with no effort to address the street front along Bay St and no effort to conceal the mechanical on the roof (won't look good from the Four Seasons).

With taxpayers footing a lot of the bill, I don't think VE of this level should be allowed.

[Steve]

I'm not a fan of shifting the office building further back from Bay Street. The whole site has a lot of curb cuts which I don't get.

The hotel site is whatever - I wish it was a more urban Four Seasons like in Charlotte for example, but clearly that wasn't the goal here.

I'm glad for the hotel, but this site plan isn't impressive to me from an urban perspective.

[Captain Zissou]

Lots of VE on that office building.  Looks pretty blase now, with no effort to address the street front along Bay St and no effort to conceal the mechanical on the roof (won't look good from the Four Seasons).

With taxpayers footing a lot of the bill, I don't think VE of this level should be allowed.

Per the RDA with the city, the Bay street frontage is required to be retail.  Looks like the site is required to be elevated about 7-9 feet above street level and JTA is running the AV lane between the building and Bay street, so that's going to hinder street level connectivity.  From these renderings I can't tell that the mechanical screening has been eliminated, so please share the architectural drawings that you used to make that determination.

[Charles Hunter]

First, since I don't speak 'architect' what does "MEP" mean on all the layout drawings on the second page, and F&B on the first page? I am guessing "BOH" means "Back of House."

Second, a major point of the redesign is to move the Ballroom, yet it doesn't show up on the Revised Master Plan on the first page.

I agree with Simms that the office building, which could be anywhere in Southpoint, fits into Southpoint even better now. Generic Office Building 3B.

I don't have a problem with the ballroom relocation, it gives users a better view of the river and lawn, instead of a driveway.

I wish (hope) something can be done about the four (4) separate entry points, plus the park entry just a few feet from the main entrance to the Four Seasons.

[Ken_FSU]

No strong reaction to the changes with the hotel.

Not a fan at all of the balcony removal from the office building.

That feature at least gave some life to the building from Bay Street.

[thelakelander]

First, since I don't speak 'architect' what does "MEP" mean on all the layout drawings on the second page, and F&B on the first page? I am guessing "BOH" means "Back of House."

MEP = Mechanical, Engineering and Plumbing
F&B = Food & Beverage

[thelakelander]

I'm glad for the hotel, but this site plan isn't impressive to me from an urban perspective.

It's an isolated resort that can one day be a part of a larger chain of complementary uses along the riverwalk. Sort of like the Manchester Grand Hyatt and Marriott Marquis along the San Diego waterfront. Traditional urbanism along Bay/Gator Bowl Boulevard went out the door as soon as we added expressway ramps to A. Philip Boulevard. So with the building placement on this one, I'm of the "whatever" opinion. From a traffic circulation standpoint, some attempt should be made to consolidate the number of curb cuts on Bay Street.

[Jax_Developer]

Lots of VE on that office building.  Looks pretty blase now, with no effort to address the street front along Bay St and no effort to conceal the mechanical on the roof (won't look good from the Four Seasons).

With taxpayers footing a lot of the bill, I don't think VE of this level should be allowed.

Yeah the VE here is pretty blatant.. and to do it after their increased incentive package is just icing on the cake.

[Ken_FSU]

Lots of VE on that office building.  Looks pretty blase now, with no effort to address the street front along Bay St and no effort to conceal the mechanical on the roof (won't look good from the Four Seasons).

With taxpayers footing a lot of the bill, I don't think VE of this level should be allowed.

It is worth pointing out that - for the office portion of the project - taxpayer involvement is minimal.

The Jags paid the city $3.2 million for the parcel that the office building sits on, which is more than we can say for a lot of riverfront development these days - and the only real incentive specifically tied to office is a REV grant capped at $8 million over 20 years.

Jags are going to permanently occupy the majority of the building (you could almost consider the office portion part of the larger stadium project), and there's 10,000 square feet of retail space built in.

I don't think we're getting a bum deal on it, I just wish it interfaced better with the street.

[Captain Zissou]

Who'd have thought balconies on an office building would cause such a ruckus.

[Ken_FSU]

Who'd have thought balconies on an office building would cause such a ruckus.

IT'S LIKE MARDI GRAS UP THERE.

IF YOU EXPOSE YOURSELF FROM BAY STREET, MARK LAMPING AND TONY KHAN WILL THROW BEADS.

[thelakelander]

This one was approved by the DDRB today.

[Jax_Developer]

Who'd have thought balconies on an office building would cause such a ruckus.

Check the restaurant space too. Not really best practices to ask for more $$ based on a certain plan to then VE it a few months later. That's a several million dollar VE I would bet.

Lots of VE on that office building.  Looks pretty blase now, with no effort to address the street front along Bay St and no effort to conceal the mechanical on the roof (won't look good from the Four Seasons).

With taxpayers footing a lot of the bill, I don't think VE of this level should be allowed.

It is worth pointing out that - for the office portion of the project - taxpayer involvement is minimal.

The Jags paid the city $3.2 million for the parcel that the office building sits on, which is more than we can say for a lot of riverfront development these days - and the only real incentive specifically tied to office is a REV grant capped at $8 million over 20 years.

Jags are going to permanently occupy the majority of the building (you could almost consider the office portion part of the larger stadium project), and there's 10,000 square feet of retail space built in.

I don't think we're getting a bum deal on it, I just wish it interfaced better with the street.

I do care less about the balcony VE knowing that truthfully.

[Captain Zissou]

Who'd have thought balconies on an office building would cause such a ruckus.

Check the restaurant space too. Not really best practices to ask for more $$ based on a certain plan to then VE it a few months later. That's a several million dollar VE I would bet.

What do you mean? What about the restaurant space?