Berkman Plaza 2

[Julian]

From across the river here at the Peninsula i hear the sounds of construction and see the bulldozers moving again on the Berkman 2 site, hopefully construction has resumed.

[GatorShane]

Good news! Imagine how our skyline will spread if Bay Street and Riverside Ave. get filled in.

[Seraphs]

From across the river here at the Peninsula i hear the sounds of construction and see the bulldozers moving again on the Berkman 2 site, hopefully construction has resumed.

Hopefully you're right, however when I passed there today all I saw was them hauling away debris from the collasped garage.

[reednavy]

From across the river here at the Peninsula i hear the sounds of construction and see the bulldozers moving again on the Berkman 2 site, hopefully construction has resumed.

Hopefully you're right, however when I passed there today all I saw was them hauling away debris from the collasped garage.

That's what I saw today as well. It should be wrapped up soon though.

[Julian]

The crane is back up and moving around, hoisting materials up to the top of the tower........

[thelakelander]

That's nice to know.  Thanks for the update.

[JaxByDefault]

Good news.

[Basstacular]

I have a ground level view and workers have been in and out of the building the last two weeks.  The have been cleaning and organizing the materials on the ground, repairing all of the temporary safety railings in the building and overall prepping the building and grounds to resume construction.  The garage has been completely removed with the exception of the pilings driven into the ground, which will stay and be used again when the garage is being rebuilt.  I have been saying it for months now and though it has been longer than expected, the project is going forward and the developer will finish it.  When it is done it will be beautiful.

[MattnJax]

The crane is back up and moving around, hoisting materials up to the top of the tower........

Nice. Hope they can build it safely the rest of the way.

[alta]

I haven't seen the crane moving.  I drive by there almost every day.  Are they contractually obligated to finish this at some point?  It's been a year since the garage crash.

[Basstacular]

There may be a contractual obligation with the City and BJP, but do you really see the city enforcing any restriction on the developers?  Especially since the developer is going to finish the project.  I have continually tried to let people know that the project is going forward.  That is why they have spent the last three weeks preparing the building to resume.  I am sure the developer would not have continued to lease that crane at I am sure a hefty expense if they were not going forward. 
Faith people, Faith!  BP2 will be finished by the developers and it will be beautiful once complete.  With the state of our economy, just take this delay as a good thing.

[jaxtrader]

Bass-

   As much as I commend your enthusiasm, as a self-admitted sales agent for BP2, you certainly fall under the broad rubric of "interested party''. I agree that the city will not enforce its lien rights against the project  as long a there remains a decent chance the tower will be completed. The problem now is that construction  finance is virtually impossible to attain. Construction finance for a condo tower in Florida has become so unattainable that it will be the punchline of many a joke at lenders' office parties this season (the ones that haven't cancelled their parties, anyway). I hope I'm proved wrong, but a skeptic I remain.

[heights unknown]

Could this also be a sign that the market is beginning to stir?  Maybe some of those "on hold" proposed and approved projects and developments will once again be put on the table and construction soon to start.

Heights Unknown

[reednavy]

The only time that crane moves is when the wind gets up to about 10-15mph. It is Jacksonville's largest wind vane.

[alta]

The company my uncle works for is building a condo tower for Novarre out of Atlanta.  They are building the tower in Tampa that was originally supposed to be condos.  They have been converted to apartments.  He told me the same thing JaxTrader is saying.  Financing in Florida for any condo towers is nearly impossible now.  If they are unable to obtain construction financing are we going to be left with a concrete shell for years to come?  How would the city be able to force them to finish construction?