San Marco (Southbank) development receives conceptual approval

[Steve]

For one San Marco development and a Downtown business, the response from the members of the Downtown Design Review Board of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission was positive and means the two can take their next respective steps toward success.

Mike Kleinschmidt of Design Cooperative LLC requested a conceptual review and gave DDRB members an overview of a three-story development, Americana Restaurant and Office, that will include a restaurant and office space at the northeast corner of Hendricks Avenue and Louisa Street. The plans call for a 26,000-square-foot building with the first floor consisting of an 8,000-square foot eatery with the second and third floors dedicated to office space.

Parking is still an issue for the development, as the conceptual plan does not provide enough parking spaces for the operation. The site is near the Skyway and street and garage parking but concerns over the issue resulted in a recommendation from DDRB staff to the board that the developer be required to provide a parking plan in order to receive final approval for the development.


http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=52463

[Steve]

That location is actually Southbank, not San Marco.  It is north of I-95, which is why it is subject to DDRB.

[Captain Zissou]

This is great news.  I hope this moves smoothly through the rest of the approval process.  More food and low rise buildings for that area are a great addition.

[Jason]

So a parking issue could be a death blow for this development?  Isn't there parking beneath the highway?

[thelakelander]

Yes. However, I'm sure the zoning code probably requires a certain amount of off-street parking.

[Jason]

Yet another road block to hinder what could be a good urban design.

Man, imagine what a trolly loop down Hendricks through San Marco Square and around to Baptist could do for the corridor....

[Deuce]

How much parking does the zoning code require? When I lived in Montgomery Cnty, MD there was a handy online guide to all the codes in pdf format. Is there one for Duval?

[thelakelander]

It depends on the specific zoning classification for that site and the proposed uses.  You can find a ton of city's (including Jacksonville's) zoning codes at http://www.municode.com/Resources/OnlineLibrary.asp.

[Southbanker]

Well, that will be nice (if it makes it).  I can walk there.   

I assume this is the restaurant:  http://www.champps.com/

[reednavy]

I like the design, simple, yet modern.

[urbanlibertarian]

So what would the harm be if the property owner or developer were allowed to decide for himself how much parking he needs for this?  Why would he design it with less than his tenants or customers would need?  Why do the DDRB members know better than he?

[JeffreyS]

Parking problems for his neighbors is the worry.

[thelakelander]

Codes specify that this site should have a minimum of 33 on-site parking spaces (obviously a suburban requirement).  The current plan have zero.

[urbanlibertarian]

So the owner/developer who has to use, lease or sell the property thinks 0 parking spots will work.  If he builds it that way it will either be useful and profitable or it won't.  Assuming the city won't bail him out if he fails why shouldn't he be allowed to do it his way?
JeffreyS wrote "Parking problems for his neighbors is the worry."
Why?

[thelakelander]

Good question.  All I can say is it is a city zoning requirement and it will be up to them to either approve or deny.  Imo, I'd love for them to waive the parking requirement.  Sooner or later, we have to let our urban core grow up.  It will never become the vibrant place everyone wants it to be if every single building has a huge parking lot attached to it.