Whatever happened to the two twin buildings...

[SaturnMoon]

That were suppose to go up on either side of the Aetna building? I heard they were suppose to be the first waterfront, reasonably priced, condos and, when finished, the tallest buildings in Jax. Any word, I thought ground breaking was suppose to be Spring, 2005.

[asonj23]

There is a new architect on the project and they are being re-designed. Hopefully we'll hear something soon.

[merlin]

Architectonica is the new architect.

[jjoshjl]

I know one thing...

I cant wait to see rinderings....

More so than the shipyards

[Jmac823200]

That architect has some really interesting stuff. Do a google search and go to their website and see for yourself. I personally like them. I don't know if they'll fit Jacksonville's mold though but we'll see.

[RiversideGator]

That architect has some really interesting stuff. Do a google search and go to their website and see for yourself. I personally like them. I don't know if they'll fit Jacksonville's mold though but we'll see.

I think some of their designs could fit into the Jacksonville skyline, as long as they dont do anything too crazy. They also need to remember that the developer will have to sell units (mainly locally) for this thing and this aint Miami.

[afh]

I think some of their designs could fit into the Jacksonville skyline, as long as they dont do anything too crazy.  They also need to remember that the developer will have to sell units (mainly locally) for this thing and this aint Miami. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think of the proposed condo developers are primarily focused on selling locally. They wouldn't be able to get off the ground if they took that approach. Yeah, there are going to do be some local sells, but the majority will be out of staters. I read a article in the TU about a year and a half ago about condo sales in Jacksonville. In it one of the major sellers of these condos mentioned that the majority of the condo advertisements for condos in the Jacksonville metro are done in cities outside of the state. Mainly in the Southeast, Northest and Midwest. They advertise in the local papers of major cities and in the Wall Street Journal and the other New York area papers. The majority of their sales come from that area.

[JaxNole]

In it one of the major sellers of these condos mentioned that the majority of the condo advertisements for condos in the Jacksonville metro are done in cities outside of the state.  Mainly in the Southeast, Northest and Midwest.  They advertise in the local papers of major cities and in the Wall Street Journal and the other New York area papers.  The majority of their sales come from that area.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does anyone have one of the print ads for any of the projects? I'm interested to see how the area is marketed to different segments. It's exciting to know people are investing in the area even though we've been chided for being a haven of Wal*Marts and Waffle Houses. Not too long ago I was visiting friends up north and when I told their friends I was from Jacksonville, without mentioning Florida, they asked me where it was. Hmm.

[RiversideGator]

AFH: I remember that article in the FL T-U. It stated that the Shipyard people had attempted to sell condos with adds in the Wall St Journal and other out of town publications. It then went on the state that this strategy had not worked. I think the vast majority of people who buy condos in Jacksonville are local. Are there out of town investors? Yes, but not nearly as many as in say Miami where almost everyone is. This is the difference.

[bobliocatt]

^I believe it was The Peninsula that had ads in the Wall Street Journal around super bowl time and its been quite successful. It appears the the urban housing market is being driven by new residents and out-of-town investors, just as much, if not more than long time locals, many of which, still have the stigma that downtown is dirty, dingy and crime ridden.

[afh]

Does anyone have one of the print ads for any of the projects?  I'm interested to see how the area is marketed to different segments.  It's exciting to know people are investing in the area even though we've been chided for being a haven of Wal*Marts and Waffle Houses.  Not too long ago I was visiting friends up north and when I told their friends I was from Jacksonville, without mentioning Florida, they asked me where it was.  Hmm.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's interesting. When I tell people out here in the Phoenix metro that I'm from Jacksonville they all seem to know that it's in Florida. They'll reply with, Jacksonville is in Florida, right. Other people I've meet here either know it very well or have been to Jacksonville.

[afh]

AFH:  I remember that article in the FL T-U.  It stated that the Shipyard people had attempted to sell condos with adds in the Wall St Journal and other out of town publications.  It then went on the state that this strategy had not worked.  I think the vast majority of people who buy condos in Jacksonville are local.  Are there out of town investors?  Yes, but not nearly as many as in say Miami where almost everyone is.  This is the difference.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No one is doing what MIA is doing, but the marketing to out of towners is a part of the strategy. I've read that the strategy is working, but I guess it depends on the development.

[vicupstate]

I don't think of the proposed condo developers are primarily focused on selling locally.  They wouldn't be able to get off the ground if they took that approach.  Yeah, there are going to do be some local sells, but the majority will be out of staters.  I read a article in the TU about a year and a half ago about condo sales in Jacksonville.  In it one of the major sellers of these condos mentioned that the majority of the condo advertisements for condos in the Jacksonville metro are done in cities outside of the state.  Mainly in the Southeast, Northest and Midwest.  They advertise in the local papers of major cities and in the Wall Street Journal and the other New York area papers.  The majority of their sales come from that area.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just because a numerical majority of ads are placed in out of town papers does not mean that the majority of sales are to out-of-staters. If a developer puts an ad in the T-U, the NY Times and the Atlanta Journal, they are placing twice as many ADS in out-of-state papers, (2 vs. 1). There is only 1 LOCAL market, but hundreds of non-local markets. Also, that source might have been representing Oceanfront/view condos. No doubt, the majority of those are to out-of-staters. That probably isn't the case with the Peninsula, and San Marco Place, though. At least that is not the impression I have gotten. If there are any realtors in the forum, maybe they could shed some light.

[RiversideGator]

AFH: Dont get me wrong, I dont care who buys the condos, I just thought that I had read differently. If the buildings are still built, we will still have them no matter who bought the condos. I will search a little for the article I recall.

As to the Miami comment, I think everyone can agree that there is a different prevailing style there as opposed to here. What works in Miami wont necessarily work in Jacksonville.

[bobliocatt]

Yes, the difference in the cities is that Miami has a dense environment and the citizens have learned to accept things like urbanity and rail transit (ex. we have 35ft height limits on the beach & consider road building as the only way to improve traffic congestion). We're growing and making a change for the better, but we're not on that level of urban accept-ness (if thats a word?) yet.

[RiversideGator]

Of the 96 units sold at Berkman Plaza, 66 purchased the condo as their primary residence. Of those, 13 are female, 10 are jointly owned, 20 are single males and 23 are married, according to Rodriguez. A message left at the Berkman offices was not returned Tuesday.

Thirty are owned mainly by locals but not considered primary residences. "These are more high-income people," he said. Most developers interviewed said that demand has exceeded their expectations.

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/..._16458886.shtml

This is the only article I could find. I think the out of towners are more at the beaches. Of course, this is a generality.