Any info on the Commander Apartments demolition?

[grimss]

Hello,

New to the site--just found you, and glad I did.

Just wanted to see if anyone out there had any more information on what's going to happen to the Commander Apartments (at the base of St. Johns Avenue, just beyond where the S curve ends) . This is what I've heard from several sources:

Mike Balanky has bought the Commander Apartments, as well as the little St. Johns shopping center that's adjacent (where The Loop is). The plan is to tear down the whole thing and put up a mixed use development--new luxury condo tower, new shops, upscale dining. I just heard yesterday that the shopping center at the opposite corner of St. Johns and Hendricks (where the Goal Post sandwich shop is) has been bought up as well, and is also coming down. One of the more exciting rumors is that the developer intends to dredge Big Fishweir, and perhaps the curve of Little Fishweir, which would be fabulous since the long-heralded Army Corps of Engineers project to do the same appears to be stalled again.

[Viper]

Unfortunately I know nothing futher on the project but would like to welcome you to the community.

[Urban_Legend]

I would love to see that area of St. Johns totally redevloped. There's so much urban potential that's not being utilized. It would also be a nice area to have a "mini-riverwalk" public waterfront area, behind where that two-story shopping center is.

[RiversideGator]

grimss: I have heard this also from sources in the real estate business, but I dont have any more details than you posted. I dont think there has been an article written about it in the T-U yet. I also heard, by the way, that the Riviera Apartments deal fell through because the city wouldnt allow enough density for the developers (the guys who are doing 1661 Riverside) to make money. I havent verified this though, but I hope it isnt true.

[grimss]

As for the Rivera apartment deal falling through, I believe it's true. Our architect's client was the guy who was going to spearhead the deal, but too many of the surrounding neighbors vehemently objected to putting a Villa Riva-sized buildling in, so he told the architect he's pulled out. However, it does seem inevitable that someone will develop this property, albeit on a lower scale. Assuming it could be done in a tasteful way, it certainly couldn't help but be an imporvement.