Orlando's Cameron Kuhn purchases land,Suntrust Tower

[bobliocatt]

In what could be the start of something big in downtown, Orlando based developer, Cameron Kuhn has purhased the 23 story Suntrust Tower and an adjacent lot, across the street from the Landing, for $42.5 million. Plans are to convert the 384,000sf tower into office condominiums and rename it "River Watch at City Centre".

Kuhn has rehabilitated over 20 buildings in downtown Orlando and is currently developing the $140 million Premiere Trade Plaza, a mixed-use project featuring a 12 screen movie theater, a 306 unit condo tower and 53,000sf of retail space in the heart of downtown Orlando. Lets just hope he has some elaborate plans for the vacant site next door.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._19877633.shtml

[asonj23]

That's a catchy name of the tower.

I can't wait to see his plans and hope that they are grand. I'm dreaming for another residential tower in the vacant lots across fromt he landing.

[vicupstate]

^^ Indeed, this potentially could be great news. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

If I were a Humana stockholder, I would be ticked. Humana sold that building for $16mm to someone who barely 18 months later sold it for $37mm (5.5mm is for the adjacent lot). No wonder Health Insurance is so expensive.

[Dale]

Watch this guy though. He may want lots of money from the city.

[sunshine]

Actually, he might already secure money from the city before he makes his move on a big project like this. Hopefully this guy would put something like Premiere Trade Plaza there.

And maybe you finally have one of the Farmer Baker "unique" visor tower there.

[Dale]

That is true. Jacksonvile badly needs a visor or two.

I'm just warning them that it's going to cost them bigtime to get a Kuhn-built visor.

[bobliocatt]

Our current Mayor isn't the type to give up incentives. We already have several projects on hold, waiting for city money that will probably never come. If Kuhn expects anything from the city, he better be building the Taj Mahal or else he's in for a rude awakening.

[Captain Obvious]

I agree with Lakelander. He's in for a shock if he thinks he's getting incentives.

Peyton has essentially done away with all the Delany-style building incentives. The only downtown project to get incentives under Peyton's watch has been fidelity, who got the tax breaks for jobs, not buildings. (In my mind, the Shipyards doesn't count, because they were essentially re-working an existing incentives site that had been established under the previous administration.)

The incentives gravy-train has definitely stopped rolling in Jacksonville ... which is probably why several recent proposals have seemingly faded away without much fanfare.

[prahaboheme]

Well, if JAX should give anyone incentives, it should be Kuhn. He knows how to get things done, and fast. This is great news for JAX.

[Urban_Legend]

I really hope this means a new tower on that stupid parking lot. I was sitting at the Landing Starbucks thinking how cool it would be...

[Dale]

Well, if JAX should give anyone incentives, it should be Kuhn. He knows how to get things done, and fast. This is great news for JAX.

Especially when you fork over truckloads of cash incentives...and send in bulldozers at midnight.

[vicupstate]

BJJ on Sun Trust Building Sale

Read the last part of this article. I sounds like the new owners are buttering-up Peyton.

[Viper]

That did seem a little strange.

[Dale]

BJJ on Sun Trust Building Sale

Read the last part of this article. I sounds like the new owners are buttering-up Peyton.

Oh boy, this is how it all begins.

[prahaboheme]

Incentives, by nature, are not a bad thing.

[Dale]

Incentives, by nature, are not a bad thing.

that's far too broad of a statement to have any real use in this context.

In any case, this will be interesting to watch.

[RiversideGator]

Hopefully he will put in a highrise with retail/movies in the base. This would compliment the Landing nicely, I think. Anyone have a rendering of his movie project in Orlando? Is this under construction?

[Dale]

Hopefully he will put in a highrise with retail/movies in the base. This would compliment the Landing nicely, I think. Anyone have a rendering of his movie project in Orlando? Is this under construction?

www.plazaorlando.com

[RiversideGator]

Thanks for the info Dale. I must say I hate the architecture on his Orlando project, but the concept isnt bad. We will have to wait and see what comes of this.

[Dale]

Thanks for the info Dale. I must say I hate the architecture on his Orlando project, but the concept isnt bad. We will have to wait and see what comes of this.

RG, I don't think you need to worry. He's using Orlando's pet architect down here.

[prahaboheme]

Dale its not too broad. Through your statements you are suggesting that admit the controversy surrounding the Jaymount Block, Kuhn will use the same practices in Jacksonville to move his project forward. All I'm saying is, without incentives (and before Dyer) downtown development in Orlando was all but sterile. Furthermore, it was not an illegal practice, rather one that is politically and fiscally unpopular in Florida.

[RiversideGator]

Well, not all incentives are the same. I think property tax breaks are appropriate for new development given the fact that the land may sit vacant without the tax break. But, a cash grant is a different thing and should only be done in extreme situations such as an historic building that needs to be rehabbed or will otherwise disintegrate. This is my view anyway.

[Dale]

Dale its not too broad. Through your statements you are suggesting that admit the controversy surrounding the Jaymount Block, Kuhn will use the same practices in Jacksonville to move his project forward. All I'm saying is, without incentives (and before Dyer) downtown development in Orlando was all but sterile. Furthermore, it was not an illegal practice, rather one that is politically and fiscally unpopular in Florida.

I actually don't think the rub was fiscal unpopularity, but rather the appearance of shadiness. Or don't you remember reading the Orlando Weekly at the time ? Orlando Weekly is clearly not a conservative publication.

In any case, I'm guessing fat chance that Jax is willing to do for Kuhn what dyer was willing to do.

[prahaboheme]

Orlando Weekly isn't exactly the Associated Press. Regardless, this is positive news for JAX, with or without incentives.

[Dale]

Orlando Weekly isn't exactly the Associated Press. Regardless, this is positive news for JAX, with or without incentives.

If you wan't truly intrepid, hard-hitting investigative journalism, you're certainly not going to get it from AP. But you might just get it from Orlando Weekly's Jeffrey Billman.

And if Kuhn requires the kind of handouts from Jax that he did from Orlando, this project, I suspect, is DOA.