NEW CONDO HIGHRISE! 18-20 Stories! (proposed)

[Florida]

You mean all four corners of Tennessee{sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}}Monroe are about to change? Anyone have information on the Pure Gas station across from the BP or the Capital City bank? What's going on here? I'm feeling lost.

[AlaninTally]

No, all four corners are not changing. I meant that each corner had some sort of petroleum issue. I imagine many years ago all four corners may have had a gas station. Let me go look at my files now...

[AlaninTally]

Ok, at one time all four corners at Tenn & Monroe were being remediated for petroleum contamination by a single contractor under what is called a cluster cleanup. The petro cleanup extended beyond those four corners to the corners of Adams & Tenn. The cluster was made up of 6 sites.

The cluster has since been broken up and each corner is now apparently being remediated separately. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a cleanup goal for the BP in September 2003 for the site to be finished from about 2.5 years from September 2003. So if condo plans are underway then it seems like the petro issue should be resolved before the condo even begins construction. They may tear down the BP and remove all the tanks, but its likely some sort of groundwater monitoring will continue.

[Florida]

Good information. I had no idea there were petro issues on all corners of Tennessee and Monroe.

I went searching thru my files for some old pictures, but these were all I could find, both on the west side (Floridan Side) of the street. I was really looking for an old shot of the BP spot. I thought I had something, but I guess not.

[Florida]

OK people! So they told me January 4th would be their last day and I took them on their word. I went rolling up to the gas station tonight expecting to see some cheaper gas... nothing was out of the ordinary. They had their usual discounted 93 Octane but thats it. So I turn my car off and go inside to speak to the manager who was on duty. I ask, "Isn't this your last night in this store" manager responds, "Well... it was supossed to be, but we've got about another week. I'm upset because they're sending me to another store, I've been here 10 years". I say, "I'm sorry to hear about that there buddy, but I'm sure its for a good cause... I hear some nice condos are going up somewhere around here" he responds, "yeah, I've heard something like that". So I say, "good luck with everything, I'll come back on your last night of business to gas up". And we bid our goodbyes. So I assume the store has a few more days of life left afterall.

I sure hate I was stuck on January 4th, telling everyone that gas station would be closing. It's going to look bad, as far as credibility goes, when they see it still up and running for a little while longer... but oh well... I guess that's what word of mouth does to ya.

[TD]

its not your fault..... It will just be another week.... now that we are talkin about gas.... what happened with all of the Circle K former 76 gas stations in Tallahassee? All of them I pass , the 76 emblem is blacked out on the signs and all of the gas pumps are rebranded for Circle K gas....

Did 76 get bought out? or was this a deal between 76/Circle K locally?

[Florida]

I went a 76 station in November, and there was a notice saying affective December 31, 2005 they will no longer be selling 76 gasoline, but their own Circle K gasoline (same stuff in my opinion). You've noticed a few conversions throughout the city, but I don't think its just a Tallahassee thing. I think this is going on Nationwide.

[poonther]

Yeah I noticed that the Circle K's when I was in Central FL over the New Year's weekend did not have 76 signs w/their gas either. They just read Circle K, so I figured they'd be selling their own gas. Good to find out that info. here too. I did notice in Central FL that they had new signs and not the 76 orange circle blacked out like we do here. I hope they change those signs soon, b/c they sure look tacky now.

[Florida]

I personally miss having actual Amoco stations to buy gas at instead of BPs. I hated it when all of these 76 stations came to town and replaced all of our Amocos.

Still, how am I going to face the people at work today when they ask me why the gas station isn't closed, when its supossed to be. And Tallaman, do you know if Booth plans to make an announcement of plans or does someone need me to "get someone to talk" at the Hall?

[Tallaman]

I sure hate I was stuck on January 4th, telling everyone that gas station would be closing. It's going to look bad, as far as credibility goes, when they see it still up and running for a little while longer... but oh well... I guess that's what word of mouth does to ya.

Such is life in real estate development and business circles. They didn't build Rome in a day - we just have to look at the big picture and appreciate that downtown Tallahassee is active and growing, maybe not always as fast as we might like. Beside, the development interests can't always control pre-existing, legally-binding contractual obligations.

[Florida]

Such is life in real estate development and business circles. They didn't build Rome in a day - we just have to look at the big picture and appreciate that downtown Tallahassee is active and growing, maybe not always as fast as we might like. Beside, the development interests can't always control pre-existing, legally-binding contractual obligations.

Completely understood. Next time I'm going to keep my mouth shut and just wait for them (the office peeps) to notice.

[TD]

No! keep your Mouf Open! even if u are wrong, u gave us a date that was only off by a week!

[Florida]

I mean keeping my mouth closed here in the office. Fingers are still open!

[TD]

keep mouf open.

[csmurphy8885]

sounds freaky just to read the last few posts guys... lol! This is awsome, i cannot wait for renderings

[Florida]

I was working on a few things up at City Hall today but no results. I will try again tomorrow.

[Glenn]

I'm hoping for a mini publix or some sort of food store to be part of the retail.

This would be really nice for our revitalized downtown! Publix has recently opened several small "neighborhood markets" in certain areas of Atlanta being redeveloped that are really nice. Ground level store surrounded by a few dining options with hotel/condos above...i.e: Atlantic Station, Buckhead area & The Highlands area.

[Glenn]

I have often wondered if there has been a conscious effort on this forum to avoid discussing our Capitol building due to the outrageous shape it casts coming into town on Apalachee Pkwy. If we could get enough new buildings up in relatively close proximity to this abomination, it might diminish the insult by making its 'form' less legible in the context of a fuller downtown skyline.

Maybe I've been given bad information or else misunderstood but I thought while touring the Capitol building many years ago the tour guide said that, by law, no building could ever be built in downtown Tallahassee that was taller than the Capitol....am I dreaming? Could this really be true? Please say it isn't so!!!

[laneyj34]

i believe that this rule has been abandonded or modified and you can apply now to have your building (if you are building) be taller than the capitol.

[Florida]

Maybe I've been given bad information or else misunderstood but I thought while touring the Capitol building many years ago the tour guide said that, by law, no building could ever be built in downtown Tallahassee that was taller than the Capitol....am I dreaming? Could this really be true? Please say it isn't so!!!

well if u did your tour a few years ago... it was. now one can get a variance and build as tall as they'd like so long as they meet certain requirements. Its quite complicated if you think about the way things were before 3-5 years ago... Plaza Tower would have had to get its building permit from the State of Florida, around the year 2000 the state handed control of the Downtown Capitol planning district over to the city.

[Glenn]

Well that is really great news to hear! Thanks for setting the record straight for me.

[Florida]

I think it took this move by the state, for Tallahassee's downtown to actually start to grow again. Soon after this move, a Palm Beach County developer by the name Kurt Leviene proposed building a 27 tower Hotel that would have actually been taller than the capitol where BCOM's plaza tower is now underconstruction. Kurt couldn't come up with the capital for his project so he backed out(back then condos weren't a popular option).

What a difference a few years make. We've got 15 projects underway or in the pipeline for Downtown Tallahassee.

[Tallaman]

I heard today that the development proposed for the corner of Tennessee and Monroe where the BP is will be a 12 story building with first level retail, a couple levels of parking and the rest condos. Not a huge tower, but sounds like a very nice project, especially with the mixed-use aspect.

[Florida]

I heard today that the development proposed for the corner of Tennessee and Monroe where the BP is will be a 12 story building with first level retail, a couple levels of parking and the rest condos. Not a huge tower, but sounds like a very nice project, especially with the mixed-use aspect.

Its comforting to know the building will still be a highrise (Over 10 stories). I think that will work well with what's planned for the Floridan. I'm more comforted by this news than I was the previous version of 18-20 stories as that seemed "too good to be true" and like one of those projects that could drag on for quite some time.

Tallaman, did your source tell you when they plan to make an annoucment or when they intend to submit for permitting. Looks like this project wouldn't have much trouble as 12 stories is well within the 150' height limit, so it may be completed sooner than many of us previously expected.

[Tallaman]

Its comforting to know the building will still be a highrise (Over 10 stories). I think that will work well with what's planned for the Floridan. I'm more comforted by this news than I was the previous version of 18-20 stories as that seemed "too good to be true" and like one of those projects that could drag on for quite some time.

Tallaman, did your source tell you when they plan to make an annoucment or when they intend to submit for permitting. Looks like this project wouldn't have much trouble as 12 stories is well within the 150' height limit, so it may be completed sooner than many of us previously expected.

I'd agree with your assessment about it working well with the area. The 20 story estimate is optimistic, but a little exaggerated and 12 stories fits better and may happen faster anyway. The people I know are not privy to details of the proposal and that's why I've only been able to provide generalities. The Hertz lease is the big hold up now. Maybe we'll see a gas clearance sale in March or so.