Jump to content

Haydon Burns Library


vicupstate

Recommended Posts

  • 4 weeks later...

  • Replies 71
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Peterbrooke sweet on main library

Chocolatier wants bigger space for its headquarters

By ALISON TRINIDAD

The Times-Union

Jacksonville planners are preparing to sell the city's main library to the highest bidder, and Peterbrooke Chocolatier is a potential buyer.

The city should issue a request for proposals from developers in March, said Jean Moyer, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission.

Price will be the key deciding factor, she said.

"They are looking for the highest bidder," Moyer said.

The library is vacating the 110,000 square-foot building, at 122 N. Ocean St., when the new 300,000-square-foor Main Library at Hemming Plaza is completed this spring. Plans for the Ocean Street building, however, are not decided, Moyer said.

"Someone has to respond to a [request for proposals] for it to be official," she said.

JEDC Director Jeanne Miller met with Peterbrooke representatives Tuesday to talk about the property, but both parties say it's too early to say anything concrete.

"We're still in the early stages of that," Peterbrooke President Peter Behringer said Friday. "It's still premature to assume anything at this point."

Behringer said his company has outgrown its 10,000 square-foot production center on San Marco Boulevard. The company, which operates nine shops throughout Northeast Florida, wants to move its headquarters into a bigger facility in Jacksonville, with room to offer more interactive tours.

Behringer said he hopes to find a facility that will get the public involved in the chocolate-making process.

As it is now, the company doesn't have the space to accommodate all its retail customers during peak seasons like Christmas or Valentine's Day, Behringer said.

A bigger building will help the company open more stores, and possibly allow it to franchise out, Behringer said.

The chocolatier has explored other locations, including one at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, but he said downtown Jacksonville is ideal.

"We'd really like to be downtown, because ... I think it's poised to take off in the near future. We prefer to be in Jacksonville -- that's where I came from and that's where we started. This is our home, and this is where we want to be," he said.

Peterbrooke will submit a bid for the library building when the city makes its request, Behringer said.

The company president estimates Peterbrooke will make about $4 million in sales this year, almost double the company's business in 2000.

"Our sales have grown tremendously, but our capacity to meet the demand has not," he said.

The city solicited proposals for the Ocean Street library building soon after The Better Jacksonville Plan was initiated in 2000. The city received three proposals, including one to demolish the structure and erect residential towers, but all three were shelved until further notice.

The property is valued at $4.5 million, according to a property appraisal commissioned by the city in September. The land is worth $2.2 million and the building $2.3 million, Moyer said.

Al Battle, managing director for the Downtown Development Authority, said preservation of the building is not a priority for the city.

"The main strategy moving forward is price, the price to purchase the asset," Battle said.

alison.trinidadjacksonville.com, (904) 359-4268

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the intro to Gheraldelphi Square wolfdawg. Interesting attraction. I love the Peterbrooke's idea, but I think it belongs on Bay Street or the Landing. It's better to build on the foundation of Bay Street or the Landing than to compete with it. Especially at the stage downtown is currently at.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would love to see Peterbrooke locate downtown, however I still believe the city should try its hardest to get these type of unique entertaining and interactive attractions to locate on Bay Street. We've spent big money to transform that area into an entertainment and dining district and so far there's nothing about a struggling Jazz club operating on the three block stretch.

The wide sidewalks and refurbished buildings are great, but we still need the vision to work with business owners like "The Improv" to help get them set up on what should be viewed as the premier entertainment destination in downtown.

While we're doing a good job of renovating downtown, one of the things still holding back progress is the lack of locating similar entertainment oriented uses near each other to create vibrancy. The best areas we currently have are the Landing, which is struggling, and Adams Street, which is still a work in progress.

City leaders should check out downtown Orlando, along Orange Avenue or drive a mile south to Five Points or Avondale. There's serveral reasons why these places are popular doing all times of the day and night. The compact setting of similar type and compatible entertainment uses in these areas have a lot to do with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know of a building or site on East Bay that could house something as dynamic as a factory/retail/office/plaza/chocolate thing?  I'd rather see them squeeze a new building down there instead of using one of the smaller historic ones.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The 4 story Suddath Building is empty, since the Orchid club won't be going in. The Holmes block is empty and so is the Churchwell Building. The old game room space in the Landing is also empty as well. However, I really don't know how much space Peterbrook needs. For all we know, the old library might be too large for what they need.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would love to see Peterbrooke locate downtown, however I still believe the city should try its hardest to get these type of unique entertaining and interactive attractions to locate on Bay Street.  We've spent big money to transform that area into an entertainment and dining district and so far there's nothing about a struggling Jazz club operating on the three block stretch. 

The wide sidewalks and refurbished buildings are great, but we still need the vision to work with business owners like "The Improv" to help get them set up on what should be viewed as the premier entertainment destination in downtown. 

While we're doing a good job of renovating downtown, one of the things still holding back progress is the lack of locating similar entertainment oriented uses near each other to create vibrancy.  The best areas we currently have are the Landing, which is struggling, and Adams Street, which is still a work in progress. 

City leaders should check out downtown Orlando, along Orange Avenue or drive a mile south to Five Points or Avondale.  There's serveral reasons why these places are popular doing all times of the day and night.  The compact setting of similar type and compatible entertainment uses in these areas have a lot to do with it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very well said, I completely agree.

The 4 story Suddath Building is empty, since the Orchid club won't be going in.  The Holmes block is empty and so is the Churchwell Building.  The old game room space in the Landing is also empty as well.  However, I really don't know how much space Peterbrook needs.  For all we know, the old library might be too large for what they need.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Peterbrooke is in a 10,000 sq. ft facility now and the libary is about 105,000 sq. ft, so going into the library would be a exponential expansion for them. I guess the Atkins diet is fading fast, LOL ! I do wonder if they need/can afford that much of an expansion. I also wonder if they have thoughts of sub-leasing some of it. I wish they would take the first two floors of the Churchwell and Suddath buildings and put lofts in the top two floors. That way they could expand into the top two floor of either building as need for space increased over time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

City leaders should check out downtown Orlando, along Orange Avenue or drive a mile south to Five Points or Avondale.  There's serveral reasons why these places are popular doing all times of the day and night.  The compact setting of similar type and compatible entertainment uses in these areas have a lot to do with it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

These places have a more dense residential scenario than now sits on the northbank. As the cliche goes: Rooftops then Choclate Factories.

By the way, Burrito Gallery will open to a limited menu on art walk. You heard it here first.

We are having private parties on Fri- Sat SB week, but will have live music on the parking lot and vending from the front porch and back patio. :w00t:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These places have a more dense residential scenario than now sits on the northbank. As the cliche goes: Rooftops then Choclate Factories.

By the way, Burrito Gallery will open to a limited menu on art walk. You heard it here first.

We are having private parties on Fri- Sat SB week, but will have live music on the parking lot and vending from the front porch and back patio. :w00t:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Congrats on the opening! I looked in the windows on my last trip a couple weeks back, and it looks great!

As for the rooftops, you are correct. However, if Bay Street or the Landing truly were the restaurant/entertainment district that Jax largely lacks, I think the Chocolate Factory would add to the draw. Also, remember the Peterbrooke facility will be foremost a manufacturing facility. The tours and sales desk are somewhat adjunct as I understand it.

I say lets build a high-rise condo/apartment building at the libary site to get more of those rooftops online.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These places have a more dense residential scenario than now sits on the northbank. As the cliche goes: Rooftops then Choclate Factories.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For the Jax neighborhoods this is very true, but if you look at the development of downtown Orlando, the numerous restuarants and bars are already along Orange. The first residential development (mixed use, including a movie theater and more retail) along Orange, just broke ground late last year. The same went for Ybor, in Tampa, Division Street in Grand Rapids, and the Flats in Cleveland.

While the amount of residential activity, in these areas vary, the one thing they all have in common is the location of all these establishments in a compact urban setting, instead of being a block or two or three, from each other. With a mix of office and residential, the same is starting to occur naturally along Adams, at street level, as we speak.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...

The latest issue of Jacksonville magazine has an article on the Burns library. All submissions for the RFP are due May 4.

Has anyone heard of any companies that are planning to submit a proposal?

P.S. The same issue has a article and photo spread on the oldest house in Jacksonville. It was built in 1848 or earlier. It was recently fully renovated by Mike Langton. He is the developer of the Knight Lofts and he is also trying to redevelop the old Barnett building. The house looks great. Check it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The latest issue of Jacksonville magazine has an article on the Burns library. All submissions for the RFP are due May 4.

Has anyone heard of any companies that are planning to submit a proposal?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know Taylor Hardwick has is working wih Peterbrooke for a proposal. As far as big name players, I have not heard any.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I agree that this site is too precious for a single use.  This has been said numerous times already, but the infrastructure for day-to-living in downtown has got to increase and improve if we are going to keep residents living downtown.  Other major cities have loads of everyday retail like CVS, grocery stores, fast food, etc.  This affords people the opportunity to walk out the front door of their building and walk to retail component rather than getting in their cars and driving to the nearest suburb to get their day-to-day needs met. 

I know for a fact the Young Architects Forum of the AIA is preparing an open design competition for the renovation/reuse of the library.  From what I understand, the competition is going to call for the renovation/reuse of the library and allow for the designers to propose a program/use.  I think they are going to open it up to the UF School of Architecture, Jax at FAMU as well as local designers and architects.  Hopefully the RFP won't come out until after the competition so the city can see how much poetential there is for that site.  And who knows, maybe someone will have an idea about program that just clicks with everyone.  Keep your eyes and ears open, I would like to see the open competition happen and bring some good results for the fate of the Hayden Burns Library.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What ever came of the design competition? I know Peterbrooke will respond to the RFP, and hopefully others... If Harwick is working with peterbrooke, then they must have decided to live with the original design.

I would love to see what other ideas the young architects forum has come up with... anybody have a line on that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.