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bobliocatt

By bobliocatt
in Jacksonville

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FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER Whistle-Stop

FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER

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Dale, don't give Arquitectonica any ideas.  They just might try it.

Imagine a building that completey rotated and not just the top floor restaurant.  Everybody would get a river view at some point in the day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WHO SAID THAT THESE BUILDINGS WERE GOING TO ROTATE? BUT IF THEY DID, BOY WOULD THAT BE AWESOME FOR NOT ONLY THE TENANTS, BUT FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS COMING THROUGH TOWN TO OBSERVE; COULD TURN INTO SOME TYPE TOURIST ATTRACTION? :thumbsup:

FLORIDA SKYRISE

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afh Whistle-Stop

afh

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Being residential, not sure how that would work for tourists.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well tourists would love it b/c the buildings would be the only ones that I know of that actually rotate fully. I also think that if you lived in one of those condos, you would get sick pretty easily after going around and around. :D Puke city.

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Viper Burg

Viper

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The rotation of most rotating restaurants is so subtle that most never realize they are moving unless they look outside and keep in mind they are in the process of eating something that looks like a bug threw up and they rarely if ever report motion sickness.

What I mean by being problem for tourists is that most residents won't want hordes of tourists packing the elevators to get to the observation deck and so forth.

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JaxInvestor Whistle-Stop

JaxInvestor

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on Hines development company joining...

from...

http://www.globest.com/news/231_231/orlando/131728-1.html

------------------------------------------------

Hines Plans Estimated $60M Condo/Townhome Project

By Alex Finkelstein

Last updated: March 1, 2005 08:57am

JACKSONVILLE, FL-Houston-based Hines has selected this Super Bowl city for its newest multi-million-dollar venture. Hines and locally based South Shore Group Partners LLC expect to break ground in January 2006 on Riverpointe, tentatively planned for 300 condominium units and townhomes Downtown. Completion is anticipated in first quarter 2008.

Hines officials declined to disclose estimated development or hard construction costs of the project at this time. However, area construction sources familiar with comparable projects and Hines' other Florida ventures tell GlobeSt.com a project of Riverpointe's magnitude probably can't be built for less than $200,000 per unit or about $60 million.

The number of condo units and townhomes separately is still being reviewed. A 120-slip marina is also planned. The joint venture partners are also negotiating with the city to extend the Southbank Riverwalk under the Acosta Bridge to the site.

"The recent resurgence of America's city centers has been led by well-executed residential projects," says Hines senior vice president Michael Harrison. "Jacksonville has made significant investments in infrastructure that have begun transforming Downtown. We believe that Hines' lengthy track record of successful urban, high-rise development will continue with this excellent addition to the Jacksonville skyline."

Hines decided on the Jacksonville project because "the Downtown Jacksonville market is now poised for growth," says Hines vice president Walter O'Shea. "The world was exposed to the beauty of the St. Johns River on camera during Super Bowl XXXIX. A well-executed high-rise residential project in this one-of-a-kind location will attract buyers from throughout the metropolitan area and beyond."

Miami-based Arquitectonica is designing Riverpointe. South Shore Group managing partners Hal Dodt and Jeff Douglas have 30 years of commercial real estate development experience. They own the Downtown Aetna Building which is adjacent to the Riverpointe project.

Hines' entrance into the Florida real estate market began 23 years ago with the development of the 50-story, one-million-sf Southeast Financial Center, now Wachovia Financial Center, in Downtown Miami. In addition to the Madeira on Marco Island project, the firm recently completed 2525 Ponce de Leon, the 12-story, Mediterranean-styled office tower in Downtown Coral Gables.

In St. Augustine, 100 miles south of Jacksonville, Hines' 1,450-acre master-planned golf course community, Palencia, on the Intracoastal Waterway, recorded $138 million in property sales in 2004 and is planning its second development phase.

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Urban_Legend Town

Urban_Legend

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I love this work of art!!!!

3.png

The owl is almost here.

Despite the construction delays inside, ornamental progress at the new Main Library continues to move forward and its signature piece, a huge bronze owl, will be installed on March 11.

A dedication ceremony will follow two days later, according to Public Works spokesperson Marcy Cook.

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bobliocatt City

bobliocatt

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Library wants to book cafe

By MARY KELLI PALKA

The Times-Union

Wanted: Someone to operate a cafe on the first floor of a 300,000-square-foot building off Hemming Plaza in downtown Jacksonville.

Applicant must have experience managing a restaurant and be able to build out the space with necessary furniture and equipment. An interest in books would be a plus.

Send applications to City Hall.

City officials are working on a request for proposals from people interested in running a cafe in the new Main Library, which is expected to open this year.

A cafe won't be the only innovative feature of the new library. The non-profit Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library Inc. has given the city a business plan for how it envisions running community bookstore/gift shop in the library.

The new $95 million library project includes space on the first floor for both a cafe and retail space. Details of rent or any potential financial benefit for the library system or city from profits of either business haven't been settled yet.

The draft request for proposals for the cafe asks potential vendors to include their thoughts on proposed rent, utility payments and if the city would share in any profits. The draft calls for potential vendors to pay for any design and construction of the 2,400-square-feet of restaurant space, be prepared to be open at least during the library's operating hours -- 67 hours a week -- and offer a breakfast and lunch menu. There was no set deadline for proposals on the draft request.

The Friends' business plan asks to lease about 1,900 square feet of bookstore space for $1 a year, asks the city to pay for design and construction of the space and then proposes to give the profits to the library. The store would sell gift-quality used books and gifts, such as tote bags and T-shirts with library-related logos, that complement the library's mission.

Jeanine Peterson, president of Friends, said the group holds book sales each year to raise money for the library system. Last year, the book sale raised about $100,000 over four days. Peterson expects a similar profit at this year's sale, which runs today through Sunday at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds.

"Just think what we can do in 365 days a year in prime real estate downtown," Peterson said.

The Friends would sell would be donated or surplus library books at a fraction of the cost of a new book at a local bookstore.

She said city officials still haven't said if they've accepted the Friends proposal.

A cafe and retail shop in a public library is an unusual idea, but not unheard of. At the Nashville Public Library, a popular local restaurant in 2002 opened a 2,730-square-foot French cafe in the downtown library.

"We have a lot of people who come here just to eat at the cafe," said Seth Alexander, spokesman for the Nashville library system.

He said there's also space in the library for a retail area, though the library has a deal with the existing cafe not to fill it with another restaurant.

And in Los Angeles, the downtown library was remodeled in the 1990s after a fire and now includes both retail space and restaurant area. The Library Foundation of Los Angeles runs the 700-square-foot store, which sells primarily items that encourage reading and writing. The store does more than $500,000 a year in sales, said Kari Afschar, the foundation's director of retail services.

The non-profit foundation gives 5 percent of gross sales to the library, which is a department of the city, said Evelyn Hoffman, executive director of the foundation.

Los Angeles library officials negotiated a contract with Panda Express to open an eatery that includes Chinese food, sandwiches, pastries and ice cream, said Kris Morita, the library's assistant general manager. The restaurant gives the library about 8 percent of the gross receipts, which averages about $6,000 to $7,000 a month, Morita said.

Jacksonville Public Library Director Barbara Gubbin, who started her job this year, said this is a time when libraries have to compete with a lot of other activities and lifestyles. Having a cafe inside the library will make it more inviting, she said.

Food and drinks won't be limited to just the cafe area in Jacksonville. Patrons will be allowed to bring their purchases with them in the popular materials area, also on the first floor, and to a courtyard on a second floor.

mary.palkajacksonville.com, (904) 359-4104

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._18115601.shtml

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vicupstate Metropolitan Area

vicupstate

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Indeed, this is very good news. Just the kind of thing Downtown needs. I hope they have a newspaper and magazine section too.

Soon the 100 block of W. Adams will have a gym and a book store, in additon to the new japanese Restaurant.

I hope eventually they will convert the top two stories to Lofts.

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vicupstate Metropolitan Area

vicupstate

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Downtown Vision hoping to capitalize on Super Bowl

Stewart Verney

The business improvement district managed by Downtown Vision Inc. is up for renewal in September, and Executive Director Terry Lorince is hoping the attention generated by last month's Super Bowl will spur city leaders to extend the organization's life.

Lorince made a presentation in January before the Downtown Development Authority board and will be back in front of the DDA at its March meeting. The goal, she said, is to renew the organization for at least another five years, if not more.

The business improvement district is funded by a 1.1 mill assessment on properties within the defined Downtown area, which is bounded by Church Street to the north, Prudential Drive on the Southbank, Broad Street to the west and Market Street to the east.

Lorince said interest in the Downtown area has increased since the Super Bowl both within Jacksonville and among outsiders.

"Let's say we get six to eight calls a month for information from developers," she said. "After the Super Bowl we've doubled that. It's been a combination, but most of them are from out of town. There is so much energy going on Downtown in terms of housing, in terms of developers we have now that are scheduled to begin housing on the Southbank."

DVI surveys of Downtown property owners within the district have shown a solid majority -- Lorince said it was about 80 percent -- approve of the services DVI offers. The organization's primary focus is on safety and cleanliness, but Lorince said if DVI continues it will expand its focus to marketing Downtown businesses and events and helping with parking issues.

"We're looking to accelerate some of our outreach to businesses," Lorince said. "We are also a transportation management organization. We see this as a crucial role because we understand parking is one of the No. 1 issues Downtown.

Renewal of the business improvement district requires successive approvals from the DDA, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission and the City Council.

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bobliocatt City

bobliocatt

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Wow, I had no idea anyone was even seriously looking at that building. I'm not to familiar with The Hudson Book Company, but hopefully they'll create a space, with a relaxing and inviting atmosphere, similar to Borders or Barnes & Nobles. It will also be nice to see the Furchgott’s

building renovated. Foot traffic to support the store & the existing shops and restaurants, should pick up, once the city moves its employees into the Edward Ball Building & the courthouse gets underway. Now we just have to get the Barnett & the Laura Trio off the ground.

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