Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday to expect movement on the unfinished Berkman Plaza II condominium on East Bay Street Downtown.
“Expect to see something there,” Curry told Daily Record editors and reporters.
One thing is certain: “That eyesore has to be gone one way or another.”
Curry said finding a solution to the unfinished project along the Northbank has been one of his priorities since taking office in 2015.
“We’ve had numerous discussions with the owners,” he said. “I can tell you they’ve been close in the past to a deal.”
The building has remained untouched since 2007, when a six-story parking garage next to the condo collapsed, killing a construction worker and injuring several others.
Construction stopped and general contractor Choate Construction Co. took possession of the structure in a foreclosure action.
Choate did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Curry said restarting the project is necessary if the city is serious about redeveloping the riverfront. He said a renovation of the existing structure is more likely than tearing it down.
The Berkman structure is between the pending Shipyards development and the 22-story The Plaza Condominium at Berkman Plaza and Marina. That is next to the old Duval County Courthouse and City Hall that are slated for demolition.
“You don’t want to develop one area, then have the courthouse and old City Hall, which is prepared for something, then have this in the middle,” Curry said. “I’ve made it pretty clear something has to happen.”
The Northbank has been the subject of redevelopment efforts for years, but Curry said timing is starting to work in the city’s favor.
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan is negotiating an economic development deal with the Downtown Investment Authority to develop the nearly 70 acres east of the Berkman II, property referred to as the Shipyards and Metropolitan Park.
Curry said talks continue, including what the city’s share of the cost will be.
“As they get their concept finalized, the city will work out an agreement with Shad’s companies that determines what that deal looks like,” Curry said.
“As you’ve heard me say many times, there will be a return on investment that’s evaluated there,” he said.
Curry said while he understands everyone wants the process to move quickly, the city must be smart about any investment of taxpayer money.
DIA awarded Khan’s company, Iguana Investments of Florida, the development rights in April. Iguana Investments has the better part of a year to come to terms with the city.
In July, Khan and Iguana President Mark Lamping took Curry and city Chief Administrative Official Sam Mousa on a three-city trip to review other sports and entertainment districts.
Lamping said the trips focused on projects by The Cordish Companies, which worked on developments in Kansas City, St. Louis and Baltimore, Maryland.
Curry said Baltimore-based Cordish was “impressive,” but that choosing a developer was Khan’s decision.
“The other piece of that trip that was really important was the ability to speak with prospective investors, folks that Shad may choose to partner with,” Curry said.
“It’s important that they see that the chief executive officer of this city believes in this, and is going to make it business-friendly,” he said.
Lamping said any movement on the deal is likely to occur next year. It could then be years before the entire property is developed, driven by market demand.
Curry said it is likely that progress will be made more quickly with the old City Hall and courthouse buildings on Bay Street.
He included $8 million in his proposed budget to demolish the vacant structures as part of a $131 million Capital Improvement Program. That program is part of his proposed $1.273 billion budget in City Council review.
He said he wants to remove the buildings in preparation for private development. “We’ve had more than one party express interest,” Curry said. “At this stage, it’s just that.”
Curry has an idea of what he’d like to see, “if the economics were to work out and the return on investment works out.”
“A convention center, I think is a good idea,” he said. “But I’m not locked in, there always have to be options on the table.”
Curry said to expect “imminent” movement on the city-owned property. “That’s upon us,” he said.
He quips that he’d like to be involved in the actual demolition.
“If it were up to me, I would have fun and do it with a crane, but that’s probably not the most efficient way,” he said.
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