Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan had been there before — pitching a plan to bring life to the dormant shipyards property.
Just over two years ago, Khan’s Iguana Investments LLC Florida development company proposed a project that included office space, residential, practice fields for the team and a place for the USS Adams.
The proposal stalled amid environmental cleanup issues for the site.
On Wednesday, Khan talked about a new project for Downtown, one that stretched along the St. Johns River from Metropolitan Park and the shipyards down Bay Street next to the unfinished Berkman Plaza II.
This proposal includes a high-end hotel connected by a pedestrian bridge to EverBank Field, exhibition space, low-rise office buildings, an entertainment district, a park and the USS Adams.
It also would feature an elevated park for pedestrians and bicyclists, described as “Jacksonville’s mini version of the High Line in New York.”
Iguana Investments was one of three companies to respond to a call for proposals for the redevelopment project.
The city opened the submissions Wednesday, which also included proposals from two Texas-based companies: Presidium Group and Wess Holdings.
Details of the projects are confidential until a company is selected to begin negotiations on a development agreement.
Neither Presidium Group or Wess Holdings returned calls Wednesday.
But WOKV reported Presidium is partnering with Killashee Investments in Ponte Vedra Beach. The Seaglass at the Shipyards proposal mirrors one a few years ago by Mark Farrell of Killashee, the radio station’s website said.
A 1,000-foot tower includes a two-level restaurant and observation deck, WOKV said.
The proposal also has a convention center, an aquarium, a fine art museum and the USS Adams, the radio station said. The company would offer to buy the property for $20 million.
Khan and Jaguars President Mark Lamping detailed Iguana’s proposal Wednesday as part of the team’s annual State of the Franchise event.
The plan calls for using the shipyards area as a park versus having to unearth the contamination left below by years of the site being a working shipyard.
“The area most difficult to develop,” Lamping said, “is the perfect place to put a park.”
He said the amount of green space and park land currently in the area doesn’t change, but will be in different places.
Lamping said the entertainment district would “complement the great work going on in the Doro area.” That area includes Intuition Ale Works and Manifest Distilling.
Iconic Real Estate Investments recently proposed redeveloping the former George Doro Fixture Co. into a bowling alley, bar, offices, retail and, later, residential.
That site, at 102 A. Philip Randolph Blvd., is near EverBank and the new Daily’s Place amphitheater and flex fields.
Khan said he hoped to bring a Four Seasons Hotel to Iguana’s development, though he doesn’t know if the chain is interested.
“I think we need to be aspirational. There’s nothing like that in Jacksonville. I think you are defined by the highest experience you have,” he said. “They have a secret recipe that we want to learn and tap into.”
Khan again talked about the value of a viable city having a vibrant Downtown.
“The five years I’ve been here, well, Downtown is dying,” Khan said.
Iguana’s proposal “is going to bring Jacksonville back to life,” he said.
Lamping said if Iguana is selected, he believes a development agreement could be reached in about 60 days.
“Is it possible that if we were selected, could we have some actual construction activity in early 2018?” he said. “I don’t think that would be a stretch.”
He estimated build-out would take five to six years.
The shipyards site has been targeted for redevelopment several times over the years.
“The last thing in the world we need is another project on the shipyards that doesn’t get completed,” Lamping said.
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