Conceptual designs for two proposed multifamily residential projects are scheduled Thursday for review by the Jacksonville Downtown Development Review Board.
The Vestcor Companies’ Lofts at Brooklyn is a proposed 133-unit, five-story apartment complex west of Park Street, overlooking McCoys Creek and Downtown.
The project, announced in March, will provide 80 units rented to people with incomes up to 60% of the area’s median income and 53 workforce units at 140% of the median.
The estimated $30 million Lofts project were awarded $17.9 million in tax credits for the project by the Florida Housing Finance Corp. in March.
The Ashley Street Container Project, proposed by JWB Real Estate Capital, would retrofit 18 shipping containers into 320-square-foot apartment units in the Cathedral District of Downtown. The $1.2 million project will rent units for $550 per month.
DDRB staff is recommending approval of both conceptual designs with a few additional recommendations to developers.
The DDRB meets at 2 p.m. at City Hall at 117 W. Duval St. in Conference Room C on the third floor.
Lofts at Brooklyn
Vestcor's plan calls for a deviation to the city’s off-street parking overlay, reducing the development’s required number of parking spaces from 256 to 140.
The company proposes the addition of 16 on-street parking spots to help offset the parking reduction.
DIA documentation states staff is supportive of the deviation. If approved, the on-street parking will be considered public and not exclusive to Loft residents.
Staff also is recommending Vestcor propose additional windows and landscaping elements for its covered parking garage so that vehicles are not visible from the Chelsea Street and Jackson Street right-of-ways.
The DDRB could vote on final approval by July.
Ashley Street Container Project
Developers for the Ashley Street Container Apartment property are asking for DDRB approval to not require off-street parking at the complex.
Current city ordinance requires 18 spaces, according to DIA documents. DIA staff is recommending JWB work with the city’s traffic engineers to relocate “no parking any time” signs along the stretch of 412 Ashley Street project to create more on-street parking.
DIA staff also recommends incorporating elements into the design such as striping, fencing and perimeter landscaping.
