Fairfield Residential Co. LLC intends to start construction in the spring on the $40 million, 300-unit Harbortown luxury apartment project at Atlantic Boulevard and the Intracoastal Waterway, a company executive said Thursday.
Tommy Brunson, vice president of development, said construction should take 18 months to two years. Fairfield Development will be the contractor. He said rental rates would be determined closer to completion.
"One of the things that attracted us to the site is its unique waterfront location," he said, adding that few other apartment developments in Jacksonville "can claim this amenity."
Brunson is based in Atlanta as the Southeast region development partner for San Diego-based Fairfield Residential Co. He said Fairfield is privately held. It is not associated with the Fairfield Inn & Suites chain.
"We view Jacksonville as a great market, so we are really excited about the opportunity," Brunson said.
He said Fairfield owns the Banyan Bay apartments nearby at 1700 San Pablo Road S. He said there are no plans for more developments, although "we are always on the lookout."
Property records show Fairfield Harbortown LLC bought property at 13846 Atlantic Blvd. from Crescent Resources LLC for $4.2 million in a sale recorded Dec. 5.
Fairfield Harbortown has submitted plans to the City and the St. Johns River Water Management District for the Harbortown Apartments.
Property records show Fairfield bought five properties totaling about 14.5 acres. The parcels consist of two vacant parcels of 7.4 acres and 5.56 acres, right-of-way of 1.55 acres and some marina slips.
Preliminary engineering plans filed in November with the City show 300 units among three buildings on 14.09 acres. Those plans show 180 one-bedroom, 107 two-bedroom and 13 three-bedroom units.
Plans with the water management district show 299 units among three buildings on 13.88 acres, comprising 175 one-bedroom unit, 104 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom units.
"We are still working through our design process," Brunson said.
Site plans show the development is bordered by Atlantic Boulevard, the Intracoastal Waterway, the marina and Riverview Drive, south of Atlantic Boulevard and west of the waterway.
The engineer is Connelly & Wicker Inc.
Connelly & Wicker posted on its cwieng.com website that it was contracted by Fairfield Residential Co. to provide zoning modification support services, site design, permitting and construction administration for a 300-unit residential apartment community.
It said the property site is 12.34 acres and includes three four-story apartment buildings with surface parking and amenities located on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Site design included design of a re-aligned road and utilities, surface parking, a stormwater collection system, a modular underground stormwater treatment system, building pads, all associated utilities and permitting, said the website.
Brunson said the site initially was designed to house condos.
Brunson said Fairfield bought the remaining vacant property, about 13 acres, within the master development at Harbortown. Fairfield did not buy any of the existing townhouse or condominium properties.
"We just bought the last parcel in the master development," he said.
Brunson said Fairfield went before the City Land Use and Zoning Committee for a minor modification at the property.
The Harbortown project began taking shape in 2003, when three developers acquired the Pablo Creek Marina at the Intracoastal Waterway along Atlantic Boulevard to develop the estimated $120 million to $150 million Harbortown at Pablo Creek commercial, residential and marina project.
A Florida Times-Union report from May 2003 shows that Centex Homes, Crescent Resources LLC and JLC Suncoast Realty LLC paid almost $16.51 million for the site. They bought the property from Moody Truck Center Inc. The 70.2-acre marina property included 29 acres that were slated to remain as passive recreation and open space.
Evaluation Solutions files layoff notice
Evaluation Solutions LLC filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the state for a layoff of 48 employees. The notice indicates a filing date of Dec. 27 and a layoff date of Dec. 19. The notice says Evaluation Solutions operates at 12276 San Jose Blvd., Suite 521, and 4800 Spring Park Road, No. 7. The business is real estate and rental and leasing.
Folio switching to Wednesday delivery
Folio Weekly, which has been delivered on Tuesdays since it began in April 1987, will shift to Wednesday delivery next week.
Publisher Sam Taylor said the shift will allow the newsroom more timely deadlines and its advertisers tighter deadlines for weekend ad copy.
For information, visit folioweekly.com.
Plein Air in March
• Save the date: "A Brush with Nature, A Plein Air Painting Event" is scheduled March 21-23 at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens.
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