by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
When plans to put the upscale Mossfire Grill in the Underwood Building fell through last year, G. Parker Hudson saw his dream to rejuvenate the long vacant building extinguished.
Hudson, who purchased the building in June 2001, wanted to return the 74-year-old building to its original luster with the help of the restaurant’s owners. The Christian Science Reading room moved out of the building to make way for the eatery. Plans appeared to moving right along. Then the economy soured, money dried up and Mossfire’s owners pulled out.
The building remains vacant. On the corner of Monroe and Hogan streets, its location is in close proximity to City Hall, the new U.S. Courthouse and the planned Duval County Courthouse. It’s prime real estate and Hudson echoes the sentiments of many who would like to see the building come alive.
“Everybody wants something to go there, as would I,” said Hudson, president of General Real Estate Services, Inc. “I would love to see a restaurant that stays open late and serves liquor.”
While he has spoken with many prospective high-end tenants, the building’s general condition seems to scare them away. Thus, Hudson had to make a decision. Does he leave it vacant and wait for the sweetheart deal to come along? Does he spruce the place up to make it more enticing for a restaurant or retail outfit to move in? Will they come if he builds it?
“It’s a catch 22,” he said. “Do you put the horse or the carriage first?”
While rumors abound that various tenants have inquired seriously about the property, Hudson seems to want to wait for the right one to come along.
“I could lease it tomorrow to regular, ordinary tenants,” he said. “But that’s not going to do anything for the building and the city.”
Hudson has decided to take the “nothing ventured nothing gained” approach. With the help of architect Wharton Donaldson, he has begun plans for renovation of the Underwood Building. The facade will see extensive massaging but still maintain its historic markings and some of the black granite. Tentative plans indicate revised pedestrian access and include new glass doors, windows, stucco and canopies.
Interior improvements include plumbing upgrades, new electrical service and general clean-up.
The improvements would conceivably put 12,400 square feet of ready-to-use space on the downtown market, split evenly between the first and third floors. The second floor is largely relegated to storage space.
Price: between $175,000 and $200,000.
“If I can get this done, it’s going to be a nice property,” said Hudson.
If Hudson can entice the City to pay for the project, it could be nicer. Hudson is looking for about $325,000 in public money to finance the renovations. While it’s more than the aforementioned estimated cost, Hudson said the difference would be in the third floor treatment, which would include several balconies and exterior access.
Hudson has begun discussions with the Downtown Development Authority.
“This is whatever you guys want it to be as long as you pay for it,” he told the DDA’s Design Review Committee Thursday with tongue in cheek.
Hudson said his renovations would take about two months to perform.