by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
A plan to revitalize a barren LaVilla subdistrict around an expanded Osborn Center drew cautious approval Monday from City and Jacksonville Transportation Authority representatives, but it is unlikely to leave the drawing board without voter approval.
The plan, designed by Cooper Carry Architecture, presented by the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission’s Jason Thiel and supported by City Council members Elaine Brown and Reggie Fullwood, envisions a 280,000 square-foot convention center and transportation hub surrounded by trees, fountains, hotel rooms, residences and retail shopping.
Fullwood, whose district includes LaVilla, said he liked the plan’s “aggressive vision,” but added its price tag — roughly estimated between $200 and $400 million — would require City voters to approve a large bond issuance.
“I’ve seen more of these proposals than I’ve seen implemented plans,” said Fullwood. “The important thing is to get all the major stakeholders to buy into a single plan. Then you can sell the community and the administration.”
Fullwood said he was “extremely confident” that he and Brown could push a resolution supporting the plan through Council and on to the incoming mayor. Mayor John Delaney pushed projects such as the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville and county courthouse ahead of the convention center in his downtown revitalization plans. Mayor-elect John Peyton said during the campaign he would consider other convention center sites. Fullwood said winning the new administration’s support would be “the biggest hurdle.”
Because the plan aims to develop a stubborn tract of unused west end land while establishing Jacksonville as a legitimate national convention destination, Brown said she thinks the Cooper Carry design offers a rare opportunity for consensus among the City, private landowners and the JTA, the area’s primary landowner.
Brown said the LaVilla refurbishment depended on winning approval for the convention center. The plan depends on increased convention traffic to make the surrounding hotels, restaurants and residences viable.
“If we don’t commit to the convention center, the rest of this is gone,” said Brown. “There’s no alternative plan.”
A two-year-old study commissioned by the City indicated that Jacksonville could compete against Charlotte, Birmingham and Tampa for mid-sized national, regional and state conventions. Jacksonville Convention & Visitor’s Bureau president Kitty Ratcliffe said the City would need at least 150,000 square feet of exhibition space to attract the desired visitors. The Osborn Center houses 72,000 feet of exhibition space.
“If you’re a meeting planner, are you going to pick Birmingham over Jacksonville? I don’t think so. Those are markets we can definitely compete with if we can provide the facilities,” said Ratcliffe.
If the plan finds support from Peyton and the JTA, Fullwood said the City could take bids on the project within the year.