by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
Logan Rink received a letter from the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission July 13 and read it with relief.
Plans for a condominium on Duval and Liberty Streets that Rink and four other equity partners call 16: Flat had been approved by the JEDC’s Design Review Committee.
The project was designed by the five partners: Chris Belyea, Mike Kleinschmidt, Jose Cardenas, Milan Malinvic and Rink. Together they comprise 13 Minute Productions, LLC. They’re all architects or designers who all work at Rink Design and most are natives of Jacksonville.
The units at 16:Flat will range in size from 850 square feet to 1,400 square feet and will range in price from $200,000 to $300,000, according to Rink.
Relatively speaking, the condos are more affordable than many housing units Downtown.
“The price is right for market-rate housing,” said real estate analyst Ray Rodriguez. “Market-rate housing is between affordable housing and luxury living.”
The empty lot at 256 Duval St. was listed by Easton, Sanderson & Company for $250,000 and 13 Minute Productions has the land under contract for “approximately” the same amount, according to Rink.
How are 13 Minute Productions able to offer the condos at such reduced prices?
“That’s a good question,” said Rink. “Maybe it’s our willingness to take a lower profit.”
The price of the units was set by the initial construction cost and the market value 13 Minute Productions thought it would bear, according to Rink.
He said the site was really challenging to put a building on because it’s such a small space — only .19 acre. But that was half the fun for the group of architects and designers.
“We thought our idea was interesting enough that we could do something that possibly others couldn’t,” said Rink, adding that the group knew they wanted to do something Downtown. “We felt very strongly about an urban infill project.”
The complex will include floor-to-ceiling glass windows, open floor plans, wood floors, a gated perimeter and 16 first-floor parking spaces.
“Luckily, our city is sophisticated enough to realize that you can’t have two parking spaces per one bedroom unit,” said Rink, adding that the structure is cleanly organized. “The product is a little more contemporary than anything on the market.”
The complex will also include a rooftop terrace that Rink said other designers have been neglecting.
“It’s good for the environment and good for the tenants,” he said. “It’s a good solution for multiple projects.”
While this is the first development project the group has done together, it may not be the last.
“We plan to do more projects,” said Rink.
13 Minute Productions went before the JEDC’s Design Review Committee in June. Rink said there was some apprehension while awaiting the DRC’s answer, especially because the property is in the Cathedral District, which already has its own architectural style.
“We weren’t sure if they were going to be open to a different design solution besides classical or Mediterranean,” said Rink.
Overall, especially after approval, Rink said the DRC was very receptive to their ideas and helpful.
“They didn’t give us a whole lot of trouble,” he said. “It was actually a very pleasant experience.”
13 Minute Productions is already working on its next project. They’ve pitched a project to the JEDC in LaVilla called the LaVilla Lofts.
“If they put it out for RFP, (Request for Proposal) we’d go for it,” said Rink.