There was an eclectic mix of people in downtown Jacksonville last month for the Downtown Living Tour. Fifteen apartment and condominium properties on the north and south banks of the St. Johns River opened their doors for the event, showcasing available living options and the tour was more than just a tour of residences. There was a Friday night VIP event and Saturday there was live music on the sidewalks from Forsyth Street to Hemming Plaza. Several artists set up exhibits as well.
The Downtown Living Tour was the product of a partnership between the Downtown Council of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Vision, Inc. and downtown residential communities.
Did You Know?
• The most important factors in choosing a location to purchase a home are neighborhood quality, cited by 68 percent, close to a job or school, 43 percent, close to family or fiends, 36 percent and the school district itself, 23 percent; seven other categories were under 20 percent.
(2005 National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers)
According to DVI, there are more than 1,500 residential units, with an additional 800 units under construction and nearly 6,000 units proposed for development.
“I’ll bet there’s a billion dollars worth of real estate on this tour,” said Robert Pavelka of the Churchwell Lofts at East Bay.
This was the fourth year of the tour. The first was a hard hat and flashlight tour of empty buildings that were potential residential loft opportunities. The two “Hard Hat Loft Tours” only had seven venues.
photos by Max Marbut