By Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
Realtors will have over 1,000 units spread over 40 acres of downtown Jacksonville when The Shipyards project becomes reality.
The developer, LandMar LLC, announced its plans for the site last month at a press conference. The project will include a variety of residential, commercial and retail opportunities.
“Our vision is to create an urban master-planned community like nothing you’ve seen before, with an abundance of the activities and amenities that create a place where residents will have a true sense of neighborhood,” said LandMar Chief Executive Officer Ed Burr. “Each condominium tower will be a village within the master plan providing for a wide variety of housing opportunities from small lofts to grand penthouses making Shipyards a place for every lifestyle.”
The master plan features public and private areas, open space and piers designed as floating parks with landscaped gathering areas all connected to Jacksonville’s Northbank Riverwalk. A marina will integrate into the riverfront to offer private slips for residents as well as public access for boaters.
The community’s first phase of four mixed-use towers is located on the parcel of land west of Hogan’s Creek and will take up approximately half of the property.
The first building within this initial phase will be a tower of 328 one-, two- and three-bedroom residences priced from the low-$300s into the millions. One third of the residences are planned for one bedroom designs.
This initial tower will include extensive recreational opportunities along with retail components to serve the residents and the surrounding community. LandMar proposes to energize Bay Street by adding retail shops and on-street parking, and partnering with the city to make landscape improvements.
The first phase of Shipyards will also include plans for a restaurant, lounge and shops, and a fitness center. Residents will have access to two swimming pools, two tennis courts and other rooftop athletics.
According to Burr, LandMar has set aside the balance of the land east of Hogan’s Creek for residential, office, hotel and retail uses to respond to future needs based on market demand.
Shipyards, which the Urban Land Institute has recognized as one of the largest riverfront urban redevelopment projects in the state of Florida, will feature a design that its architect says flows with the contours of the St. Johns River. Its public pier will extend 700 feet into the St. Johns River.
The community eventually will also feature a series of modern towers.
“There is an exciting trend in America today to revitalize and redevelop waterfront industrial sites that have been left behind and LandMar is trailblazing that movement here in Northeast Florida with Shipyards,” said Arquitectonica’s Bernardo Fort-Brescia, the architect for Shipyards. “LandMar is creating a riverfront neighborhood with country club-like amenities in Jacksonville’s urban core. This development will have a tremendous impact on the City of Jacksonville and will redefine the concept of urban living.”
According to Burr, LandMar conducted extensive consumer research and focus groups including an innovative web-based site that attracted thousands of visitors and responses on preferences for amenities and floor plans which has been critical in the company’s planning over the past 18 months.
“It is our hope that people will see Shipyards as a testament to LandMar’s commitment to enhancing the City of Jacksonville and embracing its inherent character,” Burr said. “The City has been a wonderful supporter of our efforts to develop Shipyards and we are confident the public will recognize the tremendous value and positive impact this project will have on the Jacksonville area. Our city is on its way to becoming one of the greatest cities in America and we believe Shipyards will add luster to its reputation as a flourishing place with a livable downtown. We have assembled an extraordinary team to take our vision and create a one-of-a-kind community that appeals to a wide variety of homebuyers. Shipyards has the potential to be one of the very best urban riverfront communities. “
In addition to teaming with Miami-based Arquitectonica on Shipyards, LandMar has also selected Glatting Jackson Kercher Angling of Orlando for landscape architectural services, Jacksonville’s Rink Design Partnership Inc. as the design team leaders for the public riverwalk improvements and Moffatt & Nichol as the marina consultant. The Auchter Company of Jacksonville has been retained as construction consultants to help bring this new development to fruition.
For more information about Shipyards, visit the community Web site at www.shipyards.cc.