by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Mike Blaylock said he didn’t care how much it rained late Friday morning.
Cleve Warren called it a “highlight.”
And, Mayor John Peyton said he’s looking forward to more rain.
All three, and many others, gathered Friday morning at JTA’s Kings Avenue station in San Marco to officially break ground on the city’s first transit-oriented development (TOD). The project is also significant because it marks the first public/private partnership for JTA.
“This is an exciting day and it’s been a long time coming,” said Blaylock, JTA’s executive director. “I don’t care how much it rains. It’s not going to rain on my party.”
The project is a partnership between JTA, San Marco Partners, Inc. and Kings Avenue Redevelopment, Inc. When completed, there will be two Hilton hotels — a 123-room Hilton Garden Inn and a 98-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton — featuring high-speed Internet and Wi-Fi service, high definition flat screen TVs, 24-hour business centers and more. According to Mike Balanky of Kings Avenue Redevelopment, the hotels will be done in about 18 months while the entire project will take about three years to complete.
“It’s been a long road and this is a complicated project,” said Balanky, who also built San Marco Place. “In the long run, it will be worthwhile.”
While the project has been in the conceptual stage since Peyton was a member of the JTA board, Warren — the current board chair — said a trip to Ottawa about a year ago provided the model for the project. He said a group from JTA went to Ottawa to look at the Canadian city’s transportation system. What they was found the ideal model for the first TOD in Jacksonville.
“It was the highlight for me,” said Warren, explaining that in Ottawa, the transit routes also often include an economic development component. “This is a starting point in duplicating that effort. You will be amazed at what is planned for this site.”
Peyton said it was good to see the project get underway after serving on the board during its infancy.
“No one is more excited than me to see development at this garage,” said Peyton, adding he likes the fact JTA is always looking down-the-road. “JTA spends so much time living in the future. Look at JTB, the Dames Point Bridge, the Wonderwood Connector; when all of those were built, there were questions and those projects were challenged.
“This is another example of JTA thinking about the future.”
Peyton said the project fits San Marco and the direction the neighborhood is heading.
“There are 12,000 jobs in San Marco and an emerging residential density,” he said. “This is another step in a great, great story. This area shows a lot of promise.”
Peyton opened by reminding everyone the recent heavy rains are exactly why City Council needs to pass his stormwater fee.
“I apologize for the rain, but this is what it takes to get a stormwater fee,” said Peyton. “It’s going to keep raining until it passes.”