by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The on-again-off-again redevelopment of the former Annie B. Lytle Elementary School in Brooklyn is back on.
Developer Carlton Jones plans to turn the building into 33 residential housing units for senior citizens 55 years old and up. Jones, president of Renaissance Development Group, wants to add on to the building and create another 100 units.
Over the years, several factors have delayed the project including the economy, the Fuller Warren overpass project, financing, the historic designation of the building and legislation working its way through City Council at a snail’s pace.
Recently, Doug Milne, an attorney and a trustee for Foundation Holding IV which oversees the property, successfully saved the legislation surrounding the project from extinction for at least a year.
“About six months ago City Council passed a new rule that says any legislation that has been essentially dormant for a certain period of time will be withdrawn unless action is taken,” explained Milne. “Two to three years ago, we asked for permission to dismantle the building. The thinking was, if we can’t make something work — and no one can — we may as well dismantle it.”
According to Milne, the City Council Land Use & Zoning committee agreed to allow the demolition of the building. However, the building had also been designated a historic land- mark by the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission, making demolition nearly impossible.
“It got to be so controversial, I said, let’s just slow down,” said Milne.
Recently, Milne and Jones met with the Preservation Commission to talk about the building — specifically ways to finance the residential project. Both liked what they heard.
“The type of financing we are seeking is not a problem,” said Jones, whose company doesn’t technically own the building. He has a contract to purchase it from the Ida M. Stevens Foundation, which purchased the building almost 30 years ago. “The finances are readily available for independent living. We have a potential lender and we have done some underwriting.”
Milne said there was some urgency to show progress on the project. He said he got a letter from the City’s Office of General Counsel warning him that if progress wasn’t made in some capacity, the legislation would be dropped from the Council agenda for at least one year. Milne said he met with both the OGC and the Historic Preservation Commission.
“Everybody is satisfied,” he said. “It (the June 22 meeting with the Historic Preservation Commission) went very positively and they have some great ideas about financing incentives through ad valorem taxes and tax credit opportunities. They have a lot to offer.”
Jones said ideally the renovations could start in about nine months.
“Then, it’s about an 18-month process,” said Jones. “The site is so tight, we would use precast (forms). We could have the new building erected in one to two weeks. The interior would take about six months.”
Jones was also complimentary of the work done by Milne.
“Doug should be commended for keeping things intact,” said Jones. “It could have been torn down long ago.”
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