by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Four Downtown projects took the next step in becoming reality Thursday after receiving favorable reviews by the Downtown Development Review Board of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission during its monthly meeting.
The nine-member board reviews and approves all Downtown projects subject to the City’s Zoning Code and also has jurisdiction over projects associated with Downtown signage and maintenance.
The first item on the board’s agenda was actually an addition to the already established and popular Riverside Arts Market. Officials behind the weekly festival, held under the Fuller Warren Bridge during the spring and summer months, are looking for an extension to link the market with Riverside Park on Park Street. The changes would complement the site with a pedestrian walk, storm water retention, landscaping and additional parking.
The board approved requests for conceptual and final review and the project’s applicant, Melody Bishop, said the hope was for the extension to be completed by the time the festival re-opens next year in March or April.
Conceptual and final approval was also granted for a pond project along Riverside Avenue adjacent to Magnolia and Forest streets and near Brooklyn infrastructure improvements. The plan calls for redeveloping the master drainage design for the area with a 300-foot diameter pond also serving a tree-lined park in the future development.
“We appreciate your aggressiveness,” said DDRB chair Chris Flagg, to Hallmark Partners Vice President Coen Purvis, the applicant. “Our hope is to see you back here soon.”
Plans for a new recreation area for the Children’s Center of First Baptist Academy which include a playground, basketball court and open field between Beaver and Ashley streets along Main Street also received conceptual and final approval.
The majority of discussion focused on the direction of the field and the potential for the Academy’s children to launch equipment over the fence onto Main Street which could cause safety and traffic issues.
The final approval is pending, upon the applicant, England Thims & Miller, establishing either a retractable net, creating a treetop-like foliage barrier above the fence or both. Additionally, the project received approval to deviate from streetscape design standards to meet the existing streetscape in place.
The other project reviewed might pave the way to give a facelift to a Downtown historic building that’s seen better days.
The proposed plan by PQH Architects would revitalize the aged and empty six-story Ambassador Hotel on North Julia Street by redeveloping it as the Ambassador Lofts apartments.
The building was officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and therefore any modifications must also be approved by the City’s Historic Preservation Commission.
Plans are for the bottom floor to be retail space (potentially with a restaurant), with the top five floors devoted to rental residential units.
While the applicant, Ricardo Quinones, was hoping to see both conceptual and final approval, the board concluded that there were too many issues ranging from signage to landscaping to grant final approval.
But, as one member who used to work near the building commented, he is enthusiastic about the possibility of such a project in the historic landmark.
“I think this is a great project,” said DDRB member Andy Sikes.
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