The Downtown Investment Authority voted 7-1 on July 24 to allow the City Office of Economic Development to negotiate six Downtown projects.
• The Laura Street Trio and Barnett Bank Building. The redevelopment project is proposed by a company led by Stephen Atkins. Jacksonville Jaguars Shad Khan, through his investment company, issued a $3 million mortgage to the Atkins-led real estate trust, Southeast Development Group LLC.
• The Sax Property in LaVilla. The authority approved a resolution in December asking Mayor Alvin Brown’s administration to evaluate the commercial interest in the 3.5-acre property. The incomplete structure was a City-assisted project that reverted to the City.
• The Shipyards. Khan has shown interest recently in developing the Northbank riverfront property, near EverBank Field, and legislation was filed recently to temporarily dock the proposed USS Adams naval ship museum there.
• The Bostwick Building. The property, at Bay and Ocean streets, is under contract by partners in the Ovinte wine, cocktails and tapas lounge at the St. Johns Town Center. The group wants to redevelop the historic building into a restaurant.
• The Haydon Burns Library. The Jessie Ball duPont Fund bought the 48-year-old former library for $2.2 million and plans to convert it by early 2015 into a hub for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.
• Retail build-out. A program concentrating on the beautification, infrastructure and retail build-out of Downtown spaces is in discussion. Paul Crawford, office deputy director, said staff has begun to meet with the development prospects to talk about details, but had no update on any individual project.
Crawford said incoming authority CEO Aundra Wallace, who starts the job Aug. 19, has been in communications about the projects.