As the City, Downtown Investment Authority, City Office of Economic Development and property owners make plans for major Downtown deals, other projects are taking shape.
For example, the City permitted several projects Monday:
• The City will renovate the Emergency Operations Center at a project cost of $1.12 million for waterproofing, roof repairs and water-damage repairs. ACON Construction Co. Inc is the contractor for the project at the center, at 515 N. Julia St.
Aleizha Batson, deputy director of communications for Mayor Alvin Brown, said the City is using federal Community Development Block Grant and capital improvement project funding to replace the roof at the Emergency Operations Center.
She said the $1,123,791 construction cost was funded by $626,060 in grant funds and $497,731 in capital improvement money.
She said the need for the project originated during Tropical Storm Fay in 2008 because during the storm, "heavy rain and winds penetrated the 50-plus-year-old roof. While temporary repairs have staved off leaks in the fourth and fifth floors of the building, the grant money enables a complete fix."
• Gus and Co. Shoe & Luggage Shoppe is preparing for its move to 228 W. Adams St., where Dav-Lin Interior Contractors is renovating tenant space at a project cost of $59,000. Gus and Co. was created in 1904 and has operated at 225 N. Laura St. for 12 years. The move takes it just a block from the Duval County Courthouse.
• Seaside Bank plans for an office at 245 Riverside Ave. Dav-Lin Interior Contractors is the contractor for the $12,000 project to close an interior doorway in preparation for tenant build-out.
Seaside National Bank & Trust, formed in 2006 and based in Orlando, has four regions with 13 offices, according to its seasidebank.com site.
Its North Florida Region lists one location in Ponte Vedra Beach. South Florida has six offices, Central Florida has four and Southwest Florida has two.
Seaside specializes in private business banking; personal, commercial real estate and residential lending; investment management, brokerage, trust and deposit services; and insurance.
• Ruth's Chris Steak House, which has operated for 16 years at what is now the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the Southbank, is remodeling its kitchen.
AccuBuild Construction Corp. is the contractor for the $125,000 project at 1201 Riverplace Blvd.
The work includes new lighting and ceiling work, relocating a few pieces of equipment, adding a new walk-in cooler/freezer and an additional hood system.
The Florida Times-Union reported in September 1997 that Ruth's Chris Steak House would open Sept. 15 that year at the hotel, formerly the Jacksonville Hilton and Towers.
The permits are a glimpse at the projects underway or proposed Downtown, which is a significant area in size.
Downtown encompasses a large portion of the Northbank and a busy portion of the Southbank.
The Office of Economic Development Downtown Overlay Zone stretches from the riverfront area south of the Mathews Bridge to the west along Beaver and State streets to Interstate 95 and south across the Fuller Warren Bridge to Alamo Street, east of the WJXT TV-4 station.
The zone includes 12 specific areas or districts, most on the Northbank, defined as:
• Central Civic Core, which is from the St. Johns River north to Church Street, and from Main Street west to Jefferson Street.
• River Park, which is the Metropolitan Park area.
• Two Riverfront portions, one on each side of River Park. One is the area from the Mathews Bridge to River Park and the other stretches from River Park west to the Main Street Bridge.
• Stadium, which is the sports complex area.
• Institutional, which is the area including the Police Memorial Building and Duval County jail.
• Cathedral, the church area east of Main Street.
• Church, the church area west of Main Street to Jefferson Street.
• LaVilla, west of Jefferson Street to I-95, and from the Brooklyn area north past Union Street
• The LaVilla Transportation Subdistrict.
• Brooklyn & Riverside, from south of LaVilla to I-95 and the Fuller Warren Bridge.
• Southbank, on the south bank of the St. Johns River, from the Fuller Warren Bridge and I-95 to Alamo.