The Berkman Plaza II condominium tower along the St. Johns River Downtown has been abandoned for more than six years, but an auction later this month could put the project back on track.
The development was halted in December 2007 after the parking garage adjacent to the high-rise collapsed during construction, killing one worker.
Choate Construction Co., general contractor on the project, has secured a $10.2 million foreclosure judgment and lien on the property. It is scheduled for public auction April 29, said attorney Joby Birr, a partner at Jimerson & Cobb who represents Choate.
He said if the bid doesn’t meet or exceed what Choate is owed, Choate then will own the property. Birr said he can’t comment on Choate’s plans until after the auction.
Architect Craig Davisson, principal of Studio 9 Architecture, said the project could theoretically pick up where it stopped.
He said the concrete structure already in place could be salvageable, even though it has been open and exposed to the weather for more than six years.
“If there’s one material that can hold up to weather, it’s concrete,” said Davisson.
He cited as an example the Cove at St. Johns condominium development near Baymeadows Road and San Jose Boulevard. Also constructed of concrete, it was abandoned for several years, but is now being completed after an Orlando developer bought the property in September for $2.5 million.
Anyone who might consider bidding on the Berkman II property would surely evaluate the condition of the structure looking for exposed reinforcement materials, cracks and slab leaks if the intent was to complete the project as it stands, Davisson said.
“They would have to inspect it with a fine-tooth comb, but it’s doable,” he said. “Assuming it’s sound, it would be a real head start.”
Davisson also said a potential bidder might want the property because the site has frontage along the St. Johns River adjacent to the Shipyards site near EverBank Field.
“Some people might think the property is more valuable than the structure,” he said.
In that case, the abandoned concrete shell would be demolished. Davisson said about $3 million would be a good estimate for demolition and removal of the debris.
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