After sitting vacant and unfinished for more than 13 years, demolition crews began preliminary site work April 27 to tear down the Berkman Plaza II high-rise Downtown.
Steve Pece, president of demolition contractor Pece of Mind Environmental Inc., said his crews have “boots on the ground” to demolish the 18-story structure through its contract with the property’s likely developer, Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization LLC.
Pece said April 27 that workers won’t start taking down the shell structure for three to four weeks as crews put in erosion control measures, expand fencing and clean up loose debris at the site floor by floor.
“We’re trying to get those nonrecyclables out of the building and get the site safe and ready for demolition,” he said.
City officials have been adamant that the Berkman II, at 500 E. Bay St. along the St. Johns River, come down while Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization worked to buy the property.
The city condemned the Berkman II in August and began taking steps toward a taxpayer-backed demolition.
According to Mayor Lenny Curry, his administration was hesitant to condemn the property but decided to move forward in August after potential deals with multiple buyers over the years fell through.
Curry told news reporters at City Hall on April 27 that Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization “is in escrow for the purchase of that property.”
Park Beeler, a co-managing member of Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization, said April 27 the group has a nearly $5.6 million purchase of the Berkman property from owner 500 East Bay LLC in escrow.
“We have closed in escrow pending final resolution of the demolition order on the property with the city,” Beeler said.
“We have commenced demolition at our expense and we will continue forward.”
In July, Beeler said his group signed an agreement with Berkman owner 500 East Bay LLC to buy the land and shell structure.
The developer has met with Downtown Investment Authority staff to discuss its plans designed by KBJ Architects Inc. for a 300-unit residential high-rise with retail and public park space at the site.
Curry that Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization has been “incredibly cooperative” with the city.
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Stephanie Burch said Curry officials have not seen documentation showing the purchase is complete and are relying on the developer’s verbal confirmation that the sale is final.
However, Beeler said Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization will not record the final purchase documents until the Curry administration agrees to cancel the city’s demolition order on the property.
Burch said the city won’t remove its condemnation, demolition order and associated administrative fines until the Berkman II is gone.
“As soon as the demo is completed, then we will work with them to remove the administrative fine that’s currently on the property,” she said.
Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization moved ahead with the demolition with the property in escrow, giving Pece of Mind the order to execute its demolition permit for the Berkman issued by the city Jan. 20.
Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization plans a conventional demolition because previous plans to implode the building faced concerns by the city and nearby residents.
City Council member Reggie Gaffney, whose district includes Berkman II, announced he will hold a news conference at 10:30 a.m. April 28 in front of the building to discuss the developer’s plans.
Gaffney said he is trying to get Curry officials to agree in writing to remove the city’s demolition order and any lien on the property.
He also wants the developer to release the paperwork showing the Berkman is under new ownership.
“I want to make sure everybody is willing to move forward together,” he said.
“We’ll have a new owner of Berkman Plaza II and I think in the next day or two you’ll start seeing that building coming down and putting something there that this community deserves.”
Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization is managed by JRR Management Partners, led by Brian Wheeler, the owner of GGI Tapestry LLC and a former Genesis Group partner; Beeler, F3 Global Solutions managing member and a former executive at The Charter Co.; and Chris Young, president of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Biotech Restorations Holdings LLC.
Beeler says there is a group of private investors that will back the project but he declined multiple requests to identify the members.
