The city of Jacksonville is opening a new round of talks aimed at resurrecting the long-dormant Laura Street Trio of historic buildings in the heart of Downtown, this time with a new lead developer who hopes to purchase the property.
In an agreement involving Mayor Donna Deegan’s office, City Council and developer Live Oak Contracting, Deegan’s administration said Nov. 26 it would sit down with Live Oak for discussions designed to help facilitate the sale.
At issue is the city’s claim that the current owner, Steve Atkins of SouthEast Development Group, owes more than $800,000 in fines stemming from code violations that have accrued since he purchased the buildings in 2013. The claims led to a lien being placed on the property, which is an impediment to the Trio being sold.