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In 2008, Ron Chamblin, owner of the city's largest independent bookstore, opened Chamblin's Uptown at 215 North Laura Street. The two level, 12,000 square foot bookstore, offering a wide collection of new and used books, magazines, audiobooks, DVD rentals and sales, along with an espresso & coffee bar, provided an economic boost along North Laura Street and Hemming Plaza.
Now Chamblin is moving forward with his next endeavor, an urban mixed use project immediately adjacent to his popular bookstore. Last month, he acquired 225 North Laura Street with intentions to bring needed 24/7 living to the underutilized structure.
225 North Laura Street.
Completed in 1904, the 3-story 6,552-square-foot building was known as the Laura Apartments at Hemming. Its original tenants were Edward and Anna Blinn, Theodore Blinn and Edward and Estelle Hopkins. Edward Blinn was employed as a bookkeeper for Stringfellow & Doty Company. Theodore Blinn was a physician and surgeon who operated his business out of the building. Edward Hopkins was a contractor. Chamblin intends to return the building to its century old roots by renovating the upper floors into six apartment units to complement the structure's street level retail spaces. Gus & Company Shoe Repair, which has been in continuous operation in downtown since 1904 will remain as the building's ground level tenant.
According to Chamblin, they will definitely change the front "lower" floor facade. The current idea is to keep the old upper level brick facade and possibly add brick to the first floor to complement the upper levels. Additional plans include the possible restoration of the building's fire escape and alley into a private secluded courtyard space for future tenants. Interior demolition is currently under way and the project is expected to be completed in mid 2014.
In the meantime, Metro Jacksonville shares what will eventually become the "before" images of the interior of Chamblin's downtown residential project.
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fsujax
May 14, 2012, 03:15:50 PMwow. Surprised this wasn't picked up sooner. Very cool and great of Ron to do this.
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/downtowntoday.php?dt_date=2012-05-14
thelakelander
May 14, 2012, 03:24:42 PMWe've got a detailed story coming this week. Ron gave me a tour of the interior on Friday.
ben says
May 14, 2012, 03:26:45 PMFantastic!
JFman00
May 14, 2012, 03:28:16 PMI wanted to buy that property but it was already under contract when I found it :-(
fsujax
May 14, 2012, 03:37:00 PMcool. can't wait to read the story.
tufsu1
May 14, 2012, 03:37:56 PMyep...I got a tour of it last month....he changed his mind a bit on how tio configure the buiklding...I believe the plan now is to do a studio, a 1 bdr, and a 2 bdr on each floor
ben says
May 14, 2012, 04:03:08 PMRon Chamblin: Jacksonville Legend.
downtownjag
May 14, 2012, 04:18:24 PMThere is a ridiculous amount of work to be done in that building, the floor is sagging on the third floor. There are nice old fixtures in there though that I hope he salvages!
Tacachale
May 14, 2012, 04:36:14 PMDog Walker
May 14, 2012, 05:02:36 PMSmall scale rental over retail was the historic pattern in downtowns for a long time and still is in a lot of cities. Wonder if that has anything to do with why their center cities are vibrant and alive and ours is dead?
MusicMan
May 14, 2012, 05:12:27 PMOurs may be dead but at least we have a $400 million shiny new courthouse that is spurring ZERO
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AROUND IT.
ben says
May 14, 2012, 05:23:48 PMBegs the question...WTF is going on with the old Wormans building!?!?!
jerry cornwell
May 14, 2012, 09:08:46 PMAll the more reason to salute Ron Chamblin.
Ron Chamblin, you rock!
ronchamblin
May 15, 2012, 01:52:47 AMThanks for the support, kind persons. I could not have obtained a bank loan at this time either, being too much in debt from my earlier loans. The seller is holding the note, with a balloon for the entire balance due in three years. JFYI, I paid 290K, with 58K down, financing 232K over 15 years at 5%, with a balloon due in three years of abt 185K. Within a year or two, I will sell my house, which is empty, to get funds to pay the seller off, and have money to assist with the project. The entire renovation will be at least 600K. I live in a small apartment in the rear/upper of the bookstore, and will continue there, renting out the new apartments to pay for beer and drugs.
I'm currently having my architect, Fred Podris, the same who did the bookstore building, begin as-built drawings. We will then decide the best use of the upper two floors, each currently having five small apartments. A couple of the apartments have absolutely no kitchen facilities, only one room and a bathroom. The remaining have either a kitchen/bath/bedroom/living ( 4 rooms), or a kitchen/bath/bedroom-living combined ( 3 rooms)……. small indeed.
My objective is to attempt having only three apartments per level, two one- bedroom apartments facing west, toward Hemming and Snyder, and one two-bedroom apartment in the rear. Having fewer apartments will require less plumbing, fewer washing machines and dryers, fewer a/c’s, and fewer persons to engage about rent. Having fewer apartments will allow less space devoted to hallways. Once we determine which are the load-bearing walls, we can then make decisions about layouts.
The square footage per level is a little less than 2,400 sq. ft., about 30’ x 80’, the stairs and hallways taking up some of the space. Being residential, I do not have to install an elevator. Although not required, I plan to sprinkle the building, and rebuild the fire escapes along the south wall. Doing these two things gives much flexibility concerning other code requirements about fire and safety. For example, if I do neither of these things, then I must supply a fire exit out of each bedroom window, with a path to the ground. I would much rather do the sprinkling and re-build the fire escape.
Greg, of Gus’s Shoe repair, is currently utilizing the lower floor, paying per month a figure just below my current loan payment of a little over $1,800 per month. This allows me to funnel some funds into the project even before I obtain a major loan for it. I informed Greg that I will keep him informed about the schedule, and allow him many months warning about any changes regarding his use of the space.
I am assuming at this point that I can make much more revenue than Greg is able to pay in rent, by opening a restaurant. Besides, a place like Gus’s will not utilize the space in the evenings. We need evening activity in the city core. There is an option to “connect” the current bookstore café, via a four-foot passageway, with the new restaurant. The two buildings are only about three feet apart.
I like the idea of a full restaurant, being able to design it from the start to the ideal, and being able to offer full breakfasts every morning, and lunch and evening meals. My objective would be, by the pressure of extreme quality of ambiance, menu and service, to make impossible the existence of Magnificat and La Cena.
Thank you for allowing me to think aloud as I plan this thing. Any suggestions before I get too far into the project design? I have some good historical info, if I can find it, on the building to give to Ennis (Lakelander). For example, I think the building’s third floor was built in the twenties. The building was originally built in 1904. And because there is a large window on the north side, it was probably built before the Magnificat building.
vicupstate
May 15, 2012, 04:43:08 AMGood luck, I wish you much success.
triclops i
May 15, 2012, 04:48:06 AMThis dude is what I wanna be when I grow up...
t sizzle
May 15, 2012, 07:45:06 AMI am very interested, please let me know when they are available!
Captain Zissou
May 15, 2012, 08:33:48 AMI tried to get some money together for it last year, but we were pretty timid due to all the work that it needed. Our plan was to just reduce the top 2 floors to studs and clean them up to lease as artist space for the time being, with the ultimate goal of residential. The building needs a lot of work, but it is in one of the best locations in the city and has huge potential. Good luck Ron!!!!
Dapperdan
May 15, 2012, 08:37:12 AMRon,
What are the plans for the outside facade? I am assuming you will be using the Laura Street facade grant. I am assuming just restoring and painting the upper floors, but the street level future restaurant should be bright with maybe some creative use of lighting and good signage.
Thank you for taking this on. I think I will put my Kindle down and go buy an actual book now at Uptown. Keep up the good work!
Dapperdan
May 15, 2012, 08:41:22 AMAlso, in the grand scheme of things, 5 or 6 apartmenst may not seem like much, but it is projects like this that we need right now. We don't need billions dumped into some govt study or some pocket park creation or whatever. We need business minded people like Chamblin who see an opportunity and develope their little corner.
fsujax
May 15, 2012, 08:58:53 AM^^could not agree more.
JoeMerchant
May 15, 2012, 09:32:37 AMthelakelander
May 15, 2012, 09:41:40 AM^I agree with fsujax and jason_contentdg. I also agree with triclops i. I want to have the same type of impact on the urban core that Ron has provided when I grow up.
jcjohnpaint
May 15, 2012, 10:16:25 AMAbsolutely. Five projects like this can make such an impart on street level vibrancy. People coming and going etc. Thanks very much for this Ron!
jerry cornwell
May 15, 2012, 10:40:41 AMDebbie Thompson
May 15, 2012, 12:45:25 PMSomeone told me there are 4 foot clawfoot tubs in some of those apartments-above-stores along that block. Maybe that's the building. Charming historic apartments above a store. This is awesome.
But what about Gus? Surely we can find a spot for Gus somewhere in there. Restaurants we have, and another one would be great too. But do you know how hard it is to find a good shoe repair shop? Please consider saving a spot for Gus somewhere. That store has been there for as long as I can remember. Just my 2 cents. :-) Love the plans.
thelakelander
May 15, 2012, 01:55:49 PMYes, there are several clawfoot tubs in the building. There are two street level retail bays. Ron told me Gus is staying.
vicupstate
May 15, 2012, 02:19:33 PMMaybe MJ should do a continuing series on the trials, tribulations, rewards and surprises that come with doing a project like this. A lot of people, myself included, dream of doing this type of thing, but have a fear of the unexpected/unknown. Maybe sharing Ron's experiences will help and encourage others to do the same.
JFman00
May 15, 2012, 02:34:58 PMMy brother bought a building like this in MI near Ann Arbor. They're not for the faint of heart. Between him and my Dad it took months before it was livable and years before the restoration was done. The end result was pretty stunning though, well worth the wait, and considering how cheap it was plus the new Chicago->Detroit HSR in the works it was a smart project.
I'm hoping someone works some magic with the converted firehouse downtown. Looks like a fantastic living space with a lot of potential for ground-floor retail.
John P
May 15, 2012, 04:29:55 PMThe Florida times union newspaper did several columns following the renovations of old houses in Riversride and Springfield years ago.
Purplebike
May 15, 2012, 06:29:53 PM+1
ronchamblin
May 16, 2012, 01:50:09 AMYou are all so kind to me, and encouraging. But yes, Dapperdan, I think that the current first floor façade is pretty ugly. I plan to keep the old brick above, add some awnings on the windows, and do something creative with the lower floor, using wrought iron accents, perhaps exposing any brick behind the current stucco ….. My architect and me will come up with something good I’m sure.
And yes Debbie, there are about six of the cast iron clawfoot tubs. I hope to keep those for the apartments. And I talked with Greg, owner of Gus’s recently. I assured him that he will have months to prepare any move to another location. I would like to have Gus stay at that location. However, three things come into play on any decision about Gus.
First, if one is to have an area in the city core which is to contribute to its overall vibrancy, it would be best to have businesses which can open into the night. A restaurant can to this, but evening hours would not be appropriate for Gus’s. Second, there will come a time, within the next year, when the renovation will require a vacant bottom floor. And third, I doubt if the proceeds from renting to Gus’s will approach that of a good restaurant.
But I do agree that Gus’s adds color and traffic to the area. That is why I hope Greg can find a place close by. He already is renting the one space next to the UPS store. I think he had to assume the lease when he bought out the former Shoe repair at that location. However, he seems to hesitate moving there at this time, and I think it is because of its smaller space for his equipment. I am going to mention the idea of a long-term lease at the Elk’s building.
Who knows, there are options still. We have both talked about having him move out for a few weeks so I can renovate his lower floor, and then he can move in again. This taking place will depend on how close Greg can come to paying the market rate for rent. After all, it is much simpler to rent a space out, as compared to the headaches of running a restaurant. And too, Gus’s will always increase the foot traffic wherever it is located.
The current lack of funds to aggressively renovate gives us time, and time usually brings the best decisions. We will see. For the time being, me and one of my employees, the fellow who I hired from Hemming, who had been homeless for three years, will begin to attack structural deficiencies. Then we will prepare the basic structure so that the contractors can proceed with efficiency. Most of the walls, ceilings, plumbing, and electrical will be replaced. New a/c will be installed. A sprinkler system will be installed. Each apartment will have a new stacked washer/dryer. We have not yet determined what kind of an A/C system we will have.
And John P, the trials and tribulations you speak about do exist somewhat, but as with many projects in life, they are less formidable when one is familiar with the territory. Now if I were to engage a project about a rock music band performance, I would be totally overwhelmed, as I am quite ignorant about the making of music, although I love to listen to it.
Because I have been “building” things since being a child in the forties, and since I’ve engaged occasional educations and jobs to varying degrees in the sciences and engineering, I feel comfortable on projects like renovating buildings. Besides, there are great resources in our building code and permitting departments. These fellows have always been quite helpful on projects like the upcoming.
If you approach these fellows with an attitude right from the start, you might have some problems. However, if you engage them as a partner in making things safe and according to the code, these fellows will actually solve problems for you, and will sometimes bend the rules to favor your job completion.
Just as the musician can see a performance via his or her imagination right from the start, one who is familiar with buildings and renovations can not only imagine the finished project, but can imagine the process of getting there. Therefore, confidence is the rule, and one’s knowledge allows for the right decisions on the project.
As for me, because I’ve developed a good working relationship with them, I’ve always used the same general contractor, Breaking Ground, doing a cost plus, and we usually use the same Electrical contractor, Lighthouse Electric, on a cost plus basis. We do get bids on the plumbing, sprinklers, framing, a/c, drywall etc. These cost plus arrangements are the result of trust gained over the years, which can usually be done if nobody is on drugs.
In any case, I feel comfortable doing these renovations for the same reason that one feels comfortable riding a bicycle after a week of riding. There are some benefits to getting older. One is called having experience. The only problem is that having great experience usually means that one is that much closer to dying, so one benefits from it for only a little while. The trick is to get experience as early in life as you can so you can enjoy the benefits of it for a long time, thus allowing you more time to afford more beer and drugs.
Currently I don’t know how I will come up with the money to do this project, it requiring about $600K when it is all over. However, I have confidence about gaining it eventually, as the project is a good thing, and not a wasteful project like buying a big yacht. Those who are able, usually assist with good things, such as when one builds or creates something. And the ongoing book business is looking good, so I can always have some funds to shoot to the renovation. At some point of course, I will have to borrow again. Perhaps when the borrowing time comes, the banks will be ready, and I will be able.
Looks good. Lots of work to do. We will soon have six new apartments on the edge of Hemming, and one can sit and watch the colorful Hemming crowd among the big oaks.
duvaldude08
May 16, 2012, 02:30:38 AMRon,
Thank you so much for being dedicated to downtown. We need more people like you around.
vicupstate
May 16, 2012, 04:59:26 AMI hope the oaks are still around by 2014, when this is done.
What if anything is going in Synder these days? Does the city still own it?
thelakelander
May 16, 2012, 06:18:04 AM^The city still owns it but they aren't doing anything with it.
Noone
May 16, 2012, 06:33:13 AMRon, Good luck with the project. Sharing your insight throughout the process is a true benefit for anyone attempting to get involved.
I also hope the trees are around in 2014. Picture #2 will capture the before and after. Look at all that shade.
tufsu1
May 16, 2012, 08:48:42 AMSnyder does get used for performances during ArtWalk...and I believe will once again be used at Jazz Fest this year
Tacachale
May 16, 2012, 09:25:36 AMWhat a great project. Ron, will any of the Laura facade grant money be available for the project?
thelakelander
May 16, 2012, 09:26:49 AMTacachale
May 16, 2012, 09:31:32 AMdougsandiego
May 16, 2012, 09:42:25 AMThis is the type of project that builds attractive, livable, and even "great" cities.
thelakelander
May 16, 2012, 10:00:44 AMWe'll never know if we don't try. If a guy like Ron is willing to take a chance on the two structures across the street, who knows who will possibly step up to the plate if presented the opportunity. Right now, we're assuming something may not materialize resulting in doing absolutely nothing, which causes the building to further decay and the surrounding area/park to have less vibrant activity. Nevertheless, to truly activate Hemming Plaza's outer square, these buildings need to be used for everyday activities. Event rental and opening the doors for a couple hours one evening per month isn't enough.
CityLife
May 16, 2012, 10:20:14 AMTacachale, the city can condition the RFP to ensure that the building is not torn down. It can also write the RFP in ways that will result in a desired use being selected.
And if a legit buyer doesn't meet the conditions of the RFP then the building will just sit vacant like it currently is. There's really nothing to lose. Like Lake said, we'll never know if we don't try.
Lunican
May 16, 2012, 10:51:00 AMI have a question for Ron.
If this were an empty lot, would it be feasible for you to put up a new building on this site?
finehoe
May 16, 2012, 10:58:54 AMThis is a great idea. An irregular series with pictures documenting the process would be a popular feature with a lot of the MJ crowd.
jerry cornwell
May 16, 2012, 11:19:29 AMThere arn't any legit buyers in the sense that the city sees it. Its not an auction in any sense of the word. The city asserts a value for the building and starts an RFP from there with the condition that the assessed value be met.
I went through this in requesting (and getting) an RFP for 324 N. Broad street, a dilapidated building across from the new courthouse parking lots. We were quoted around $400,000 renovations just to legally open the door. The city had the property accessed at $340,000(!!!). If it costs $400,000 just to open the door, you should give me $60,000 just to take possession of it. I'd be doing YOU a favor. Thousands of dollars of legal fees, renovation quotes later, my bid (which included my wife's impeccable credentials as a WSJ illustrator relocating from NYC) was denied.
The building sits, or i should stay is falling, slowly and surely into the ground across from the new courthouse. Which it complements "gorgeously".
God bless the Mayor, I feel fortunate to have him in city hall. But, in terms of DT "development", The city can go to Hell. Which, in many ways DT, they are!
Id like to note that Ron wouldn't have been able to perform the miracle he did, had he had to go thru the City.
Even the more reason to salute him today!
I say to all here at MetroJax, THIS is the major problem our downtown is as it is today! There IS sufficent demand for residential living in downtown. Many here alone would love to live downtown. But with the real estate controlled by a handful of people who have NO interest in residential growth DT, downtown continues to go down the tubes.
I believe Ron paid a high price for the building he bought. But, again, he did it because he wanted to, to do the right thing for downtown. A profit was last on his mind!
CityLife
May 16, 2012, 11:35:34 AMJerry, sadly your example isn't an isolated incident. The city has similarly dropped the ball on 9th and Main and I'm sure there are others as well.
Snyder can be a major catalyst for revitalization of the Laura St corridor and Hemming Plaza. With that in mind the city could hypothetically sell the property for less than its assessed value IF there was a buyer that would do great things with it like a museum, arts collaborative, live music venue, etc. The property is not currently generating any revenue for the city, it is not generating any property taxes, and is being severely underutilized. So get it in the hands of someone who can do something great with it.
Our city offers a multitude of financial incentives to developments. Snyder is an opportunity to incentivize positive development downtown at no cost to tax payers. In fact it will be a net benefit to tax payers once it gets back on the tax roll. Win win.
Also, the RFP has to have weighted values for specific projects in the event that there are comparable bids. Not positive, but believe they also can condition them so that only certain projects can be approved for a building. So they could write the RFP to only accept winning bids for x types of uses.
Tacachale
May 16, 2012, 11:44:29 AMThis is really a discussion for another thread, but at this point it would be preferable to see the city just make better use of the building. There's no reason they can't lease it out themselves for regular use (again, assuming there are any takers). In fact, as the city doesn't necessarily need to generate a profit, it would likely be even easier for them than for a private entity. Find some other band to take over like before, or otherwise run it as a performance venue. Waiting for Godot here isn't likely to work any better during the recession than it did before it.
CityLife
May 16, 2012, 12:14:51 PMI know of one person who was seriously interested, but the price wasn't right.
Also, I can't remember when that happened, but was the new library built yet? Was Chamblins open? Was the Laura St. Streetscaping done? Was Dalton Agency there? Was there Facade Improvement money available? If not, then you can't assume nobody would be interested now given the recent improvements to the area.
Debbie Thompson
May 16, 2012, 12:54:33 PMBack to Ron's project...thanks for the update. Can't wait to see it. And bless you for hiring a homeless man, who is doubtless extremely grateful for the gainful employment. Hope that works out well for both of you. A real win-win. And Breaking Ground...excellent. Love them.
I really would love to see you continue to blog about the project and post pictures as you go along.
stephendare
May 16, 2012, 01:17:49 PMThe actual history on this building is disgraceful, and the role of the city in the Snyder has complicated and screwed things up.
It's not that there was a shortage of potential owners, it was the methodology of the original RFP, and the by now tread worn reality of the JEDC wanting to control the property to the exclusion of anything ever happening to it.
climber
May 16, 2012, 01:20:38 PMJust an idea for the potential first floor restaurant: go to the Top in Gainesville or the Floridian in St. Augustine...
JeffreyS
May 16, 2012, 02:24:34 PMPerhaps if an RFP is submitted as public record we here could start bringing pressure to have a reasonable project move forward. In fact perhaps we should look at all RFPs going forward. Just to make sure the city isn't letting the hope of better get in the way of good as it did in Jerry's situation.
Tacachale
May 16, 2012, 03:54:06 PMOverstreet
May 16, 2012, 04:56:24 PMMake sure your contractor has his relatively new required lead abatment certifications. Also do an asbestos survey.
Charles Hunter
May 16, 2012, 08:43:53 PMRon, have you considered Crowd Source funding? The 5 Points --> SunRay Theater was successful in getting renovation money. Don't remember what their goal was, but I'm sure it was much less than $600k.
Timkin
May 16, 2012, 09:38:32 PMIt is a beautiful building.. Easy to see through the decay to the gem it actually is. I cannot wait to see the finished product. Two of my favorite features in the building : The Stair case.. and the claw-foot bathtubs !!!
Good luck Ron! Thank you for saving one of our historic landmarks !!!!
jerry cornwell
May 16, 2012, 10:14:58 PMjerry cornwell
May 16, 2012, 10:48:05 PMFWIW, We bought a house on Oak street 3 blocks from 5 points and last spring got in to CoRK as one of the original tenants. So the depressing rejection by the city led to a blessing that went with us to Riverside. It seems after we moved to Riverside, the city seems to be heading in a definitive good direction. At least for us in the artist community.
I went DT last Saturday night, had a late dinner at Chomp,Chomp, and saw the Burro bar jumping. Underbelly's is kicking off Jun 3rd down off Bay street. And it will be a BIG kick. This is the direction that is most definitive for our downtown.
But it is detrimental when one comprehends that, in the spur of the moment , Burro bags could be kicked out in an instant. Such happened last year with Nullspace , an under recognized contemporary art gallery. We need to have a firm establishment of ground roots small business like this, Burro bags in particular, which is directly connected to residential growth (in that many of these owners would like to live at their work). These are young, a bit in experienced individual people, who lack the experience and credentials of Ron Chamblin ( although Ron has the vibrancy of any 20 year old!)
This is not the direction the city and even a majority of Jacksonville sees DT going. They see a huge business moving thousands of workers into our skyscrapers. The results are not going to work within the premise that this website projects, a Metropolitan Jacksonville with a definitive, CULTURAL center in its historical center, downtown.
You would think, after the past, what 30 years, the city would pick up the message. But, as downtown gets worse, they haven't.
As Ive said before, when one looks for examples of urban revitalization the example of a re awakened Greenwich East Village (which our downtown most closely resembles a la 1970s) seems most appropriate than others to look into.
ronchamblin
May 17, 2012, 04:15:31 AMThanks I'll going to Gainsville soon, and will ck it out. And St. Aug. is close for the other.
That's good advice on the Crowd Source funding. And there are some funds available from the Laura grant. I'm not sure how much at present. Given my lack of ready funds now, I really should take the advice and work through any possibilities. I am lazy on this fund acquisition kind of thing, but it costs me. I must change this habit.
Again, this kind of project is fun, as it provides problems to solve. In the end, the building will become something much better that it has been, and will be one more addition to the city core assets and ambiance. It's completion will add a little weight to the momentum of core revitalization, and will, along with similar projects, eventually allow a threshold to emerge, after which much needed and powerful "natural" forces and pressures inherent in a vibrant city will come into play, giving opportunity where there are now roadblocks, allowing confidence where there is now fear, offering freedom where there is now rigidity and restrictions, ultimately facilitating and allowing others to more easily engage the city core. It will become easier for new businesses to open and survive, and increasingly attractive for new residents to select the core as a good place to live.
Anti redneck
May 17, 2012, 04:45:14 AMYou're a good man, Ron. You should do some more investments around downtown.
tlemans
May 17, 2012, 12:43:56 PMHello everyone. I have not posted in years on this site. I wanted to know if the new courthouse will bring with it new development to that part of downtown? I remember a while ago there was talk about some of the buildings in that area were going to be redeveloped.
fsujax
May 17, 2012, 02:41:11 PMnothing has happened as of yet.
JFman00
May 17, 2012, 02:45:27 PMQuite a few buildings around the courthouse site with mixed-use potential are for sale, for exorbitant prices. Same story on a .25 acre lot next to 220 Riverside listed for $450,000. At prices like that and with the mixed record with which Jax has pursued downtown revitalization, I'm not surprised at the lack of progress.
BackinJax05
May 23, 2012, 02:50:36 AMWhere will the residents park their cars? I know in that part of downtown most stuff is within walking distance, but the rest of the city is spread out the wazoo.