Via the Daily Record! Latitude 30 downtown? Letter of Intent Signed!

[Dapperdan]

No chance they go to St. Johns town center. That would complete with their current location. Think people!

Not really. Simon Properties ownes both The Avenues and SJTC and both seem to be doing fine.   I am not arguing for this, I am just saying to the owners, if your current location is constantly too busy and can't fit everyone in that they would like, I could build out a nice sized second location out there near other places like Whiskey River to draw on their crowd too. Then I have two guaranteed busy locations. If I build downtown, can I guarantee the same crowds I am almost possitive I would receive for a location in the twon center?

[CityLife]

They lose leverage to negotiate for some of the $9 million that the city has said it will invest in downtown if they keep the existing Library agreement. Now they can act as a free agent and threaten to back out of downtown altogether if they don't get money to subsidize a move. I have zero inside knowledge, but I wouldn't rule a move to the Library out. This could just be a negotiating ploy to get city money for The Library or elsewhere downtown. They can say something along the lines of, "we like The Library site, but the cost of rehab simply didn't make economic sense (which may indeed be true)" in order to get some money to pay for the cost of improving the building.

They would be bad business people (which I doubt they are) to go ahead with plans on the Library with some of the $9 million floating out there for the taking.

[tufsu1]

No chance they go to St. Johns town center. That would complete with their current location. Think people!

Not really. Simon Properties ownes both The Avenues and SJTC and both seem to be doing fine.   

and how many stores/restaurants have locations at both?

[TheCat]

I'm not sure if it's been explicitly stated but it is a no go for the downtown library.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=538685

Latitude Global Inc. allowed its letter of intent to lease the 120,000-square-foot former Haydon Burns Library to expire Friday, putting the historic Downtown building back on the market.
Despite the expiration, the Jacksonville-based entertainment company remains "very interested" in the location, according to Philip Alia, Latitude chief marketing officer.

"At this time we are continuing our due diligence on the downtown library as well as multiple other locations," said Alia.

[tufsu1]

How do you get the library as a definite "no go" based on that article?

[Debbie Thompson]

Sounds to me like they are still interested, they just didn't want to lock in yet.  And there are other interested parties.  But Latitude 30 would be the preferred vendor for downtown development,, and to that end Cesery is still working with them.  That's what I got out of it.  Also that Latitude is looking at other downtown venues, which would still be good for downtown.

I didn't get doom and gloom from it.  Not yet at least.

[TheCat]

Did they decide to lease it?

[thelakelander]

No.  Sounds like they are playing the "we need incentives" game.  It's not smart to immediately sign a lease in a situation like that.

[Ocklawaha]

I'm betting DIA and Mayor Brown pull a rabbit out of the hat and kicks in whatever it takes to get this moving. Gotta admit it would be quite a coup.

[Timkin]

Certainly would be an interesting use for the Space.  I hope it happens eventually.