Luxury hotel, 200 apartments and retail coming to site of former Ambassador Hote

[Steve]

Well this doesn’t suck:

A St. Augustine-based development company has purchased five parcels of downtown land that includes the abandoned Ambassador Hotel.

The developers plan to renovate the hotel — which is on the National Register of Historic Places — and build 200 apartments and 15,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space nearby.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/07/13/luxury-hotel-200-apartments-and-retail-coming-to.html?ana=e_jac_bn_exclusive&u=L7p4RmGNN8OFDbqDKooLdw0da09ae7&t=1531518475&j=82692841

[thelakelander]

Nice! That's a site and street that could really use an economic shot in the arm.

[KenFSU]

What a way to end the week.

Absolutely love the Ambassador building, cannot wait to see it restored, and thrilled that they're eager to move fast.

Between this and the Jones Furniture project, that's two blocks right in the heart of the urban core brought back to life.

Don't know the proper name of the building, but I've heard there's interest in the five-story building between the Ambassador and Jones Furniture as well (the one behind the Federal Reserve).

Quite the nice little murderers' row of rooftop bars we're looking at here, either on or a block or two off Laura Street.

1) Ambassador Hotel
2) Marriott at the Trio
3) Hotel Indigo
4) Cowford Chophouse
5) An additional rooftop restaurant/bar in the works, far enough along that renders and cost estimates exist

Really, really solid month for downtown Jax, between the Ambassador, the Barnett flying along, the District sale closing, the McCoys Creek allocations, the parking lot sale, etc.

Plus, the convention center RFP closes in two weeks.

I give full credit to the new website

[Steve]

If all of those actually open, a year after that I’ll need to go to meetings.

[Steve]

Also, though (rightfully) panned the renderings for the Residence Inn in Brooklyn has a rooftop bar.

[KenFSU]

Also, per the article, the building adjacent to the Ambassador (404 N. Julia) will be demolished to make way for 200 apartments with ground-level retail. Seems like a crazy high number of units for that parcel unless they go like 15+ stories. I wonder what the parking plan is for 300+ vehicles?

[heights unknown]

Well this doesn’t suck:

A St. Augustine-based development company has purchased five parcels of downtown land that includes the abandoned Ambassador Hotel.

The developers plan to renovate the hotel — which is on the National Register of Historic Places — and build 200 apartments and 15,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space nearby.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/07/13/luxury-hotel-200-apartments-and-retail-coming-to.html?ana=e_jac_bn_exclusive&u=L7p4RmGNN8OFDbqDKooLdw0da09ae7&t=1531518475&j=82692841

What sucks? THIS is great news. Glad they are saving the Ambassador. Lot of memories in that basement bar for me LOL.

[heights unknown]

Also, per the article, the building adjacent to the Ambassador (404 N. Julia) will be demolished to make way for 200 apartments with ground-level retail. Seems like a crazy high number of units for that parcel unless they go like 15+ stories. I wonder what the parking plan is for 300+ vehicles?

So Ken; that parcel for the apartment units is small? How small is it? Is it possible they will have a few stories for parking underneath the apartments/tower (if it is a tower as you say)?

[KenFSU]

^I don't know anything beyond what's in the article, but to build 200 apartments and 15,000 square feet of retail (twice the size of the Carling, for context} on that parcel, even with offsite parking, they'd have to go pretty vertical.

[Steve]

Also, per the article, the building adjacent to the Ambassador (404 N. Julia) will be demolished to make way for 200 apartments with ground-level retail. Seems like a crazy high number of units for that parcel unless they go like 15+ stories. I wonder what the parking plan is for 300+ vehicles?

Just looked at the parcel. In comparison, 11 E has about that many apartments but no where near that much retail. Oh, and 11E is 17 floors. They probably don’t have to go that high, but they might.

Regardless, this development both in size and importance is, as our friend at Fucillo Nissan would say....

[Charles Hunter]

According to the Property Appraiser's page, the 404 parcel is just over 17,000 square feet, with about 209 feet of frontage along Duval.  https://paopropertysearch.coj.net/Basic/Detail.aspx?RE=0738020000

[howfam]

^I don't know anything beyond what's in the article, but to build 200 apartments and 15,000 square feet of retail (twice the size of the Carling, for context} on that parcel, even with offsite parking, they'd have to go pretty vertical.

KenFSU: Then lets go vertical.  It's about time for a flurry of high rise construction in downtown, and that spot is just right for a 15-20 story high rise with parking underneath.

[remc86007]

I'd love for the city to see some high rise construction. I think it can't be overstated the positive impression of a city and its economy when people see serious cranes in action.

[MusicMan]

KenFSU  what is "the parking lot sale" you mention?

St Joe sold a parcel immediately behind the new courthouse on Duval Street. 541 Duval Street to be exact. Is that the one?

[edjax]

KenFSU  what is "the parking lot sale" you mention?

St Joe sold a parcel immediately behind the new courthouse on Duval Street. 541 Duval Street to be exact. Is that the one?

Assuming the parking lot next to Omni that sold this week to the Miami developer.