The Ford on Bay

[edjax]

I see where the Daily Record just posted what the DIA will be voting on with regard to the specifics for the development requirements for the old City Hall and Courthouse area.  I’d bring over the article but not too good at that so perhaps someone can post it.

[marcuscnelson]

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/former-downtown-courthouse-city-hall-sites-branded-the-ford-on-bay

Former Downtown courthouse, City Hall sites branded ‘The Ford on Bay’
Terms released by the DIA give developers specific requirements for ground-level retail.

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Proposed terms for developing the former Duval County Courthouse and City Hall properties released Thursday by the Downtown Investment Authority give detailed requirements on the amount of retail space expected at the site.

The DIA board will consider a resolution Wednesday to approve the scope of a request for proposals to develop the vacant 8.38-acre green space at 220, 330 E. Bay St. and adjacent land submerged under the St. Johns River —  now collectively named The Ford on Bay.

The terms state that bids to develop one, a combination of two or all three of The Ford on Bay parcels will be accepted. However, the DIA will not accept a proposal to develop only the submerged parcel.

If approved by the DIA board, the authority will issue the request for proposals Oct. 21 and award the project by Feb. 20, 2020.

Marketing material created by firm CBRE Jacksonville for the DIA to lure developers to the project also was released Thursday. It provides a breakdown of each parcel — the former City Hall site at 2.39 acres; the former courthouse parcel at 5.99 acres; and submerged land on the St. Johns River at 3.1 acres.

DIA officials say the development will be mixed-use and could include office, open space and hotel.

Where the term sheet is specific is in the amount of retail expected in the development.

All buildings facing East Bay Street require “a vertical mix of uses” and ground-floor retail — that includes restaurants and merchants.

According to the DIA, 80% of East Bay Street buildings’ frontage at the site must be retail. Of that, 62.5% of the retail must be street level while the remaining required retail can be on the second floor.

“At a minimum, the proposal shall include at least one semi-public use such as a sidewalk cafe or patio seating along Bay Street,” the terms state.

Both retail and multifamily residential will be required components of any proposal to build The Ford on Bay. The DIA will show preference to proposals with high-density residential, according to the terms, but there is no specific number of residential units.

DIA staff envision the submerged parcel on the St. Johns River as a marina. Developers must include “a material number” of slips dedicated to visiting boaters and commercial vendors at part of their marina proposal.

Respondents also are required to indicate the number and size of the slips and which are for public or private use.

Developers interested in building on all three sites are required to have experience with a singular $120 million capital project of at least 650,000 square feet.

Included in the DIA’s vote Wednesday will be consideration of a development timeline and scoring criteria for bids on the Downtown riverfront property.

The full bid timeline is as follows:

• Issue public bid notice: Oct. 21

• Pre-proposal conference: Nov. 5,

• Written questions from bidders due: Nov. 12

• Written answers from DIA due: Nov. 21

• Bids due: Jan. 21

• Oral presentations for short-listed respondents: Jan. 30

• Evaluation Committee recommendation to the scoring committee: Feb. 10

• DIA Board proposal selection: Feb. 19

• Award posted: Feb. 20

The DIA wants development to begin within 120 days of the property closing and “all phases much commence” within two years of that date.

CBRE created the name The Ford on Bay for its marketing material, stating “it is the site of former river crossings where Native Americans and travelers would cross.”

The DIA Board will at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Lynwood Roberts Room at City Hall, 117 W. Duval St.

[marcuscnelson]

I don't see why we needed to demolish the existing buildings before doing this.

Since it looks like we won't really see anything on this until next year, I don't really have any strong feelings about it. What's done is done. I hope whatever they put there is nice.

[Kiva]

"The Ford on Bay" what kind if idiot marketing is that? You are referring to Cowford?

[blizz01]

Yes.  Context provided above.

[marcuscnelson]

CBRE created the name The Ford on Bay for its marketing material, stating “it is the site of former river crossings where Native Americans and travelers would cross.”

[Ken_FSU]

I dig the name, and like the plan.

Looking forward to seeing what comes back.

[thelakelander]

Would have liked them to leave the convention center component in the RFP, as opposed to requiring residential. Could have given the city hall annex away to a residential developer if residential density was really a priority. Seriously doubt anything proposed will be denser or taller. Other than that, let me know when something real is proposed and we can take a closer look then.

[Captain Zissou]

Names I like better than The Ford on Bay:

Lenny's Lawn
The Former Courthouse and City Hall Annex Site
The two blocks south of Bay and West of the Plaza at Berkman and one submerged property which used to be the site of the courthouse parking lot
The Grass Patch
The Bro-town Chill Zone
Downtown Bro-Down
The Place that will undoubtedly house the homeless for the next two years
A Great Place to Play Ultimate Frisbee that Only Cost $35M to Make
The Clusterf*ck
220 East Bay Street
The Suck
sadjknbsadxjkb

[Steve]

I mean the name is whatever - I suppose if you want to brand the RFP then fine. I still think the RFP should have included a convention center/exhibit hall option.

I suppose unless explicitly excluded a respondent could propose it so long as they met the rest of the RFP requirements....but considering that I can't imagine a facility like that making money on it's own the COJ isn't going to kick in anything for that.

I am glad they seem to be mandating retail, so I'll reserve judgement for the proposals themselves.

I think the whole RFP is fine.

Now......If you didn't want the Convention Center, I cannot understand why this exact RFP couldn't be issued even prior to these buildings being vacated. I suppose the answer is the fact that the Civic Council endorsed the Convention Center plan until Curry and Khan didn't like that.

Now, the Civic Council has gone underground like government holed up in a bunker during a nuclear war, but that's a separate issue.

Even still....there's no reason this exact RFP couldn't be issued with the buildings standing. Perhaps you do the asbestos abatement and stop there.

[vicupstate]

I don't care for the name. I don't know why an RFP would be used to name it as anything. Leave that to the eventual owner. I wouldn't be surprised if they did.  Knowing the city's legal history, it is probably an infringement on Ford Motor Company.

The Convention Center ship has sailed (into Metro Park). The only way it is going anywhere else is if someone buys the Jags. 

Is this open to the public? If so, it would be the first indicator of the level of interest:
• Pre-proposal conference: Nov. 5,

[Charles Hunter]

About the name, when I saw the headline, "Ford on Bay" I thought it was about the old Ford plant under the Mathews Bridge, and someone made an error on the location.

I think pre-proposal meetings are open to the public, but wouldn't swear to it.

[Pastor Eric Wester]

About the name...gauging by tonight's activities, function points to another possible name:  overflow parking area for pickup trucks and motorcycles hitting Bay Street night venues. Friday night means more than a score of motorcycles and a row or two of cars and trucks. I knew The Lawn wouldn't last long.

[Bativac]

I don't see why we needed to demolish the existing buildings before doing this.

This is like asking why the sun must set before it rises. This is Jacksonville. It's what Jacksonville....does. The site must be razed to the ground at public expense before seeing if maybe anybody wants to buy it.

I'm visiting next week for the first time in a year and am excited to check out the new vacant lots downtown!

[Kerry]

I don't think I have ever heard/seen any City go to this length to brand and publicize an RFP.  It is a freaking RFP.  The local news media has run several stories on it already which makes people think something is already happening.  What the hell?  How about getting some proposals first.