A South Florida
developer is seeking $19 million in incentives from the city to
build two apartment towers and an office building on the Southbank.
That request will go before the Jacksonville Economic Development
Commission at tomorrow's meeting.
The proposed development agreement caps about nine months of
discussions between officials of American Land Housing Group of
North Miami Beach and the city for American Land's $146 million
project. It will be called The Strand at St. Johns Place.
American Land, a developer of rental communities in South
Florida, has plans to build a two-phase luxury apartment development
that will rival the height of the city's tallest buildings. The
rents will range from $1,000 to $2,000 a month.
"I think it will be a beautiful project and centerpiece for the
Southbank," said Kirk Wendland, the JEDC's executive director.
American Land officials did not return telephone messages
yesterday to discuss the development agreement. However, company
officials previously said the project is attractive because
Jacksonville is focusing on revitalizing downtown by encouraging
residential growth.
Here's the breakdown of the incentives package:
The first phase of the project includes a 32-story apartment
tower with 362 apartments built over a 622-space parking deck. For
that phase of the development, American Land would receive a $7.5
million economic development grant and be reimbursed $4 million for
the reconstruction of a part of the Southbank river walk.
The second phase would receive a $7.5 million economic
development grant. That phase of the project would consist of a
36-story apartment tower consisting of 346 apartments. It would be
built over a 412-space parking structure. Also, there would be a
seven-story, 85,000-square-foot office building built over six
levels of 258 parking spaces. There will be about 10,000 square feet
of retail space on the ground floor of the office tower.
American Land will develop the project through a limited
liability company, St. Johns Center LLC. The proposed project is
planned to be built on 3.78 acres of land between the Riverplace
Tower building and the Radisson Riverwalk Hotel and Conference
Center.
Company officials have not set a date for the start of
construction.
Tomorrow's JEDC meeting will be at 9 a.m. at the Prime Osborn
Convention Center, 1000 W. Water St., Room 101.
If approved tomorrow, the development plan will have to go before
the City Council for a final approval.
Staff writer Earl Daniels can be reached at or via
e-mail at edaniels.
