FRIDAY February 26, 2021
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Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
DOWNTOWN
Hoteliers continue to recover from COVID-19
Daily Record
Seeking solutions for urban core, riverfront
JACKSONVILLE
The U.S. Marine Corps is booking every room at the Hyatt Downtown to quarantine recruits.
Daily Record Daily Record THE SHIPYARDS
JACKSONVILLE
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan is considering building a Four Seasons hotel and orthopedic medical facility on a site that includes the adjacent Kids Kampus property. The Jacksonville Museum of Science & History and USS Orleck DD886 Naval Museum also are considering moving to the area.
and virtually. City officials also heard from Jacksonville Jaguars President Mark Lamping on how team owner Shad Khan’s plans for a Four Seasons hotel and mixed-use medical development will depend on riverfront public park space. Lamping said that Khan development company Iguana Investments Florida LLC’s proposed Four Seasons hotel, orthopedic medical facility and condominium development would be a minimum $200 million private capital investment and create 500 jobs. He said Khan’s investment and job creation likely will exceed that estimate. The Jaguars president said in January that Khan wants to lead a $535 million redevelopment of a portion of the Shipyards and Metropolitan Park. Lamping said to become a destination hotel and draw business and leisure travelers, the proposed Four Seasons will SEE DOWNTOWN, PAGE 2
SEE HOTELS, PAGE 2
JACKSONVILLE
MOSH
Jaguars interest
Kids Kampus Metropolitan Park
ers and civic officials in a public roundtable that will draft recommendations for a two-year improvement effort in the urban core.
BY MIKE MENDENHALL
In a presentation at the Jacksonville Main Library, DIA CEO Lori Boyer used the agency’s Downtown Jacksonville Conceptual 2025 Redevelopment Master Plan to show how she sees proposed riverfront private and public space development being planned to complement each other. “In recent months we have repeatedly heard from members of the public and in the media that there is no master plan for Downtown and we are simply looking at projects piecemeal,” Boyer said. “In fact there is.” More than 200 people, including developers and nonprofit public park groups, attended the meeting in person
STAFF WRITER
City elected and appointed officials met with business leaders this week in two meetings to discuss short-term improvements and long-term development strategy for Downtown. On Feb. 23, the Downtown Investment Authority responded to public criticism that there is a lack of planning for land fronting the St. Johns River in a joint meeting with City Council and Downtown Development Review Board members. On Feb. 22, Mayor Lenny Curry introduced a working group of business lead-
Riverfront: Boyer says there is a master plan
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Hotel occupancy in Duval County in January was 61.8%. That’s 18% better than December, but a loss of 12.7% compared with January 2020, according to data released Feb. 19 by Visit Jacksonville. The average room rate was $78.55, down nearly $20; revenue per room was $48.52, also a loss of $20; and total room revenue in the county was $27.2 million, $11 million less than in January 2020. The data indicates that while tourism in the area continues to experience substantial negative impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, there are signs of improvement. The Arlington and Westside areas continue to see the highest occupancy and smallest revenue per room losses. Arlington hotels were almost 73% occupied and Westside hotels were more than 68% booked in January. Downtown, with the loss of convention and other group business, still is showing the largest revenue per room decline at nearly 46%. Occupancy Downtown is boosted by the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront’s more than 900 rooms being 100% booked for U.S. Marine Corps recruits who are being quarantined for two weeks before they begin basic training. Capt. Bryan McDonnell, communications officer at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, said in an email that at the onset of the pandemic, the Marines worked out of staging
USS Orleck Museum
In two meetings, city officials, business and nonprofit leaders addressed waterfront development, the homeless and other Downtown issues.
BY MAX MARBUT
Porter Mansion renovations begin The city issued a permit Feb. 19 for River City Contractors Inc. to make some initial renovations toward office use at the Porter Mansion Downtown. River City Contractors will make ADA and restroom renovations at the four-level, almost 16,000-square-foot building at 510 N. Julia St. at a cost of $200,100. JWB Real Estate Capital bought the 1.5-acre property Aug. 30 through 510 N Julia LLC for $2.6 million. JWB President Alex Sifakis said the group is working on small interior renovations. The three-story Porter Mansion, with a basement, was built as a residence after the Great Fire of 1901.
VOLUME 108, NO. 72 • ONE SECTION