TUESDAY November 3, 2020
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Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
City condemned Berkman Plaza II Daily Record in August, threatened demolition JACKSONVILLE
The action against owner 500 East Bay LLC comes as a development company plans to buy and implode the high-rise.
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BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
THE MATHIS REPORT
The city of Jacksonville condemned the Berkman Plaza II in August and began taking steps to demolish it, despite a developer’s desire to implode the unfinished 18-story high-rise. The order came within days of 500 East Bay LLC completing contract negotiations with developer Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization LLC, which plans to purchase and then level the abandoned 18-story building for a mixed-use project. The Municipal Code Compliance Division posted an order Oct. 5 condemning the property at 500 E. Bay St., citing unsafe conditions and warning the owner it could be subject to removal by the city. This followed an Aug. 28 condemnation notice the division mailed to the Berkman II ownership company, stating it had 30 days to correct the violations at the site, or demolish the building, or it could be subject to being torn down by the city. The notice said the cost of the city’s work would be filed against 500 East Bay as a municipal lien or special tax fine and the issue would be heard by a special magistrate judge. According to Duval County Clerk of Courts records, the magistrate upheld possible fines from the city of $500 per day related to the condemnation at a Sept. 24 hearing that representatives from 500 E. Bay did not attend. 500 East Bay filed an appeal of the judge’s order Oct. 16 in the 4th Judicial Circuit Court in Jacksonville.
TEARING DOWN THE BERKMAN Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization, which plans to buy the unfinished Berkman Plaza II at 500 E. Bay St. Downtown, filed a permit application Oct. 26 to demolish the structure at a project cost of $1 million.
JACKSONVILLE
Rooms To Go plans biggest new concept
JACKSONVILLE
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A spokesperson in the city Office of Public Affairs said in an Oct. 29 email that officials have not set a date for the city to raze the Berkman II. “The City still has several steps to complete in the demolition process prior to the actual demolition, so we plan to continue on that path and encourage the property owner to do the same,” the email states. “The City can stop its process once the property owner demolishes the property on its own.” Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization filed a permit application Oct. 26 to demolish the Berkman II at a project cost of $1 million. The application is under review, according to the city Building Inspection Division. Jim Bergman, principal Berkman II owner through 500 East
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Bay, said Sept. 10 that the shell structure and property is under contract with the Jacksonvillebased management company. Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization intends to redevelop the property with retail use, a 300unit residential component and public park space. 500 East Bay filed a lawsuit Oct. 30 against the city through attorney Alexander Cvercko of Cvercko & Associates, alleging the condemnation violated due process and seeking an injunction from the court. The complaint states the city’s Aug. 28 order was vague and failed to provide notice that it can be appealed. “The Condemnation Notice further states that the structure
"The City still has several steps to complete in the demolition process prior to the actual demolition, so we plan to continue on that path and encourage the property owner to do the same.” City of Jacksonville email
Furniture company buys the former Toys R Us space at Town Center. Rooms To Go bought the former Toys R Us building at The Markets at Town Center on Oct. 30 and intends to renovate it as its new concept. In addition to its current furniture line, Rooms To Go is adding an expanded children’s section and a 9,000-square-foot area for outdoor patio furniture. At 74,000 square feet with a 55,000-square-foot showroom, the 4875 Town Center Parkway location will be the company’s largest new concept store. By comparison, the Avenues-area store is 41,000 square feet. “We love Jacksonville. It’s a very good market for Rooms To Go. We were just waiting for the right location to do it,” said CEO Jeffrey Seaman on Oct. 30. He hopes to start construction in late winter and complete it about six months later. Seaman said Jacksonville shoppers will be happy with the selection. “I think people are entertaining at home more because of COVID and just being careful,” he said. The structure was available for lease, but Seaman said Rooms To Go prefers to own it considering the investment in the project. He declined to provide the purchase price or the investment
SEE BERKMAN, PAGE 2
SEE MATHIS, PAGE 2
City issues $108M permit for FIS HQ A new 12-story headquarters along Riverside Avenue is going vertical, meaning the structure will take shape and add its presence to the Downtown skyline. The city issued a permit Oct. 29 for Gilbane Building Co. to build the headquarters structure above the foundation for Jacksonville-based Fidelity National Information Services Inc. at a job cost of $108.1 million. Gilbane is constructing the 386,613-square-foot riverfront headquarters on 4.5 acres at 347 Riverside Ave. in the Brooklyn area of Downtown. It also will build a parking garage at the site.
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