Fairfield Harbortown LLC was cleared Friday to start construction on the almost $40 million, 298-unit Harbortown luxury apartment project at Atlantic Boulevard and the Intracoastal Waterway.
The City approved nine permits Friday for three four-story apartment buildings, three parking garages, maintenance and other buildings totaling a project cost of $39.2 million.
The address is 14030 Atlantic Blvd., along the Intracoastal Waterway.
Tommy Brunson, vice president of development, told the Daily Record in December that construction should take 18 months to two years. North Florida Field Services Inc. of Jacksonville is the contractor.
Brunson said Monday he would release more information soon.
He said in December that rental rates would be determined closer to completion.
"One of the things that attracted us to the site is its unique waterfront location," he said in December, adding that few other apartment developments in Jacksonville "can claim this amenity."
Brunson is based in Atlanta as the Southeast region development partner for San Diego-based Fairfield Residential Co. He said Fairfield is privately held. It is not associated with the Fairfield Inn & Suites chain.
"We view Jacksonville as a great market, so we are really excited about the opportunity," Brunson said.
He said Fairfield owns the Banyan Bay apartments nearby at 1700 San Pablo Road S. He said there are no plans for more developments, although "we are always on the lookout."
Property records show Fairfield Harbortown LLC bought property at 13846 Atlantic Blvd. from Crescent Resources LLC for $4.2 million in a sale recorded Dec. 5.
Fairfield Harbortown submitted plans to the City and the St. Johns River Water Management District for the Harbortown Apartments.
Property records show Fairfield bought five properties totaling about 14.5 acres. The parcels consist of two vacant parcels of 7.4 acres and 5.56 acres, right-of-way of 1.55 acres and some marina slips.
The number and mix of units has changed slightly over time.
Preliminary engineering plans filed in November with the City show 300 units among three buildings on 14.09 acres. Those plans show 180 one-bedroom, 107 two-bedroom and 13 three-bedroom units.
Plans filed with the St. Johns River Water Management District show 299 units among three buildings on 13.88 acres, comprising 175 one-bedroom unit, 104 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom units.
"We are still working through our design process," Brunson said in December.
Site plans show the development is bordered by Atlantic Boulevard, the Intracoastal Waterway, the marina and Riverview Drive, south of Atlantic Boulevard and west of the waterway.
The engineer is Connelly & Wicker Inc.
Connelly & Wicker posted on its cwieng.com website that it was contracted by Fairfield Residential Co. to provide zoning modification support services, site design, permitting and construction administration for a 300-unit residential apartment community.
It said the property site is 12.34 acres and includes three four-story apartment buildings with surface parking and amenities located on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Site design included design of a re-aligned road and utilities, surface parking, a stormwater collection system, a modular underground stormwater treatment system, building pads, all associated utilities and permitting, said the website.
Brunson said the site initially was designed to house condos.
Brunson said Fairfield bought the remaining vacant property, about 13 acres, within the master development at Harbortown. Fairfield did not buy any of the existing townhouse or condominium properties.
"We just bought the last parcel in the master development," he said.
Brunson said Fairfield went before the City Land Use and Zoning Committee for a minor modification at the property.
The Harbortown project began taking shape in 2003, when three developers acquired the Pablo Creek Marina at the Intracoastal Waterway along Atlantic Boulevard to develop the estimated $120 million to $150 million Harbortown at Pablo Creek commercial, residential and marina project.
A Florida Times-Union report from May 2003 shows that Centex Homes, Crescent Resources LLC and JLC Suncoast Realty LLC paid almost $16.51 million for the site. They bought the property from Moody Truck Center Inc. The 70.2-acre marina property included 29 acres that were slated to remain as passive recreation and open space.
EverBank Center adding tenants
The City is reviewing permits for two tenants at the 301 W. Bay St. EverBank Center tower.
Auld & White Constructors LLC is shown as the contractor for Executive Suite Professionals LLC and for the Law Offices of Gerald Wilkerson.
Executive Suite Professionals is planned in more than 15,000 square feet on the 14th floor at a project cost of $896,700, the application shows. Its website is ExecutiveSuiteProfessionals.com. The website shows the operation will open in July.
Gerald Wilkerson's offices are planned in 1,194 square feet of space on the 10th floor at the project cost of $86,000.
VyStar renovating former First Guaranty in Riverside
VyStar Credit Union is taking steps to renovate the former First Guaranty Bank and Trust Co. building in Riverside.
The City is reviewing plans for the VyStar Credit Union Riverside Branch renovations at 760 Riverside Ave. Dana B. Kenyon Co. is shown as the contractor for the renovations of the two-story building at a project cost of $221,777.
Plans show interior renovations of 12,730 square feet of space. Reynolds, Smith & Hills Inc. is the project designer.
The City recently approved signs for the project.
As reported in February, Jacksonville-based VyStar Credit Union bought the former First Guaranty Bank and Trust Co. of Jacksonville property for $1.5 million from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which was appointed the receiver for First Guaranty.
Records show the two-story, 13,500-square-foot building and property carried a 2012 taxable value of $1.85 million.
The Daily Record reported in October that property records showed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. had recently sold several former First Guaranty Bank and Trust Co. properties, including another to VyStar at 10903 Baymeadows Road for $1.64 million.
Correction: The Friday column about St. Patrick Catholic Church incorrectly said the school began in 1984. It began in 1964.
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