With a goal to break ground this year, Iguana Investments Florida LLC submitted civil engineering plans to the city for the Shipyards Hotel & Residences and the office building it plans along the Downtown Northbank Riverfront near TIAA Bank Field.
The plans show Iguana, the development affiliate of the Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, proposes a 174-room, 12-story hotel, expected to be a Four Seasons; a parking garage below it; a 25-unit, 12-story residential building; and a six-story office building.
Jacksonville-based England, Thims & Miller Inc. is the civil engineer. HKS Architects Inc. is the architect.
The hotel and residences are planned on 5.1 acres and the office building is on the adjacent 2.97 acres, both addressed as 1406 Gator Bowl Blvd.
The office building is along Gator Bowl Boulevard. It fronts the street, with a proposed marina support parcel behind on it next to a waterfront marina.
In more detail:
The hotel and residence parcel includes food and beverage venues including a 3,392-square-foot all-day dining area; a 5,129-square-foot lobby bar; a 2,368-square-foot river club; and a 2,068-square-foot signature restaurant.
The office parcel comprises the 153,626-square-foot building with 97,416 square feet of leasable space and a 4,618-square-foot coffee shop.
Plans show 250 parking spaces comprising 166 for the hotel and 84 for the residences.
The plans say the office building parking will be provided at Lot J.
The plans were submitted to the city May 6.
On Oct. 14, 2001, the Downtown Development Review Board granted conceptual approval of the plans.
The board is scheduled to take a vote May 12 on the final designs for Khan’s estimated $321 million project.
Plans by the Dallas-based HKS Architects show a 12-level hotel and residences including a proposed rooftop restaurant and amenities.
The Four Seasons brand flag continues to be included in some project renderings, although Khan and the Jaguars have not announced a naming rights agreement with the five-star hotel chain.
Jaguars President Mark Lamping told the Downtown Investment Authority board in June 2021 that Iguana expects “a longer-term agreement” from the Four Seasons in Jacksonville.
DIA officials expect to close on a land deal with Iguana by the end of May to build the Four Seasons-anchored project on the former Kids Kampus park.
The renderings say the public would have access to the Four Seasons restaurant and bar terrace on the 11th level; riverfront food and beverage amenity deck; dining terrace; fire and cascading water features; Riverwalk entrance; and “beach lounge.”
The Jacksonville Four Seasons also would feature a spa and an event ballroom with a terrace at the northeast corner of the building.
The DDRB and City Council granted deviations in 2021 that allow the Four Seasons site to have a wider distance between river view corridors than the code typically allows.
Council granted the deviation in October 2021 as part of a $114 million public incentives bill.
The site plans show Iguana also accounts for a dedicated lane for autonomous public transit vehicles, part of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s Ultimate Urban Circulator project.
On May 3, the Jaguars announced it hired Drew Frick, former president of Gate Petroleum Co.’s real estate subsidiary, to lead the team’s Downtown development plans.
Frick, senior vice president of real estate development, started the job in April to coordinate projects including the Sports Performance Center, now under construction; Shipyards development; and future projects.
On May 6, the Jaguars and Iguana Investments announced Orlando-based PCL Construction is the hotel, residences and office building’s construction manager.
