If the Northbank eyesore, known as the Berkman II Plaza, is sold, the city of Jacksonville could be the real winner.
The First Coast News On Your Side team discovered the longer the property sits vacant, the more money the city of Jacksonville is missing out on. Money that could be used to fund other important projects.
“It has become to the point where the structure has no value," Duval County Property Appraiser Jerry Holland said. His office is located blocks from the Berkman II and can be seen from his office window. “What you’re seeing is progress on hold. It's right there. It is a daily reminder."
The job of a property appraiser is to determine property values. In the case of the Northbank eyesore, Holland says the city makes less than thirty thousand dollars per year. But if the site was developed, the city could make ten times per that each year.
“What we looked at is what the value would be in the future or if it was completed for a similar project like Berkman, you would look at the taxable value of over 35 million and that where you generate the $400,000 in revenue back to the city."
Money that could be used to improve downtown.
“If you pick up an almost four hundred thousand there is a lot you can do with that from improvements to additional maintenance," Holland said.
As for now, the owners are trying to sell the property. But what comes first? Stadium
focused downtown development or the Berkman being sold?
A representative for the company that owns the deserted tower on Jacksonville’s Northbank tells First Coast News the company is actively looking to sell the 23-story building but is not planning on making any changes.
First Coast News reached out to the mayor’s office to see if his office has any more details of the plan. Mayor Lenny Curry previously pledged to include the property in Northbank redevelopment plans but has not publicly released an exact timeline for the structure’s demolition.
“It is not helping Jacksonville. It is again an image that puts us on hold," Holland said.
Mayor Lenny Curry chief of staff, Brian Hughes, said in a statement:
"Mayor Curry has long recognized the importance of downtown development to city-wide growth and vitality. As a hub, downtown is a key driver of our economic growth engine. Today, this engine received a big boost, as the mayor announced the sale of Berkman II. Following months of collaborative discussions between the mayor, Choate Construction, and a new developer, we are one step closer to our commitment of ensuring that Jacksonville’s waterfront is put to its highest use. Plans, to be announced in detail by the developer in the coming days, include a hotel, riverfront entertainment area, and parking garage. It is our understanding from the developer that the existing structure and conditions of Berkman are sound and will be integrated into planned efforts. Work is expected to begin this week. The administration is incredibly excited about this agreement, and looks forward to continued discussions with the developer to identify next steps and efforts that will enable them to reach their goals."
