JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Contractors broke ground Thursday marking the official start of construction of the first phase of One Riverside project in the Brooklyn neighborhood.
One Riverside, which is a multifamily project that consists of retail shops including Whole Foods, restaurants and apartments, will be built where the former Times-Union building once stood.
Phase one of the One Riverside redevelopment project includes the development of new luxury apartments across Northbank.
Live Oak Contracting is the contractor for the new two seven-story apartment buildings with 270 units. An eight-story parking garage to house over 600 vehicles is also planned for construction.
“It’s Jacksonville’s time to shine,” John Paul Bertozzi, president and founder of Live Oak Contracting, said.
Bertozzi believes this will be a project that people talk about for the next 10 years.
According to Live Oak Contacting, the project costs around $83 million.
Demolition of the 55-year-old Times-Union building began in early May. In February, an Atlanta-based developer purchased the site for the $250 million redevelopment project.
City council members spoke about the need for housing in the Riverside area, and the companies involved in the development said it can help grow Downtown.
City Councilwoman Joyce Morgan said she’s optimistic about the project because there isn’t enough housing in the city.
“We do have some citizens who are concerned in the Brooklyn area, who always say ‘you’re making these buildings, but then we’re not going to be able to afford them,” Morgan said. “So, we have to work on it from a holistic standpoint.”
Bertozzi said the city is growing and will expand on the opportunities for people to afford living in developments such as One Riverside.
“From the One Riverside products to the VISTA product to what American Lines is going to be doing to what Shad Khan is going to be doing on the other end of downtown, all of that is going to be catalyst to continue to grow and continue to support Jacksonville,” Bertozzi said.
According to the contractors, the riverfront apartments will include amenities such as a podcast room, dog wash stations, clubhouse, riverfront fitness center, and “sky lounge” rooftop decks. Residents will also have access to a riverfront pool with a hot tub spa, grill stations, bicycles and improved entry to the Riverwalk.
The contracts also said connecting One Riverside to downtown will be like what Atlanta’s beltline has accomplished with neighborhood identity and cultural communities.
The first phase is set to be completed at the end of 2024.