JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Laura Street Trio, three buildings downtown that were constructed after the Great Fire in 1901, is a part of Jacksonville’s history.
The buildings have sat empty for decades with promises of redevelopment, and recently the Laura Street Trio has started another firestorm of sorts with the current owner and the city going round and round on redevelopment.
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Word downtown on Wednesday was that something is about to happen.
Sources have said that the developer and the city are close to yet another agreement, but no one is talking on the record.
News4JAX has heard from several sources that there could be loans and incentives for the project that could total close to $67 million from the city, but nothing has been decided.
Councilman Matt Carlucci has been pushing for the trio redevelopment from the start.
“As a friend of mine said, this is kind of like Moby Dick, you know, and but I think maybe we got the harpoon in this time, and we’re going to reel it in,” Carlucci said.
The head of the Downtown Investment Authority, Lori Boyer, said there is not a lot to report about the project except that there was a cordial meeting last week with developer Steve Atkins and they are awaiting a response on a new deal.
News4JAX asked the mayor’s office and Atkins for comment but they did not immediately respond.