below are some google earth images that I’ve taken to see what this tower will look like within the surrounding urban context. it butts up to two existing buildings, one of which, the old Ambassador Hotel, has been set for renovation for quite some time. the addition of a project like this could spur major redevelopment in the area, especially with the ongoing construction of the new duval county courthouse just one block away.
jacksonville’s commercial development, especially downtown, has been nearly non-existent in recent years, mostly due to the economic situation, but also because of roadblocks that seem to be built into the local system. Mostly local development has been limited to new businesses entering old storefronts, which is important, but the number of stalled projects that haven’t been completed is amazing in the Core. if they city, any city, is really serious about ensuring economic prosperity, then they’ll have to encourage more development like this and remove some roadblocks that hinder developers from coming here.
r | one studio architecture 