http://www.tallahassee.com/story/money/2017/01/12/158-million-redevelopment-proposal-targets-cascade-park-area/96486572/
North American Properties is proposing a $158 million sale and redevelopment of the Firestone and Bloxham Annex buildings outside of Cascades Park near the intersection of Gaines and Gadsden Streets. A conceptual plan outlines apartments, a hotel, restaurants, office and retail space and cultural and event space. (Photo: Joe Rondone/Democrat)
The project also requires an urban planned unit development agreement that's a zoning process giving the developer some flexibility to come up with a creative project for the area. It also provides more certainty on how it will be built, look and function.
The Meridian Point Plaza would be the epicenter for activity. Redevelopment would first take place at the Firestone Building, followed by the Bloxham building. People could be living in the 300 units of one- and two-bedroom flats and studio apartments in about three years, along with 64 units for two- to three-bedroom brownstone townhouses with stairway stoops leading to the sidewalk.
According to the RFP, the housing would be mid-rise apartments and many units would overlook the park and downtown.
"Housing types will seek to appeal to multi-generational users and reduce the number of absentee owners in downtown Tallahassee, bringing diversity and activity," the RFP states.
The restaurant could be 7,000 square feet or less or there could be a mix of restaurant or entertainment uses. By comparison, The Edison within the park is about 5,000 square feet.
Another major component includes connectivity from downtown to the park. The project calls for broad pedestrian-friendly sidewalks.
The original 1960 letters from civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due and other historical writings may be showcased on the outside of Firestone Building, the old county jail tower. In February 1960, Due and her sister, Priscilla Stephens, refused to pay a fine for sitting at a Woolworth's "White only" lunch counter and spent 49 days in one of the nation's first nonviolent jail-ins.
"We are excited about the potential to continue our work in Tallahassee with the development of an iconic, mixed-use destination that captures the spirit of Tallahassee and leverages the public investment in Cascades Park," McIntyre said. "Should the CRA decide to move forward with our proposal, we anticipate working closely with the city and various community stakeholders to determine the firm and final vision for the project."
NAP, which has more than $1 billion of development in six states, plans to partner with Uptown Rental Properties. Together they've developed four mixed-use developments on Florida State University's border along Gaines Street. They include The Axis, The Block, Block C and The Deck, which make up "Stadium Centre."
The company also completed mixed-use projects like the SODO in Orlando, Avalon in Alpharetta, Georgia, Atlantic Station in Atlanta and Southwest Station in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The CRA's first attempt to attract a viable developer was too restrictive, city officials said. The second proposal carved out room for details to be finalized later if it moves forward.
At 24 acres, Cascades Park is Tallahassee's version of Central Park disguised as a massive storm-water facility in a public park. The $34-million infrastructure project was paid for with Blueprint sales tax funds and it may stimulate economic development, just like Gaines Street.
“I just keep getting amazed every time I see the interests. When they came in with this proposal, it was more than we could even think about at the time,” said Wayne Tedder, assistant city manager for development services and economic vitality, of the park's early planning. “We certainly thought that residential was an important component and commercial, kind of activating that area and basically creating a sense of place at Cascades Park.”
“They have all of the components that you would think would be a vital green space area,” Tedder said. "We’ve opened it up to be utilized in various forms and fashions and low and behold we have a developer’s interest in capitalizing on that infrastructure investment that the city and county commissioners made years ago. And that was part of the original Blueprint projects.”
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