Councilman: Fix for Berkman II depends on pension vote

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Andrew Beaudoin lives and works at The Plaza, a luxurious condo community right on the St. Johns River with great views, but not all the views are good.

“It's a shame, because you spend really good money buying an excellent unit, and you have to wake up and look at an eye sore,” said Beaudoin.

The eyesore he’s referring to is called the Berkman Plaza II, which sits just steps away on prime real estate, and right next to the property Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan wants to develop.

“It's difficult to show someone a unit, and they look out the window and they have an incomplete structure,” said Beaudoin.

The building's troubled past dates back to 2007, when its parking garage partially collapsed, killing a local father and injuring 21 others.

More than eight years later, it's still there, unfinished, and barbed wire does little to keep people out.

“We had someone who was up on the 17th floor doing yoga. How they got there, I don't know, it’s not a safe structure,” said Beaudoin.

Action News Jax requested the calls for service at the Berkman II and found that since 2013, JSO has been called out 803 times.

The current owners in Atlanta, Choate Construction, declined a request for an interview, but the COO said they’re waiting on a fair offer to sell it.

Councilman Reggie Gaffney, who represents the area, said the Berkman II is at the top of his list of concerns.

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“If you look at my district, I have more commercial real estate sitting there than anybody in the city, and so I’m frustrated like them,” said Gaffney.

But Gaffney admits it depends on whether the city can play a role in either tearing it down or providing incentives to develop it.

According to Gaffney, it comes down to money they don't have.

“If things go well with the pension, that will relieve some cash and some flexibility for this administration,” said Gaffney.

Gaffney said the city has opted not to continue imposing fines on the owners for code violations in a good faith effort to move the project forward.

“We believe we can develop this project faster with them willing to work with us,” said Gaffney.

According to a city public records request, code violations at the property date back to 2009. A city spokesperson said there is no record of payments received for administrative fines from 2013, totaling $116,750.

“It shouldn't be on the backs of Jacksonville taxpayers, or the folks who live in the general vicinity, to have to shoulder the burden of looking at that amazing piece of blight,” said Beaudoin.

Cox Media Group