Eagle Development Inc. has topped out its 12-story Acquilus Luxury Condominiums in Jacksonville Beach, FL, and is on schedule for occupancy in August.
Eagle is the developer and general contractor for the $21-million project, which has been under construction since February 2003.
When finished, the 169,375-sq.-ft. (15,244 sq m) Acquilus Luxury Condominiums will house 48 units with four residences per floor, each overlooking the beach and ocean. The one, two and three bedroom units will vary from 1,775 sq. ft. (160 sq m) to 2,400 sq. ft. (216 sq m) of air-conditioned space.
The project also includes a separate enclosed parking garage that has a covered entry to the main building, and each unit comes with one garage space. Situated on top of the parking garage will be an elevated pool deck and heated pool at the third floor level. A club and fitness center and management area will be located next to the pool area as well.
The building is constructed of concrete masonry and a precast sound-insulated masonry wall system. The exterior will be made of synthetic stucco, or EIFS, which is manufactured by Dryvit Systems Inc. Jacksonville-based Cote Architectural Designs supplied the design for the building.
So far, workers have topped out the building and are working on the interior. Dry wall through the sixth floor has been completed and finishes, including cabinetry, up to the fourth floor currently are being installed.
Mike Wallace, project manager of Fernandina Beach, FL-based Eagle Development, said, “We’re basically in the process of finishing up the main garage area, pool area and amenity package.”
Currently, Jacksonville Crane & Machinery has a 125-ton (112.5 t) Kobelco tower crane on the job site that is being used to build the main, 12-story structure. It will be on site for another month,Wallace said.
Gate Concrete Products Company is providing the precast floor system from its structural precast plant in Jacksonville.
“We have used big hydraulic cranes to set the precast flooring system,” said Wallace.
The company has supplied 70-ton (63 t) and 100-ton (90 t) hydraulic Terex cranes, which are being used to set slabs. According to Wallace, the company may even bring in a 250-ton (225 t) crane if needed.
Another concrete subcontractor, E.C. Concrete Inc. of Jacksonville, is performing the entire cast-in-place concrete work.
In addition to all units having oceanfront views, the amenity package includes insulated tinted windows, and windows and sliding doors that will be wood cased with wood trim. The ceilings will have sheetrock with knock down finish, plus each bedroom will have a different style of ceiling, such as single step, double step, coffer, tray or beam.
The interior’s flooring will be covered in tile in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, foyer, balcony and lanai. Carpeting will be installed in the bedrooms, living room and closets. Additionally, the foyer, hallway, living room, dining room, and master bedrooms will have 4-in. (11.4 cm) crown molding.
Since construction began, the workers have not had to deal with any major obstacles, most importantly no hurricanes have hit the area.
However, in March the winds blew at almost hurricane force along the oceanfront. Wallace said this posed a problem because the high wind speeds will shut off the tower cranes.
He explained, “We had winds over 50 miles per hour, and with a tower crane, it is unsafe to [operate] it with that type of wind.”
Despite the March winds, Wallace said that the luxury high-rise condominiums will be ready by the end of summer, and “we’re pretty much online with what we anticipated.”
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