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jjoshjl

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Posts posted by jjoshjl

  2. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted

    San Francisco is my dream city... Personally, its my favorite city, well, anywhere... Being a programmer, i just have to droll at all the possibilities there with Silicon Valley so close.. Maybe even one day get a job working at M5 Industries!!!! (are you listening Jammie Hyneman?!!!)

    That being said, I'm just going to have to limit myself to listening to Radio [email protected] through I-Tunes....

    Ahhh... to live in SF

    Cheers

  4. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted

    http://www.morningnewsonline.com/midatlant...09-25-0024.html

    Its stuff like this that makes my blood boil.. NIMBYs!...

    Some people really have NO clue what it means to be a city. While the area in question is out near TV Road, and not quite as developed, the logic behind these people is absolutely egregious. What in the world is Urban Sprawl anyway... Let me see, this means higher density population, things closer together, street interaction becomes possible if done right.Increased cultural diversity, REDUCTION in traffic due to less SUB-urban sprawl...

    Yea, I can see how this is a bad thing...

    Don't get me wrong, I love seeing houses going up as well, but incorporate that into the plan if you want single family properties as well.. Have a mixed use environment...

    If anyone is interested in trying to make Florence a better place... here is your chance... email those involved. Tell them to move forward with multi family properties. Tell them the benefits, and the disadvantages of succumbing to low density, suburban sprawl.

    Take a stand people... it needs to start somewhere...

    Cheers

  5. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted

    If we can pull it off and get the performing arts district up and running like the rendering shows, it will go a long way to boosting the DT area. Looks like it is trying to start getting some street level interaction going on.. critical requirement if you ask me.

    Also good to hear about NBC affiliate...

    Here's to Hoping

  7. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted

    QVC opened up, i hear a roundabout figure of 900 employees by next year and 1200-1500 in the next few years. this sounds good and i'm all for it, im still worried that it does not provide the kind of skilled labor outside the medical profession that our community needs to grow outside of being a low-cost labor leader. force protection would have probably been a step in the right direction had it happened. i think we will get some

    announcements later in the year.

    One of the things to consider with places like this, though a majority of the employees will just be service based type, The technology behind these type of facilities needs a very decent amount of labor as well. Perfect place for someone in the IT or Telecommunications field to look for a job. These are generally high paying jobs as well. Just keep in mind, places like this need support staff as well and those are generally better paying jobs. I wouldn't doubt if at least 10% of those jobs are in the higher paying bracket, so at full steam, that would mean about 120 to 150 high paying jobs. May not sound like a lot, but thats over 100 we didnt have before

    Cheers

  8. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted

    Hmmm..

    We all know that there isnt much movement of any kind going on downtown... But part of the problem is awareness. People just don't think about downtown because its been a write off for so many years.

    That being said,

    We can't wait on the Government to do something. If thats what you guys are waiting on, then it will be a long wait. That isn't a slap at Florence, because this applies to EVERY city. People have no reason to go right now... Period.

    So..

    That has to change, and it has to start somewhere. I tried to do some stuff downtown (which I will go into shortly) but my partner backed out. I had everything ready, and the City was more than willing to work with me. but, the other side to this decided it wasn't worth the time. Anyway.. If you don't like the way things are being done, then do something.

    here is what I did and the City was willing to be an active participant. If someone else wants to try and make it fly.. It's all yours.

    I was this close to getting a monthly event downtown where various visual artists and performing artists would perform actually inside the different Downtown Stores. A map would be drawn up showing who's performing what in which store, and it would be like from 6-8pm on a weeknight once a month. The admission was free, and you would charge like a buck for the map if you wanted to buy one. (basically, i stole the idea from the Jacksonville Art Walk in Jacksonville Florida.) It would showcase what downtown COULD offer, and it would showcase the local artists the Florence has to offer.

    Anyway, as mentioned, the city was ready to go, but my partner backed out, so it fell through.

    Point being. If you don't like where things are, do something to change it.

    Cheers

  10. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted

    Though I don't criticize any increase in Jobs, hopefully, they will not simply be service based jobs like shipping and receiving. These are good and noble industries, but they tend to also have a lower average pay. Also, as companies move here, more companies will move here. Even if a large number do move up here from Fl, which would be nice, Florence won't need to worry about the land value problem for a LONG time.

    Personally, what I want to see is a 15 story Glass Mid rise housing financial and business types going up along 52 and DT. (sorta where the Department of Health is) Lets not put these companies that want to move here out on the outskirts if they can...

    Ahh.... but I'm just dreaming i think...

  17. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted

    i was driving behind the Civic Center today and i noticed a sign for ArborOne Center... Anyone familiar whats going up? Only thing i could tell was that ArborOne is the former PeeDee farm credit union (or soemthing)...

    Anyway... Anyone heard anything

  18. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted

    My thought is that it will always be a risk for the first pioneers back into downtown. sorta the nature of the beast. The first of any DT project will be extremly risky simply because often there isnt anything to support it. however, doesnt change the extremely good news that someone is taking a chance. maybe other good news will follow that will help move not jsut ther brewery along, but DT as well....

    everyone ehre better go support it though when it opens ;)

    cheers

  21. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted

    As a note of observation... If the bank is going to be (as it sounds) nothing more than a suburban mini-rise with zero interaction, i have no problems with them being not quite in the CBD. Personally, if the 4 story mixed use facility is true. Id take that over a 7 story suburban office complex any day. Saves valuable space for a better suited project that would have other wise been taken up by a 7 story eye sore.

    remember.. if you want things to work right, street interaction is the key.

    That being said, saying things like "florence really sucks" isnt going to fix the problem. Are there issues? absolutly. not denying that. What you are seeing in florence happening RIGHT NOW is the transition from a large town mentality, to a small city mentality. FLorence is not as destitute as you imply. but it does take a sea change by all parties involved. This inclues developers, not just council members. You have to show them how is it benificial. One of the things I've already done personally is draw up mock plans for the area behind the civic center and forwarded it to developers, and got a series of reponses on other people I could forward it to (ie one developer wanted me to contact the onwner of the property. I know it will never get built, but the point is, it was an effort to SHOW them how things can be done differantly.

    Anyway, all cities have issues, and anyone can say city X sucks, about ANY city. My thought is if you really feel that way, do soemthing about it. If you cant do anything about it either because of location, or skill set, dont make blanket statements.

    Cheers

  24. Florence Developments

    in South Carolina

    Posted · Edited by jjoshjl

    well, hopefully it wont be a duplication of the ones up the street from it. It doesnt have to be highrise to be urban though. That is what i want to push for. I've seen high rise buldings with zero level of urban thought, and 3 stories building as urban as you can get. The trick is very simple

    1) MUST have street interaction. Without it, DT will never properly grow

    2) Its ok if there isnt anyone else immediatly near by with Street Interaction. Someone has to be first...

    3) Dont bury the structure in a parking lot

    4) Make it unique... It doesnt have to be the biggest building to be a signiture building...

    Example

    http://www.1661riverside.com/intro.html

    its only 4 stories, but it has great street interaction, and good residential usage

    Anyway.... am I a dreamer? absolutly.... do I plan on doing something about it though... You betcha...

    Hopefully, If all goes the way i want it, I'l get one of my ideas that i am working on right now off the ground (no not a building, just something to increase traffic down town)

    See...

    Dreamers!!!

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