Jacksonville | First Coast Projects

[spenser1058]

Although I’m hardly a fan of massive exurban sprawl, I have to give this project points for being a wee bit unique: it includes a 14-acre artificial lagoon and beach:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/northern-st-johns-county-beachwalk

From The Jaxson

In a place as ruby-red as St Johns County (only St Augustine as the seat with a growing Flagler College is keeping the blue banner flying), it should fit right in.

[spenser1058]

How ‘bout a 44-story tower on Lenny’s Lawn?

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/dia-reaches-dollar35-88-million-incentives-deal-for-44-story-tower-at-former-jacksonville-landing

From The Jax Daily Record 

 

Edited September 25, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

New Hyatt Place Hotel for Downtown Gainesville:

https://www.gainesville.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2022/09/07/new-hyatt-place-hotel-set-open-downtown-gainesville/8003951001/

From The Gainesville Sun 
 

[jrs2]

6 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

New Hyatt Place Hotel for Downtown Gainesville:

https://www.gainesville.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2022/09/07/new-hyatt-place-hotel-set-open-downtown-gainesville/8003951001/

From The Gainesville Sun 
 

1)  well...ultra-Orlando metropolitan extended area projects, right?  LOL.

2)  this hotel is right across the street from the Hippodrome.  Great location.  they must have torn down I think 1 story buildings with bars, etc., inside them to build it?  Gainesville is changing...fast now...back in the days of SOS, almost nothing new.  Since then, they have projects dotting 13th street and University Blvd like its going out of style.

[spenser1058]

9 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

1)  well...ultra-Orlando metropolitan extended area projects, right?  LOL.

2)  this hotel is right across the street from the Hippodrome.  Great location.  they must have torn down I think 1 story buildings with bars, etc., inside them to build it?  Gainesville is changing...fast now...back in the days of SOS, almost nothing new.  Since then, they have projects dotting 13th street and University Blvd like its going out of style.

I’ve decided interesting stuff within a couple of hours of Downtown Orlando is worth taking a look at, especially as The City Beautiful all but abandoned unique urban/governmental ideas until recently.

If Vision 2.0 results in real activity this time and not just a big announcement followed by placement on a shelf, that will be awesome and quite a change from the last two versions. In that case, we’ll focus again on what was once the ideas engine for the region. 

Edited October 10, 2022 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

9 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I’ve decided interesting stuff within a couple of hours of Downtown Orlando is worth taking a look at, especially as The City Beautiful all but abandoned unique urban/governmental ideas until recently.

If Vision 2.0 results in real activity this time and not just a big announcement followed by placement on a shelf, that will be awesome and quite a change from the last two versions. In that case, we’ll focus again on what was once the ideas engine for the region. 

it is interesting how that has been happening, right?  it's happened so much here it's become a habit and an expectation...

Gainesville- they are making that central "spine" going E-W more interesting.  Back in the days of MC Hammer, I wouldn't ride a bike down 2nd Ave from campus if you paid me.  Sketch City. Now, it's been filling in at a steady clip.  But my buds tell me the area just north of University and east of 13th are still pretty sketchy.  I'm not sure I have an independent recollection of that from back in the day; drawing a blank.

But they tore down The Swamp bar for that multi-story mixed use building (The Swamp and the entire block or two).  sucks...

I think Gainesville is trying to be Columbus, OH.  Everything across the main drag at that campus is urbanated to the max.

[spenser1058]

1 minute ago, jrs2 said:

it is interesting how that has been happening, right?  it's happened so much here it's become a habit and an expectation...

Gainesville- they are making that central "spine" going E-W more interesting.  Back in the days of MC Hammer, I wouldn't ride a bike down 2nd Ave from campus if you paid me.  Sketch City. Now, it's been filling in at a steady clip.  But my buds tell me the area just north of University and east of 13th are still pretty sketchy.  I'm not sure I have an independent recollection of that from back in the day; drawing a blank.

But they tore down The Swamp bar for that multi-story mixed use building (The Swamp and the entire block or two).  sucks...

I think Gainesville is trying to be Columbus, OH.  Everything across the main drag at that campus is urbanated to the max.

I haven’t really spent time in Gainesville since I dated one of the Gator mascots back in the Dark Ages (he lived in Murphree Hall- does it still exist?)

I’m told Gainesville has a somewhat progressive city government based on being a college town. If that is indeed true, I’d like to see if they’re doing more organic growth or if they’ve just been co-opted by the developers like we have. It doesn’t hurt that if I find a place that shares my interests and values, I’ll add it to my list of possible retirement venues.

[spenser1058]

I missed this in Bungalower because I just concentrated on the Sentinel’s version, but there was a fascinating interview with Craig Ustler, who has been the ultimate Establishment insider under the dome since he and Phil Rampy parted ways:

““I think the consultants did a good job given the context.  All of us urbanists already know the answers and have known them for years, but if this is what it takes to get some of this stuff formalized as a real plan that is actually implemented, I’m all for it. I do think the “planning” side of it is different than the reality of what DTO is facing right now (and by “right now”, I literally mean tonight).  Safety and security (real or period) is an obvious issue, as well as the homeless situation, and just a general lack of cleanliness or feeling comfortable.  These immediate issues are harder to address and not solved by a consultant or report.  They are the same issues facing all downtowns across the country.  There are some “post COVID” macroeconomic realities of downtowns that are very challenging.”

Of course, Craig had to give the slo-mo roll of this administration a way out but it’s interesting someone on the inside FINALLY spoke the truth - many of the changes could have and should have taken place years ago.

 

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

36 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I haven’t really spent time in Gainesville since I dated one of the Gator mascots back in the Dark Ages (he lived in Murphree Hall- does it still exist?)

I’m told Gainesville has a somewhat progressive city government based on being a college town. If that is indeed true, I’d like to see if they’re doing more organic growth or if they’ve just been co-opted by the developers like we have. It doesn’t hurt that if I find a place that shares my interests and values, I’ll add it to my list of possible retirement venues.

Gainesville was anti-sprawl for decades in an attempt to promote urban infill.  Well it took a long while but is now paying off (now meaning for the past fifteen years or so).

they tore down Alachua General to built the UF business incubator or whatever it's called; their Micaplex.  

the only thing that may be construed as sprawl is the Town Center project off Archer Road with a bridge over I-75, kind of adjacent to, and incorporating Butler Plaza.  But I don't think it's retail sprawl all that much, and it's got a cinema, hotels, stores, SOS's restaurant, etc.

But the University and 13th Street corridors, are getting built up with mixed use projects...big ones...

Shands grew over the past decade with a new addition to its campus across Archer Road.  It's impressive.  They grew in the same manner that Advent did in downtown Orlando... The VA doubled its size during that time period as well.

I think Murphree is still around.  Johnson Hall burnt down in like 1986-87.  I knew a bartender that snagged a balsa wood guillotine from one of Johnson Hall's bathrooms' glory holes, if you can believe it.  I didn't know what a glory hole was until he explained it to me.  The guillotine was a joke item but it had a real razor blade on it.  Ouch.

Um, they probably got coopted by the developers- but, they both have the same vision...

[spenser1058]

11 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

Gainesville was anti-sprawl for decades in an attempt to promote urban infill.  Well it took a long while but is now paying off (now meaning for the past fifteen years or so).

they tore down Alachua General to built the UF business incubator or whatever it's called; their Micaplex.  

the only thing that may be construed as sprawl is the Town Center project off Archer Road with a bridge over I-75, kind of adjacent to, and incorporating Butler Plaza.  But I don't think it's retail sprawl all that much, and it's got a cinema, hotels, stores, SOS's restaurant, etc.

But the University and 13th Street corridors, are getting built up with mixed use projects...big ones...

Shands grew over the past decade with a new addition to its campus across Archer Road.  It's impressive.  They grew in the same manner that Advent did in downtown Orlando... The VA doubled its size during that time period as well.

I think Murphree is still around.  Johnson Hall burnt down in like 1986-87.  I knew a bartender that snagged a balsa wood guillotine from one of Johnson Hall's bathrooms' glory holes, if you can believe it.  I didn't know what a glory hole was until he explained it to me.  The guillotine was a joke item but it had a real razor blade on it.  Ouch.

Um, they probably got coopted by the developers- but, they both have the same vision...

Oh my! I’m more glad than ever glory holes were not my thing.

[jrs2]

19 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Oh my! I’m more glad than ever glory holes were not my thing.

I think it's gonna be just you and me keeping this thread alive for a while...

[spenser1058]

6 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

I think it's gonna be just you and me keeping this thread alive for a while...

I think you’re right. I’m good to let those who do not wish to hear everything is less than perfect in The City Beautiful (or blame issues on some amorphous force that can never be addressed by those who are elected to office) stay in the main room where all is perfect and serene. Heaven forbid we learn something from other places.

[spenser1058]

Jacksonville’s “Emerald Trail” project connecting the far-flung sections of the downtown area, is moving forward and looking to completion by 2030:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2022/10/10/what-s-next-for-the-emerald-trail.html

From The Jax Business Journal

Current project cost is $184 million.

[jrs2]

15 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

I think you’re right. I’m good to let those who do not wish to hear everything is less than perfect in The City Beautiful (or blame issues on some amorphous force that can never be addressed by those who are elected to office) stay in the main room where all is perfect and serene. Heaven forbid we learn something from other places.

Re-PENT! Re-PENT!  I renounce that amorphic FORCE that has kept our city BACK!  LMAO.  that's awesome.

[spenser1058]

Downtown Jacksonville’s 10 largest office buildings (by size, not by height):

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/downtown-jacksonvilles-ten-largest-office-buildings

From The Jaxson 

All but three of them seem to have a common denominator- KBJ Architects.

Despite being the homie choice like our own Baker Barrios, they seem to have created a much wider palette of structures than BB. I wonder why that might be.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KBJ_Architects

Edited October 17, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

The historic Florida Theatre’s $15 million renovation project is nearly complete:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2022/02/23/florida-theatre-renovations.html

From The Jacksonville Business Journal 

The above story is from the beginning of the project.

The Florida Times-Union has an update but it’s behind their paywall.
 

Edited October 23, 2022 by spenser1058

[AmIReal]

Landmark factory in Jacksonville will be demolished and miss its century mark

"The Ford Motor Company assembly plant, at 1900 Wambolt St., was built in 1924 to produce the Ford Model T..."

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2022/11/13/demolition-means-historic-jax-building-miss-its-century-mark/8287647001/

[AmIReal]

Jacksonville story with an Orlando flavor

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/proposed-mathers-social-gathering-seeking-dollar1-3-million-in-dia-incentives

[jack]

17 hours ago, AmIReal said:

Jacksonville story with an Orlando flavor

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/proposed-mathers-social-gathering-seeking-dollar1-3-million-in-dia-incentives

Those are some crazy incentives. 

[spenser1058]

An update on improvements and other construction in the downtown Jax area.

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/urban-construction-update-november-2022/

From The Jaxson

Please note continuing improvements to I-95 and I-10 in the area (with a major widening of I-10 in town still to come) are all taking place without tolling. The next time you hear tolling is the only way to build major roads now, please respond to them as Congressman Joe Wilson from SC infamously did: “You lie!” Tolling is only so popular among elites due to right-leaning ideology and the ability to line the pockets of those involved. It also all but ignores the economic realities of working-class citizens. Kudos to Duval County leaders for forcefully addressing the issue after residents overwhelmingly voted to replace the tolls on the city’s many bridges with a sales tax. 
 

Edited November 20, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Jags owner Shad Khan’s Four Seasons/office/marina project moves forward next to the Gator Bowl, even as costs rise:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/costs-rise-for-shad-khans-four-seasons-project

From The Jaxson 
 

[spenser1058]

A look at the proposed site plan for Jax’ MoSH and its move to the former Jacksonville Shipyards along the St Johns River:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/renderings-mosh-genesis/

From The Jaxson 
 

[spenser1058]

More on MOSH:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/mosh-genesis-exhibit-design-plan-announced/

From The Jaxson