Downtown Jacksonville

[Urban_Legend]

Two oaks in Hemming will have to go....

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=43549

[vicupstate]

Post Super Bowl momentum for DT

This reminded me of the "Where Florida Begins" marketing effort. The campaign was designed and produced but the city wouldn't execute it because it didn't want to spend the money.

If Jax is going to spend millions to host the SB, why not spend a little more to maximize the benefit. The SB really gave the entire city a preview of what DT COULD be all the time. It is a shame to not build on that momentum as much as possible. Hopefully, the private sector will come forward as the editorial suggests.

Kudos to Tony for doing making it successful even without a sufficient budget.

[urbanjacksonville]

After watching the news last night we have been carrying a sense of dread and general dispair around with us all day. What is wrong with our government and why haven't they helped these people who are in need of so much? We were riding around the Stadium Distric today taking pictures of the proposed St. Johns Point site and the newly painted dumpsters at Alltell when we came across a brilliant humanitarian effort by the citizens of Jacksonville. Here are some photos we took:

http://urbanjacksonville.blogspot.com/2005...cksonville.html

[95-Souf]

Hey,.. has anyone heard about the 3 30story towers planned for a site on the river next to the hart bridge.

Does it have a chance of being built?

[TheUrbanCore]

Post Super Bowl momentum for DT

This reminded me of the "Where Florida Begins" marketing effort.  The campaign was designed and produced but the city wouldn't execute it because it didn't want to spend the money. 

If Jax is going to spend millions to host the SB, why not spend a little more to maximize the benefit.  The SB really gave the entire city a preview of what DT COULD be all the time.  It is a shame to not build on that momentum as much as possible.  Hopefully, the private sector will come forward as the editorial suggests.

Kudos to Tony for doing making it successful even without a sufficient budget.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had a couple problems with todays editorial in the Florida Times Union. You'll see my response in the letters to the editor. Basically, people need to come downtown and have their own experiences. Most experiences will be less crowded than Super Bowl, but no less enjoyable. They'll be less expensive, and far less logistically challenged.

We can't throw street parties if there is no long term benefit to the block. We just had the worlds best lesson in that.

We need to get blocked roads and port-o-potties off our mind and support what we have; which is the Mighty St. Johns, great little urban oasises (?), great architecture, and a deep cultural pool of creative people.

And I would prefer that anyone who writes about Take Me to the River actually has some experience with Take Me to the River. Its every Saturday, so if you know you're going opine on it, lets at least take it in.

[vladittude0583]

I just wanted to ask all of you in this forum, has anyone visited the San Marco Place's website recently and checked on the progression camera? The thing that gives you the live feed of how it's being built b/c I've been trying to access it for like the last few days and I don't get any video feed.

[Viper]

That cam has been off and on since the web site launched.

[Urban_Legend]

Landscaping coming in

I know how much everyone on here loves palm trees! Well, that's what we're getting on Main Street, by the library. Is it just me, or does Main Street look extra bright, hot, and hostile in the above pic?

[bobliocatt]

No its not you. Main Street has looked bright, hot and hostile ever since all of the older buildings, on the east side, were torn down for surface parking years ago.

[RiversideGator]

Yes. We need to work to get rid of this Berlin-circa-1946 look downtown and build on those surface lots (preferably hotels or residential). They are a disgraceful monument to a lack of both planning and preservation.

[bobliocatt]

I find it ironic, that most of these surface lots appeared during a time that many still call the most progressive era of downtown, since Klutho came to town.

[Lunican]

Although all these new palm trees dont provide much shade, they can be planted as full grown trees and their roots will not destroy the sidewalk. I'm guessing those are some factors the city thought about? Or does Peyton have a friend that owns a palm tree farm?

[wolfdawg54]

I think that Jax just needs to improve the streets downtown someway. It really depends on the size of the sidewalks because other trees could provide major problems for infrastructure later.

[bobliocatt]

Mortgage firm targets downtown

Macuarie Mortgages USA is considering moving their national headquarters to downtown depending on if they are granted a $300k incentive package. If approved, Macquarie would relocate to Jax, from Memphis, and hire 50 employees at an average annual wage of $48,500. Other cities bidding for the company include Richmond, Charlotte, Tampa & Orlando.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=43645

[RiversideGator]

Lake: I was just about to post the same article.

I think this is great news considering it will raise Jacksonville's per capita income and will take up empty space downtown. The CEO said it was a done deal - it sounded like he wants to move to Jacksonville for the quality of life as much as for the business. I also like how we are creating a critical mass of mortgage companies and servicers in Jacksonville. If we cant have the banks, this is the next best thing.

[asonj23]

Yet another downtown buisness added! This is great news. Jax could soon be the mortgage/insurance capital of the region.

[jjoshjl]

why stop at regional

[bobliocatt]

I believe we're already the South's largest insurance business center.

[derrickskugler]

My company (a mortgage & financial services company) has one of our two regional offices in Jacksonville. I may end up being transferred back there in the near future...

I am glad to hear that things like this are starting to happen more for Jacksonville. This will bring in alot of high-paying jobs.

[vicupstate]

Found this info on website for a DT condo in Charlotte. The source is a May 2005 article in the Charlotte Observer. Thought it would be good comparative for Jax. I was a little surprised that Nashville and Tampa aren't higher. Anyone know what the curent figures for Jax are?

Charlotte has about 9,700 uptown residents. How do other cities compare? Take a look:

• Seattle: 35,000 downtown residents, expected to reach 50,000 by 2014.

• St. Louis: 9,600 downtowners; 800 housing units under construction.

• Baltimore: 8,100 downtowners, expected to hit 10,000 by 2007.

• Pittsburgh: 3,200 living downtown; 600 or more housing units under construction.

• Raleigh: 2,500 living downtown; 500 or more housing units are planned or under construction.

• Nashville: 2,400 downtowners; 600 or more housing units being built.

• Tampa: 400 downtowners; 5,000 or more housing units planned or under construction.

[bobliocatt]

^Its hard to compare CBDs this way, without knowing the boundaries that each city claims as their downtown area. For example, I believe Charlotte's Uptown, is considered everything inside the freeway loop, while Tampa's leaves out the Channel District and University of Tampa's campus on the west bank of the Hillsborough River.

[Viper]

^That being said, Jax has just around 1,000+ currently with over 7,000 units planned or under construction.

[bobliocatt]

^what is considered the CBD? Is Brooklyn and the Cathedral Districts included?

Btw, it looks like Bay Street will finally get another nightclub. To bad Eclate couldn't make it.

Renovations for TSI, 333 E. Bay St. between Liberty and Main streets, 3,578 square feet, $20,000; contractor is DBR & Associates Inc.; agent is Mike Bassford, president; owner is Liberty-Bay Inc.; architect is Junck & Walker Architects; includes improved bar area and pool tables.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._19779590.shtml

[scongro]

Wow, Eclate's address was 331 - must be right next door.

Maybe eclate can reopen once someone else is down there

[bobliocatt]

City questions Lerner Shops building progress

After a year of sitting, some are starting to ask if Kimmick will ever finish the Lerner Shops Loft project. According to the grant they recieved from JEDC, Kimmick is required to complete the project before June 30, 2006.