Jacksonville Maritime Museum Study
05/24/06 • Posted in: Downtown Jacksonville, Southbank by Joey Marchy 3 Comments »
Jacksonville Maritime Museum Study
The prolific kids over at Metro Jacksonville have release another study. Their most recent study looks at the possibility of expanding the aging Jacksonville Maritime Museum.
The study points out 4 reasons why the expansion makes sense.
- It is an affordable short-term solution to promote downtown vibrancy
- Jacksonville history and maritime history go hand in hand
- The museum is in need of expansion and has pledged to raise funds
- Expanding cultural attractions will compliment thee growing residential/retail base
The study goes on to list 4 alternative sites for the expanded maritime museum. None of them would keep the museum where it is now, on either side of the Main Street bridge. I definitely like the idea of keeping the maritime museum in Friendship Park in some form. I think the proximity to MOSH would offer more opportunities for increasing traffic at an expanded maritime museum.
tags: jacksonville, maritime museum, metro jacksonville, southbank
Two of the alternative sites, keep the museum in Friendship Park. We believe those are the two with the most potential. The sites are:
1. the grass strip of land, owned by the city of Jacksonville, just south of the existing museum between the fountain and the Main Street Bridge.
2. The surface parking lot, at the base of the Acosta Bridge, currently owned by DOT and leased by JTA.
I just thought there was a big disconnect by placing the Maritime Museum on the strip of land in Brooklyn. Thanks for clearing that up Lake.
The Brooklyn riverwalk lot was considered for the following reasons.
1. City of Jax owns the land.
2. Fidelity is required to pay for the 1+ acre park lining the riverwalk.
3. Riverside Partners Tower’s retail will face a portion of the site.
4. Its halfway between the Landing and Cummer Museum.
5. Once Forest/Riverside Ave is complete, this site will be the gatewat to downtown from I-95/I-10.
6. Site as great visibility from Fuller Warren Bridge.
7. Maritime attraction would serve as a needed destination along the new riverwalk stretch.
**However, this site’s potential is greatly limited because of the fixed Acosta Bridge, which would limit the amount of visiting tall ships.**