Urban Jacksonville

Urban Jacksonville Weekly #47 – Downtown Dilemma Wrap Up With David Hunt

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Thanks to David for being a great guest. If you enjoyed David Hunt, look for more of him on the show as the Mayors race ramps up next year.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at 11:20 am and is filed under Downtown Jacksonville, Urban Jacksonville Weekly. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

jason_contentdg

I agree with David's recommendation, fully. Hopefully our city leaders will do that as well as Jax residents. We did, that's why as you know, we started the Urban Facelift Project.

What I do think would help downtown is the abundance of buildings and empty storefronts, as long as people see the potential in them. They don't have to remain eyesores and dilapidated, but they certainly don't need to be torn down.

Instead of such a big focus on bringing large companies and new buildings downtown, what if we were able to help small businesses and mom and pops open up in the existing stock of storefronts. Obviously what we're doing is not working, time to do something else, something more, and something great.
vicupstate

Greenville SC was mentioned promeniently in this show and as someone who lives there, I can add some info on the 'how it happened'. Incentives were NOT broad based, only a few projects got them, but they were ANCHOR projects that had key elements, primarily people magnets.

The FIRST project was the narrowing and pedestridizing of Main Street. The first public/private project was the Hyatt complex which consisted of a Hotel/Offices/Restaurant-bar and some convention facilities. The City paid for the garage and the convention space. Later a second anchor was created at the other end of Main Street from the Hyatt, the Performing Arts Center. Shortly afterwards the city provide $500k for a major regional retailer to open on Main between the Hyatt and Arts Center.

Local merchants, particularly restaurants filled in the gaps between these anchors, taking advantage of the eurepean feel of the now tree-lined streets.

The homeless facilities were not on Main to begin with but on the periphery of DT, so that was less of a issue.

I STRONGLY feel that Laura Street needs to be the focus, not Metro Park, Brooklyn, Stadium area, etc. Jax suffers by spreading it's resources too thinly. By Laura Street I include the Landing and Hemming Plaza. It has the POTENTIAL to be the attractive, clean, safe, unique corridor of retail and entertainment that could be the equivalent of Greenville's Main Street.

I agree that Jax's self image problem is a factor, but I PROMISE you, there is NO better image BOOSTER than a happening Downtown. I have seen it first hand here in Greenville. Natives and transplants alike, take a LOT of pride in Downtown, and it makes no difference if they live in the city limits or 20 miles out into the county.

Consolidation is a NON-issue. Look at Nashville, look at Indy, look at Charlotte. Suburbanites WILL and DO take pride in DT, when it offers something UNIQUE and SHOWCASE the city as a whole well.
http://www.urbanjacksonville.info Joey Marchy

I expect there to be much discussion generated regarding Downtown in 2010. I hope you will play a role.
jason_contentdg

We certianly want to play a role….
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joey-Marchy/568210396 Joey Marchy

@vicupstate thanks! I've shared this comment with the other co-hosts and David Hunt from the Times Union.

I appreciate you insight, especially your opinion on consolidation. I had nothing to base my questioning consolidation for the ills of the city. I was just curious.

We're getting started on Laura Street in 2010. Maybe it's the year of downtown revival.
vicupstate

I've heard the consolidation argument from many people through he years.

The thing is, even if it IS true, what can be done about it? Nothing in terms of consolidation ITSELF. So even if we accept that it is a problem, we have to find a solution for the negative aspect on DT. It can't be used as an reason to do nothing.
jason_contentdg

We certainly want to play a role….
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joey-Marchy/568210396 Joey Marchy

@vicupstate thanks! I've shared this comment with the other co-hosts and David Hunt from the Times Union.

I appreciate you insight, especially your opinion on consolidation. I had nothing to base my questioning consolidation for the ills of the city. I was just curious.

We're getting started on Laura Street in 2010. Maybe it's the year of downtown revival.
vicupstate

I've heard the consolidation argument from many people through the years.

The thing is, even if it IS true, what can be done about it? Nothing in terms of consolidation ITSELF. So even if we accept that it is a problem, we have to find a solution for the negative aspect on DT. It can't be used as an reason to do nothing.

Urban Jacksonville