Exciting news to announce! I am now the Website Editor for One Spark, an organization focused on innovation in Jacksonville.
A Nutshell Explanation of What We’re Up To
One Spark is a group of influencers who want to develop a community, focused on encouraging idea generation and disruptive thinking in Jacksonville. We will reinforce the belief that “good” failure is okay, risk is a natural part of new ideas, and that keeping an idea quiet only increases the likelihood it will never launch.
Ultimately we will support the creation, relation, and execution of ideas.
I’ve developed a content strategy that we will execute in the next few months, beginning today. Our first post is called 5 Ways to Help Spark Innovation in Jacksonville. In this post we define our vision of what the One Spark website will be. We also issue a call for connectors, video directors, content producers, designers and event producers who want to join our team:
We’re creating something that not only inspires, but informs. Call it what you want: an online tv station, a magazine, a innovation portal, whatever. It’s all those things and we want to shine a spotlight on smart people and inspire others to do what they’re passionate about.
What Does This Mean for Urban Jacksonville
I am currently working on a website redesign and I will be relaunching with a focus on features and less daily posting. I anticipate more in-depth posts, videos galleries and podcasts coming your way soon.
#jaxmayor is an evolutionary, first-of-its-kind, audio podcast. Although I had a slight recording recording issue (we will hammer out the left/right audio issue by next show) the production and content on this show is top notch. This is the best podcast I have put together to date. The content is amazing and I know you will find it informative. I hope you share it with your friends.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
I started the #jaxmayor show to help educate the City of Jacksonville on the 2011 mayors race. I want to cover the race in a way no one else can or will, in an accessible, audio format. Abel Harding and I will discuss candidates, news, issues and the role technology and culture plays in the race.
#jaxmayor is scheduled for eight episodes between now and the March 22nd election. Should we have a run-off election (if you listen to the show you know we will) we’ll extend the show to the final election date. It will be recoded on Thursday night and published Friday morning.
What’s Up With the Name #jaxmayor?
Yes, we did name the show after the Twitter hashtag #jaxmayor. People in the city are using this tag in their tweets to organize content around the topic of the mayors race.
Our show embraces technology and recognizes the pivotal role it plays. This is the first year in Jacksonville’s history that technology will play such a large role and we want the show to discuss the impacts of technology and how it will influences the race.
In a way the name a nod to all the people out there discussing these issues saying yeah, we hear you. We know what’s going on, this is a huge deal. In addition it is a good opportunity to market the show on a daily basis.
Show Notes
This is literally an inside look at my notes from tonight’s show. I won’t always post them like this, but I thought it would be an interesting insight into how the show was run.
Show intro
#jaxmayor
Joey Marchy from Urban Jacksonville
Abel Harding Business Reporter and Political Blogger from the Florida Times Union and Jacksonville.com
Twitter: JaxMayorShow
Facebook: JaxMayorShow
Send a question to @JaxMayorShow or Facebook.com/JaxMayorShow
* show name WHY
* about this podcast
* schedule: every Friday from now until the election and we will continue the show if there is a runoff
* what we will cover in the show (news, candidate and issue profiles)
* twitter.com/JaxMayorShow/jaxmayor
* election is march 22nd, how can someone win?
* early voting
* http://news.jacksonville.com/specials/mayorsrace/
————————————
NEWS
————————————
1) Former Mayor Jake Goldbold (77) joins Moran’s campaign to help with voter outreach » how significant?
Mike Hogan’s camp, which had sought Godbold’s endorsement. “Clearly, Audrey’s Obama-like liberal policies, like pro-choice and higher taxes, are being embraced by our former Democratic mayor,” said senior consultant Paul McCormick.
Godbold said he thought his endorsement could deliver tens of thousands of votes and large amounts of money but didn’t believe either would be deciding factors.
————————————
2) TWITTER
————————————
* Faves
* Twitter Total
Mike Hogan 233 (1605)
Audrey Moran 443 (1408)
Steve Irvine 0 (0)
Rick Mullaney 147 (900)
Alvin Brown 56 (339)
Warren Lee 339 (285)
————————————
Candidate Profiles
————————————
Steve Irvine (http://savingjax.com)
Alvin Brown (http://www.alvinformayor.com)
————————————
Outro
————————————
#jaxmayor
Joey Marchy from Urban Jacksonville
Abel Harding Business Reporter and Political Blogger from the Florida Times Union and Jacksonville.com
Twitter: JaxMayorPodcast
Facebook: JaxMayor
Jonathan Insetta’s restaurant group (Black Sheep) has an ambitious plan for building a modern, efficient infill project in the fast growing 5 Points district of the Urban Core. Insetta, of Chew and Orsay fame, is planning to open a new restaurant as the anchor of a three story commercial building which will feature a rooftop bar and gathering space.
The name has not be determined, but the location has. The group has been working hard to reach a complex set of goals, to
place the restaurant at the corner of Margaret and Oak, next to Mossfire Grill. The flatiron lot where the restaurant will sit, presents a unique set of hurdles in terms of parking and some existing trees.
Black Sheep is proposing to add 23 new spaces on Oak Street and upgrade the 13 spaces on Margaret adjacent to the property. All spaces will be open to the public with a 3 hour limit to encourage visitors to eat, walk and shop. You can bet there will be a sizable bike rack to support the large number of cyclists in the community.
As you can glean from the designs and scale model shown, the plan is an efficient use of space using true urban density design principles while also creating new parking. This project also creates new jobs and new street front retail which finishes a continuous retail link from Riverside Park to Memorial Park, one of the longest retail strolls in the city.
While urban development and the food and beverage industry are both fraught with risk, especially in today’s climate, Insetta’s experience and reputation from Downtown’s Chew and Avondale’s Restaurant Orsay (both in historic buildings) will be helpful. The neighborhoods of Riverside, Avondale, and Historic Five Points have been aware of and involved in the project for weeks.
There is much work left to do for the project to become a reality including the final city approval and a unique commercial zoning change called an Urban Transitional Area (UTA) added to HB 485 that would make this district much like downtown’s with regards to seating capacity required.
The addition of 5 Points to this well supported bill will make it easier for bona fide restaurants to survive and thrive in the spatially constricting spaces that a historic retail area presents.
The UTA – The Riverside Overlay set up the Urban Transitional Area (the Commercial area of 5 Points) to encourage this type of infill development – imagine, living, working and shopping all within a ½ mile radius. As projects like this, Publix, 1661 and others are developed, the area can truly live up to it’s Urban name.
So not only is Black Sheep investing in the neighborhood it is also paving the way for the further proliferation of destinations in Five Points, opening an economic development zone that allows a more reasonable seating requirement for historic districts. See map below.
Should this change work, expect further developments, local restaurants, jobs, and foot traffic in from Historic Five Points all the way to the river. Our neighbors and co-workers seem galvanized at the idea of further local, sustainable development in 5 Points and hope that urban infill and historic development spreads with the success of this project.
“We at Black Sheep Restaurant Group are very excited for the opportunity to become part of the 5 Points neighborhood. At Chew and Orsay we pride ourselves in the symbiotic relationship we maintain within our surrounding community and hopefully we can be a force for positive change with this new project. As owner operator of both the restaurant and the building itself we bring a level of commitment to the community that few can match.
I also believe that we can act as a bridge between historic 5 Points and the newer commercial district to the south. The project will create more jobs as well as fit the spirit of the urban transition area overlay. We plan on being a part of 5 Points for many years to come and see ourselves as a very positive addition to an already amazingly diverse community of independent and national businesses. 5 Points has a synergy and identity that we feel right at home in.”
What are your thoughts on the project and the design?
I produced this video for a client of ours at Wingard Creative. It’s so awesome we have companies like Solar Energy Initiatives headquartered here in NE Florida.
I used iMovie 09 to put everything together. There was a bit of an issue getting .AVI files from my Flip Mino impoted into iMovie 09. To do this I used a little software called iSquint to convert the .AVI to an iMovie friendly format. Boo ya.
Solar Energy Initiatives was formed to execute on a grass roots campaign, “RENEW THE NATIONâ€, to help redeploy a portion of the U.S. work force and focus on reducing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels by selling solar thermal and photovoltaic (PV) technologies, while building a profitable company.
Jonathan and Joey in the Urban Jacksonville Weekly Studio. Photo compliments of Renee Brust.
Listen and Subscribe
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
You can now listen right now, click the play button above or watch it by clicking the play button below.
Special Guest: The Mayor – Topic: Millage Increase
A lot happening so these are gonna be rough! Better just listen. – Jack
Mayor – for the increase
City Council – cut spending instead
Residents – siding with council
voting next week (July 28th)
Mayor is optimistic
3-part plan
“we are at a crossroads”
lowest millage rate in FL
Clark’s influence?
Peyton is up for the fight!
Mayor v. Council – is that healthy?
? – shouldn’t fund arts, culture, social etc.
arts and culture will lose
T- people are evenly split on the issue
arts/culture = less than 1/2 of 1% of budget @hiddentrack: “if we’re guilty of anything, it’s under-investing.†well said, mr. mayor. #ujw
T – Ritz Theatre will not be able to come back if we don’t protect it
government destroyed LaVilla, Ritz is all that’s left
J – fire/police budget always comes up
Peyton – does not support cutting fire/police budget
“violence epidemic in Jax”
“moving from being cheap to being irresponsible”
Sheriff’s Dept largest budget at City Hall
Abel (@jaxpolitics)
Ask Mayor how much faith he has in Council (running for re-election) to support true pension reform? #ujw
Public remains cynical b/c there has been no reform to AMIO positions. They’ve almost doubled in last few years. Nearly $15m. But, yet, emphasis has been placed on social services/cultural cuts. Why not move AMIO’s to civil service and trim to build trust? #ujw
Was there an attempt to bring Council members in on the budget planning process?
Legislature allowed “out” for Duval in statutory tax cuts, why didn’t Mayor ask Council to override that cap last year?
Does the Mayor support combining elections w/ state? What are the downsides?
T – wants the World Cup (Mayor’s for it!)
T- QOL first thing a big business asks about when they come to town
The mayor just said “critical mass.” No that critical mass, but still…
T – Kiplinger named Jax #6 Tax-Friendliest City
fixitnow.cc – website
Last ?: Does Mayor think public wld be more likely to support increase if it was dedicated mil to fund capital improvements/maintenance?
Jags/stadium
Steadfast was raised in Ft. Washington, MD. Whether it was his sister playing the flute or his grandmother practicing with the church choir, it appeared early on that music would be a mainstay in his lifelong diet. He began writting in 1993 after listening to Wu Tang Clan’s debut album and after cultivating his style he linked up with The Homeless Society, a group of emcees and producers repping the New York, Maryland and DC areas.
He’s now on Social Light Sounds records and will be appearing at Summertime in the City 2009. You can also find Steadfast on MySpace.
Day 2: Summertime in the City Grand Finale Blowout presented by HIP HOP HELL and Red Bull Music Academy
Where: Shantytown Pub 22 W. 6th St. (Springfield) MAP When: 10pm to 2am Price: $5.00
Featuring live performances by: Steadfast, Grizleh (aka Blakhart), Mr. Al Pete, The Elevated Hip Hop Exp., Heavy Flow, The N Word, Dr. Sam Beckett, Dope Sandwich and many more special guests.
