Avenues Walk: Southside's Newest "Town Center"

[thelakelander]

Located across the street from the Avenues Mall, the 160-acre Avenues Walk is the latest mixed-used retail project nearing ground breaking in Jacksonville.  When complete, Avenues Walk will include 600,000 square feet of retail, 50,000 square feet of office space, 400 hotel rooms and 1,050 residential units.  Site work has begun and the center is expected to open next year.

Conceptual Rendering


Site Plan


http://www.kimcodevelopers.com/project_print.asp?proid=1189

[gradco2004]

[Jason]

Thanks for the update Gradco.

I just noticed the movie theatre... anyone know what company it is and how many screens?

[thelakelander]

The theater is no longer a part of the plans.  The image above is an older version from mid 2007.

[copperfiend]

The theater is no longer a part of the plans.  The image above is an older version from mid 2007.

Considering how close it is to the Regal Avenues theater, it makes sense.

[Jason]

I was thinking the same.  Man, I sure with the residential lofts would have happened....

[willydenn]

The parking lots look beautiful.  It's funny how they aren't shown in the conceptual drawing.

[Driven1]

why do some people in the rendering above not have shadows?  is this supposed to be a haunted project or something?

[Beloki]

I do wander though how this is going to impact traffic from Philips to I95?? There is only 1 entrance to the Avenues Walk and that is at Philips.....

I aslo wonder of there is a walkable connection from the Avenues Walk to the Avenues Mall??

[second_pancake]

I do wander though how this is going to impact traffic from Philips to I95?? There is only 1 entrance to the Avenues Walk and that is at Philips.....

I aslo wonder of there is a walkable connection from the Avenues Walk to the Avenues Mall??

I can answer that.

1)  Phillips is going to suck and anyone in their right mind will want to avoid it all all costs.  It will become a pseudo-highway completely congested with traffic not unlike JTB.  Expect widening and construction of Phillips to take place about 2-3 years after the opening of Avenue's Walk in which the city will widen the road by at least one lane on either side and provide a mandatory (by law) bike lane and sidewalks that no one would want to use due to the now increased safety concerns.  The construction will cause even more congestion as the now 2-3 lanes are closed, rerouting traffic down a very narrow, one-way lane.

2)  There will be no walkable connection until the road construction begins (see above).  By this time, the road will be so large and filled with fast moving vehicles that it will not be safe to have crosswalks...which would also impede the flow of traffic, so an overhead walkway will be built.  By this time, the Avenues mall will have become what Gateway was 5-10 years ago because all the shoppers will have fled to the Town Center and Avenue's Walk, making the project completely useless and only inviting degenerates to cross over into the 'good' part of town.

All speculation of course, but right on par with the way those-in-power seem to work.

[thelakelander]

Aren't they getting ready to widening Philips now?  Its all barricades from I-95 to 9A.

[second_pancake]

Aren't they getting ready to widening Philips now?  Its all barricades from I-95 to 9A.

My understanding of that project was that they were putting in turn lanes.  Could be wrong though.

[thelakelander]

Oh.  I'm probably wrong.  I just noticed the barricades in the medians.  It probably is just a series of turn lanes down that stretch.

[copperfiend]

Aren't they getting ready to widening Philips now?  Its all barricades from I-95 to 9A.

My understanding of that project was that they were putting in turn lanes.  Could be wrong though.

I noticed that the other day too. It looks like they added turn lanes on Phillips north at the entrance of each car dealer.

[thelakelander]

Here's the latest site layout:



With Walmart being the main anchor I wouldn't worry about them driving the Avenues out of business.  If anything, it will drive more business into the area with retailers and restaurants that don't have locations nearby.