Walkable Gainesville Aritcle

[blandman]

"A city planner in Gainesville, Florida and an urban designer from Perkins+Will talk about making American cities more vibrant and livable." ~ http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663170/creating-the-perfect-city-is-about-illusions-such-as-shorter-blocks#

Interesting article/interview, though not a lot of detail.  I've always thought that Gainesville's proximity to Jax could/should be a huge advantage, but other than the Florida/GA game and Shands, how else does Jax capitalize on it having one of the biggest and best state schools in the country on its doorstep?

[dougskiles]

That was a good article.  I like the planning director's comment here:

Now we are looking at issues of sustainability and asking why. We‘re preparing a framework to redevelop areas of the city without preconceived notions of what is right. We know a few things, like we want people to be able to walk, but beyond that we are going to question every decision we make. The goal is to only create important things. We’re moving forward like a city at the beginning of its history, we are starting from square one. It feels oddly like a revolution.

I also really like the small steps versus large steps concept.

As to your question about how we can benefit from the proximity to Gainesville - the answer lies in recruiting the graduates to come live here.

[Jumpinjack]

Gainesville resident Dom Nozzi has been an advocate for years of more walkable design. I heard him speak and he is an excellent, well researched proponent. http://www.walkablestreets.com/

[Captain Zissou]

Gainesville has a great downtown, especially for its size.  I'll gladly head down with someone and be their guide if they want to do a 'Learning From' or 'Elements of Urbanism' article.  The dense development, walkable streets, and pedestrian centered designs have spurred additional development that dwarfs anything we've done in the Jacksonville urban neighborhoods in the last decade.  They have 2 or three developments currently under development that are larger than John Gorrie and closer to the core.

[ChriswUfGator]

My favorite quote in the piece;

"Simple ideas are drowning in the accumulated baggage of 200 years of city planning"

How. True.

[dougskiles]

Gainesville has a great downtown, especially for its size.  I'll gladly head down with someone and be their guide if they want to do a 'Learning From' or 'Elements of Urbanism' article.  The dense development, walkable streets, and pedestrian centered designs have spurred additional development that dwarfs anything we've done in the Jacksonville urban neighborhoods in the last decade.  They have 2 or three developments currently under development that are larger than John Gorrie and closer to the core.

I was thinking the same thing, Captain.  Let me know if you get something on the schedule.  I would like to meet their planning director and do the tour.  I went to UF in the late 80's and have been back sporadically but usually for football games.  I haven't had the opportunity to check out downtown recently.  Back in the day, one of my favorite places to hang out was near the Hippodrome.

[Captain Zissou]

Doug I'd be down for a trip.  March is shot for me, but we could try for something in February or April.  I still have a few contacts in the business school, so maybe they could get us in touch with a few people from the college of Architecture, Design, and Planning.  The planning director would be great!  Let's get together sometime to see if we can make this happen.  You going to the creek clean up tomorrow??