Real estate group: Downtown Jacksonville needs development agency

[fieldafm]

From TU:
http://jacksonville.com/business/2011-03-02/story/real-estate-group-downtown-jacksonville-needs-development-agency

By David Bauerlein
NAIOP of Northeast Florida, a trade group for commercial real estate development, on Wednesday released a report calling on City Hall to create an independent agency for downtown redevelopment.

NAIOP's report marks the second time in a month a business-oriented organization has said downtown redevelopment needs to be overseen by an entity with decision-making authority and a recurring source of money. The Jacksonville Civic Council's report on downtown reached a similar conclusion.

"I would say we're on the same page as them," said Wyman Duggan, vice president of public affairs for NAIOP of Northeast Florida.

Currently, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission oversees downtown redevelopment as part of its countywide responsibility. The JEDC is an advisory body that makes recommendations to City Council.

NAIOP and the Jacksonville Civic Council envision a downtown-focused agency that operates like independent authorities for the airports and seaport. The downtown authority would submit an annual budget for council approval and then vote on financial incentives and other spending within the confines of that budget.

NAIOP of Northeast Florida also released its endorsement in the mayor's race, giving its nod to Audrey Moran. Moran favors creating an independent authority for downtown. NAIOP cited Moran's focus on downtown redevelopment and said she also showed "strong commitment" to overall economic development and willingness to make changes in the pension system for city employees.

Moran's stance has faced opposition on the campaign trail. For instance, mayoral contender Rick Mullaney said at a forum that downtown's challenge isn't the structure of city government.

He said a downtown authority would create an unaccountable bureaucracy that weakens the ability of Jacksonville's consolidated government to marshall funding for downtown.

Duggan said NAIOP hopes city leaders make downtown a top priority this year. He said the organization, which has about 220 members, sought to generate recommendations based on the perspective of those who own and manage commercial real estate.

"We looked at ground-level, short-term, relatively low-cost solutions that can be implemented right now," Duggan said.

In addition to creating a downtown authority, the report suggested:

- Crack down on blighted property by stringently enforcing code violations, but reward those who improve their property by giving tax rebates.

- Require city-sponsored events to be downtown if feasible.

- Make downtown attractive by offering parking incentives, increasing landscaping, and turning The Shipyards into a park until it can be developed.

- Create an incentive program for downtown aimed at adding jobs and taxable property value.

[cline]

NAIOP has been paying lip service to downtown for years now.  Back when LaVilla was demolished, they considered it a big step forward.  We know how well that worked out.

[urbanlibertarian]

Interesting observations about downtown Indy by Peter King from his Monday Morning QB column from last week.  He's Sports Illustrated's NFL writer who's at the NFL Combine.

• "Think we're going to get this Super Bowl in next year?'' the cabbie asked me Wednesday night on the way into town from the airport. Yes, I said, but the process will be painful and angst-filled. I must have been asked a dozen times about the work stoppage and what it might mean to the city hosting the Super Bowl in 49 weeks. People here are freaked that labor situation might get this season, and the Super Bowl, canceled. Relax -- for now.

And for those dreading a Super Bowl here? Don't. It's one of the most convenient cities in America. You'll be able to walk everywhere outside on a decent day, and inside on the skywalks on a bad day. Good restaurants. Maybe not enough of them, but you'll find some good meals here.

• Nothing's more than a 15-minute walk away here.

• Never seen a Marriott complex like the new one down the street from the state capitol building, adjacent to the Indianapolis Indians' Victory Field. Five Marriotts, led by the largest JW Marriott in the world. Want to know how this city got the Super Bowl? Not just because of the new Lucas Oil Stadium. But because of this small city of hotels, with 2,248 rooms and the largest hotel ballroom in the Midwest -- 40,500 square feet. I told a few people over the weekend that when I worked in Cincinnati 30 years ago, Indianapolis was the stepchild of Cincinnati. No more, that's for sure.

Whole article (about the Combine) here: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/peter_king/02/28/combine/index.html

[Noone]

I'd be concerned. A toatal Govt. takeover to benefit who?

[civil42806]

You mean something like the "downtown development agency".  Who said history repeats itself.  Been there done that

[Garden guy]

Development development....this city has been developing for years and years...the point is that the conservative right have been leading that development which is why this city thinks it is more than it really is. Instead of developing more and more...how about dealing with what we've got and improving it. I"m sick of developers starting projects and then not being able to finish them...or hords of flippers ruining neighborhoods with buying houses left and right and then handing them over to the government for HUD houseing which makes our homes value plummit and draggs the quality of living to the pits.....so the name.."im a developer"..gets no stars in my book.