What would improve Murray Hill?

[James]

I was having a discussion with some friends, and was looking for some ideas of things that would improve Murray Hill.  I would love the feedback of everyone - people who live there, have lived there, drive through there, visit there, etc...
Thanks!

[fieldafm]

Sidewalks throughout the neighborhood would be very nice.

[thelakelander]

Sidewalks, commuter rail and "complete streets" remakes of Edgewood and Cassat Avenues.

[peestandingup]

On top of that, a full featured grocery store (even a small one). And more useful businesses in the Edgewood business district. How many times are you actually gonna go to the shoe repair shop?? Residents basically have to go to either Riverside or Normandy for anything useful. And they're too far to walk, so you'd be driving.

Murray Hill always struct me as a place that would be really cool to live (I really like the modest home sizes over there), but they just cant seem to get over that hump.

[fieldafm]

Sidewalks, commuter rail and "complete streets" remakes of Edgewood and Cassat Avenues.

Good call.  Edgewood and San Juan could REALLY benefit from a complete streets makeover.

On top of that, a full featured grocery store (even a small one).

The area had TWO full featured grocery stores... the Winn Dixie on Cassat(now closed) and the independent store that is now a discount goods store.

[Garden guy]

Personally i'd like a comprehensive security force...the area gets lost with the cops....most of the own homes in the area that are HUD houses and these guys are refusing to do thier jobs when it comes to this area sometimes...several cops have told me it's "manageable"

[James]

Thanks everyone, great and interesting responses, almost everything that we were talking about in our group had to do with housing and trying to fix up some of the public areas that are eyesores to the community. 
Most of the responses have been based on businesses and Edgewood, would yall suggest that fixing Edgewood would spur improvement in the houses and public areas?  Or are am I just seeing issues that aren't really there?

[jaxlore]

thats a tuff question pre-recession one could say spruce up edgewood with shops that bring people in and the surrounding area will improve nicely. But its such a strange time right now. With the exception of Moon River and maybe the pool hall and edgewood bakery there is nothing there to pull anyone in. I'd say get rid of the sketchy-mart, turn over Murray Hill Theater to someone that will restore it. Get the Fat Kat to either spruce up or move out. It's weird how the restaurants and shops that open there are not really kosher with a business plan. I like the idea for neighborhood grocery, coffee shop, Indian Restaurant!

[Garden guy]

They are there but the businesses on Edgewood have more money than most of the homeowners in the area and they can afford with the help of civic groups to fix it up and make it look nicer...but some streets are just nasty because of the people who live in the homes..some are nice as always but is there anything that can be done to make some of these properties more pleasing to look at...sooo many are rentals and in todays world means lots and lots of HUD properties of which i have found the tenants could care less what they do to the house that the government is paying for...drug dealing is rampent on many of the streets and there seems to be nothing that can be done....they call it "manageable".

[Garden guy]

What about groceries....i'd love to see smaller grocery stores...i've got an idea for small grocery stores that sell only local produce and meats...there are so many small spots open...with the amount of gardeners in this area alone a small produce shop could become a community center for fresh foods and information....maybe a donated store front at first...i know that i can produce about 200 head of lettuce in 2 months in a space big enough for a car...i'm just hoping for a produce market that's open all week long that's only local...this city use to be filled with spots like this .....then winn dixie and publix happened...see ....again the corporate heft controls us ....

[The Compound]

I'd say get rid of the sketchy-mart, turn over Murray Hill Theater to someone that will restore it. Get the Fat Kat to either spruce up or move out. It's weird how the restaurants and shops that open there are not really kosher with a business plan. I like the idea for neighborhood grocery, coffee shop, Indian Restaurant!

You cant just walk in and kick someone out of their business. This isn't Mexico. Yet.

[Captain Zissou]

sooo many are rentals and in todays world means lots and lots of HUD

Guess we figured out where GG lives. 

I'd suggest moving all the republicans out to improve the neighborhood. 

[cline]

thats a tuff question pre-recession one could say spruce up edgewood with shops that bring people in and the surrounding area will improve nicely. But its such a strange time right now. With the exception of Moon River and maybe the pool hall and edgewood bakery there is nothing there to pull anyone in. I'd say get rid of the sketchy-mart, turn over Murray Hill Theater to someone that will restore it. Get the Fat Kat to either spruce up or move out. It's weird how the restaurants and shops that open there are not really kosher with a business plan. I like the idea for neighborhood grocery, coffee shop, Indian Restaurant!

Crazy Egg brings a lot of people in, as do the consignment furniture stores (which are actually very cool).  Murray Hill Theater has shows regularly that bring in people from all over the city.  The owner has actually spent quite a bit of money improving it.  Dreamette is definitely a destination as well.  Wine Warehouse and Curry Thomas Hardware are both cool places.  There are more places than just Moon River and Perfect Rack that bring people in.

I would focus less on the existing businesses and more on attracting new businesses.  There are many vacant buildings and storefronts that could be utililzed to add to the vibrancy of that strip.

[fieldafm]

I'd say get rid of the sketchy-mart, turn over Murray Hill Theater to someone that will restore it. Get the Fat Kat to either spruce up or move out.

Geeze, I dunno if thats such a great business plan.
The market supports what its going to support.
Murray Hill Theatre has been there as a Christian rock venue for decades, Fat Kat has opened up in that location at various times for a about a decade and the sketchy-mart is there b/c people shop there and the previous store was not supported by the market.

In fact, Dreamette's hasn't been renovated for far longer than Murray Hill Theatre... yet people still go.  Does the fact that it isn't pretty make it any less contributory to the unique fabric of the neighborhood?

Lots of GOOD restaurants have come and gone in that area.  The market didn't support some of the upscale places in the commercial district.  

Murray Hill is never going to be Avondale, but it can become a thriving community again but it will take time.  HUD housing has been in the neighborhood ever since my family has lived there... which dates back to 1971.  HUD housing clearly has a place in the neighborhood, so you'll have to embrace it instead of resent it.

Make it more friendly for business and neighbors alike(walkable, bikeable and with strong transit connections) and support what you have.  The market evolves when an environment is present for it to evolve within.

[north miami]

Some time ago I lived at 605 Talbot Avenue.Classic cute little place-a simple place on piers,wood construction and little touches such as covered front porch,arched door ways,small attached garage and a relatively big back yard.
The rent was typical for that mid 1980's era @ $375 per month and the owner was a willing seller-I could have purchased  with a monthly mortgage payment within a couple of dollars of the rent.....and I didn't.
The trend was to look just to the east,across to Riverside/Avondale where a similar property over on Dancy for instance was similarly priced or well worth an affordable "step up" for typically the same type and size structure.
Since then,during the height of the "Bubble" or whatever it was the Talbot house sold for over $90,000 range I recall without searching official records.Obviously the payments and taxes a burden.
I was probably also intuitive in another aspect-in a trend similar to my bellweather native North Miami,US 17 has become a demarcation,literally right sidewrong side of the rail road tracks.
......So today,after making this initial post, out of curiosity I made a visit to Talbot Ave.Had this been my native North Miami I would have been extremely vigilant,no getting out of the car.I can't help but think of this in relation to current events in Jacksonville-would the pattern unfold picture perfect??
My former block of Talbot particularly beat up so to speak with trash along the street sides and a general malaise with a few scattered exceptions.The nice wood lot with mature pines at the end of the street has been transformed in to three or four identical new(er) but not happy cookie cutter houses,two complete with "for sale' signs.A section of the former wood lot sports pine tree stumps.
My former residence hardly recognized at first.Fence and front porch gone and a general unkempt appearance.
I have photos of the Talbot house and street of that different era,just as I do of my North Miami.Something whispers inside  me: 'skip it'
Murray Hill could be thriving now.If not by now,when??The walk & bike elements are basically no more limited than the RAP area.
Hopefully more optimistic posts here suggest a thriving future for Murray Hill and close by environs.Perhaps such decline within the epicenter of a county faced with militant outlying anti Duval theme in an era of presumed "inevitable growth" was...inevitable.
And where would the folks who, while contributing to the malaise perceived by others such as myself, are in fact quite happy (or unaware) with the likes of present day Talbot go?? They came to Murray Hill either out of demand or osmosis.

Finally,a positive suggestion:If I lived on Talbot now I would have 630-CITY on speed dial.....................