Fresh Market on Riverside Ave!

[thelakelander]

We just "had" to get those wide roadway lanes and median in there to move automobiles since that's the most important thing in transportation planning.  The buildings had to go because they were in the way.  What were those guys from 100 years ago thinking when they built that close to the street?

[acme54321]

Wasn't here in 2000, but holy crap what the fuck did you guys do?  Set fire to the whole street?  Thanks for posting that picture

X2

That's insane.

[thelakelander]

The evolution of Riverside Avenue and Forest Street over the last 20 years will be an interesting one.

1994


2002


2011


2014?

[Dog Walker]

I remember very vividly the old Riverside Ave and that hulking brick structure.  I miss it!  All those old buildings could have been turned into office space for small companies, coffee shops, restaurants, etc creating a demand for higher density infill to be built nearby (in a better form than proposed).  Very similar corridor to Memorial near Oakland Park Cemetery in Atl (4 lanes, heavy traffic leading into/out of downtown to interstate, bordering historic neighborhoods...now lined with infill and restored warehouses/restaurants).

That old hulking building was Delcher Moving and Storage and had been vacant for many years.  It was a storage building with low ceilings and concrete ramps so unsuited to any other use unfortunately.

[PeeJayEss]

Wasn't here in 2000, but holy crap what the fuck did you guys do?  Set fire to the whole street?  Thanks for posting that picture

X2

That's insane.

Ditto. Had no idea. That's atrocious. The 2000 picture really does look like a big-boy city, whereas 2006 (and today) it just looks like a wasteland bypass.

[Dog Walker]

FDOT planning at its best!  As long as it looks pretty and moves cars it's good.

[tufsu1]

^ please...for FDOT, it usually doesn't even have to look pretty

[jtwestside]

Wasn't here in 2000, but holy crap what the fuck did you guys do?  Set fire to the whole street?  Thanks for posting that picture

X2

That's insane.

Ditto. Had no idea. That's atrocious. The 2000 picture really does look like a big-boy city, whereas 2006 (and today) it just looks like a wasteland bypass.

Great now I have the song "This is how we do it" stuck in my head.


Because around here that is how it's done.

[acme54321]

Back to the point, this fresh market development looks pretty lame.  You have 220 Riverside going up next door than then this crap being proposed?  Ugh.  Looks like something from Mandarin.

[vicupstate]

Not only was the Riverside Ave. widening the wrong thing to do, but IIRC it was the most expensive road project per mile ever done in Jacksonville, at least at the time.   The reason of course is because to do the widening, so many buildings had to be demolished, as opposed to just taking some lawn or parking. 

I also remember a T-U article saying the area was targeted to become Jacksonville's equivalent to the Brickell corridor in Miami.   With two, now three Fortune 500 companies HQ'ed there, that actually made some sense.   

It's great that Fresh market wants to come, but this project is just not up to snuff, IMO.  Eight blocks is too much land for so little density.  This looks like LaVilla Part 2.   I know jax is desperate, but 220 Riverside is much better, and if that can happen, why not demand something at least that good.

I wish a new YMCA could be incorporated into this project (or better still, 220 Riverside).  They need a new facility and it could serve as the Fitness center for the apartment projects.  Plus the Y could sell their high dollar site and have a nice endowment to operate with.           

[simms3]

It is true as soon as this and 220 Riverside are built, there is not that much available land to develop on (especially not without demo'ing more buildings).  I was beginning to agree with Lakelander that the city should just invite the development being that it is in no place to say "no", but looking at those aerials this development will essentially "be" Brooklyn...so you'll really be stuck with these 2 developments and not much room for anything else save for a few additions and rehabs here and there.  It won't really be enough to justify extending the skyway given how much we all know that thing costs to go even a quarter of a mile.

[thelakelander]

It is true as soon as this and 220 Riverside are built, there is not that much available land to develop on (especially not without demo'ing more buildings).

There won't be land on those seven blocks but the majority of downtown is nothing but parking lots.  Even Brooklyn has blocks of parking, vacant buildings and vacant parcels available for infill.  A max out of land after 600 units and 70,000 square feet of retail going up on seven dead blocks isn't happening.

I was beginning to agree with Lakelander that the city should just invite the development being that it is in no place to say "no", but looking at those aerials this development will essentially "be" Brooklyn...so you'll really be stuck with these 2 developments and not much room for anything else save for a few additions and rehabs here and there.

I didn't say, just invite them "as is".  I said work with them to modify their plans to make them workable at the pedestrian scale.  I just happen to think you can do that without forcing someone into adding structured parking. Lay them out right and they can still accommodate infill at a later date if the market supports it.

It won't really be enough to justify extending the skyway given how much we all know that thing costs to go even a quarter of a mile.

To be honest, other than opening a station at the maintenance yard, it makes no sense to spend the money to extend the skyway.  If the streetcar funded by the mobility plan between DT and Riverside comes online, it serves the corridor better.  If you got another pot of money laying around for a skyway expansion, use it on getting the skyway a half mile south to Atlantic Boulevard in San Marco.  Don't blow your transit wad on two fixed transit lines a block or two parallel to each other.

[standalone]

Fresh Market, Classical music playing, lots of good wholesome food, no cigarettes, and a lot of free samples.  The woods in Brooklyn are a favorite locale of the homeless.  I see they haven't pushed all of the locals out.  Zombieland (aka the Methadone Clinic at Park and Forest) will find it convenient.  The free people mover is close by to provide free transportation.  I think this clash of cultures would make a good reality show.  I'd watch it.