Mayor Brown Appoints Economic Development Officer

[Noone]

We can only hope that someone will show him how to FIND FIND.

because in Jacksonville we are so LOST.

Can't wait to share with all of you and Mr. Carter the FIND LIST that nobody at the 11/14/12 Jacksonville Waterways Commission was aware of. Thank God we just passed 2012-402.

Mr. Carter would you like to kayak and go fishing in a Downtown Economic Development Activity under the brand new No Fishing signs that was also shielded from the Jacksonville Waterways Commission. I want to reach out to you. Today, I just reached out to the Commissioners of the Florida Inland Navigation District during the Public meeting that was held this morning in Jacksonville Beach.

Visit Jacksonville.

I am Downtown.

[thelakelander]

Interesting, taking Tacachale's advice I looked into Carter's experience with the NCRC in DC.  We actually covered one of his projects in DC's Columbia Heights, in a 2007 article about redevelopment along the S-Line.  During that time, the NCRC helped with the development of several TODs around the Columbia Height's Metro station.





http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2007-feb-rebuilding-the-northside-saving-the-s-line

[thelakelander]

Carter Steps Down as NCRC's Chief Executive

Carter departs from the job barely 18 months after taking office. Before joining the NCRC, he worked for D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) in the chief financial officer's office and as campaign director in 2002 when Williams had to wage a write-in campaign for the Democratic nomination in his reelection bid.

After taking over the NCRC, Carter disagreed with the administration on several issues. Earlier this year, he struck a deal with the Williams administration to give control over redevelopment of the Southwest waterfront, which included land NCRC owned, to a newly created authority overseeing waterfront development. In exchange, NCRC received other land in the city.

The NCRC has gone through several leadership changes. In 2002, Elinor Bacon stepped down as chief executive, and her two successors served about six months each.

full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55298-2004Aug10.html

[thelakelander]

City Development Organization Seeks a New Stability

The top spot at the NCRC came open last week, when Theodore N. Carter resigned after 20 months on the job. Many major projects moved forward during his tenure, including new apartments and retail projects in Columbia Heights and the redevelopment of shopping complexes on the Southwest waterfront and in the Skyland neighborhood of Southeast.

But Williams aides and Evans said those deals required too much hands-on involvement from board members and city agencies.

Carter, in turn, said he was caught in the storms that often brewed between the city government and the NCRC board. The two entities have clashed repeatedly in the last year -- over who should get surplus revenue generated by a tax on the MCI center; over how the city and corporation should split the cost of redeveloping Skyland; and over how much the NCRC should be compensated for land it was giving up in Southwest Washington to spur the redevelopment of the Waterside Mall and the Anacostia riverfront.

"That was a significant drag on us," said Carter, who before joining the corporation had managed the mayor's reelection campaign, and before that had worked for D.C. chief financial officer Natwar Gandhi. "That is a very challenging and complicated environment through which to execute deals."

The acrimony -- several insiders said deputy mayor for economic development Eric Price and former NCRC board chair Karen Hardwick barely spoke to one another -- slowed some projects, and tarnished the District's otherwise strong economic development reputation.

The Williams administration publicly threatened to sue the NCRC last summer over the MCI Center money; during the fight over who should control the Southwest Waterfront, the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups lined up to blast Price's office and side with the NCRC.

D.C. Council member Adrian M. Fenty (D-Ward 4), who worked with Carter on plans to redevelop blighted blocks of Georgia Avenue, said that in trying to please both the board and the mayor's office, Carter seemed to satisfy neither.

"Ted Carter all at once was seen as being too close to the mayor and not loyal to the mayor," Fenty said. "He really seemed to be stuck in no man's land there."

full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11523-2004Aug18.html

[Cheshire Cat]

Good job with the info Ennis.  Your last two posts are what I was getting at.  I think these interactions are worth paying close attention to.  There is a history there that could point to some red flags.  Also look at the political interactions and connections.   Any idea how the project he was behind above is doing today?



Diane M.

[thelakelander]

Looks like a ton of growth has been stimulated around the Columbia Heights Metro station since Carter's NCRC theatre project.  Here's how the distressed neighborhood looks today:











The last time I got off at the Columbia Heights Metro station was around 2003 and the only thing there was a CVS.  Nearly everything in these images has been constructed since then.

[Cheshire Cat]

The area does look good.  I wonder what kind of team he had working with him?  I am willing to bet he may have a least been dealing with a government entity that functioned more smoothly the ours.  I would love to see our downtown looking more like this.  We seem to be such a stodgy and confusing city in many ways.  I am wondering if the things that worked to make this project happen would also work here.  It would be great if it would.


Diane M.

[dougskiles]

It's difficult to compare economic development performance in DC to Jacksonville.  DC barely saw any signs of the recession, while many in Jax argue that are barely out of the recession.

My questions center on the relationship between a city-wide Economic Development Officer (who will answer to our mayor) and a yet-to-be-searched-for executive director of our Downtown Investment Authority (who will answer to an independent board).  Could be interesting!

[Tacachale]

Thanks Lake. This is the kind of thing I was looking for too (rather than yet more discussion of why hypothetical locals shouldn't get the job). I'm still curious about how he was selected; perhaps we'll hear more later.

[Cheshire Cat]

It's difficult to compare economic development performance in DC to Jacksonville.  DC barely saw any signs of the recession, while many in Jax argue that are barely out of the recession.

My questions center on the relationship between a city-wide Economic Development Officer (who will answer to our mayor) and a yet-to-be-searched-for executive director of our Downtown Investment Authority (who will answer to an independent board).  Could be interesting!

Exactly!

[tufsu1]

It's difficult to compare economic development performance in DC to Jacksonville.  DC barely saw any signs of the recession, while many in Jax argue that are barely out of the recession.

true...but DC revitalization floundered for decades...and didn't really kick in until after 2000

[thelakelander]

Yeah.  Columbia Heights and even U Street were fairly rough places in the mid-to-late 1990s.  I vividly remember stepping over people sleeping on the sidewalk back in those days.

[duvaldude08]

^Agreed. This is another case of the regulars aiming their skepticism in the wrong direction. Lake and co, instead of being skeptical about folks who *weren't* picked, why don't you start discussing the ostensible qualifications of this guy who *was* picked?

I'm not skeptical.  I think this is a case of reading too much into my posts and coming up with your own viewpoint of my position. I'm not defending or criticizing the Mayor's selection of Mr. Carter. I'm just saying I don't believe you should be forced to hire local people for every job.  To me, it should be skill based and if the best person comes from San Francisco and not Mandarin, so be it.

I agree. If the best person is not here, oh well. I am actually of fan of outside candidates because they could bring new ideas and new blood to our city government.

[CS Foltz]

I am trying to maintain an open mind,but have reservations in light of the City's financial picture. We cut back on Library hours but have money to pay someone 195K. I would hope there are atleast "goals or specific points" to be reached within a time period of reason but have yet to see anything other than a new office being opened. Maybe I am jumping the gun but an outline or projected path to follow would be nice!

[kreger]

Does he mow grass or pick up trash?