Some things never change

[kreger]

http://www.youtube.com/v/860v53YDj5U?version=3&hl=en_USOCK-FIXED.

[Mathew1056]

What a great video! It's amazing that even back in the 1960s there were proponents of pedestrian-oriented planning in Jacksonville. If only developers had listened then maybe this city would already be the urban center that it is destine to become.

[JaxJag]

Awesome video,  cool seeing some of the old jacksonville. Im liking the enthusiasm for a vibrant, padestrian friendly core even back in the day.

[BridgeTroll]

Awesome video,  cool seeing some of the old jacksonville. Im liking the enthusiasm for a vibrant, padestrian friendly core even back in the day.

I found it a bit depressing.  Even back in 65 there were people who either saw the future as it is now... or saw a future of possibilities.  Unfortunately... we somehow chose the vision that we currently see.  The video certainly does not inspire hope that Jville can turn things around.

[thelakelander]

Things are now significantly worse.  That environment shown in the early part of the video is what we would consider as being above and beyond vibrant today.  Mike Clark's latest chain of Hogans Creek articles illustrates the same thing.  As far back as 1973, people were talking about the condition of Hogans Creek and how Jacksonville's "central park" should be restored. It is kind of insane that after 40 years, decline has continued and none of the things expressed in the video have been seriously implemented.

[fsujax]

Because we became more attached to funding the idea of sprawl and building $50 million overpasses. While the core of the city crumbled and still is to a certain extent.

[jcjohnpaint]

They were sitting at the crossroads stating if we don't change our ways, Jacksonville will be come:  Exactly what it is today.  I really love the quote "We need to make Jax a human place."  Obviously this project has failed and the powers keep doing what they did then. 
I have not lived here long enough to be loosing hope, but wow I can see for people who have lived here their whole lives could feel that DT is a lost cause.  The powers that dictate how the city grows continue to hold onto their power.  Different people with the same vision. 
-open the river to everyone
-open the landing to DT
-finish the skyway
The same stuff that is talked about here everyday.  I think MJ with the Mobility Fee sunsetting might be the only hope. 
Great find none the less. 

[Ocklawaha]

We've also been given a few bad breaks since the early 70's.

Amtrak pulled out of downtown, closed it's east coast reservation center, then quit splitting trains at our station and closed the commissary  and express operations.

Westinghouse Tenneco's huge investment for OFF SHORE POWER SYSTEMS died at 3 Mile Island leaving a black hole in our port.

The US Navy pulled the plug on our aircraft carrier and closed Cecil Field.

Rice Yard opened in Waycross in 1973 taking most of the Jacksonville switching operations of what would become CSX with it.

The 70's and 80's saw us join several football leagues all of which died and dashed our professional hopes - putting us years behind Tampa.

The Charter Company broke a golden rule in the military or corporate world and put all of their executives on the same helicopter which then promptly crashed, destroying the company and bringing down our hopes of a rumored 50-70 story office tower.

Hurricane Andrew trashed our downtown INDEPENDENT LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY.

Jacksonville Ship Yards shuttered the factory.

Our paper and box board plants shut down.

The State's principal bank, BARNETT was sold to Bank of America and a band of gypsies from Charlotte.

Sears Roebuck shut down it's catalog and with it went all of the jobs at the catalog distribution center at Imeson.

The Dame's Point Bridge blockaded the port, wisdom of the day said it should have been built with 190 feet of clearance to allow the larger cruise ships to pass under the bridge. Even that would be too low given that the newest cruise and container  ships require 200 feet of clearance.

Damage from JEA coal plants and "acid rain" chased several key importers away from our port.


It's not like other cities didn't have equally bad things happen but they apparently had the talent to deal with it and we didn't.