Downtown Revitalization: St. Petersburg

[peestandingup]

since when is Springfield not a populated area?

You mean the abandoned warehouse district in Springfield? It hasn't been for a long time.

[thelakelander]

For comparison's sake, Riverside (north of King Street) had a population density of 3,967.3 residents/square mile in the 2010 census.  Springfield (the historic district) had a density of 3,963.8 residents/square mile. The neighborhoods the S-Line penetrates to the west of Springfield (Durkeeville) had 5,322.8 residents/square mile.  They just happen to be minority dominated so we've historically have turned a blind eye toward them.  Nevertheless, every time I've used the S-Line, i've seen most of its usage come from residents in this transit dependent neighborhood, including children who use it to go under I-95 to school.


Durkeeville, one block west of the S-Line.

I believe the revitalization of distressed neighborhoods like Durkeeville are the key to the success of Jacksonville's urban core and any type of infrastructure that improves and better connects them with the rest of the city is a plus.  What we've got to do is find a way to include them in the revitalization process.  If we can do that, we'll find a way (such as adding a rails-WITH-trails commuter rail line) to connect the S-Line to a comprehensive city-wide network.

[peestandingup]

I don't believe its because they're minorities that we tend not to acknowledge them as much as it is the income level. Poorer people, for whatever reason & no matter their color, tend to not use things like this, be active, ride bikes, etc. Unless its, like you say, out of absolute necessity. I don't know why that is, but its no different here than the poor (white dominated) area I grew up in.

But of course this is just one area. The Line does go through a ton of areas that time forgot too. Some people would be scared by that. I'm not, but I could see how many could. But its like you said, Lake. Connection is everything. We can't just plop them down over abandoned rail lines (thats most likely around abandoned areas) & expect results. Thats the thing that really bothers me about it. It could be great but only if we're dead set on finishing all of these things out. If we half-ass it (like we tend to do), then it might as well not even be there. At least as far as revitalization is concerned.

By no means am I going to defend the planning behind the S-Line. That was simply a case of winning rails to trails money.

This seems to be common. It really seems like we take grant money to funnel projects, no matter how small (S-Line) or big (Skyway), throw them out there so it looks like we're doing something, never finish them out properly & then move on to something else. And when it comes time to actually put up or shut up & actually do something (mobility plan), we stop it. If I didn't know any better, I would say its all done on purpose. But My tin foil hat is at the cleaners, so...

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

I highly recommend reading the book The SEAMLESS CITY understand how downtown St Petersburg and artistic Central Blvd went from a dead space to an exciting place & learn how St Pete because a great American cycling city.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

Edgewood Avenue in Jacksonville can easily become the equivlent of the Grand Central Arts District.