Rummell says private investment group might assist Downtown

[Cheshire Cat]

Let me add that there have been some remarkably good ideas presented on this board over the past few years.  The question becomes how do those discussions go from ideas to realities?  In my view the answer is that they can't if everyone does not have a seat at the table where the decisions go down. 

[JeffreyS]

Let me add that there have been some remarkably good ideas presented on this board over the past few years.  The question becomes how do those discussions go from ideas to realities?  In my view the answer is that they can't if everyone does not have a seat at the table where the decisions go down. 

We discuss and try to flesh out ideas here. Then as so many of the successful already implemented ideas that have come from here (lighting Laura, ending the Mobility Fee Moratorium, no dedicated BRT lanes, Mike Hogan's political career, ect) we take the talk in mass to the City council, DVI, RAP, DDRB  ect by meeting, email, phone and petition. San Marco's Doug alone has brought ideas from here and delivered them to more groups than I care to count.

[Cheshire Cat]

1. Public discussion groups, forums and competent reporting by media outlets. 
2. No due date, just a point of reference for current discussions.  What we represent would be a statement as to our values as a community.  Are we conservative, liberal or conflicted?  I go with conflicted and that has been a stumbling block to progress for a long time. 
3. I think Alvin did a good job about exciting people in his campaign, but as many in media have reported, that excitement got a bit stale after a year or so and in the light of a failing budget.  I think with the financial challenges facing this city (which is why I brought up the closed libraries and turning off street lights) and the pension issues, getting people to support any expenditure is not going to be easy, which is why some sort of indicator of a plan to go along with the nine million for downtown would be helpful.

Now Stephen, what do you think should be in a plan?

[Cheshire Cat]

Let me add that there have been some remarkably good ideas presented on this board over the past few years.  The question becomes how do those discussions go from ideas to realities?  In my view the answer is that they can't if everyone does not have a seat at the table where the decisions go down. 

We discuss and try to flesh out ideas here. Then as so many of the successful already implemented ideas that have come from here (lighting Laura, ending the Mobility Fee Moratorium, no dedicated BRT lanes, Mike Hogan's political career, ect) we take the talk in mass to the City council, DVI, RAP, DDRB  ect by meeting, email, phone and petition. San Marco's Doug alone has brought ideas from here and delivered them to more groups than I care to count.

I agree and this is something to be proud of.  I should have been more specific, for instance Bob's favorite discussion of streetcars.  I have always thought he was onto something with that.

[Cheshire Cat]

Complete land use rezoning for the greater downtown area to allow residential, creative and infill uses that are presently either illegal or difficult

The restoration of land and sea travel connections centered in the urban core

A transit system that connects the core and the old city area of Jacksonville.

The cessation of parking enforcement as it has been implemented for years.

The rerouting of streets to two way use, favoring transit, walkers, bikes, and scooters.

The implementation of public art and a complete reorganization of the cultural council funds

Salary guarantees and subsidies for high tech and bio tech jobs downtown,

Urban Ag ordinances in the historic core

Restoration of water based commerce and commercial strips along the river banks

A small cruise craft industry haven.

An aggressive working partnership wth the State College downtown.

A restoration of all historic LaVilla properties and a celebration of the Proto Advent of the Harlem Renaissance.

Divestiture of most of the City owned land and property and an aggressive leasing policy of such structures until they are eventually sold.

The establishment of the highest speed wifi infrastructure in the world extended throughout the urban and historic cores.

Public construction and maintenance of covered walkways and awnings on every city owned and maintained property.

Excellent ideas Stephen.  I hope you will be participating in the JCCI study.

How do you propose salaries be guaranteed?

A restoration of all historic LaVilla properties and a celebration of the Proto Advent of the Harlem Renaissance.

This I love!

[PeeJayEss]

Complete land use rezoning for the greater downtown area to allow residential, creative and infill uses that are presently either illegal or difficult

The restoration of land and sea travel connections centered in the urban core

A transit system that connects the core and the old city area of Jacksonville.

The cessation of parking enforcement as it has been implemented for years.

The rerouting of streets to two way use, favoring transit, walkers, bikes, and scooters.

The implementation of public art and a complete reorganization of the cultural council funds

Salary guarantees and subsidies for high tech and bio tech jobs downtown,

Urban Ag ordinances in the historic core

Restoration of water based commerce and commercial strips along the river banks

A small cruise craft industry haven.

An aggressive working partnership wth the State College downtown.

A restoration of all historic LaVilla properties and a celebration of the Proto Advent of the Harlem Renaissance.

Divestiture of most of the City owned land and property and an aggressive leasing policy of such structures until they are eventually sold.

The establishment of the highest speed wifi infrastructure in the world extended throughout the urban and historic cores.

Public construction and maintenance of covered walkways and awnings on every city owned and maintained property.

I don't know how I feel about this "plan"...its a little too specific and "ideasy." What's your angle? Where are the intangibles anyway? What about 'happiness' and 'inclusiveness' and 'togetherness'? I can only get behind vague, ambiguous plans.

[thelakelander]

Let me add that there have been some remarkably good ideas presented on this board over the past few years.  The question becomes how do those discussions go from ideas to realities?  In my view the answer is that they can't if everyone does not have a seat at the table where the decisions go down. 

We discuss and try to flesh out ideas here. Then as so many of the successful already implemented ideas that have come from here (lighting Laura, ending the Mobility Fee Moratorium, no dedicated BRT lanes, Mike Hogan's political career, ect) we take the talk in mass to the City council, DVI, RAP, DDRB  ect by meeting, email, phone and petition. San Marco's Doug alone has brought ideas from here and delivered them to more groups than I care to count.

I agree and this is something to be proud of.  I should have been more specific, for instance Bob's favorite discussion of streetcars.  I have always thought he was onto something with that.

Streetcars have been included in the mobility plan, JTA's long range plan, and the North Florida TPO's 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan.  The mobility plan even went as far to include 100% funding through the mobility fee for a starter segment between Park & King and Downtown's East Bay Street.  That segment is $36-50 million, so I can't imagine the Mayor's money being used for something like that.

My hope with the Downtown CRA plan is that it places more focus on public policy, land use regulations, and public infrastructure, parks, etc.  It should be something that helps guide market rate private development in a manner where  every little project becomes a workable piece in completing the vibrancy puzzle. As soon as that plan dives into deciding what specific uses/business models should be on private property, you're in a territory where your plan may not be feasible in reality.

When it comes to the $9 million the Mayor has set aside, my first question would center around if this is for getting private development off the ground (i.e. Laura Trio, Bostwick, Latitude 30, Jax Landing, etc.) or funding a public improvement (i.e. Hemming Plaza, Southbank Riverwalk, streetscape, etc.)?  These categories require different steps in evaluating the $9 million's ROI.

[Cheshire Cat]

Let me add that there have been some remarkably good ideas presented on this board over the past few years.  The question becomes how do those discussions go from ideas to realities?  In my view the answer is that they can't if everyone does not have a seat at the table where the decisions go down. 

We discuss and try to flesh out ideas here. Then as so many of the successful already implemented ideas that have come from here (lighting Laura, ending the Mobility Fee Moratorium, no dedicated BRT lanes, Mike Hogan's political career, ect) we take the talk in mass to the City council, DVI, RAP, DDRB  ect by meeting, email, phone and petition. San Marco's Doug alone has brought ideas from here and delivered them to more groups than I care to count.

I agree and this is something to be proud of.  I should have been more specific, for instance Bob's favorite discussion of streetcars.  I have always thought he was onto something with that.

Streetcars have been included in the mobility plan, JTA's long range plan, and the North Florida TPO's 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan.  The mobility plan even went as far to include 100% funding through the mobility fee for a starter segment between Park & King and Downtown's East Bay Street.  That segment is $36-50 million, so I can't imagine the Mayor's money being used for something like that.

My hope with the Downtown CRA plan is that it places more focus on public policy, land use regulations, and public infrastructure, parks, etc.  It should be something that helps guide market rate private development in a manner where  every little project becomes a workable piece in completing the vibrancy puzzle. As soon as that plan dives into deciding what specific uses/business models should be on private property, you're in a territory where you're plan may not be feasible in reality.

When it comes to the $9 million the Mayor has set aside, my first question would center around if this is for getting private development off the ground (i.e. Laura Trio, Bostwick, Latitude 30, Jax Landing, etc.) or funding a public improvement (i.e. Hemming Plaza, Southbank Riverwalk, streetscape, etc.)?  These categories require different steps in evaluating the $9 million's ROI.

Exactly Ennis!  I am always impressed when I hear your input and like many of the ideas Stephen proposed above as well.  As you point out, we need to evaluate or at least have some understanding of the ROI for the nine million going forward.  For those who may be newcomers to these conversations can you share more of what a CRA plan is?

[Cheshire Cat]

as a restructuring of tax and economic development incentives.  If we are going to give a million dollars to a corporation in order to relocate to downtown it should be given in the form of direct salary incentives to highly paid professionals.  To wit.  If a bio tech firm relocated here, instead of simply handing over a million dollars in tax incentives to the company, we collect the taxes due, then disburse salary checks to the employees living in the city directly.  Maybe even tie it to residence in core neighborhoods.

The company still gets the benefit of the tax incentives by having the city take the same money and pay high wages (with a guaranteed base on the part of the corporation) to their employees, and the City gets the benefit of beginning to accrue a highly trained well compensated labor force that will attract other companies to relocate here in the same fields.

This is a very interesting approach Stephen and I can see the benefit in it.

[Cheshire Cat]

I also think there is a great deal of importance in looking at and improving the neighborhoods surrounding downtown.  For instance the SOS group have dug in and gotten their hands dirty.  They put action to their words in a positive way and good things are coming from their efforts.  Seeing funding go to some efforts like this abutting downtown would be something worth thinking about.  That neighborhood could well stimulate activities downtown.

[thelakelander]

For those who may be newcomers to these conversations can you share more of what a CRA plan is?

Before the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) can help significantly advance the revitalization dreams everyone desires, a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) plan must be developed.

This is a plan that addresses the unique needs of a targeted area and in the Jacksonville's case, the targeted area is downtown. Typically, these plans include the overall goals for redevelopment, as well as identifying the types of projects planned for the area. Examples of traditional projects include: streetscapes and roadway improvements, building renovations, new building construction, flood control initiatives, water and sewer improvements, parking lots and garages, neighborhood parks, sidewalks and street tree plantings. CRA plans can also include redevelopment incentives such as grants and loans for such things as façade improvements, sprinkler system upgrades, signs, and structural improvements. 

[Cheshire Cat]

Thank you both Ennis and Stephen.  I would hope that these ideas are carried forward for discussion in several venues.  The time is now if it ever was.  In essence this type of input is what could be missed if a single entity or group were allowed to direct our collective future.  These ideas are the type of good thinking that can and will bring us forward. 

[Cheshire Cat]

For those who may be newcomers to these conversations can you share more of what a CRA plan is?

Before the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) can help significantly advance the revitalization dreams everyone desires, a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) plan must be developed.

This is a plan that addresses the unique needs of a targeted area and in the Jacksonville's case, the targeted area is downtown. Typically, these plans include the overall goals for redevelopment, as well as identifying the types of projects planned for the area. Examples of traditional projects include: streetscapes and roadway improvements, building renovations, new building construction, flood control initiatives, water and sewer improvements, parking lots and garages, neighborhood parks, sidewalks and street tree plantings. CRA plans can also include redevelopment incentives such as grants and loans for such things as façade improvements, sprinkler system upgrades, signs, and structural improvements. 

Ennis, I have always felt that some grants and loans for small business recruited for downtown would do a lot to stimulate interest and excitement.  It would also create job opportunities and some viability on the streets.  I used this approach years ago in another city down south.  Identified the types of small businesses that would draw people into the core and then recruited them with grants, tax abatement and gratis business licensing.  I also then worked with building owners to allow these small business a six month and sometimes longer "rent free" start up agreement.  It worked really well.

In tandem with this came a clean up and refurbishing (things like our currently neglected street plantings/flowers etc) that made the core much more inviting.  I also secured a federal grant for facade upkeep and improvements.  Just some paint and flowers and a little give from property owners that they can write off was magic.