Good San Marco news

[Captain Zissou]

I'm 26. I don't remember what was there before Pom's. My family didn't venture out of mandarin much before 94 or 95 when my brother went to episcopal.

[dougskiles]

Great stuff Dog Walker!  I love hearing stories about the old neighborhood.  I didn't move to Jax until 1997 and by then the San Marco Square transformation had already begun.  I do have vague memories of driving through the Square in the mid 80s and thinking it was pretty run down.

Recently I came across a news clipping about a plexiglass bubble that was installed over the fountain (that was eventually replaced by the Lions).   Do you remember that?  It believe it was installed in the 60s or early 70s to keep the spray from "ruining the ladies hairstyles" as the article stated.  It had neon lights but kept fogging up on the inside.

[Dog Walker]

We were moved from the area by the time the bubble went up but I do remember it.  Not only did it fog up from the water, but the untreated, mineral rich water made the fog permanent very quickly.  It didn't last long and I had completely forgotten it until your post.  Thanks!

Someone needs to do a history of the Stockton Company in the history of Jacksonville.  They were the predominant development company for our whole area prior to WWII.  San Marco, St. Nicholas, Empire Point and on and on.

[thelakelander]

^Empire Point was a Durkee Properties development by the Durkee family.  We've got an Empire Point neighborhood photo tour scheduled to run as tomorrow's front page story.

Here's some more information on Indochine coming to San Marco Square:

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2013/04/29/thai-restaurant-indochine-to-expand-to.html

[SunKing]

I think the recent resurgence in the SM area can be attributed to Councilwoman Boyer and great leadership from Doug Skiles and the other folks at SMPS, AND the anti-business policies of riverside/Avondale driving potential new business away from that area and over to a business friendly area like SM.

It is a little naive to call Riverside/Avondale anti-business when the area is just booming.  SM used to be THE epicenter of Jacksonville.  Maybe it was Town Center, or all the construction or perhaps other areas such as R/A and the Beaches taking off but it definitely lost a step to other options around town. 

Nice to see it start to come back and I might pop over there to check it out once in a while, but I dont see businesses lining up to move across the river.

[Tacachale]

I think the recent resurgence in the SM area can be attributed to Councilwoman Boyer and great leadership from Doug Skiles and the other folks at SMPS, AND the anti-business policies of riverside/Avondale driving potential new business away from that area and over to a business friendly area like SM.

It is a little naive to call Riverside/Avondale anti-business when the area is just booming.  SM used to be THE epicenter of Jacksonville.  Maybe it was Town Center, or all the construction or perhaps other areas such as R/A and the Beaches taking off but it definitely lost a step to other options around town. 

Nice to see it start to come back and I might pop over there to check it out once in a while, but I dont see businesses lining up to move across the river.

Eh. San Marco Square was always a neighborhood commercial center. It was a damn good one for many years but come on, "epicenter"? It also struggled in the 70s and 80s at the same time other neighborhood town centers did, including in Riverside, and since the 90s it has come back as strong as ever, and probably better.

San Marco has spent less time on the mat and more time on its feet than nearly any other Jacksonville neighborhood. Other neighborhoods - including Riverside - would do well for themselves to study its example.

[SunKing]

I think the recent resurgence in the SM area can be attributed to Councilwoman Boyer and great leadership from Doug Skiles and the other folks at SMPS, AND the anti-business policies of riverside/Avondale driving potential new business away from that area and over to a business friendly area like SM.

It is a little naive to call Riverside/Avondale anti-business when the area is just booming.  SM used to be THE epicenter of Jacksonville.  Maybe it was Town Center, or all the construction or perhaps other areas such as R/A and the Beaches taking off but it definitely lost a step to other options around town. 

Nice to see it start to come back and I might pop over there to check it out once in a while, but I dont see businesses lining up to move across the river.

Eh. San Marco Square was always a neighborhood commercial center. It was a damn good one for many years but come on, "epicenter"? It also struggled in the 70s and 80s at the same time other neighborhood town centers did, including in Riverside, and since the 90s it has come back as strong as ever, and probably better.

San Marco has spent less time on the mat and more time on its feet than nearly any other Jacksonville neighborhood. Other neighborhoods - including Riverside - would do well for themselves to study its example.

Um yeah hmm?  I think you have it backwards.

Quick name a new restaurant or bar in San Marco?

Cmon, cmon. 

thought so..

And between 95 and 2000 it was the epicenter btw.  Just ask anyone that in any part of town that went out.

[thelakelander]

Quick name a new restaurant or bar in San Marco?

^New? Aardwolf, Maple Street Biscuit Company, Mezze Bar & Grill, Hurricane Grill is currently expanding and a new Panera is under construction....

[SunKing]

Quick name a new restaurant or bar in San Marco?

^New? Aardwolf, Maple Street Biscuit Company, Mezze Bar & Grill, Hurricane Grill is currently expanding and a new Panera is under construction....

talking the Square my friend.

But if we cast a wider net, why would you, in all seriousness, include Hurricanes and Panera in this conversation?

[thelakelander]

^They're within walking distance.  I also thought you were comparing neighborhoods because you didn't mention specific districts such as Five Points verse Park & King or Avondale.  Nevertheless, specifically to the Square you have Mezze, Maple Street and Grape & Grain.  All those are less than a year old.

[Tacachale]

Yeah, we weren't "talking the square". Even if we were, nearly any area of town could take a lesson or three from what they've done right.

[SunKing]

^They're within walking distance.  I also thought you were comparing neighborhoods because you didn't mention specific districts such as Five Points verse Park & King or Avondale.  Nevertheless, specifically to the Square you have Mezze, Maple Street and Grape & Grain.  All those are less than a year old.

why would you even walk to Hurricanes? 

[SunKing]

Yeah, we weren't "talking the square". Even if we were, nearly any area of town could take a lesson or three from what they've done right.

What specifically has been done right?  Even in our part of town, we tend to prefer our chain restaurants in our two Publix shopping centers.

Like i said, happy to see it but I think it is hard to compare Southbank/San Marco/St Nicholas/University with everything going on across the bridges right now.

[thelakelander]

^The park under construction now is something that any neighborhood or area in town would be lucky to move from concept to construction so quick.

[Tacachale]

Yes. We've mentioned a pretty substantial number of specific things already. I'd say the fact that the neighborhood organizations have actively promoted basically all of those specifics, and in some cases spearheaded them, is pretty enviable. At any rate, we don't need to pit neighborhoods against each other to see how beneficial this kind of thinking can be.