Sudden Explosion in Downtown !

[Ocklawaha]

Is it just me, or has their been a major shift in the tone of all of our threads on Downtown. Me thinks it is the distant thunder of a Port on fire... The jingle of golden coin that has been heard and now broadcast from the highest office in the land. "Anyone that thinks free trade doesn't work, NEEDS TO COME TO JACKSONVILLE!" (Bush). Suddenly a sleeping giant stirs, Brooklyn is off the drawing boards and markers and dirt are starting to move...Farther up-stream the DuPont, Blue Cross corner is growing upward again and there are even hushed whispers of SKYWAY in the air. Certainly Brooklyn will come out of this with a model Skyway Station. Over the Lee Street Viaduct and Jefferson Street Station is starting to stir. Can you say 170, 180, 190 foot towers? Development follows development and if we're the first to wake after the building crash, then this time we'll lead the pack. Jacksonville Traction? Skyway? Narrow Gauge Street railway? JTA? Court House and Convention Center? Seem the only qustion marks right now. I don't see how we can ignore them for long, the new boom will carry that battle in ways we probably can't imagine today. Downtown business, oh when those mega-buck retail places start to spring from the ground we will see some positive changes.

What ever brought us around this corner, you can bet every detail was discussed on Wall Street and in Washinton DC. Bush says it's all about our port, frankly, we couldn't have paid for a better endorsement of our City. Every venture capital group was watching tose screens, frankly we might not have enough going on for all those dollars that will come this way... If it's not already there, MAKE IT HAPPEN! Will be the marching orders handed to countless runners. What I'm saying is, we might all take a step back and write about how it "SHOULD BE DONE" rather then "We'll never do it". Because between the Port, the President and the new projects..."We have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with insaitable ambition." (Yamamoto paraphrased)

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

There have been some successful developments while others have stalled, which is a typical event in most regions.  The same question marks we had five years ago and before the President came to town are still here today.   Call me a skeptic...I love your enthusiasm but everything appears to be the same to me.   

[Doctor_K]

Both are good points.  I worry though, that the skepticism that a lot of us feel will turn into complacency.  That's an awfully slippery slope that we can't afford to fall down; especially since this site is one of the few places that seems to be 'keeping hope alive' (to continue Ock's paraphrasing trend  ).

How about a happy medium:  "Cautious Optimism"?

[Jason]

I'm with Ock on this one.  New proposals are still hitting the headlines despite the market conditions and our sea port is about to open the first of two large terminal expansions raising opportunity for further investments from foreign interests.

If we can get these latest proposals built and their transit elements implemented during a downturn in the national economy, that says to me that Jax is living up to its name as a resilient diverse economy that will continue to grow towards its goal of becomming the most important city in the south.

[Matt]

hope for the best...
hey, maybe since gas is going to keep jumping, people will get smart and move back to cities...preferably our city...

[Coolyfett]

hope for the best...
hey, maybe since gas is going to keep jumping, people will get smart and move back to cities...preferably our city...

Or at least push for more train/skyway stations in other neighborhoods, that way people don't have to move from their homes. Moving sucks!!

[JeffreyS]

You can't move right now if you want to.  Unless you are the golden first time home buyer.