Downtown Action Committee

[stephendare]

The Downtown Action Committee, chaired by Jim Baily met yesterday morning at 9am.

The agenda included finally implementing signage and lighting projects (of the type discussed by the Uptown Action Committee in which MetroJacksonville actively participated and ended up creating detailed lighting plans for Laura Street).

So sincere are they in their efforts to actually do something rather than just talk about things, that Toney Sleiman from the Landing and Paul Crawford from the JEDC were actually out on ladders hanging lights in the homeless park across from the Florida Theatre during and event last week.

According to discussion at the committee, Florida Theatre Manager commented that the park, was finally used by patrons of the Florida Theater once it was lit and made visually safe for them.

Tri Vu was also out on the street himself, stringing lights in the trees before the event.

Jim has promised a photo of Paul Crawford shaking a ladder with Toney Slieman on top of it.

[thelakelander]

I have a sketch of the Laura Street plan that was included in the JEDC's latest report.  What's the time table for implementation?

[reednavy]

Let's get this done. I swear, quite a few on here would run this city better than the current administartion. Make downtown the heart of the city again, like the kitchen is in a home, its where all the action is, unless college football is playing. Our downtown has so much potential, I wonder if Jacksonville was just as it was and had not merged with Duval County, I wonder what it would be now? Probably better IMO!

[thelakelander]

A hard copy.  I was going to hold it until I have enough information to give a decent update.

[JeffreyS]

Good lighting will not bring people downtown it will bring them back however.  Is there a downtown action committee website?

[Ocklawaha]

I wish someone at Transportation or City would discover the lightbulb on the Hart Bridge Freeway South of the River. I avoid taking guests this way because it makes us look like we drive on Neanderthal hunting trails at night.

Ocklawaha

[thelakelander]

If you think the Hart Bridge Expressway is dark, you ought to see the highways around "progressive" cities like Raleigh.

[Ocklawaha]

Yeah, isn't it weird, way out on the prairie in Oklahoma, there are small towns such as Guthrie or Woodward with a halo of light that can be seen for miles. When you get there, you find miles of light and no City. Then down in the Southeast, development is much more dense, and there is no light even in bigger "progressive" places. Edison was a Yankee (with a Florida Lab) though right? Well duh...

Ocklawaha

[reednavy]

Yeah, isn't it weird, way out on the prairie in Oklahoma, there are small towns such as Guthrie or Woodward with a halo of light that can be seen for miles. When you get there, you find miles of light and no City. Then down in the Southeast, development is much more dense, and there is no light even in bigger "progressive" places. Edison was a Yankee (with a Florida Lab) though right? Well duh...

Ocklawaha

Don't hate on Woodward, j/k. Got family all over the state of Oklahoma, I know your from there.