Jax Landing to be renovated

[thelakelander]

Yes, it does go slightly uphill.  If the courtyard were opened to the street, you would be able to see it and the river pretty well from the Hemming Plaza area.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Also somone correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Laura go slightly uphill from the river? I don't think opening it up would lead to a San Francisco like panorama of the river, but I do think it would create a stronger visual connection between the downtown core and the river.

I sure does, and thanks to that hill, I was pulled over while on a bicycle.

Not for speeding per se, but a cop saw me passing cars, blue lighted me and asked me to tone it down a bit. 

ON A BICYCLE.

[coredumped]

You could probably see friendship fountain from around Laura and Bay if it was opened up.

Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd, as lake said, people are drawn to each other. Plus, it would be more inviting for tourists who don't know that it opens up on the other side, if they're looking from Laura.

[Wacca Pilatka]

25's in the rear view mirror for the Landing; it opened in June 1987.

[thelakelander]

Wow. I'm getting old.  So 30 is coming up pretty soon.

[KenFSU]

http://jacksonville.com/slideshow/2012-06-27/jacksonville-landing-look-back-25-years#slide-1

[fsujax]

Back to the original topic that got all this started, at least for me anyway. Still talking about the Landing. Still waiting to see something change. sigh.

[I-10east]

In 1987, 'obstructed views of the river' or 'lack of signage' was no problem concerning the Landing; I never bought into that, if a place is poppin' it's poppin'. Hell, it can look like a prison from the outside, but if it's known for great shopping, vibrancy etc, people will come regardless; Believe me, I'm in NO way comparing the Mall of America to the Landing, but look at it? Not exactly translucent with tons of signage. Don't think for a second that if the Landing opened a Macy's or 'fill in the blank wanted store' it wouldn't create enormous buzz, regardless of a riverview from Independent Drive.

[coredumped]

In 1987, 'obstructed views of the river' or 'lack of signage' was no problem concerning the Landing; I never bought into that, if a place is poppin' it's poppin'. Hell, it can look like a prison from the outside, but if it's known for great shopping, vibrancy etc, people will come regardless; Believe me, I'm in NO way comparing the Mall of America to the Landing, but look at it? Not exactly translucent with tons of signage. Don't think for a second that if the Landing opened a Macy's or 'fill in the blank wanted store' it wouldn't create enormous buzz, regardless of a riverview from Independent Drive.

The landing is not exactly dead. Go there on a weekend and try to get a table at Chicago pizza, Hooters is also usually packed. Mavericks has been there for a long time too (10 years?) and is usually quite busy (look at their facebook photos).

It could be better though, there's shops on the inside that aren't doing as well (though some are).

[KenFSU]

Mavericks has been there for a long time too (10 years?)

Opened in late 2007, following the Club Paris fiasco.

[thelakelander]

In 1987, 'obstructed views of the river' or 'lack of signage' was no problem concerning the Landing; I never bought into that, if a place is poppin' it's poppin'. Hell, it can look like a prison from the outside, but if it's known for great shopping, vibrancy etc, people will come regardless; Believe me, I'm in NO way comparing the Mall of America to the Landing, but look at it? Not exactly translucent with tons of signage. Don't think for a second that if the Landing opened a Macy's or 'fill in the blank wanted store' it wouldn't create enormous buzz, regardless of a riverview from Independent Drive.

I think you've missed the point of opening or integrating the Landing courtyard with the street.  If you go back to 1987, what did the Landing do for the rest of downtown's street life?  Did it enhance or vacuum people away?  It sure didn't help the retail district that was on life support around Hemming Plaza. 

To have a successful or vibrant downtown, venues like the Landing can't be isolated spaces.  They have to be well integrated and woven into the greater area to turn the overall district into a place where people want to come hang out, live, dine and enjoy. 

[icarus]

It would be interesting to see if Sleiman is going back to something similar to what he proposed before.

[Stephen]

I think they should tear the damn thing down and start over

[copperfiend]

In 1987, 'obstructed views of the river' or 'lack of signage' was no problem concerning the Landing; I never bought into that, if a place is poppin' it's poppin'. Hell, it can look like a prison from the outside, but if it's known for great shopping, vibrancy etc, people will come regardless; Believe me, I'm in NO way comparing the Mall of America to the Landing, but look at it? Not exactly translucent with tons of signage. Don't think for a second that if the Landing opened a Macy's or 'fill in the blank wanted store' it wouldn't create enormous buzz, regardless of a riverview from Independent Drive.

The landing is not exactly dead. Go there on a weekend and try to get a table at Chicago pizza, Hooters is also usually packed. Mavericks has been there for a long time too (10 years?) and is usually quite busy (look at their facebook photos).

It could be better though, there's shops on the inside that aren't doing as well (though some are).

Most of the outside restaurants seem to do okay. But the inside is downright depressing. Not sure any amount of paint or lighting can fix it. I remember going to the Landing as a kid to the arcade and the inside of the complex looks exactly the same as it did 20 years ago.

[peestandingup]

In 1987, 'obstructed views of the river' or 'lack of signage' was no problem concerning the Landing; I never bought into that, if a place is poppin' it's poppin'. Hell, it can look like a prison from the outside, but if it's known for great shopping, vibrancy etc, people will come regardless; Believe me, I'm in NO way comparing the Mall of America to the Landing, but look at it? Not exactly translucent with tons of signage. Don't think for a second that if the Landing opened a Macy's or 'fill in the blank wanted store' it wouldn't create enormous buzz, regardless of a riverview from Independent Drive.

The landing is not exactly dead. Go there on a weekend and try to get a table at Chicago pizza, Hooters is also usually packed. Mavericks has been there for a long time too (10 years?) and is usually quite busy (look at their facebook photos).

It could be better though, there's shops on the inside that aren't doing as well (though some are).

Most of the outside restaurants seem to do okay. But the inside is downright depressing. Not sure any amount of paint or lighting can fix it. I remember going to the Landing as a kid to the arcade and the inside of the complex looks exactly the same as it did 20 years ago.

This, plus the obvious beautification & connection reasons, are exactly why it needs to be opened up. No one wants to go inside that thing. There's no point. Plus, the mini mall concept is dead as a doornail. Stop trying to hold onto the 80s & put it out of its misery already.

I'd even go so far as to make this part of a plan to close off vehicular traffic on Laura on weekends & connect that whole sum bitch up right.