Jacksonville job growth hurt by city's lack of identity

[thelakelander]

Unless you live under the proverbial rock, you've heard it before: A vibrant, walkable Downtown would boost the city's economy and attract more young professionals, which would make the city more attractive to businesses.
"Companies are only going to go where there is a rich and increasingly young workforce," Ted Carter, executive director of the city's Office of Economic Development, told the city's consolidation task force on Thursday morning. "And that's why Downtown is so important. That's the mouse trap that young people come to."

But, Carter said, because the city's "brand profile" is limited, his office has has focused more on bringing new companies to town rather than on improving the quality-of-life factors that could become a magnet for young professionals and the high-paying jobs that follow them.

full article: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2013/11/14/jacksonville-job-growth-hurt-by-citys.html

[icarus]

Jacksonville isn't the only City struggling with the dilemma of what attracts and keeps millennials

Miami is an area that caters openly to youthful urges. Clubs are open till the wee hours. The cultural scene continues to grow. We've got beaches and bike gatherings and bacchanals galore, but perhaps the metro area isn't so great at catering to youthful needs.

The Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Pompano Beach metro area continues to shed its millennial population at an alarming rate. Between 2007 and 2009, there was a net population loss of 6,530 residents between 25 and 34 years old, the fourth-greatest loss of any major metro area in America (topped only by the considerably larger NYC, L.A., and Chicago areas).

full article: http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2013/11/miami_is_in_the_midst_of_a_maj.php

[tufsu1]

JCCI Forward has been discussing the identity/branding issue.  There will likely be a forum early next year that includes "pitchers" from Visit Jax, JAXUSA Partnership, One Spark, and more.

[Know Growth]

I left Miami, in favor of Jacksonville at the age of 25.Long before the 2007/09 study. My niece and nephew left Jacksonville, in favor of Colorado twelve years ago.

Identity, Branding is produced by citizen experiences.

[thelakelander]

Jacksonville isn't the only City struggling with the dilemma of what attracts and keeps millennials

Miami is an area that caters openly to youthful urges. Clubs are open till the wee hours. The cultural scene continues to grow. We've got beaches and bike gatherings and bacchanals galore, but perhaps the metro area isn't so great at catering to youthful needs.

The Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Pompano Beach metro area continues to shed its millennial population at an alarming rate. Between 2007 and 2009, there was a net population loss of 6,530 residents between 25 and 34 years old, the fourth-greatest loss of any major metro area in America (topped only by the considerably larger NYC, L.A., and Chicago areas).

full article: http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2013/11/miami_is_in_the_midst_of_a_maj.php

Isn't South Florida kind of a place where you either have it or don't.  Despite the high density, the diversity and South Beach, it's largely an autocentric area.  However, what they do have in their favor is being a popular area for immigration. IMO, they should build on that international/cosmopolitan flavor they're known for.

[icarus]

Isn't South Florida kind of a place where you either have it or don't.  Despite the high density, the diversity and South Beach, it's largely an autocentric area.  However, what they do have in their favor is being a popular area for immigration. IMO, they should build on that international/cosmopolitan flavor they're known for.

Lake - The numbers reflect not just Miami proper but Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach.  If you read the remainder of the article, it references some of the contributing factors:

1. Relatively high unemployment
2. Efforts to attract tech or other high paying industry are lacking or failed.
3. Post recession development is skewed toward high-end luxury (investment) rather than affordable living for residents.
4. High end development is creeping into adjacent areas once popular with millenials.
5. High income disparity.

I think the only thing keeping the greater Miami area propped up at this point is foreign investment and tourism. unfortunately, the millennials are leaving in search of something more.

My point is the idea of putting a brand on something by itself doesn't work and I'd hate to see too much effort focused on a new branding strategy for the City, i.e. river city renaissance, first coast, etc. Miami metro has a definite brand but some real systemic issues.

[thelakelander]

Lake - The numbers reflect not just Miami proper but Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach.  If you read the remainder of the article, it references some of the contributing factors:

I basically consider all the counties in that MSA as South Florida. I didn't read the article but points 2,3,4 and 5 are what I had in mind from being pretty familiar with the area. If they want to attract millennials on a larger level, they'll have to invest in creating an environment that the "general" millennial population seeks. I actually think they are already things that will lay the foundation for improvement, like certain cities implementing form-based codes and investments in multimodal connectivity like AAF and Tri-Rail on the FEC. However, things won't change overnight.  Places that are really popular with millennials didn't become popular in a short period of time.  They've worked for years to create a certain type of environment that caters to this demographic.

My point is the idea of putting a brand on something by itself doesn't work and I'd hate to see too much effort focused on a new branding strategy for the City, i.e. river city renaissance, first coast, etc. Miami metro has a definite brand but some real systemic issues.

I agree. I actually think branding is a complete waste of time and money. No matter how slick the marketing campaign is, people aren't stupid and nothing markets like reality. 

I think the best thing Jax can do for "branding" is to relax various regulations and allow the region to become a place where creative, innovation, cultural diversity, etc. is embraced.  From what I can tell, cities seem to evolve organically. If we can create an environment where diversity is embraced, we'll naturally grow a true "brand."  Unfortunately, this may not be politically acceptable since it involves a timeline that exceeds term limits.

[thelakelander]

Btw, it would also be interesting to see a breakdown by city and county.  I have a feeling some areas of the MSA are significantly worse than others.  It would sort of be like Jax's MSA.  We have some of the fastest growing suburban areas in the country but the urban core continues to shed people and our core county is pretty stagnant.  On the other hand, some cities have slower growing suburbs but faster growing urban cores are seen as popular locations for millennials.

[icarus]

Well, Chicago, New York and LA MSAs actually show a greater exodus of millenials than Miami.  I don't know if it is enough to just be urban.  I think the younger generation is looking for a conflux of things ... affordable housing, good employment, education, walkability, and culture/entertainment.

Like you though, I suspect there are outlying areas of those other MSA where the % of younger residents is actually growing. As a general rule, the changing demographics is directly impacting both commercial and residential development patterns.

The Urban Land Institute's annual study, Emerging Trends in Real Estate, provides yet more evidence that young people, aka GenY (born between 1979 and 1995), prefer living downtown close to work, rather than living in the suburbs and commuting. This is rapidly changing the residential and office marketplace as walking and biking become more important.

full article: http://www.treehugger.com/urban-design/yet-another-study-shows-how-gen-y-wants-live-and-work-downtown.html

[thelakelander]

I wouldn't get too caught up on MSA numbers.  Even most of Chicagoland is suburban.  Most of every metro is.  In the case of a New York or Chicago, the loss in outlying suburbs and blighted areas of those cities most likely outweigh the rapid growth in more compact portions of those communities. But yes, I agree that it's more than just being urban or else millennials would be flocking to places Buffalo, Reading and Toledo.  It's all about quality-of-life for a certain demographic.  I think issues like the conflux of things you mention would have a dramatic impact on quality-of-life.