The Jacksonville Landing's Redevelopment Plan

[JeffreyS]

Remember the City already owes the Landing dedicated parking.  When you say city money should not be given is it because you do not think the ROI is there? or some other reason?

[JeffreyS]

If residential is how you redevelop downtown and retail follows residential, why is City putting money into an existing retail facility?

Investment in QOL (which includes retail) is what is needed over a long time to drive real residential change.  Urban residential isn't the exact same as suburban. Yes Walmart follows rooftops and then the rooftops try to move further out and the process repeats.  In the core people move there to be near things so things you must have.

[Kay]

Remember the City already owes the Landing dedicated parking.  When you say city money should not be given is it because you do not think the ROI is there? or some other reason?

I think the City should not give money towards current design.  I'd give City money to rehab and reuse the existing vacant historic structures or other vacant structures. 

If they do give money to the Landing then the design has got to be right.  Current design is not pedestrain friendly.  It doesn't engage all of the streets as it should.  If you add onstreet parking then perhaps another surface parking lot is not necessary.

[thelakelander]

The Landing's mall would be demolished. The restrooms are inside the mall. That structure would be completely demolished and replaced by two smaller, two story buildings. I think would be safe to assume, the restrooms under the bridge would also serve the Landing, outside of what would be in sit-down restaurants.

Think I'd be more impressed of he did it without city money (i know, never happen) or if he took city money it came along with a caveat to end the parking dispute.

City money will be involved if anything happens. However, I think the second part about the parking situation is feasible.

I dont visit the site very often...but LAKE was this not your idea to open up the Landing to Laura street? Or maybe it was someone else, but someone here was always posting about that sort of thing.

It's not my idea.  Sleiman has been talking about opening the Landing courtyard up to Laura Street since he purchased the complex back in 2003.

[Tacachale]

^Opening up the Landing courtyard to Laura Street is a great idea that's negated if they then put a strip mall parking lot between them.

[edjax]

+1000.

[I-10east]

I agree with alot that Taca said. Is there anything good about this proposal besides the stellar riverview that I didn't know was there? To be frank, I think that (riverview) itself is very overrated for a local attraction(not top) like that. I do understand that something has to be done there, but tearing down nearly all of the Landing just doesn't seem right to me. I'm trying to be optimistic with that proposal, but I really do not see it. There are MANY concerns.

What about the dramatically reduced overall capacity? The FL/GA game crowd with the normal Landing, versus it with the Landing nearly all torn down? With large crowds, there will be no places to 'chill' ie the second floor, not unless you wanna be forced to patronage an overly crowded restaurant; So what was already very crowded will be even more cramped with less to do.

[Noone]

Are we losing Dock space?

[peestandingup]

^Opening up the Landing courtyard to Laura Street is a great idea that's negated if they then put a strip mall parking lot between them.

I agree w this (and what's been said regarding this & the demolitions), which is why I asked about that slide. It's the first thing I noticed & seemed completely against the reasoning why it should be opened up to Laura. Looks like they're wanting to take a play from the book of the SJTC development & mash cars in with pedestrians. "Oh, look at all these public areas, courtyards & places to walk. Now, dodge these cars & try to have a good time." Stupid. It says it can be closed off for special events, but who even knows what that means.

I do like opening it up, I think we'd all agree there. And the courtyard is a nice touch that will make that area actually usable (instead of just a big empty underutilized slab as it is now). But they need to get out of the suburban mindset with some of the designs. There's plenty of ways to have parking that doesn't involve moving cars right through the complex.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

Love the idea of Laurie Street going directly to the river landing with views & breezes. Jackson riding on his horse into Jacksonville from the St Johns River will be a very interesting viewing vangtage point!

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

The Landing needs more residential condos and all street level design could embrace the street and not have reflective glass windows with the only usuable entrances from the river side not from the street side.

[thelakelander]

So, I just saw Sleiman's new plan for the Landing. The entire complex would be torn down and replaced with a vertical center set back from the river. Super conceptual highlights include no surface parking, a 10-12 story hotel, a 20 story workforce housing tower, a new roundabout at Hogan, removal of Independent Drive ramps to/from Main Street and a waterfront park extending from Main to CSX. The park would be lined with restaurants/outdoor cafe seating.

There's two main buildings divided by an opening allowing a river view from Laura. First floors would be retail/residential. Floors 2-5 would be office/residential. Floors 6 and above would be a boutique hotel west of Laura and a residential tower east of Laura.

[jcjohnpaint]

Say what?  Have you been drinking?

[vicupstate]

So, I just saw Sleiman's new plan for the Landing. The entire complex would be torn down and replaced with a vertical center set back from the river. Super conceptual highlights include no surface parking, a 10-12 story hotel, a 20 story workforce housing tower, a new roundabout at Hogan, removal of Independent Drive ramps to/from Main Street and a waterfront park extending from Main to CSX. The park would be lined with restaurants/outdoor cafe seating.

There's two main buildings divided by an opening allowing a river view from Laura. First floors would be retail/residential. Floors 2-5 would be office/residential. Floors 6 and above would be a boutique hotel west of Laura and a residential tower east of Laura.

It's too early for April Fool's.

[thelakelander]

Nope. I'm sure the plan will be in the papers soon if I can't get my hands on it. I'm at the DIA meeting right now.