What Should Be Done With Downtown Jacksonville?

[tufsu1]

I don't like that 'breezeway' proposal for the Landing. It's too anti-retail and destructive of the existing infrastructure. I like the idea of readapting infrastructure into other things opposed to tearing it down. This is what I would do with the Landing. I'm obviously scrapping the notion of the gimmicky breezeway in which all of Jax would flock to in amazement to see the St John's River from Laura Street...

For now, I would keep to basic Horseshoe shape of the Landing, with the escalators, upstairs and all. Transform the dying second floor food court area into a club ala Mavericks, or maybe full service restaurant(s) space like American Grill etc. Move all of the existing ground floor retail into one side of the horseshoe; Transform the other side of horseshoe retail into large adaptable space (tearing down inner walls etc); An indoor go-cart track is just an example as to what they could do with it (I'm not saying that it has to be that). People would be more excited with that, versus basically tearing down most of the Landing.       

I'm kind of with you....but the major design flaw with the existing horeeshoe is that virtually nothing faces out to the street....that needs to change in order to make for a lively ped experience

[pierre]

I think there are a million answers to this question. The easiest way I can answer this question is look at what we've down downtown for the last 40 years and pretty much do the exact opposite.

[hightowerlover]

I don't like that 'breezeway' proposal for the Landing. It's too anti-retail and destructive of the existing infrastructure. I like the idea of readapting infrastructure into other things opposed to tearing it down. This is what I would do with the Landing. I'm obviously scrapping the notion of the gimmicky breezeway in which all of Jax would flock to in amazement to see the St John's River from Laura Street...

For now, I would keep to basic Horseshoe shape of the Landing, with the escalators, upstairs and all. Transform the dying second floor food court area into a club ala Mavericks, or maybe full service restaurant(s) space like American Grill etc. Move all of the existing ground floor retail into one side of the horseshoe; Transform the other side of horseshoe retail into large adaptable space (tearing down inner walls etc); An indoor go-cart track is just an example as to what they could do with it (I'm not saying that it has to be that). People would be more excited with that, versus basically tearing down most of the Landing.       

I'm kind of with you....but the major design flaw with the existing horeeshoe is that virtually nothing faces out to the street....that needs to change in order to make for a lively ped experience

This is the one section of the landing that actually has outward facing signage, windows and doors. This is literally the most lively side if the exterior and it's the part they want to demolish?  I'm not a big fan of cutting a hole in the iconic horseshoe shape. I think part of the draw of the landing is that you actually have to enter it to see a river view. Which to me is a benefit to the tenants.

I'd much rather see the big swaths of walls to the left and right of Laura Street opened up with windows, doors signage so people know what's inside.

[mocando]

I'm all for cutting a breezeway. As it now stands, the Landing is a bunker that turns its back on downtown. The design does make it easy for the owner to control crowds but it has also led to where we are today. I would rather see the whole thing come down and start again, but I am not a fan of the people of Jacksonville footing Sleiman's bill. I know that the City owes him more parking but he hasn't done much with the place since he bought it.

[tufsu1]

The City requirement for Landing parking will basically be met with the new garage now under construction....but Sleiman disagrees since it isn't his garage...bottom line, he wants to control the revenue.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Well according to Sleiman the parking is need to draw in certain tenants. City has been promising parking for nearly two decades now and people complain about Sleiman? 

[Keith-N-Jax]

The City requirement for Landing parking will basically be met with the new garage now under construction....but Sleiman disagrees since it isn't his garage...bottom line, he wants to control the revenue.

Ok I see, thanks

[Glenn OSteen]

What should be done?  Pretty simple, really. 
Return all downtown streets to 2way.  (except perhaps State And Union).
Eliminate ramps on Main Street Bridge.
Recognize Bay Street (east to west) from the Convention Center to EverBank Field,; and Main street (north and south) from Bay Street to 20th Street as the primary downtown corridors.
Establish rail based or surface based trolleys on the 2 main corridors.
Recognize Hemming Plaza as "Government Center" and develop the real downtown along Bay Street (which is already happening) and Main Street (where there is an abundance of cheap land available for development).
Don't give away excess city properties to ANYONE.  Put them up for sale and take what you can get.  At least, they would go back on the tax rolls in most cases.
Create daily "Events" downtown until the residential base is large enough to support an ongoing day and night life.  Art Walk and other events prove there is a market; right now it's just a lack of city imagination.

[ronchamblin]

We've talked for years about how most people want to have a vibrant downtown core.  We've talked about specific attributes which full vibrancy might possess.  We must do more than just dream of and describe the goal.

Our wish for full core vibrancy could be like a journey we all wish to take.  We know the destination.  Or ... the problem could be likened to something we want to build.  Our imaginations possess the object we wish to build. 

Since we have been for the most part stagnated in our efforts to achieve vibrancy and infill, we might attempt looking at the mechanisms most critically affecting our ability to make good progress to destination.  The stagnation exists not because of mysterious forces about which we must remain ignorant, but perhaps it exists because we have not engaged the mechanisms most critical for solid movement toward vibrancy and infill.   

Every problem is to be solved by understanding its many essences, the mechanisms within its nature.  Every journey is to be completed by discovering the best roads to destination, by perceiving clearly the obstacles along the road, and how to neutralize them.   

Because we continue in ignorance about the mechanisms necessary to reach our destination, we remain in stagnation. 

How can we begin to disassemble and analyze the machine that can take us to destination?  We must understand how it works.  We must repair it for optimum progress.  We must ensure it is well lubricated and has sufficient fuel for the journey. We must ensure that the drivers are dedicated, determined for the journey, that they will keep us on the road.

To only dream of the destination, is to continue in stagnation.  We must perceive clearly the destination, understand the obstacles to it, the mechanisms involved, the road to it ..... and we must drive with great force and determination, the machine which can take us there. 

[Coolyfett]

Obviously there is not just one thing that fixes DT but the first one on my list would be Complete the Laura street trio project. The second would be outside of DT connect the Skyway all the way into San Marco. Third priority open the Landing to Laura.

I like it....

[mtraininjax]

I know that the City owes him more parking but he hasn't done much with the place since he bought it.

Sleiman went round and round and round with former Mayor Peyton on a parking deck and Peyton told him to stick it, essentially, and the relationship deteriorated from there, and here we still sit.

[jaxlore]

More events downtown! More transportation options to get downtown. Incentives for local grass roots businesses to move downtown.

[urbanlibertarian]

On my unambitious wish list for downtown is a good medium priced raw bar/seafood place, a 24/7 diner (cuppa joe and blue plate special variety) and a moderately priced relatively quiet full service bar that doesn't turn into a dance club on Fri/Sat.

[Westside Guy]

Build down Hogan and Laura Streets with infill of restaurants, shops, and bars.  Change it into a major entertainment district.  Start at the Landing and use that as an anchor to start off and eventually work all the way back to Hemming Plaza, which can host events like concerts.  It would already have Skyway access (unlike the Shipyards) and would really feature the core of downtown.  Unfortunately, there isn't even enough demand for shops, bars, etc. to even fill up the Landing, much less five blocks of downtown.

[coredumped]

How did Savannah do it? That city wasn't always a charming little town with a bunch of great pubs and B&B's. We need to capitalize on what we have - a great riverfront, and a southern city with a rich history.

As a tourists coming downtown your could be entertained for hours if we had: a docked navy ship/museum, southern rock hall of fame, larger/relocated maritime museum, maybe even an aquarium (though I don't think we can compete w/atlanta).

There's no silver bullet, but a few of those things on the list closely located to each other would make a huge difference.