Levels: A Look at Laveranues Coles Plans for Downtown

[icarus]

Hopefully, he succeeds because success will only create more opportunity for additional people.  However, if it fails, it's still a net positive in that another vacant structure is renovated. This allows someone else to follow behind if the initial concept is unsuccessful. There are examples of this all over town.

they spent a fortune renovating for Eclate jazz bar which didn't make it but Dive Bar hung in there.

[thelakelander]

^Same goes for Underbelly, the pizza place next door and the new cigar lounge around the corner. All are in spaces originally retrofitted by venues that failed, sold and moved on, etc. Nevertheless, I really felt sorry for the Eclate guys.  They invested in Bay Street a few years too early.

[libertyloft]

I hope someone listens to JaxArchitect!  All street level designs must be inviting and not deemed "inaccessible" to pedestrians.  Everyone who cares about Downtown Jacksonville's redevelopment must read Jeff Speck's book  The Walkable City.  Fabulous ideas that work as demonstrated in other cities like ours.

[tufsu1]

The DDRB raised concerns about transparency yesterday.  There will be a special DDRB meeting next Tuesday where revisions to the design are expected to be presented.

[ProjectMaximus]

does anyone else think of this every single time??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQyXeLSL0II#t=17

[urbaknight]

The DDRB is going to find some stupid problem that doesn't even matter. (such as someone forgetting to dot an I or something like that) Meanwhile, they'll approve the Fuller Warren widening project without a separated bike/pedestrian path. What use is the DDRB for DT, really? Why do these clowns always screw with the truly urban projects?

[acme54321]

The DDRB is going to find some stupid problem that doesn't even matter. (such as someone forgetting to dot an I or something like that) Meanwhile, they'll approve the Fuller Warren widening project without a separated bike/pedestrian path. What use is the DDRB for DT, really? Why do these clowns always screw with the truly urban projects?

Does FDOT have to go to DDRB?

[thelakelander]

No.

[acme54321]

LOL Didn't think so.

[urbaknight]

I'm just saying, the powers that be seem to always try to throw roadblocks in the way of DownTown development.

[Tacachale]

Enough already. If anything, the problem with the DDRB is that it's not insistent enough that projects are designed well for an urban environment.

[JaxNative68]

Speaking of DDRB, I recently saw a rendering of the "Shoppes on Riverside and FreshMarket" that has broken ground on Riverside Avenue.  How did that suburban strip mall cluster of buildings ever pass DDRB approval?  I believe the rendering was in February issue of The Resident.  If I new how to successfully post images to this site I would dig out the paper and scan the rendering.

[Tacachale]

Sounds like the design has been revised and the DDRB approved it. I'm sure images will be coming soon.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=542222

[mtraininjax]

Not to detract from this thread, but I like it when new threads are created, especially when there are major milestone moments in a development or if things have been quite for an extended period of time.  As a new reader to this site there is nothing more discouraging than trying to join a conversation that is 20 pages long and goes back 3 or 4 years.

As much guff as I give Lake and Stephen, et al, on threads, they do a helluva job with the board. They really do. Sure there are other solutions out there they could be using and doing more with, GOOGLE PLUS, this is really the only place to get all the news that is really fit to read in Jacksonville, FL.

Looking forward to seeing the new Coles place.

[comncense]

So did this place ever open or did it vanish like the majority of other plans that are associated with Downtown?