Shad Khan: City of Jacksonville needs to evolve!

[CityLife]

Re: Actionville -- we felt like it was time to reclaim the name in a non-ironic fashion. When you look at the activity and results we're experiencing in the community, it seems like the right time to get beyond the "nothing to do here" or "nothing ever changes" mentality and recognize that there's a sea change happening -- and it's measurable, which is one thing JCCI does really well.

You'll see more on May 7 -- one more teaser for Hemming Plaza at 6:30 for the unveil -- but this is demonstrably, undeniably a different city than it was even a year ago, and the pace of change is accelerating.

Makes quite a bit of sense given Jax2025's mission. I like it as a rallying cry/call to arms.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

Yes, it's buzzing.  I'm a huge downtown advocate since I own some property in the Core, but I have concerns.  Nobody in Jax leadership or, importantly, media, talks about the obvious things that make a difference.  Berkman 2 is a homeless hotel.  The Liberty Street hole has been there for 2 years and nobody, I mean NOBODY, talks about it.  These are failures of leadership with the Administration, and they are ignored by the media.  VERY bad combination.

I understand that are probably massive expenses in rehabilitating the Laura Street Trio and good business people need to make sure that the numbers must add up with a tidy profit.  Business people are not investing their money into a charity case.

With that said, I've walked around the Laura Street trio and the other buildings such as the Barnett Bank Building and those couple of other surrounding blocks.  This 4-6 square block area should be the center of life downtown.  Street level should have shops, restaurants and bars/clubs.  The 2nd, 3rd, 4th floors should have offices and the upper floors should be condos with maybe a boutique hotel or two in the middle floors of say the Barnett Building.  The Marble Bank Building should be a giant restaurant and bar with rooftop seating around that central skylight. At One Spark that church on the corner of Laura St and Hemming Plaza could be converted into a recording studio and a venue for live music and dancing.

This vibrant area would be a great catalyst for reinvigorating downtown and slowly the downtown will come to life within the blocks around it.

This is not rocket science or hoping a tar pit will because a health spa.  Downtowns all over the country have gone from 1980s ghost towns to vibrant urban oasis by doing these very things.

[mtraininjax]

There is so many hoops to go through these days that I don't think it's fair to blame an entire administration.

Who do you hold accountable for issues in the city? The tooth fairy? City Council? Where does the buck stop? Oh, that's right, the mayor just passes it on to someone else, on a regular basis, or unless there is a television camera in his face.

[edjax]

^^ well in fairness he has just moved back to Jax.  I am sure you can fill him on all the misgivings of Jax.

[mtraininjax]

I am sure you can fill him on all the misgivings of Jax.

No need, just read MetroJacksonville daily. Its all the news that is worthy of reading. Stephen and Lake and Ock and others do a fabulous job and really have created a great site!

[AuditoreEnterprise]

I am sure you can fill him on all the misgivings of Jax.

No need, just read MetroJacksonville daily. Its all the news that is worthy of reading. Stephen and Lake and Ock and others do a fabulous job and really have created a great site!

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