A new idea for Downtown?

[camarocane]

I dont think people are "tripping out over weird shiznit" as you so eloquently put it. Merely stating opinions...

[thelakelander]

Yeah, we're just expressing our opinions. In reality, I'm not losing any sleep over the courthouse design, Shipyards, Outer Beltways or Jax's lack of a vibrant urban core. Although I'm a big advocate for improving our community's quality-of-life, I've come to accept things for what they are. When I get bored or desire things that aren't present locally, I leave town.

[Kerry]

Design for the time we live in?  Thank goodness we don't apply that logic to everything else in life.  We wouldn't have oldies radio stations, movies in historical time periods, classical music concerts, retro car styling, or non-electric musical instruments.

[jcjohnpaint]

Yeah, we're just expressing our opinions. In reality, I'm not losing any sleep over the courthouse design, Shipyards, Outer Beltways or Jax's lack of a vibrant urban core. Although I'm a big advocate for improving our community's quality-of-life, I've come to accept things for what they are. When I get bored or desire things that aren't present locally, I leave town.

Can't believe you didn't leave already

[thelakelander]

Design for the time we live in?  Thank goodness we don't apply that logic to everything else in life.  We wouldn't have oldies radio stations, movies in historical time periods, classical music concerts, retro car styling, or non-electric musical instruments.

Apples and oranges. We do have historic districts and century old neighborhoods that most don't seem to be concerned about the authentic historic building stock continuing to be mowed over. As you know, I'm a huge advocate of preserving and utilizing as much of our existing building stock as possible. We don't build them like we used to and changes in building style over the course of our city's lifespan tells a visual story of its history and culture.  With that said, architects like Klutho (who designed for their day and era) would turn over in their graves if they saw the type of crap we're putting up these days.

[thelakelander]

Yeah, we're just expressing our opinions. In reality, I'm not losing any sleep over the courthouse design, Shipyards, Outer Beltways or Jax's lack of a vibrant urban core. Although I'm a big advocate for improving our community's quality-of-life, I've come to accept things for what they are. When I get bored or desire things that aren't present locally, I leave town.

Can't believe you didn't leave already

Haha. I'm headed to NYC this weekend! Looking forward to experiencing some walkability and cosmopolitan culture. After a few days, I'll get the urge out of my system and I'll end up getting back on the grind in Jax to save up for the next trip somewhere.

[ProjectMaximus]

make sure you come back, ennis!

[thelakelander]

^Oh, I'll be back. Too cold up there for this Florida boy to stay long term.

[avonjax]

Cool idea but we have ample parking....
I despise the faux old architecture of downtown. If that's what we love why did we bulldoze the real thing? The courthouse! A design abomination. This was far and away the WORST design of all the ones that were presented for the courthouse. (If I'm not mistaken this was not one of the original four  that were presented for consideration.) And I didn't love any of the original four all that much.
We need some really great modern architecture downtown.
I more than anything hate the faux Klutho that keeps popping up in La Villa and Springfield. It looks like crap.... Sorry Springfield people.
His work was beautiful, the "inspired by" is not!

[Houseboat Mike]

Thanks everyone for the input. As for the thought that we have ample parking, I am not sure that is accurate, but if we are to revitalize downtown, at some point we won't have ample parking. I guess my thing is that we could create a focal point downtown should we create garages that frankly don't look like garages.

[Overstreet]

Column spacing, span and number of spaces determine basic cost. Then when you start trying to make the outside look good or like something else the cost skyrockets. Close in the walls and you add HVAC. (fans, ducts, louvers, etc)  Limit the number of spaces by a small lot and you get high per space cost.  Most garages are measured in cost per space............so they can compare how much $ per space they can get.

[mtraininjax]

Agreed. People trip out over some of the weirdest shiznit.

I love it, crazy indeed, let's build a parking garage and put racing stripes on it and call it an old building. We got a surplus of money for that crazy stuff!

[I-10east]

I don't think it looks bad at all. Yes, very detrimental to walkability and unnecessarily costly, but the aesthetic itself looks fine to me.

Agreed. People trip out over some of the weirdest shiznit.

Yup, I agree. I understand that people have their opinions, but MY opinion is like you said RG, people trip out over the weirdest shiznit.

[thelakelander]

I don't think anyone is seriously tripping out and losing sleep over bad architecture in Jax. They're just expressing their opinion on a subject.....started by a third party..... in the same manner as those who believe it to be fine are doing.