5 Major Developments Rising Along SR 9B/I-795

[Metro Jacksonville]

5 Major Developments Rising Along SR 9B/I-795



Stretching into northern St. Johns County, in three years, Jacksonville's fourth interstate highway will open to traffic, spurring additional development in what is already one of the fastest growing areas in the state. Here's a look at five major developments that will benefit from the accessibility this highway will offer.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-jun-5-major-developments-rising-along-sr-9bi-795

[spuwho]

This all lines up with previous reports except that new exit for Race Track.

That road was originally planned to not circle back up to Race Track on the east side, but to be used as part of the FDOT plan to redirect traffic off through a new connection/overpass to Nocatee Parkway. FDOT already owns most of the ROW over the FEC, around the Dog Track, etc.

By pushing that connector north, it may enhance retail perhaps, but it would require Race Track to be turned into a major arterial from I-95 east to US1. Something I thought FDOT wanted to push to the new "Durbin Parkway" as it was called. 

It will also be interesting to see how St John's Parkway handles the "dumpage" of all that traffic south of Russell Sampson in 20 years.

[UNFurbanist]

Will there ever be a point where we stop sprawling?

[thelakelander]

^Probably not in our lifetimes.

[Redbaron616]

Will there ever be a point where we stop sprawling?

No. People prefer the suburbs. They want a bit of yard and a quick way to get everything. Nothing wrong with that. The term, "sprawl," is a negative term. People prefer to live out from the city a bit, particularly if they don't work directly in it.

[thelakelander]

^I wouldn't go as far as to claim that people prefer suburbs. People tend to prefer new, clean, affordable, good schools, etc. and the development community prefers to make money. These characteristics can take place in many types of environments. However, with our political environment, we tend to subsidize growth in the outskirts of the city. Projects like SR 9B are an example of this. Without the $150 million investment in the highway, half of these land development projects never happen. Drop $150 million in other areas of town to encourage "new, clean affordable, good schools, etc." and you'll see more growth in those areas as well. With that said, our major challenge is to make sure that whatever growth with have, is sustainable and not a drain on public and environmental resources.

[tufsu1]

Will there ever be a point where we stop sprawling?

No. People prefer the suburbs.

Let me refine that statement for you.  SOME people prefer the suburbs.

[ProjectMaximus]

Will there ever be a point where we stop sprawling?

No. People prefer the suburbs.

Let me refine that statement for you.  SOME people prefer the suburbs.

Especially when they have no choice.

And don't have to pay the true financial cost.

[UNFurbanist]

I feel like there is already so much suburb to choose from. Almost all development in FL is suburban and it covers millions of acres. It blows my mind that there are still people left to buy these places. I guess they just leave older suburbs for new ones and the model just continues where the gov. subsidies go. Its just so sad to me because eventually we will have covered the entire state and then people will complain there aren't enough natural areas anymore. smh

[Debbie Thompson]

That's what happened to Mandarin.  50 years ago, it was a beautiful place.  Great big oak trees with branches covering the road.  It was so pretty people flocked to Mandarin.  They paved paradise, and now it looks like any other big box beige burb.

[The_Choose_1]

Not so fast Mandarin is still a beautiful place. Drive Mandarin Road or walk it even better. Walk into the old Mandarin cemetery. Get off San Jose or State Rd 13.

[Captain Zissou]

This development is definitely at the expense of the core neighborhoods.  Granted, there is a revitalization in the core right now that is definitely improving some of the commercial areas, but imagine if some of this money was being put into la villa, springfield, or St Nicholas for dense infill housing and commercial space.

In Atlanta, was there ever a backlash against the burbs that brought people back into the core out of the suburbs, or were there just enough people to develop both simultaneously?

[vicupstate]

The ATL suburbs definitely fell out of favor, once the traffic got so bad. The move back to the city also seemed to follow new generational preferences.

[thelakelander]

^I'd say enough people to develop both simultaneously. Sprawl around Atlanta is still out of control and growing at a density that makes northern St. Johns look like Miami.  Jax has more than enough people as well. Not everyone in every community wants to live a suburban lifestyle with long commutes. They just need balanced choices.

Locally, we need to do a better job at making it easier for the private sector to want to invest in the urban core from a market rate perspective. This means, Jax will need to do a better job at publicly investing in the public realm amenities that are general expected characteristics of walkable communities....(ex. clean parks, good schools, walkability, multimodal friendly, etc.).

[thelakelander]

Some more developments announced:

http://jacksonville.com/business/2015-06-20/story/sunday-business-notebook-development-south-end-jacksonville-awaiting-ok#cxrecs_s