Jacksonville vs Sarasota: Revitalizing Downtown

[UNFurbanist]

Ya... I don't know. I don't really think Jax should follow in Sarasota's footsteps. It is a retirement village and a tourist trap. Sure there is a bunch of development and it looks fairly nice but having been their a few times while growing up (since I'm from Lakeland) I always thought it was so generic and artificial. It has some nice things going for it but it's not the type of place that attracts anyone my age at least. Jacksonville has lessons to learn but my suggestion would be to not look too closely here.

[Adam White]

I personally hate Sarasota - my folks moved there back in 1995 and I've never enjoyed spending time down there. But they love it. I do agree that the (relatively small) downtown is vibrant and walkable. They do have a "problem" with homelessness, though. There as a big scandal (last summer) over homeless people congregating at the courthouse downtown. It was almost funny how outraged the local press were. They were taking a real "Moran-like" approach of villifying/dehumanizing the less fortunate.

[thelakelander]

Ya... I don't know. I don't really think Jax should follow in Sarasota's footsteps. It is a retirement village and a tourist trap. Sure there is a bunch of development and it looks fairly nice but having been their a few times while growing up (since I'm from Lakeland) I always thought it was so generic and artificial. It has some nice things going for it but it's not the type of place that attracts anyone my age at least. Jacksonville has lessons to learn but my suggestion would be to not look too closely here.

I don't think Jax should follow anyone's footsteps except its own.  However, there are successful redevelopment strategies that places like Sarasota and Lakeland have attempted that Jax can apply in its own setting. For example, both cities have made an extra level of investment in keeping their DT streets clean, well lit, parks pristine, adding bike infrastructure, etc. Locally, we're not doing those little (image enhancing) important things (that led to private investment), yet we focus more on how to spend +$30 million we don't have on getting grand visions like the Shipyards off the ground or rebuilding the Landing from scratch. That's a lesson we can apply, regardless of the architectural standards, density or cultural demographics of the community.

Btw, what part of Lakeland are you from?

[fsquid]

In order to do a comparison, you need to see the Urban Dictionary entry for Jacksonville.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jacksonville%2C+FL

It is definitely not sugar-coated.

Definitely a less biased source than MJ.

Full of fat chicks with supermodel attitudes. EVERY, and buddy, I mean E-V-E-R-Y girl over the age of 16 is an unwed mother. The favorite vacation spot for most inhabitants is jail. The general landscape resembles a half occupied strip mall filled with vagrants and no end in sight, but people who live there love to say that it's the hottest city in Florida

I did chuckle.

[UNFurbanist]

Ya... I don't know. I don't really think Jax should follow in Sarasota's footsteps. It is a retirement village and a tourist trap. Sure there is a bunch of development and it looks fairly nice but having been their a few times while growing up (since I'm from Lakeland) I always thought it was so generic and artificial. It has some nice things going for it but it's not the type of place that attracts anyone my age at least. Jacksonville has lessons to learn but my suggestion would be to not look too closely here.

I don't think Jax should follow anyone's footsteps except its own.  However, there are successful redevelopment strategies that places like Sarasota and Lakeland have attempted that Jax can apply in its own setting. For example, both cities have made an extra level of investment in keeping their DT streets clean, well lit, parks pristine, adding bike infrastructure, etc. Locally, we're not doing those little (image enhancing) important things (that led to private investment), yet we focus more on how to spend +$30 million we don't have on getting grand visions like the Shipyards off the ground or rebuilding the Landing from scratch. That's a lesson we can apply, regardless of the architectural standards, density or cultural demographics of the community.

Btw, what part of Lakeland are you from?

On that point I totally agree that it's the little things that can really leave a good impression. Jacksonville needs to learn major lessons on this no argument! I would definitely suggest that for upkeep and general beautification Jax should look at Lakeland! I think they do a better job than Sarasota simply because it feels more organic and unique (I could be biased though).

I come back every six months or so and there is always some small yet beautiful improvement to the core neighborhoods. I'm actually here right now visiting my dad who lives off of Lake Hollingsworth. They have great painted bike lanes, a beautiful new round-a-bout *gasp*, a brewery on Lake Mirror and Munn Park has made some noticeable seating improvements. It's weird how when I was growing up here nothing ever changed but now there seems to be some great new life surfacing.

[thelakelander]

I agree that Lakeland is a better example when it comes upkeep and beautification of public grounds. I grew up in Winter Haven and lived in Lakeland before relocating to Jax. The firm I worked at in Lakeland was a few blocks from FSC and Lake Hollingsworth. That city has been very proactive when it comes to beautification and quality of life investments over the last 15 years or so. I think one of the reasons is that it has to compete head to head with larger neighbors (like Tampa and Orlando) and even smaller ones in Central Florida for economic development. You can't use the excuse that you're smaller than other community when it comes to economic development deals.  You present a case of you offering a better deal for the target and if you don't, the target goes elsewhere. So there's a greater emphasis placed on things that could set it apart from nearby competitors.

Being consolidated and fairly isolated in comparison, that isn't a situation that Jax really faces. It's probably one of the negative effects of consolidation. Competition, in terms of quality-of-life and attracting business, within the county doesn't really exist. In Central Florida, a Mandarin, Riverside/Avondale, San Jose or urban core Jax would be its own entity and tax revenue generated within its specific borders would be invested in uses that best improve that particular environment.