Downtown Gamechanger

[UNFurbanist]

Interestingly, it seems as though UNF has opted to move into the Brentwood Building north of Springfield for an entrepreneurship center. It is basically being given to them for free so I guess I get it but I really think they should be looking more at Downtown. This building is just too far from the real hub of activity to do much for connectivity. Could be good news for that specific area and Springfield though. 

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2015/12/23/unf-eyeing-brentwood-building-for-entrepreneur.html

[Tacachale]

^LOL, if you have a better located building you're willing to give for free I'm sure they'd be all ears.

[Houseboat Mike]

It is definitely not free, OPEX can be a significant cost depending on the type of lease it is. Also, its not really close to Golfair, it is pretty much on the other side of the 20th Street Expressway at Main St. which I really consider Springfield, not Brentwood- although it is probably semantics.

[thelakelander]

Pretty cool. It's essentially Springfield. Hopefully, if this goes through, it can spur some redevelopment in the few blocks between 20th Street and the Springfield Warehouse District. Nevertheless, to stir the pot for the downtown focused people, if all it takes is a free building, perhaps COJ should be offering up the old courthouse or city hall annex?

[mtraininjax]

Game Changer? Alvin Brown already coined that phrase with the video boards.

[Marle Brando]

I can't for the life of me understand why the city hall annex or the courthouse site has not been offered up yet. I've always envisioned the sites as an extension of The Landing making the Landing more so a waterfront district vs. a singular building on the river. You would have 'The Elbow' adjacent to 'The Landing'. All buildings in between would take on the Landing moniker ex. 'The Hyatt Riverfront @ The Jacksonville Landing and so on.

[RattlerGator]

This is clearly a damn good start for UNF and the kind of thing they very much need to do.

Now . . . a big-azz dorm downtown. Maybe in partnership with UF. Make it happen.

[strider]

I think this is a plus for the Springfield commercial corridor.  If UNF has a successful program at 21st street and a new dorm downtown, it does appear that  certain amount of in-fill will occur in between and yes, it could spread to the Warehouse District. For Historic Springfield to keep growing, the areas around it, like the area from 12 to 20 something st, need to be brought up as well. Everyone wins if that happens.

[thelakelander]

The building in discussion:

[UNFurbanist]

Overall, I'm not really a fan. I think we could do much better. I'm sure the building itself will be nice when they're done but it's definitely a commuter oriented development just like the rest of UNF I suppose :/

[MEGATRON]

Overall, I'm not really a fan. I think we could do much better. I'm sure the building itself will be nice when they're done but it's definitely a commuter oriented development just like the rest of UNF I suppose :/

An unimpressed MetroJacksonville poster?  I'm shocked.

[UNFurbanist]

^ I'm not normally that MJ poster who is always negative. In fact quite the opposite. This I take a little more to heart though because I am a current UNF student. I love my university but I feel like we always tend to do things half right. Like it's cool but it could be better. A bigger vision, a better location, just something more innovative. I know it's not on the radar now but I always thought that the old annex could be awesome as a full blown downtown campus. Especially since I would think tapping into the new spark district for an entrepreneur hub would be a no brainer. idk I'm just not inspired. Is that fair? haha

[Tacachale]

This is happening because the building is coming basically for free. I doubt this is the location one would choose in a vacuum, but in a decision between this building and not having such a project at all (for now), the choice is much easier. FWIW, there were naysayers about MOCA Jax as well.

[RattlerGator]

UNFurbanist, I'm hoping this won't be a one-off for UNF. This is merely a beginning, I hope.

[ronchamblin]

The downtown core was abandoned decades ago mostly as a consequence of the automobile boom and the population growth. The core was left to endure years of decline as the energy, investment, and population spread outward. 

We watch as a slow and hesitant recovery ensues, sensing that full recovery will occur eventually via the rare occasional infusion of cash and vision.  But the rate of recovery will remain a snail's pace ... taking decades ... as long as we assume that the core stagnation will somehow cure itself naturally, without sacrifice and determined actions from those desiring progress.   

If we are determined not to accept this slow pace, we must encourage ... even force ... an increased recovery rate by "tax dollar investment" in solid and necessary infrastructures, thus creating an environment that entices residents, business, and visitors to engage the core.  The result of this investment will soon move core energy past a threshold, after which, the journey to vibrancy will be self-sustaining --  residents and businesses will compete to invest in the core.

Just as tax dollars are spent to build and improve roads, bridges, parks, and municipal buildings; so too, tax dollars must be spent in creative ways to force the core past a threshold -- a point after which, growth will occur via the natural energy of a mature and powerful local economy.
Until this temporary sacrifice of tax dollars is spent ... until we build a solid infrastructure, which might include subsidies to entice residents and small businesses to engage the core, the road to vibrancy and infill will remain at a snail's pace.