Murray Hill's Edgewood Avenue Reimagined!

[thelakelander]

If Jax is considered a "country town", I'm not sure I'd call Tampa a "city"....(and I love the Bay area, btw). Although double to population of Metro Jax, the Bay Area is just as sprawling and autocentric as any other growing Sunbelt urban area. Coming from Manhattan, they'll both feel much smaller and you won't find much difference in either. I don't know what Lenny Curry's vision is for Jax's core, but it will continue to get better with or without him on board. This is an era where community driven projects are bringing in new life, excitement and opportunity. It will be up to the city to be a facilitator and not an obstacle of this nationwide movement.

[jaxnyc79]

Yea, I think my issues are with the auto-centricity in the overall built environment and aesthetic.

That seems to be an issue all across Florida (and perhaps the entire south).  South Florida seems to be working against that (at least in pockets).  Would be nice if Jax would consider taking its marching orders from other cities outside of its region...but probably a long-shot.  I agree that Tampa isn't a model for urban growth, but there appear to be some much larger pockets of density and walkability than what you find here.

[ProjectMaximus]

Does Len Curry have any grand visions for Jax?  When I say Jax, I'm not referring to the county lands.  I'm talking about the core city, which appears to be in bad and/or shabby shape in driving around.  I don't quite recall his platform for the urban core.  After he balances the budget, then what.  Jax (ex-consolidation factor) appears quite distressed.  Again, I'm judging the city, not the 'burbs, which in most other metros, wouldn't be counted as the city.  By way of background, I graduated from UF, worked and lived in Manhattan the past 11 years, and am considering relocating to Jax to be closer to aging parents.  My parents won't budge from Jax.  My sister and her husband are aggressively trying to sell me on Bayshore in Tampa.  She calls Jax a pleasant "country town".

Curry always spoke positively of downtown and he attended many events in the "core" with folks like Rummell and Munz. But I don't know if that was for show and if he really cares or has the will to truly advocate for downtown.

Jax has made progress in the past decade but I do look enviously at some of the things Orlando and Tampa have accomplished. If you move back don't expect things to change quickly or overnight...it's quite the test of patience.

[thelakelander]

To me, the two largest thing that stand out in Tampa is the rise of the Channel District in the early 2000s and the rebirth of Ybor as an entertainment district in the 1990s.

SoHo is nice but that whole area and Hyde Park are essentially the same as Riverside/Avondale/Ortega. Jax's San Marco is Tampa's Davis Island and Tampa Heights/Seminole Heights, etc. are similiar to Springfield/New Springfield/Brentwood, etc.

There's little difference between DT Tampa and DT Jax but Tampa does have the benefit of UT being in the urban core. However, it is in Central Florida. From St. Petersburg/Clearwater and Bradenton/Sarasota to Lakeland and Orlando, all of those places are short drives away. On the other hand, Jax is ahead of Tampa when it comes to transit planning and implementation.

Ultimately, it depends on what you want but if it's a true walkable environment, neither place is ideal. Coming from Manhattan, the pros and cons will be minor because you're simply not going to find anything remotely close to that level of walkability, density and vibrancy.

The closest in Florida you'll find is South Florida, which is larger than the Bay Area and Metro Jax combined. Even with that said, it's mostly pockets surrounded by miles of suburbia. That whole region was still undeveloped marshland when older cities like NYC and Chicago developed the walkable infrastructure that everyone loves about them today. They don't build cities like them anymore in this country.

[undergroundgourmet]

well in other Murray Hill news - the seafood shop "Swimming Yesterday" gave up and closed after 2 years at that location

[johnnyliar]

Wow, that's sad news

[Know Growth]

....and The Beauty Salon,next door to Moon River, recently vacated,happy to relocate to Avondale.

My Buddy Tom Whicher,recently passed away,was for a short time a partner with Bernie at the wine store next to the seafood shop.
Tom's interesting past includes a degree in Sociology and sales of cheap sunglasses in Chicago.

[Know Growth]

even the stone declaring MH's founding is broken in half.
That's sad.

Yes,it is.

One has to wonder why such conditions exist.

On the other hand,perhaps  installing such attributes,structures should be reconsidered. Too much upkeep. No wonder plants and bushes,weeds and grass proliferates.....this is Sunny,moist Florida ! for crying out loud.

The place will take on that certain external supposed appealing 'look' once certain internals are in place.

Wonderful to see comments of newcomers who were not yet born when I resided in Murray Hill;605 Talbot Avenue.Hope the basis for my decision to bail out at one time is proven wrong.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

....and The Beauty Salon,next door to Moon River, recently vacated,happy to relocate to Avondale.

My Buddy Tom Whicher,recently passed away,was for a short time a partner with Bernie at the wine store next to the seafood shop.
Tom's interesting past includes a degree in Sociology and sales of cheap sunglasses in Chicago.

Sorry to hear about Tom.  I've known Bernie for years and met Tom while he was a part of the shop.  Seemed to be a pretty good dude, but I didn't really get a chance to know him.