You have no idea what was once located here!

[CCMjax]

Oh snap! Well that explains it.  Sucks, that was a nice building shell.

[UNFurbanist]

This is all just so damn sad. Especially the George Washington, that is by far the worst loss.

[CCMjax]

This is all just so damn sad. Especially the George Washington, that is by far the worst loss.

Jacksonville is not the only city that experienced this demolition craze after 1950.  You would be depressed going back in time in pretty much any major city across the nation seeing what was and what currently is on certain downtown blocks even in places like NYC, Chicago, etc.  This country has lost some remarkable buildings, a lot due to fire, but also many due to the demand for parking and large office buildings.

What would really really depress you is if you went back in time, grew up in Detroit, and witnessed what happened in that city from 1950 to present day. 

[thelakelander]

Ask Gary. It could always be worse. You could have went from this:


http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/April-2012/Can-Karen-Freeman-Wilson-Fix-Gary-Indiana/?mode=popup&cp=6&view=slideshow

To this:







Over the same time period.

[CCMjax]

Yes, Gary is about as bad as I've seen in this country as far as completely economically devastated and largely abandoned cities.  Flint's not too far behind.  Both cities almost completely dependent on one industry.  At least large parts of Detroit's downtown are still intact and actually quite vibrant.  It's mostly the areas just outside of downtown that are very depressing where you have a beautiful old brick mansion a mile from downtown and the rest of the street has been completely leveled, then you realize there was a time when the entire street was lined with beautiful brick mansions side by side in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods not only in Detroit but in the country.  I'm talking about parts of Midtown which is now undergoing a huge revitalization effort but still has a ways to go.

[CCMjax]

Here at metrojacksonville we have been working for ten years to introduce the completely obvious back into the conversation: density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit are the key ingredients to the current paradigm of Urban renewal.

SD - is this a conversation that involves city officials or just a bunch of enthusiastic MJers.  If so, how has the conversation been going???

[Sentient]

Here at metrojacksonville we have been working for ten years to introduce the completely obvious back into the conversation: density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit are the key ingredients to the current paradigm of Urban renewal.

SD - is this a conversation that involves city officials or just a bunch of enthusiastic MJers.  If so, how has the conversation been going???

density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit  - all created with a strong economy and jobs, not vice versa.  Jacksonville is a relatively poor city with little remaining indigenous economy and no industry to speak of and what stands in for the economy are low level regional and back office stuff that compels people to move on to advance.

[jaxnyc79]

That's harsh.  I think people opine on this site because we think Jax could do way more with what it's got.  Yes, it's not a very wealthy city, but again, it could do much more with what it has with some relatively small changes and a certain amount of pride and advocacy.

Here at metrojacksonville we have been working for ten years to introduce the completely obvious back into the conversation: density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit are the key ingredients to the current paradigm of Urban renewal.

SD - is this a conversation that involves city officials or just a bunch of enthusiastic MJers.  If so, how has the conversation been going???

density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit  - all created with a strong economy and jobs, not vice versa.  Jacksonville is a relatively poor city with little remaining indigenous economy and no industry to speak of and what stands in for the economy are low level regional and back office stuff that compels people to move on to advance.

[CCMjax]

That's harsh.  I think people opine on this site because we think Jax could do way more with what it's got.  Yes, it's not a very wealthy city, but again, it could do much more with what it has with some relatively small changes and a certain amount of pride and advocacy.

Here at metrojacksonville we have been working for ten years to introduce the completely obvious back into the conversation: density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit are the key ingredients to the current paradigm of Urban renewal.

SD - is this a conversation that involves city officials or just a bunch of enthusiastic MJers.  If so, how has the conversation been going???

density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit  - all created with a strong economy and jobs, not vice versa.  Jacksonville is a relatively poor city with little remaining indigenous economy and no industry to speak of and what stands in for the economy are low level regional and back office stuff that compels people to move on to advance.

Agreed, too harsh.  Jacksonville has a lot more going for it than many posters realize and small changes can make a huuuuuge difference.  I think it was Lake that posted a while back, for example, that changing a couple words in the zoning code for certain commercial zones can eliminate parking between the sidewalk and storefront for new construction, thus pushing the storefront closer to the street creating a more pedestrian friendly streetscape and denser feel in some of the core neighborhoods.  You see entire neighborhoods transform because of some of these small changes in other cities, even in second and third tier cities without booming economies.

[jaxnyc79]

Precisely!  I heard there is a looming project to rewrite the zoning code, but I don't know the timing.

That's harsh.  I think people opine on this site because we think Jax could do way more with what it's got.  Yes, it's not a very wealthy city, but again, it could do much more with what it has with some relatively small changes and a certain amount of pride and advocacy.

Here at metrojacksonville we have been working for ten years to introduce the completely obvious back into the conversation: density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit are the key ingredients to the current paradigm of Urban renewal.

SD - is this a conversation that involves city officials or just a bunch of enthusiastic MJers.  If so, how has the conversation been going???

density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit  - all created with a strong economy and jobs, not vice versa.  Jacksonville is a relatively poor city with little remaining indigenous economy and no industry to speak of and what stands in for the economy are low level regional and back office stuff that compels people to move on to advance.

Agreed, too harsh.  Jacksonville has a lot more going for it than many posters realize and small changes can make a huuuuuge difference.  I think it was Lake that posted a while back, for example, that changing a couple words in the zoning code for certain commercial zones can eliminate parking between the sidewalk and storefront for new construction, thus pushing the storefront closer to the street creating a more pedestrian friendly streetscape and denser feel in some of the core neighborhoods.  You see entire neighborhoods transform because of some of these small changes in other cities, even in second and third tier cities without booming economies.

[thelakelander]

Overhauling the zoning code was something that was looked into before the previous mayoral administration took office. Priorities changed and no movement was made. Hopefully, it is something revisited soon. There are some areas of Jax that would significantly benefit from an overhaul.

[jaxnyc79]

I recently sent a brief and respectful email to Lori Boyer complaining about business signage and streetscape aesthetics, and she thanked me for my email and said she would add this to the list of "zoning issues we need to address."  From that response, I took that she is looking into modernizing the zoning code.

Overhauling the zoning code was something that was looked into before the previous mayoral administration took office. Priorities changed and no movement was made. Hopefully, it is something revisited soon. There are some areas of Jax that would significantly benefit from an overhaul.

[MusicMan]

IMO our Chamber of Commerce kind of sucks, too.

[CCMjax]

Back to the subject of preserving history . . . below is a link to a project in Kalamazoo, MI right on one of the main historic streets downtown.  In this case, as well as a very similar multi-building project down the street from it, they replicated the building facades and materials from the original buildings that had been torn down for whatever reason.  It's been a couple years since I've been back and have only seen the other project down the street but it is almost impossible to tell the facades are replicas, they did a very good job (real brink not thin brick).  There are small clues that the trained eye will pick up on like cornice joint spacing and detailing but to the average person, and even the trained eye for that matter, the end product is very impressive and has certainly added to the attractiveness of the downtown community I think more so than your standard modern infill with cheap paneling and glazing would have.  It's a pretty cool concept to regain some reference to the history that is lost when buildings are torn down.  And really, it just looks like a fixed up old building.  This is something that perhaps Jacksonville could consider for the sites of some of the great buildings that have been torn down on those sites currently occupied by cracking crumbling former slabs of the magnificent buildings that once stood there.

http://www.devisserplace.com/

[Sentient]

Here at metrojacksonville we have been working for ten years to introduce the completely obvious back into the conversation: density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit are the key ingredients to the current paradigm of Urban renewal.

SD - is this a conversation that involves city officials or just a bunch of enthusiastic MJers.  If so, how has the conversation been going???

density, urban vibrancy and intelligent transit  - all created with a strong economy and jobs, not vice versa.  Jacksonville is a relatively poor city with little remaining indigenous economy and no industry to speak of and what stands in for the economy are low level regional and back office stuff that compels people to move on to advance.

you mean that is your off the cuff theory, right?

Like not based on reality or observable data.

Because your post sounds like something Uncle Fester would say to make himself sound all-knowing.

in reality it happens literally the reverse of what you've described.

And you provide what to support your view Stephen?  Nothing it seems.

It's axiomatic that people cannot populate a place to sufficient density if they can't afford anything.  I'll grant that once a critical mass is reached a virtuous cycle is created and more compounds more.  But always that more is built on a base of something economically.

Love to see an example of a city that developed without commerce and industry as a base.  hell even Las Vegas was built upon something...

Jax just does not have enough to propel it to the next level.  all of your posts support this - we need this, we need that, etc etc.

If there were a large number of high paying jobs with career advancement opportunities, backed by a strong industry - people would be flocking to jax in droves.  as it is the people that do come here tend to be military, retirees or low level workers.