Springfield Nightscape Deteriorating.

[thelakelander]

The thread is about the re emergence of crime on main street.

Even if we started major work in earnest we would not open for another 9 months when the parking becomes available, in that time the neighborhood could slip backwards quite a ways.

Is it possible to put art work or something in the windows and light the exterior of the building at night in the meantime?  This could, along with other building owners doing the same, help resolve the situation described in this thread that has been taking place at 7th & Main. 

[Driven1]

people need to contact him and tell him to light that building.  boomtown shouldn't have to and JEA should not have to pay for it (nor the city).  this is DEFINITELY in the realm of the landlord's expenses...i should know...i have had to light my bldgs better before for my tenants.

btw...is this building currently zoned strictly commercial/retail as COJ property pages say???

[Downtown Dweller]

I was told that was not true, that to get rid of the criminal activity we had to have bsuinesses....

[Driven1]

trust me, no one will open a cool restaurant if every time they drive by the prospective property there are drug dealers hanging out on the corner.

i know! trust, me...we are 100% in agreement here.  and we both agree (was looking at your post over on the Shantytown shooting thread) that lighting is KEY to running out these vandals.  lighting and business.  but business ain't moving in until these areas are well-lit.  which brings us back to WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LIGHTING THESE AREAS.  I personally think (because i have been the landlord and am a responsible one) that it falls squarely on the shoulders of the landlord - in this case - and he has a lot of other properties - Chris Hionides.  The problem is how to contact him.

[Downtown Dweller]

Agreed. So what do you do focus on criminal activity or focus on bringing in the bizs? It is apparent Springfield is not set up to do both, in fact it is very apparent some would not even want to admit there is crime here, as if we are in some bubble. Who is going to open a shop up on Main St with construction (OK temporary), vagrants and hookers hanging out on the corners, and recently three armed robberies (and that is just three I know of)? The criminal activity, no matter how "small" some think it is must be addressed, otherwise we will get more of the same, Popeye's, McDonalds, Crystals, and Pawn Shops... would a place like Chew open up on Main St? How about if the road was done and there was ample parking?

[Driven1]

all i would say is start with the private landowners.  the private sector.  if JEA truly is not providing electricity to your building, then I'm pretty sure that is highly illegal and you should put some major pressure on your landlord to get that taken care of.

[RiversideGator]

I have your number?  I dont think so.

I am just curious about your plans.  I think this clearly fits within the context of this thread.

It may or may not River.   How would you like your address and landlord posted here?

But that isnt your address.  It is the potential address for a future restaurant.  And, if I was really planning a restaurant, I would love to have its address known by the public.

If the situation doesnt improve on main we may decide to open a restaurant or third space or we may decide to open it as an office, we don't know yet.

We might even decide that the expense and time isnt worth it.

I am confused.  Do you have a lease with Hionides and, if so, are you paying rent?  Or are you just speculating about a possible future lease on the property?  It doesnt seem to make much sense to pay Hionides, a man who you previously vilified (as did I) for bringing down Main Street, if you dont intend to ever occupy the space.

The thread is about the re emergence of crime on main street.

Even if we started major work in earnest we would not open for another 9 months when the parking becomes available, in that time the neighborhood could slip backwards quite a ways.

Crime on Main will lessen with more legitimate business activity and eyes on the street.  This is why I naturally thought of your impending project.

BTW, anyone know when the Main Street road project is slated to be completed?

[downtownparks]

Its clearly hopeless. I think the only real solution is for all Springfielders to kill themselves.

[RiversideGator]

Its clearly hopeless. I think the only real solution is for all Springfielders to kill themselves.

hahaha.   

[downtownparks]

River, I believe it is next fall (a little over a year from now)

The construction is a killer, no doubt. Its a crappy, but nessecary step. The facilities under Main St cant support any commercial growth until they are replaced and upgraded.

I mean, if you were going to cook out of a house and bring your food to a Main St restaurant, or just live in the restaurant to keep your overhead down, you might be able to make it work, but otherwise, we are just going to have to let them finish the work.

[Downtown Dweller]

Its clearly hopeless. I think the only real solution is for all Springfielders to kill themselves.

hahaha.   

Absolutely! In fact I'll bring this brilliant option up tonight at the SPAR meeting and also to Shadco....Good response! hahaha!!!


not appropriate, but pretty typical

[Driven1]

all i'm saying is, there has to come a point where we, as concerned community citizens, get up from our computers and go out there and take care of our little part of the world that we are pissed about.  that goes for every Springfielder and every concerned citizen in a criminally-challenging part of the world.

[Driven1]

if that means contacting your landlord to make sure you can get some JEA electricity, then do it.  if it means driving to Home Depot and getting a motion sensor light, then do it.  if it means changing up the Neighborhood Watch patrol leaders, then do it.  dats all.

[Downtown Dweller]

all i'm saying is, there has to come a point where we, as concerned community citizens, get up from our computers and go out there and take care of our little part of the world that we are pissed about.  that goes for every Springfielder and every concerned citizen in a criminally-challenging part of the world.

sounds good...but here in Springfield we HAVE no crime, just read jacksonville.com you will see plenty of quotes frome "leadership" about how there is NO crime. Those same people have yet to comment about our friend and neighbor being shot, but maybe that didn't happen either and is all a figment of our imagination?

[downtownparks]

Its clearly hopeless. I think the only real solution is for all Springfielders to kill themselves.

In light of the shooting, is that really appropriate humor?

What a bizarre statement anyways.  Its only without solution if the residents decide not to solve it.

Pretending its not a real problem, unfortunately, is not a solution.

Being as I consider myself a friend of the victims, I think he would probably laugh too. He has a pretty good sense of humor. Plus, group suicide is a little different than robbery and attempted homicide, but being a quasi-lawyer Im  sure you know that.

Maybe we can sue someone to make Main St better.