Springfield vs. Savannah: Can you tell the difference?

[thelakelander]

Also, Savannah has several historic districts.  This comparison takes a look at two that are south of the well known Downtown Historic District.  The Thomas Square Streetcar District is very similar to the feel and atmosphere of today's Springfield.  The largest difference is, its connected pretty well to the two historic district to the north.  Springfield's ties with Downtown Jax have been severed and need to be re-established.

[Steve]

I think some of you guys are missing the point.

Ennis, correct me if I'm wrong (since you wrote it), but the point of this is not to show that Savannah and Springfield are hard to tell apart per se.  What I got out of this is that Springfield has many of the ingredients of a successful historic district, like Springfield.  However there are things that Savannah has and takes advantage of that Jacksonville does not, such as the connectivity thing with the surrounding neighborhoods.

And also, I think the wasteland comment might have been true a while ago, but take a trip down there and other than Main St, most of the streets are quite plesant.

[thelakelander]

Yes, Steve you got the point.  Architecture and history aside, one is integrated with its downtown core and the other isn't.  If we can reconnect the two, both benefit.