DVI to host public meeting to discuss parklets downtown

[fieldafm]

Article in today's Daily Record: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=547693

[Gambit80]

I think these are a great idea. As someone who is learning what is available downtown, it is difficult to know what is open or type of establishment available when making my way downtown. It would certainly seem to show an availability and openness to people who don't get downtown often.

[fieldafm]

Looks like a great event last night.  I wish I could have attended.  Sidewalk seating is a great way to let people know that you're a restaurant and that you're open.  Half the delis and restaurants downtown are easily skipped over if you don't know what's there.

Lucky for a jet setter such as yourself, you can fill out a survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KeyXVsNRvvzCdjL22lirtJqlXOgo6A69ftxmdL0VKMQ/viewform?c=0&w=1&usp=send_form

[fieldafm]

I think these are a great idea. As someone who is learning what is available downtown, it is difficult to know what is open or type of establishment available when making my way downtown. It would certainly seem to show an availability and openness to people who don't get downtown often.

I agree!
Feel free to provide your thoughts on this brief survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KeyXVsNRvvzCdjL22lirtJqlXOgo6A69ftxmdL0VKMQ/viewform?c=0&w=1&usp=send_form

[Steve]

Quote from the article:

Ewais said he thinks businesses' alcohol sales permits may prohibit people from walking across the sidewalk with a beer or cocktail.

This needs to be handled - the parklet should apply to any cafe license that a business has.

[thelakelander]

Nice idea and I'm not being negative to be negative but this is the sort of stuff that brings to mind an old metaphor for a fools errand that's too little, too late:

"rearranging the deck chairs on the Titantic"

DVI should put together a program for citizens to annoy council and leaders incessantly until they do something, anything, meaningful.  like maybe a form email and instructions on how to automatically send it twice daily to these jokers, etc.  The only thing that may get through these thick skulls is making their jobs difficult in the hope they cave and actually do their jobs.

Sorry to say but all those fresh young faces in the pics will sit in a parklet a couple of times, the chairs will disintegrate in the fl elements and a year or 2 from now we'll be right here in the same spot

The chairs are pretty much the same as the ones featured in outdoor seating areas of restaurants and bars all throughout the city and the rest of the south. Even in downtown, the outdoor seating areas stay pretty full at the few places that offer them, like Hooters. The outdoor areas of the new restaurants in Brooklyn tend to be popular too, despite facing a six lane highway. My guess is that they'll hold up just fine, like the rest of them.

[thelakelander]

Quote from the article:

Ewais said he thinks businesses' alcohol sales permits may prohibit people from walking across the sidewalk with a beer or cocktail.

This needs to be handled - the parklet should apply to any cafe license that a business has.

This is a Jacksonville problem and something that definitely needs to be addressed. It seems that officials in other parts of the state don't interpret the rule the same way. It is a major impact on the lack of street level vibrancy in a place like downtown.

Winter Park


St. Petersburg



South Beach

[Tacachale]

The chairs are pretty much the same as the ones featured in outdoor seating areas of restaurants and bars all throughout the city and the rest of the south. Even in downtown, the outdoor seating areas stay pretty full at the few places that offer them, like Hooters. The outdoor areas of the new restaurants in Brooklyn tend to be popular too, despite facing a six lane highway. My guess is that they'll hold up just fine, like the rest of them.

Ok maybe the chairs last.  Look I love the idea. Point is there aren't a bunch of people wandering around downtown thinking, where are the restaurants? I get it people like outdoor seating, but they have to want to come downtown first or be living there. So the businesses with these do more business on art walk type nights. Ok great better than nothing but its just a distraction from the fact that no one lives there and no one is going to go downtown if they hadn't already planned to because of a couple already existing restaurants now have a parklet

Also, lol hooters. Now get some DVI sponsored scantily clad women hanging around dt restaurants? That might actually work.

I hear you what you're saying. However, the lack of residents is a big, complicated problem that will take time, energy and leadership to improve. Parklets are low-hanging fruit. They're a relatively easy, inexpensive way to make things better for businesses in the current environment, let alone as the environment incrementally improves. The fact that there are big problems is no reason not to go after low-hanging fruit. Honestly, one of our biggest holdups in downtown development is that we we don't take care of the small stuff, often because we're focusing on bigger things that don't come together.

[JaxAvondale]

Here are some parklets that I saw in Lisbon a few weeks ago.

[Adam White]

Here are some parklets that I saw in Lisbon a few weeks ago.

Are those parklets or outdoor eating sections for restaurants (and is there any difference)?

[thelakelander]

No difference. They are parklets (nice ones btw). Parklets can be used as outdoor seating areas for restaurants.