Massive Northbank riverfront redevelopment underway

[lastdaysoffla]

Really the better decision the city could have made. The open water will be so nice. What are the chances the city will allow fishing? Not very good I'm guessing.

The only draw back I see is the private road in between the Annex and the Hyatt. I don't understand the need for that. There is a nice tree lined pedestrian walkway there now

[acme54321]

Really the better decision the city could have made. The open water will be so nice. What are the chances the city will allow fishing? Not very good I'm guessing.

The only draw back I see is the private road in between the Annex and the Hyatt. I don't understand the need for that. There is a nice tree lined pedestrian walkway there now

I wouldn't hold your breath for the city to allow people to fish off of the riverwalk.  I don't think legally they have the jurisdiction to stop you from fishing on a boat.

[MusicMan]

$31 million? Is that correct?  $31 million dollars on this one block? Is that the best use of that much money?

I agree it needs to be done but not sure I'd put this particular project in front of all the other things that need to be done downtown.

[KenFSU]

^Particularly when you consider the fact that the city went through the whole Shipyards dog and pony show, put out an RFP for development of the property, and then effectively mothballed remediation of the site entirely because they couldn't afford the $35 million to clean it up ($17 million of which is already set aside for this purpose). I do wonder why this particular $31 million project was chosen to be put on the fast track (was there a short term risk of collapse?) Don't get me wrong, love this project - especially if interaction with the river will be a component and if it's part of a larger master plan developed with consideration of future Shipyards, Metro Park, and District development - but you're right, it is a lot of money.

[thelakelander]

$31 million? Is that correct?  $31 million dollars on this one block? Is that the best use of that much money?

I agree it needs to be done but not sure I'd put this particular project in front of all the other things that need to be done downtown.

Don't forget that roadway infrastructure is one of the most expensive things you can spend money on. Considering they are demolishing and rebuilding two structurally deficient bridges, plus taking out a block of concrete parking structure and associated pilings underneath, $31 million isn't so high. It would cost a lot more to replace what was there before. With that said, I'm not sure how this one is being funded. FDOT typically does projects like this, so perhaps COJ isn't the only funding source?

I do wonder why this particular $31 million project was chosen to be put on the fast track (was there a short term risk of collapse?)..

I'd argue that it should be a higher priority than anything dealing with the Shipyards. The road is literally falling into the river and access to your largest downtown hotel and waterfront residential development is blocked by this eyesore. This is something that should have been addressed over a decade ago, is closer to the heart of the Northbank and adjacent to city owned property that a redevelopment plan should have been created and implemented as soon as we knew the courthouse would move to LaVilla.

[Ivegotasecret]

The name of the road should be changed. I guess it became Coastline Drive after a predecessor company to CSX, which was once Seaboard Airline Railroad, merged with Atlantic Coastline Ry, to become Seaboard Coastline Ry. And finally CSX.

While we're at it, why not get rid of Independent Drive and Peninnsular Place, just like we did with Gulf Life Drive. Those companies abandoned us, so why perpetuate their names? Ditto - soon - Everbank Field.

But I vote against changing Coastline Drive to Lenny Curry Blvd.

[DrQue]

While we're at it, why not get rid of Independent Drive and Peninnsular Place, just like we did with Gulf Life Drive. Those companies abandoned us, so why perpetuate their names? Ditto - soon - Everbank Field.

EverBank is merging into a TIAA banking subsidiary, TIAA Direct. EverBank dwarfs that entity so this is dissimilar to more typical bank to bank acquisitions. The combined bank will be headquartered in Jacksonville and a number of EverBank's senior leaders will stay on. I'd expect the new bank to have a very substantial presence in Jacksonville moving forward.

[120North]

Really the better decision the city could have made. The open water will be so nice. What are the chances the city will allow fishing? Not very good I'm guessing.

The only draw back I see is the private road in between the Annex and the Hyatt. I don't understand the need for that. There is a nice tree lined pedestrian walkway there now

The road between the Hyatt and the Annex was a temporary access road only during construction.  It was to be restored as it is now at the end of the project.  I believe that this has been removed from the project at this point.

[downtownbrown]

The city originally said this project would be completed in early 2019.  Now they say it will be finished a full year earlier.  What's the over/under on that?

[KenFSU]

^Major work set to begin next month, per Curry.

[FlaBoy]

Great news.

[Know Growth]

The open water will be so nice.

Yes it will. Jacksonville signature downtown waterway landscape aspect restored/enhanced.

Weird to have paddled and explored underneath.

[KenFSU]

Didn't realize just how big this newly exposed space will be until I saw the aerial.

That's a legit full city block, carved out and replaced with an artificial micro-harbor.



From your ModernCities article, Ennis:

Finally, what about the new exposed riverfront itself? What fun is water if you can't play and interact with it?

Any ideas or successful examples from other cities?

[Keith-N-Jax]

Would be nice to have water feature in the middle something like what Orlando has in there lake

[thelakelander]

Waterfront spaces handled in different ways, from past trips I've taken over the years.....


Toronto



Baltimore Inner Harbor



Miami Bayside Marina



Chattanooga Riverfront



St. Petersburg



Nassau, Bahamas



West Palm Beach (growing wetland plant life)