So far, Unity Plaza not bringing people together

[lastdaysoffla]

We touched  this a bit in my Brooklyn Gentrification thread. This pretty well sums up my thinking on Unity Plaza

Fourth, I'll give you this, Unity Plaza isn't conducive to reading a book.  There is no shade and you have to sit on concrete with no back support.  However, I have seen people laying out on the fake grass and I have played soccer with my two teenage boys there.  However, Unity Plaza wasn't designed to be a passive recreation area - it is a programed event driven facility.  On almost every weekend night and Saturday morning there is some type of live music or event.  If you want passive just cross the street to the Riverwalk.  It is so passive it can be sleep inducing.

Okay, reading a book was just an example I know it's not a passive park. My broader point is that I wouldn't feel very welcome there if I wasn't going to one of the restaurants or attending an event. I mean look at like you were visiting for the first time. Unity Plaza appears as just an extension of 220 Riverside, not a park. Even the signage facing Riverside Avenue looks like it's the name of the development. I feel like it's purpose is so the developers could say, "Hey we're gonna cut down a bunch of trees, cover all this nice open green space so close to downtown and the river with parking lots, but at least we're putting in a 'park' ". Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Unity Plaza a private partnership with COJ. Without digging too much, I'd imagine the land isn't even owned by the city. A quick look at the website says © 2016 Jacksonville Unity Plaza, Inc.. So, am I even welcome there as a non-resident or a patron of a business there? It's owned by a private entity, doesn't look like a public park to me.

[Noone]

Welcome to the Neighborhood.

Parking was another issue at the 5/10/17 meeting.
Welcome any correction on this but An action has triggered another action that is changing the previous parking. Mr. Newby was explaining this.
One of the guys indicated that this didn't happen on his watch.

Signage should correct some of this.

[Kerry]

There is a retntion pond across the street and down a block.  I've never seen anyone picnic next to it.

[Kerry]

Right. It is surrounded by empty lots. And across the street on the river side is a private parking lot.

There's almost no foot traffic.

Not to mention the fact that the whole area is very poorly lit at night.

Serious question...have you ever been around there at night?  There might be problems but lack of lighting isn't one of them.  The whole area around 220, Brooklyn Station, and Brooklyn Riverside is lit up like noon on June 21.

[jaxjaguar]

Does anyone know if the "4 story glass lotus sculpture" will ever be installed? Or has that been scrapped? I remember reading it would take a while to create, but it seems like it's been 3 or 4 years since it was announced...

[jaxjaguar]

Does anyone know if the "4 story glass lotus sculpture" will ever be installed? Or has that been scrapped? I remember reading it would take a while to create, but it seems like it's been 3 or 4 years since it was announced...

Any info on if this is still happening?

[Steve]

Also, "Vista Brooklyn" or whatever it's being called also seems to have stalled.

[KenFSU]

Also, "Vista Brooklyn" or whatever it's being called also seems to have stalled.

Has it?

I thought the developer said construction was set to break ground early next year.

[pierre]

This is not a surprise, for many reasons.

Nothing is likely to change until that area sees foot traffic, which will only come from more residents.

[marcuscnelson]

This is not a surprise, for many reasons.

Nothing is likely to change until that area sees foot traffic, which will only come from more residents.

So what's going to get more residents into that area? Particularly residents who will actually utilize the foot traffic and not just drive everywhere all the time, like you see in so many other suburbs of a large city.

[Steve]

Also, "Vista Brooklyn" or whatever it's being called also seems to have stalled.

Has it?

I thought the developer said construction was set to break ground early next year.

I mean, this is a project that shouldn't be THAT complex. We're not renovating a historic building or cleaning up toxic land here. This was approved 6 months ago. Not a good sign.

[thelakelander]

This is not a surprise, for many reasons.

Nothing is likely to change until that area sees foot traffic, which will only come from more residents.

So what's going to get more residents into that area? Particularly residents who will actually utilize the foot traffic and not just drive everywhere all the time, like you see in so many other suburbs of a large city.

The market has been good for a while now. I suspect it will be after another recession before Brooklyn gets anywhere close enough to support the type of density needed to keep Unity Plaza filled with people. Even then, they're more likely to migrate to a real park or the riverwalk instead of a retention pond next to two six lane roads.

[jaxjags]

Also, "Vista Brooklyn" or whatever it's being called also seems to have stalled.

Has it?

I thought the developer said construction was set to break ground early next year.

This is a concrete building, not wood frame on a concrete base floor. Thus costs is higher, return not as good and money harder to find.

I mean, this is a project that shouldn't be THAT complex. We're not renovating a historic building or cleaning up toxic land here. This was approved 6 months ago. Not a good sign.

[Steve]

^Not sure I get your post. Are you referring to the concrete building and costs being higher? That doesn't make it "complex", it makes it expensive. Either you can make the economics work or you can't.

With historic or environmental issues, there's tons of red tape that can delay things. The only thing delaying things at this point is their estimated ROI. To me, either it's there or it's not. If we're delaying because of this, then that means they're concerned about the economics - to my point about it being not a good sign.

[marcuscnelson]

The market has been good for a while now. I suspect it will be after another recession before Brooklyn gets anywhere close enough to support the type of density needed to keep Unity Plaza filled with people. Even then, they're more likely to migrate to a real park or the riverwalk instead of a retention pond next to two six lane roads.

Do you think a road diet would positively contribute to density? And are there any other improvements that could be made to Unity that would bring people to it?