Can Jacksonville Learn From Downtown Thomasville, GA?

[thelakelander]

The revitalization of Downtown Thomasville highlights why the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street program is one of the most successful downtown revitalization strategies out there.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/can-jacksonville-learn-from-downtown-thomasville-ga/

[tufsu1]

We can...and some individuals we - as for our decision makers, doubtful

[Kerry]

A lack of examples isn't the problem for Jacksonville.  It is a lack of desire.

[thelakelander]

As crazy as things may seem, I do believe that there is a desire. The problem is having desire doesn't necessarily equate to having the right people in place and position to pull things off successfully.

[JaxJersey-licious]

Really enjoyed this. This reminds me of downtown Milledgeville as far as small Georgia towns but I never thought of any good examples like this in southwest Georgia.

[Kerry]

That is kind of what I meant.  The City says they want a walkable vibrant core, but wanting something and doing somethings about it are vastly different.  Any member of City leadership can take the New Urbanism course at the University of Miami for $300 and join CNU for $50 - but I doubt any of them have.  Wish in one hand and spit in the other and see which one fills up first.

[Captain Zissou]

This is great.  Jax needs to know that there are cities with far smaller budgets that are doing great things to revitalize their urban core.  Over the past year I've seen great things in Bradenton, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Green Cove Springs, Fernandina, and even Key Largo that Jax could learn from.  Have we even talked to Fernandina or St Augustine to learn what has worked for them in terms of historic preservation, parking, green space, panhandlers, street activation, and other downtown issues?

[Kerry]

For those interested, here is an on-going record of urban development in Omaha, NB.

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=27100&page=13

[Bill Hoff]

This is great.  Jax needs to know that there are cities with far smaller budgets that are doing great things to revitalize their urban core.  Over the past year I've seen great things in Bradenton, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Green Cove Springs, Fernandina, and even Key Largo that Jax could learn from.  Have we even talked to Fernandina or St Augustine to learn what has worked for them in terms of historic preservation, parking, green space, panhandlers, street activation, and other downtown issues?

Regarding Fernandina & St. Augustine and panhandlers: they criminalize it, enforce it, and direct their homeless and low-income populations to Downtown Jacksonville. As do most other counties (Clay, Baker, Camden, Flagler, Putnam, etc) in the SE GA/NE FL area.

Why in the world would Clay County, for example, put any significant resources towards homelessness/poverty when they see the associated problems in Downtown Jax? They don't aspire to be that, so they direct people here.

[Kerry]

Not sure if it is still this way but Oklahoma City passed an ordinance that you can only offer free meals to people if you can also give them a bed to sleep in.  When the free food stopped the homeless did to.

[Kiva]

That would help. Giving a cheap meal and thinking that you are really helping someone is very different from actually providing resources that cost real money.

[MusicMan]

Steer the homeless toward City Hall and you might get some solutions on the table quickly....

[bl8jaxnative]

"
When the free food stopped the homeless did to.
"

It didn't stopped.  It was just hidden away, out of sight.

[Kerry]

"
When the free food stopped the homeless did to.
"

It didn't stopped.  It was just hidden away, out of sight.

It moved to another City most likely.

[bl8jaxnative]

Why would you even think that?   That's a bizarre, very bizzare.   Oklahoma City has homelessness on par with any city in the US.