10 Grass Fields To Get You Pumped For The Landing Demo

[thelakelander]

I can't help but look at that line at Coastal Cookies and wonder what role does race play in the underlying perception behind the Landing and its potential? Same applies to the general ban on fishing from the riverwalk through all of downtown.

[Todd_Parker]

We are allegedly operating in the greatest economy in the history of all economies (paraphrased) and this is what passes for progress in Jacksonville. Imagine what will happen when the next recession strikes.

[BridgeTroll]

And yet... apparently... Hooters will be allowed to stay until October...

[tufsu1]

And yet... apparently... Hooters will be allowed to stay until October...

their lease deal with COJ goes through the end of October, but from what I've heard, they will be closing much sooner (maybe in the next few weeks).

[Kerry]

We are allegedly operating in the greatest economy in the history of all economies (paraphrased) and this is what passes for progress in Jacksonville. Imagine what will happen when the next recession strikes.

Darn good point.  Japan has the lost decade, Jax might string together about 3 or 4 of those in a row.

[Snaketoz]

If I may I'd like to play the devil's advocate here.  Many of the businesses at the Landing have month to month agreements with no safeguards for this predicament.  The people with longer leases get the buy outs, the people with month to month get little to none.

[fieldafm]

And yet... apparently... Hooters will be allowed to stay until October...

their lease deal with COJ goes through the end of October, but from what I've heard, they will be closing much sooner (maybe in the next few weeks).

That is correct. Their early buyout was spelled out in the long-term lease extension they signed a few years back before the space was remodeled... and included a provision for (I believe) continued tenancy of 180 days after acceptance of the early termination payment.   

[Ken_FSU]

I can't help but look at that line at Coastal Cookies and wonder what role does race play in the underlying perception behind the Landing and its potential?

For the mayor, I honestly think race has nothing to do with his negative opinion of the Landing.

Seems like a pretty cut and dry political grudge dating back to the election against Alvin Brown.

For the average Jacksonville citizen (or city council member) in support of the demolition however, I'd say it's unfortunately probably higher than it should be, and something that doesn't really get talked about as much as it should.

You hear too many people talk about the Landing with the same undertones that they use when discussing the Regency Mall, or Hemming Park, or the Main Library, or the Skyway/Jax mass transit. Using veiled language about not feeling comfortable sending people there.

Jacksonville's made a lot of progress in the time that I've been here, but it still feels like we have this bad tendency to associate heavy minority presence with blight.

Got back in from New York on Wednesday night and I was on a JIA shuttle back to my car. Someone on the shuttle was passing through Jacksonville on their way to Savannah and asked the bus driver if there was a Dunkin Donuts nearby where they could get coffee before hitting the interstate. The driver said, "There's one on Dunn Avenue, but you never want to find yourself on Dunn Avenue after sundown. You might not come back alive."

I think that bus driver would probably favor the Landing demolition.

[Keith-N-Jax]

I don't normally walk into grassy fields but when I do, I go to Jax.

[thelakelander]

I can't help but look at that line at Coastal Cookies and wonder what role does race play in the underlying perception behind the Landing and its potential?

For the mayor, I honestly think race has nothing to do with his negative opinion of the Landing.

Seems like a pretty cut and dry political grudge dating back to the election against Alvin Brown.

For the average Jacksonville citizen (or city council member) in support of the demolition however, I'd say it's unfortunately probably higher than it should be, and something that doesn't really get talked about as much as it should.

You hear too many people talk about the Landing with the same undertones that they use when discussing the Regency Mall, or Hemming Park, or the Main Library, or the Skyway/Jax mass transit. Using veiled language about not feeling comfortable sending people there.

Jacksonville's made a lot of progress in the time that I've been here, but it still feels like we have this bad tendency to associate heavy minority presence with blight.

Got back in from New York on Wednesday night and I was on a JIA shuttle back to my car. Someone on the shuttle was passing through Jacksonville on their way to Savannah and asked the bus driver if there was a Dunkin Donuts nearby where they could get coffee before hitting the interstate. The driver said, "There's one on Dunn Avenue, but you never want to find yourself on Dunn Avenue after sundown. You might not come back alive."

I think that bus driver would probably favor the Landing demolition.

Yeah, I wasn't referring to the mayor specifically. Everything is politics with that group. Pretty sad since there is nothing wrong with Dunn Avenue. However, regarding the general conversation as a whole, when it comes down to adaptive reuse vs demo with no plan, I can't keep up with the number of veiled references I've heard people say about a situation that may be as simple as being an environment where minorities are the majority....as support for leveling and leaving a passive grass field in its place. I recall Aaron Bowman mentioning something similar where he encouraged people to stay away from the Landing...and that's coming from a councilmember and someone representing JAXUSA Partnership! If this is the case, some will have a rude awakening coming with downtown's and the entire city's future in general. Our demographic make up is rapidly becoming more brown and culturally diverse. It's time we advance into the 21st century.

[tufsu1]

There are many reasons why the Landing site will likely be vacant for a while, but here's just one:

The City wants FDOT to take down the the Main Street Bridge on-ramp from Independent Drive - doubt the City will RFP the property until that happens - and FDOT hasn't programmed the project so it is at least one year off.

Of course the City could fund the project outright (with FDOT permission) - but that would just add more cost to the Landing demolition project

[thelakelander]

The third reason is a RFP doesn't actually mean moving forward. All responses being rejected are quite common in this town. Just recently, we can say this with bike share, the convention center and 324 Broad Street.

[Pastor Eric Wester]

Reading the article, I vacillate between laughing (at creative captions on the "top ten" list) and crying (at the undeniable absence of leadership and vision) affecting us all.  Remarkably persuasive use of irony. Ugh!

[KenFSU]

I'm sure someone will use this as justification for tearing down the Landing.

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/video-appears-to-show-brawl-at-mavericks-at-jacksonville-landing/954622672

[Charles Hunter]

^ I had the same thought.  "See, the Landing is full of hoodlums, so it must be torn down."