Where is the Center of Jacksonville?

[Ocklawaha]

Does Jacksonville have a "center" anymore? At one time Hemming Plaza was the core of the city and every manner of commerce ebbed and flowed around it. But with coming years and developments that seems to have blured. I was wondering, if we had to nail it down - WHERE IS THE CENTER OF JACKSONVILLE TODAY?


This is a post "War of Yankee Aggression" View of downtown, Hemming Plaza was a military base of occupation.


The railroad in 1893 seems to have shifted the center toward the river and LaVilla


By 1920 the center was pulling in another direction, Main and Forsyth were the core.



Will something like this on Laura Street change the center even more? What about Union Terminal plans and the Stadium? Will the East side bloom and catch the West? What about South of the River?

Just where the heck is "up town"?

OCKLAWAHA

[Jason]

IMO, Uptown is Springfield.

And I think the center of Jacksonville is the CBD.

[Ocklawaha]

But what is the geographic or business CENTER of the core today?

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

Some may say the Southside.  However, the Southside/Arlington/Intracoastal is too spread out to be considered a center of anything, although its definately the king of retail.

Downtown currently remains the center of this region.  Its just not as important as it once was.  A true geographic center has a mixture of uses within a close distance of each other.  While downtown is not the retail center anymore, its still the region's center of government, entertainment and cultural opportunities.  Plus there are over 55,000 office workers still.  If JTA can pull off their plans for the terminal, it can become the center of transportation once again. 

Our challenge is to find a way to integrate the activities taking place downtown so that they breed vibrant street life and energy.

[Doctor_K]

But what is the geographic or business CENTER of the core today?

OCKLAWAHA

My $0.02:
After 'eyeballing' it on Google Earth, it seems that the downtown core and/or Springfield is pretty close to the geographic center of the county, anyway.  If you're talking the MSA, that includes surrounding counties, so that's a different story.

Business center?  Probably the quadrangle bounded by (clockwise) Main, Water, Jefferson, and Adams?  That's where the majority of the commerical office towers are.  

Uptown?  That's debateable.  The emerging 'entertainment district' on Bay?  Avondale?  Southside?  Baymeadows?  I think any of those might be good candidates.   All depends on what each place has to offer in terms of culture, entertainment, a secondary business district of sorts, and destinations.  Probably Southside/Baymeadows.

[David]

When I went to First United Method Church as a kid downtown, the pastor would always bring up that the center of Jacksonville was right outside the Church's doorstep, at Duval & Newman. I'm not sure if he was refering to the old city limits or current ones though.

[Ocklawaha]

Okay, let me try again -

Shoot for the social center of the City CORE, ie: the downtown... It once was Hemming Plaza, but I suggest that it's moved all around downtown and is now somewhere nearer the river?

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

Its the Landing.

[jacksonvilleconfidential]

The First Baptist Lighthouse Beacon thing.

[Jason]

Its the Landing.

Ditto.


And Uptown should be the Main Street buisness corridor in Springfield.

[Coolyfett]

You know what Ock...I was thinking about this question a few months ago. I would say the old center is Hemming Plaza...But now I would say Bay & Liberty...or Bay & Market i think??? Whatever street runs to the north & south crosses Bay but is east of the courthouse is the middle of Jacksonville. I think  its Liberty. If you pass the Berkman & JSO you passed the street Im talking about.

[Coolyfett]

But what is the geographic or business CENTER of the core today?

OCKLAWAHA

My $0.02:
After 'eyeballing' it on Google Earth, it seems that the downtown core and/or Springfield is pretty close to the geographic center of the county, anyway.  If you're talking the MSA, that includes surrounding counties, so that's a different story.

Business center?  Probably the quadrangle bounded by (clockwise) Main, Water, Jefferson, and Adams?  That's where the majority of the commerical office towers are. 

Uptown?  That's debateable.  The emerging 'entertainment district' on Bay?  Avondale?  Southside?  Baymeadows?  I think any of those might be good candidates.   All depends on what each place has to offer in terms of culture, entertainment, a secondary business district of sorts, and destinations.  Probably Southside/Baymeadows.

How about Uptown being Northbank and downtown being the Southbank...I guess that could work. even though I call the southback San Marco, some call it downtown.

[Seraphs]

My initial thoughts for the center of Jax was the BOA tower, but I will not argue with the Landing.  As for uptown it's a toss up.

[reednavy]

I think it is the area from The Landing, between the Main St. Bridge and Hogan Street, up to the BoA Tower. I still think it is the MODIS Building, except The Landing during major events.

[I-10east]

I'll go wit' Treaty Oak; Just a hunch.