DIA wants the Landing to start with a park

[jcjohnpaint]

Jeff Koons after Marcel Duchamp Fountain.

[jcjohnpaint]

I believe it might be.

[Ken_FSU]

Already a lot of weirdness going on with the Landing space.

The DIA put out an RFP with scoring criteria heavily weighted toward public art.

Perkins & Will were selected as the winner, per the DIA, because of the central "Jax" art piece scored significantly higher than public art proposed by the other two.

Boyer said the three teams scored consistently in many of the criteria and it was the public art proposed by Perkins&Will that put it over the top.

"I think the inclusion of that monumental piece of art really threw Perkins and Will over the top," said Lori Boyer, CEO of DIA. "Love it or hate it, the public art piece shown in the Perkins and Will design has received a tremendous amount of public comment, which I think really indicates its iconic nature in the sense that you see it, you know it's there, people are talking about it."

Meanwhile, at the DIA meeting last night (https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/dia-theres-much-more-one-park-jax-design-art-sculpture-remains-center-attention/ZOPMA7CI2FDLHGWRUV33ISQDTU/), it seems like the DIA might be backtracking from the sculpture that gave P+W the win amid some public backlash, which would negate the entire reason that P+W won the competition.

The Downtown Investment Authority held a meeting on Thursday and provided an update to the One Park Jax design. While the sculpture has been the center of attention, they say there's much more to the proposal.

However, head of the DIA, Lori Boyer, said it seems clear among the board they want an iconic, memorable piece of art in the Landing area, saying it would be unique and bold for Jacksonville.

"Make sure we are getting public space right and the uses in it right and programming in it right," Boyer said. "So, what we have on the ground is much more important for how everyone will use that space than some art piece that we eventually put on top of a platform...

"We will be working with that team to come to an agreement on the contract of design of the park space and that will move forward over the course of the next nine months," Boyer said. "There will be opportunity for input on the park and if an art piece is a considered part of the park space, as we move through that process. There will be opportunity for input and comment and things like that."

[thelakelander]

I'm pretty sure I mentioned this thing would be value engineered by the time it's completed years from now. I'm not surprised.

[jcjohnpaint]

I'm not a fan of the piece, but it seemed like the Jax instillation was really popular with the public.

[jaxlongtimer]

When I go into Word and play with its fonts, I dismiss many of them due to poor readability.  I am sure there may be a more artistic font that is clearer if push comes to shove.

Although, I don't look at this as just saying "Jax."  In fact, when I first saw the concept, I liked it just for the sculpted curves and overall shape.  Finding out that it spells "Jax" was just another way to appreciate it.

If they never pointed out that "Jax" was the point of it, I wonder if it would have the pushback it has from some now.

Sculpture aside, I still think the P & W concept for use of the land was the best of the bunch.

[heights unknown]

Looks like a pretzel when I first saw it...a silver chrome looking pretzel. But when I found out it said Jax, I began to like and appreciate it more.

[Ken_FSU]

When I go into Word and play with its fonts, I dismiss many of them due to poor readability.  I am sure there may be a more artistic font that is clearer if push comes to shove.

Although, I don't look at this as just saying "Jax."  In fact, when I first saw the concept, I liked it just for the sculpted curves and overall shape.  Finding out that it spells "Jax" was just another way to appreciate it.

If they never pointed out that "Jax" was the point of it, I wonder if it would have the pushback it has from some now.

Agreed, and that was a part of the overall intent of the piece.

Would highly recommend watching the artist talking about the sculpture during P+W's presentation to the city.

It's at the 45:30 mark here.

Really interesting stuff.

https://coj365-my.sharepoint.com/personal/rmezini_coj_net/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?originalPath=aHR0cHM6Ly9jb2ozNjUtbXkuc2hhcmVwb2ludC5jb20vcGVyc29uYWwvcm1lemluaV9jb2pfbmV0L19sYXlvdXRzLzE1L2d1ZXN0YWNjZXNzLmFzcHg%5FZm9sZGVyaWQ9MGQ5ZjJmYzQzNDViMjQxYWE5M2Y4OTk0MDdhYTc2ZmI4JmF1dGhrZXk9QWV5cE5JZE9VWEE4S00yckJqcEhLb28mcnRpbWU9YUQ3RUlhdFQyVWc&id=%2Fpersonal%2Frmezini%5Fcoj%5Fnet%2FDocuments%2FP%2001%2002%20Northbank%20Lawn%20Riverfront%20Plaza%20FKA%20Jacksonville%20Landing%20Design%20Competition%2FMeeting%20Recordings%2F03%2E%2020210624%20Riverfront%20Plaza%20Design%20Competition%5FPart%203%2Emp4&parent=%2Fpersonal%2Frmezini%5Fcoj%5Fnet%2FDocuments%2FP%2001%2002%20Northbank%20Lawn%20Riverfront%20Plaza%20FKA%20Jacksonville%20Landing%20Design%20Competition%2FMeeting%20Recordings

Hope it gets built with some slight modifications.

[jcjohnpaint]

Jax is Rad had quite the discussion going on about the piece on Instagram. It was nice because the maker was part of the conversation.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRpW_7-j2B9/
Some of my students were part of the debate. I stayed out of the conversation since I don't have anything productive to add. 

[JeffreyS]

Unfortunately it looks too similar to letters. That the artist needs to explain how it isn't what it appears to be is a fail. When designing a visual piece of art how it looks (without explanation) should be considered IMO. The basic concept is fine just change it enough so that it doesn't look like letters or is intentionally letters. Accidentally looking like letters just seems foolish.

[bl8jaxnative]

The city has removed a previous fad of the day - indoor shopping - and replaced it with the current fad of the day --> instagram "art"


have to give them some credit for a type of consistency, no?

[Charles Hunter]

It seems even London can swing and miss at an 'iconic public space' idea (from Smithsonian)

London officials had grand visions for the Marble Arch Mound, a temporary installation that opened this week next to one of the English city's iconic landmarks.

Designs for the attraction depicted a lush, foliage-covered hill rising over the bustling shopping district of Oxford Street and greenery of Hyde Park. The mound's purposes were numerous and lofty: to entice visitors back to the area as Covid-19 restrictions lifted, provide a new perspective of the neighboring Marble Arch and emphasize the importance of urban green space in the fight against climate change.

But those plans, it seems, have all gone downhill.

...

Public criticism of the site was swift and rather merciless, with people comparing it to "awkward bits of land in 'The Sims'" and a "bad Santa's grotto."

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/widely-mocked-london-tourist-attraction-closes-two-days-after-opening-180978330/?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter

[Fallen Buckeye]

I like the concept of the art installation, but the execution may need to be refined.

The other piece I'm worried about is having a situation similar to London's "Walkie Talkie" building where the sunlight reflects off the structure in unexpected ways (especially if it's the mirror finish). There are a few concave sections that I could see potential issues with focusing light on to surrounding structures and potentially causing fires or damaging something. At the very least, the reflections could be quite a nuisance to surrounding offices.

Maybe we can do an additional RFP to artists specifically for the public art portion and start construction on the rest of the park with that space set aside until a winner is chosen?

[Ken_FSU]

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/dia-releases-bid-terms-for-1-acre-private-development-at-former-landing-site

I wonder if the other development pad is disappearing, or maybe being RFP'd later separately.

Do you guys agree with the DIA that hotel or office tower is preferable to multifamily for the pad adjacent to the Main Street Bridge?

[fieldafm]

I wonder if the other development pad is disappearing, or maybe being RFP'd later separately.

DIA/COJ is currently in the middle of a lawsuit to try to take back Sisters City Plaza from Mainstreet.

This parcel here: 
https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/hyatt-place-tower-preparing-to-break-ground-in-downtown/

The northwest portion of the former Landing space is still entirely dependent on the result of that lawsuit (which likely will take years to settle).  If COJ can take back the property, then Water Street/Independent Street will be realigned to make way for more developable land at the former Landing site.  You really can't (or more accurately, shouldn't) RFP something until you know what the size of the PAD will actually be. 

Do you guys agree with the DIA that hotel or office tower is preferable to multifamily for the pad adjacent to the Main Street Bridge?

There is a local company that is very interested in that PAD site for a new office tower.