JTA O&M Facility proposed for LaVilla

[thelakelander]

Lack of community engagement during the U2C planning process leads to a proposal to waste a valuable property with such a use. This U2C thing has so much tunnel vision, they've totally overlooked the real world around them. This one will likely result in a public fight bigger than the Daily's project. People, and in particular our public agencies, are going to learn the hard way, about what real inclusive community participation and engagement actually is.

[Ken_FSU]

Another high profile block in LaVilla is being targeted for infill development. At the intersection of Bay and Jefferson Streets, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority would like to construct and operations and maintenance building for the proposed U2C Bay Street Innovation Corridor project. Take a look at the plans recently submitted to the Downtown Development Review Board and let us know what you think!

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/jta-om-facility-proposed-for-lavilla/

[thelakelander]

I wonder how much of the $57 million currently budgeted is just this building.

The JTA did present the U2C project to the heritage trail committee last fall. The building had a different design (I will see if I can find the rendering) back then. It was recommended that they attempt to mimic or play homage to Railroad Row's architectural styles and footprint, as this was the site of one of Jacksonville's first breweries (https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/3-jacksonville-breweries-of-yesteryear/). My memory is pretty fuzzy on the cost but I believe it was in the $6 to $9 million range.

I do see in the staff report that they recommend getting rid of the equipment area facing Jefferson, so that might improve things somewhat.

They need on-the-ground pedestrian interaction and an architectural facade makeover that's consistent with LaVilla's character. As the area continues to redevelop, Jefferson Street is the only street where a pedestrian can cross the tracks on foot to access Brooklyn and the Whole Foods market currently under construction. We can't continue to allow pedestrian hostile design solutions for projects being proposed in the area.

My guess on why this is specifically here instead of at the JRTC or Myrtle or Skyway O&M is that they need some kind of facility for the Bay Street corridor and they don't want to make the vehicles go too far in non-revenue operation to reach said facility, and this spot, which is more likely to be seen as useless because of the existing guideway seems good enough.

Something was said similar to this, as to why the selected the site. However, one could argue that the portion of the site that is not under the skyway, has just as much potential for other uses, as it does for the proposed operational center. Heck, a wholesale use like a craft brewery or a drive thru coffee shop/similar type of retail operation with a pedestrian edge on Jefferson, makes more sense from a context perspective.

I do wonder what happens if all their dreams come true and the Skyway is converted for U2C use, what happens with either this facility or Skyway O&M. Surely they're not keeping both so which gets abandoned? The facility attached to the JRTC ended up effectively abandoned after the O&M was built so in theory based on age that would lose but it also has a better connection to the elevated structure so who knows?

From a design perspective, it would be good to make sure that this building can easily be repurposed for something else. It's still a big stretch to believe this U2C thing will be around in the long run. So once this Bay Street experiment fails, leave some space for silos and outdoor dining that a craft brewpub, distillery, bakery, etc. may need.

[jaxlongtimer]

This is one ugly building!  Daily's looks like the Taj Mahal compared to it.  The building is on par with a JEA electrical substation or sewer treatment facility, that is to say it's scraping the bottom of the barrel in aesthetic offensiveness.  Another nail in Downtown's coffin (if it isn't already dead yet).

If the AV's can truly operate at ground level, why is it a stretch to bring them to the bus center on Myrtle, just 3 or 4 blocks away.  And, doesn't the Skyway already have an elevated maintenance facility at the end for the track (although I am not seeing any connection in the renderings to the elevated track so not sure why it has to be in proximity to it)?

Where is DIA and the DDRB on this?

Just another log on the failing fires of this project and Downtown.  Pure idiocy in leadership.

Just to compare, here is the cable car "operations facility"/museum in San Francisco.  What a difference!

[Charles Hunter]

My guess on why this is specifically here instead of at the JRTC or Myrtle or Skyway O&M is that they need some kind of facility for the Bay Street corridor and they don't want to make the vehicles go too far in non-revenue operation to reach said facility, and this spot, which is more likely to be seen as useless because of the existing guideway seems good enough.

Not sure I understand this criticism. I thought the U2C was to run "revenue service" from the JRTC to the Sports District ("... and beyond!"). If so, using the Myrtle Avenue facility is appropriate. Also, as others have said, if the U2C is supposed to run on the elevated Skyway, its O&M facility in Brooklyn makes sense.

[jaxlongtimer]

My guess on why this is specifically here instead of at the JRTC or Myrtle or Skyway O&M is that they need some kind of facility for the Bay Street corridor and they don't want to make the vehicles go too far in non-revenue operation to reach said facility, and this spot, which is more likely to be seen as useless because of the existing guideway seems good enough.

This site isn't useless, necessarily.  It might make for small park for the area.  FDOT worked with RAP to put to good use the land under the Fuller Warren in Riverside .  Possibilities like a RAM, dog or skate park, art walk, sculpture garden, flower garden, passive park, fountain/water feature, etc.  How about the future offices of Visit Jax given its at an entry point to Downtown from both the Southbank and I-10/I-95 visitors?  That "creativity" could certainly work wonders here and would enhance Downtown vs. this dumpster fire.

[thelakelander]

The part of the site that is not covered by the skyway is more than enough for another use. I mean, they are proposing to stick a warehouse there. You could take that building's square footage and it would be perfect for a craft brewery, bakery, etc.

[thelakelander]

We were able to get this one deferred today. It was a weird meeting. JTA came with a bunch of new renderings and plans that no one (including the DDRB board and DIA staff) had seen and attempted to get conceptual approval....even though they admitted that many of the new changes were not budgeted for in their project and would come at a later undetermined date. We pushed to defer it. No reason to approve a concept when no one except JTA understood what the concept was. Hopefully, over the next few weeks, they will work with the LaVilla community on the actual design process prior to a workshop. I think this is the biggest lesson people are going to have to learn with LaVilla. Community engagement is not meeting with people once, but leaving them out of the actual design process. Also, while every project has its own internal goals, that doesn't mean we can totally ignore what's going on around it. In particular, it was mentioned that JTA has at least 8 sites evaluated for their O&M center and that they decided that this one would be the best location. Unfortunately, the community was not involved in that evaluation and it should have been.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/aug/10/downtown-development-review-board-defers-vote-on-jta-lavilla-project/

[Jax_Developer]

Thanks for the update. This one really doesn't make sense.