Culinary Institute of America exploring Downtown campus

[jaxlongtimer]

Just adding a few observations:
* Aside from the usual concerns over incentives, the location is an appropriate issue to raise.  I heard that this was possibly considered for Corner Lot's Riverside property.  Maybe that doesn't work, but there has to be many other and better options.  This is especially true if it needs a large number of parking spaces.  It may also need tractor/trailer access for food, equipment and supply deliveries.
* Graduates from CIA typically become high end chefs that can easily make 6 figures and/or restauranteurs, not the usual minimum wage restaurant worker.  It would be like saying Ivy League grads are being trained for low wage jobs.
* Whatever the City does, it needs to receive a guarantee from CIA that it won't create any other locations in the Southeast or that would compete with the Jax location.  Watering down the uniqueness of hosting the CIA would only increase the risk of the incentives receiving the expected payback.
* CIA needs to also guarantee certain performance levels for the school in terms of courses, students, instructors, curriculum/classes, etc.  If it is a second level school, again, it won't meet local expectations associated with any incentives.

[marcuscnelson]

I almost wonder if something like this wouldn't actually be very appropriate for the RiversEdge plot that's purportedly been intended for a hotel for some time now. It could leverage the parking at the DCPS building, it's near the Skyway (however helpful that might be), and just down the street from the subsidized restaurant at Friendship Fountain, plus whatever restaurants might emerge around it.

[thelakelander]

^If there was a logical master plan done for downtown and nothing else was at play that can impact project feasibility, RiversEdge would probably be a better location for the simple fact that the current location weirdly splits up a large development site.