Old Barnett building downtown?

[Gen7]

I thought this building would make a great location for some type of college, like the Art Institute of Jacksonville - what are they doing in Baymeadows??  The ground floor could be art, music and dining venues, the middle floors could be the school and the top floors could be student lofts.  This would bring youth and vibrancy to downtown and hopefully they would set up shop and residence downtown after graduation.  Any value to this idea?

[heights unknown]

So they are seriously considering demolishing (destroying) this magnificent piece of Jacksonville history and artifact?  They'd better not! If they do, they'd better put something tremendous in its spot because it will create a huge and noticeable hole and void in the skyline!

Heights Unknown

Heights, Hey my man, I haven't heard of any plans to knock it down, but if they do, Ocklawaha and the urban adventurers are going to have a field day entering the old tunnel system underneath. I think the tunnels would make for a surreal and fantastic tourist and night spot. "THE MAZE AT JACKSONVILLE!"

I would think with the Courthouse finally going up, the spillover effect will cause quite a few revived projects, including the Barnett.

OCKLAWAHA

Great thinking "Ock" great thinking.  Hope the Courthouse does spur development around its area, LaVilla and hopefully the core of downtown, but I get this feeling our leaders are not going to seize that window of opportunity either.

Heights Unknown

[heights unknown]

That is a great idea "Gen7" but I don't think the Art Institute is going to move anytime soon.  Maybe someone should put a bird in their ear, and the City Government's ear, get them both together to talk and even plan regarding the idea to try to lure them downtown in that magificent piece of ART, the old Barnett Building.  And it is "brilliant," your idea, as Stephendare iterated.

Heights Unknown

[coredumped]

This should be MetroJax headquarters and member residence.

I'll chip in, all I ask is in return is a nice floor to sleep on after a night at Mavericks!

[ChriswUfGator]

COJ has missed at least 2 or 3 promising opportunities to bring large schools downtown. I just don't think they care, or it doesn't fit their plan or something. If they even have a plan.

[buckethead]

The powers that be have a fear of becoming a liberal city.

If they would just open their eyes, they would realize that the best cities in the world are liberal cities.

Capitalist and entrepeneurs thrive in these cities. The inner city is the heart and soul of these metropolitan areas.

A nicley furnished room makes for a lovely home. A beautiful urban core makes the setting for life better for all.

I'd rather live in Austin than Houston. Jax seems to strive to become Houston.

[gmpalmer]

The campus idea is quite the brilliant one.  Anyone got about 18 million dollars we can spend?  I volunteer to chair the college of humanities.

[buckethead]

There are lawyers who post here that could offer insight into obtaing public funding. I fear we would need to circumvent our city government. Perhaps even the state.

Perhaps if we pledge our allegience to the FED?

[mtraininjax]

How can we compare Austin or Dallas to Jacksonville? Austin has the capital and the university, a MAJOR TEXAS university with 2x the students of JU/UNF/FCCJ all rolled together.

Dallas - Downtown lofts, that is quite a fair comparison.

Barnett Building lacks parking, people, and its still not completed. A nursing school just opened up off of Salisbury in the former Pulte complex of buildings. Why here and not downtown? People, space is already built, and plenty of parking, not to mention it is close to Dave and Busters and can be seen from the road. Now for a college looking for free ads, why would anyone move into the Barnett Tower, when its view is blocked by the BofA building?

Anyone remember the old time and temp reading from the Barnett Building?

[DetroitInJAX]

Did the time/temp sign fall victim to the most inane signage regulations in the United States, or was the building already vacant by then?

[reednavy]

It had fallen into disrepair so it was dismantled.

[ChriswUfGator]

It had fallen into disrepair so it was dismantled.

Actually, they just took all the bulbs out of it and painted it over. But unless something's changed in the last year or so, if you stand in Hemming plaza and look at the Barnett, then you can see it still hanging on the side of the elevator house.

[heights unknown]

The powers that be have a fear of becoming a liberal city.

If they would just open their eyes, they would realize that the best cities in the world are liberal cities.

Capitalist and entrepeneurs thrive in these cities. The inner city is the heart and soul of these metropolitan areas.

A nicley furnished room makes for a lovely home. A beautiful urban core makes the setting for life better for all.

I'd rather live in Austin than Houston. Jax seems to strive to become Houston.

I agree with you; they seem to be scared.  I guess they want to keep that southern small town feel though Jacksonville is a big City.  They need to get over it (snap).

Heights Unknown

[heights unknown]

Anyone remember the old time and temp reading from the Barnett Building?

I do, I do (and no I don't want gum). Need to revive that sign...oops, I think they took it down.

Heights Unknown

[gmpalmer]

Bucket -- any chance of that happening?  Anyone got Billy Gates' phone number?  Can we convince the powers that be -- I mean First Baptist -- that THEY want a university? (note, yes, I'll take anything)