Downtown Construction Update - July 2007

[Metro Jacksonville]

Downtown Construction Update - July 2007



Check out the latest progress downtown in this July 2007 edition of the Downtown Construction Update.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/495

[Steve]

Wow, some great things there.  It's nice to see so much activity on the courthouse site

[Jason]

Great update.  Its nice to see some towers rising despite the chaos at City Hall.

1661 is really looking fantastic!

[Ocklawaha]

Even our Neanderthals are going High-Rise.

The new buildings, even at their proposed maximum, are beautiful... but sadly, too few, too late, too short. Our best efforts pale when stacked up to South, or even Central, or West, Florida. This IS so easy, "a caveman COULD do it," but Jacksonville can't? I just refuse to believe a City with such a "rebel heritage," allows itself to be walked on like we do. We were the place in Florida's history that invented that unique "Florida Fire," that burns in the heart of Yankee's, and the "wheel," that drives it. We chased away the Mouse, and all the rats that came with him, and retreated to our cavern. I keep wondering how long the Neanderthals in City Hall will hold us back? It's time to realize our destiny!

From a piece in this month’s Wired Magazine;“Miami, for example, had only five skyscrapers (buildings more than 150 meters, or 492 feet, tall) in 1999 but will have 71 by 2012.”

Damn shame that a City (Miami) that wasn't even around in 1895, (we were already a major City) has up and left us in their dust.  Everyone I meet in south Florida is frustrated by the prices, and high cost of living, many of them are business owners that would relocate. Why isn't I-95 or the Turnpike lined with Billboards to recruit them? "Cost of living getting you down? Jacksonville, In Your Future!", "Miami Vice? Try Jacksonville Nice!", "Expenses limiting your Florida business? Jacksonville, City With No Limits!"

Just another Jacksonville Piltdown-man in the Everglades...

Ocklawaha

[Jason]

Damn shame that a City (Miami) that wasn't even around in 1895, (we were already a major City) has up and left us in their dust. 

You can thank the railroads for opening the floodgates to the south.

[tinman]

Whats not a damn shame is that Jacksonville didn't have to suffer through a decade of one of the ugliest and dealiest drug wars in history. Miami was built almost solely with the money brought in from the illegal trafficing of cocaine.. Something that Jacksonville can't say it's ever experienced.. thankfully.. Jacksonville was built with the honest hard work of individuals with visions of living in a city with a feeling of safety and raise a family.. Not the most wealthy but for what it's worth not a bad city.. Just a thought

[downtownparks]

If Jacksonville hadn't made such a concerted effort to tear down its own history because of "blight" we would have LaVilla as an epicenter of black history, a Wharf district, a collection of theaters and hotels second to almost none in the south. Sadly "progress" has left us hallow and empty.

Also, its worth noting, we had our "drug" years long before Miami was a town, with gun running to Cuba,  and the Movie Industry, and other such items. Jacksonville WAS Florida for over a hundred years.

[Jason]

Where is that article that (I think Stephen Dare wrote) talked about the crime and drug cartels in Jacksonville?

[comncense]

Has anyone seen any progress being made on Churchwell Lofts? Between Churchwell, 20 West and the Laura Street Trio... it's like a race between 3 crippled turtles.... wearing iron backpacks.

[thelakelander]

I'd put my money on Churchwell wrapping it up first.  Unlike the others, they appear to making decent progress. 

[comncense]

That's funny because I go by Churchwell at least 2 or 3 times a week on my way to Mark's. Maybe alcohol prevents me from noticing the progress they're making.