Is Springfield maligned instead of celebrated?

[zoo]

The question is, will Southern Living's clout make a lick of difference? Does the general populace of Jax give a hoot at all that this nationally-recognized asset is right under their noses, and maligned instead of celebrated?!?!

About 3 years ago, a high ranking exec at a large local corp said to me, "Springfield is happening without Jacksonville." Some days I see evidence in such strong support of that statement, I resent Jacksonville.

This article will surely make a difference by bringing MORE people from other places who "get it," but why can't Springfield get the committed support of regional residents, thought leaders and civic representatives?!?!

Two possible answers:

1. If Springfield turns around, there is significant fear that the social order of Jacksonville will change. (If the socio-economically challenged aren't isolated where they have been for decades, they might spread into the rest of Jacksonville's "nice" areas)

2. Resource competition. There isn't enough for all of Jax, so if Springfield gets enough financial support to complete the turnaround, other resource-recipients (social orgs or other areas of town like Riverside/Avondale, Murray Hill, Arlington) get inadequately funded in the short-term.

Just mho, but whether or not Springfield makes it totally depends on money, public and private, and regional acceptance of economic and ethnic diversity and tolerance. Can the Southern Living article affect these?

[fsu813]

Zoo,

I think the Southern Living article will make a difference in many residents minds. For example, I post on City-Data often and the opinion of Springfield of most residents has been pretty darn low.

Many are people from other areas looking to move to Jax  and are told to stay away and that it's dangerous.

It's not hard to argue opinion v. opinion, but when you have national recognition by a respected sources on the subject such as SL, well that's hard to argue with.

All of the various postive articles on the neighborhood by local media are often met with ridiculous comments as well....though it seems many subjects are ridiculed in those comment portions.

I do think that city leaders recognize the change. For example, the Duval County School Super-Indendant, whom is a friend, commented how my street was nicer than his own. The Weaver's, a prominant Avondale-judge, a prominant San Marco-attorny, etc are in the neighborhood not unfrequently to support The Sanctuary. Being personal friends with them as well (not the Weavers) they come throught the neighborhood and see the changes. In fact, during the Home Tour, the judge inquired about this Three Layers place that he has heard about and seen while driving through.

Stephen,

I don't think it's right to call people working hard on the behalf of the neighborhood "stupid" as you did in Reply #1.  I also think it's curious that you somehow made the issue about SPAR, when that's not what the question was about at all.

[fsu813]

When people work hard for a neighborhood I call them "hardworking"  when people act stupidly and are unable to stop themselves, I call them stupid.

So using this logic, someone could call you "stupid" because they think you act stupidly and are not able to stop yourself?

Interesting.....

[Dan B]

I don't get the sense of hopelessness from the city officials I have spoken too. Most, at least on a public face, see the comeback, and support the communities efforts (no matter which organizartion they happen under). Where I see the problem is in the day to day residents all over Jacksonville.

Talking about Springfield with someone from the mayors office, and speaking with someone who lives on in Mandarin, especially if you give them the anonymity that the web provides, are two very different perspectives.

[fsu813]

What are the qualities of someone that "gets it?" - Matt M.

1) People that understand the homeless & low-income aren't to be feared. They aren't looking to rob, rape & kill every chance they get. Sure caution in any situation is a good idea, but these aren't murderers looking for thier chance.....

2) People that understand this revitalization in Springfield is not some kind of unique experiment. This has gone on and is going on all over the country, very successfully in many cases. This isn't some kooky group of people trying something brand new......this has been done over & over before.

3) People that appreciate all walks of life, different cultures, different lifestyles. They can befriend someone who is not like them (economically, racially, sexually, etc) with an open heart & mind.

4) People that value walkability of a neighborhood.

5) People that want to be part of a transformation.

6) People that enjoy "urban" living and all that it entails (proximity to Downtown, walkability, different types of people, etc).

7) People that appreciate living in a Historic district and the responsibility that comes with it.

[fsu813]

Sure.

7) historic reference - check

6) urban living reference - check

5) transformation reference - check

4) walkability reference - Nope, but urban living often includes walkability

3) different walks of life reference - half check, it's alluded to.

2) urban revitalization is common reference - check, that's what the entire list is about.

1) homeless & low-income aren't monsters reference - half check, again it's alluded to but not stated plainly.

[vicupstate]

I have to say, it does seem like Jacksonvillians aren't very traveled.  To the vast majority of folks, particularly natives, they have no concept that an area that is distressed can have a resurrection of prosperity. They also seem oblivious to the fact that now propersous areas can fall into decline.  Although, Arlington seems to be making some believers of the latter.

This attitude isn't just in regards to Springfield but Downtown also.  To be fair, one contributing factor to this thinking is the extended period of time it is taking for the transformation of both areas to occur, and the start and stops that have occurred.  In larger cities like Atlanta, a neighborhood can gentrify almost completely in 5-10 years. No one doubts that it can happen, and instead everyone is wondering where it will happen next.  

Riverside has made a big turnaround, but it had never got as downtrodded either.      

As for the SL article, it certainly can't hurt, but I wouldn't let it be an excuse to think there is no more work to be done in terms of getting the word out.  I think most negative thinking locals won't change their minds because of it, but newcomers will be more likely to 'kick the tires' and not just take local opinion as fact.

[Overstreet]

...........The question is, will Southern Living's clout make a lick of difference? Does the general populace of Jax give a hoot at all that this nationally-recognized asset is right under their noses, and maligned instead of celebrated?!?!..........

Define "give a hoot"......or "celebrated". What behaviors do you wish me to display to do those things?

My nose isn't that long for spring field to be under it. I'm not moving any more.  I pass a lot of places I like to eat at before getting to Springfield. I'm not likely to go there to dine. Springfield doesn't have a boat ramp or gun range for me to go recreate at.  I haven't had a project up there since 1995. So there really isn't a reason for me to drive there. I don't even drive up I-95 to the airport any more.

If Springfield is going to make a go at it the residents there will do it. 

[strider]

What are the qualities of someone that "gets it?" - Matt M.

1) People that understand the homeless & low-income aren't to be feared. They aren't looking to rob, rape & kill every chance they get. Sure caution in any situation is a good idea, but these aren't murderers looking for thier chance.....

2) People that understand this revitalization in Springfield is not some kind of unique experiment. This has gone on and is going on all over the country, very successfully in many cases. This isn't some kooky group of people trying something brand new......this has been done over & over before.

3) People that appreciate all walks of life, different cultures, different lifestyles. They can befriend someone who is not like them (economically, racially, sexually, etc) with an open heart & mind.

4) People that value walkability of a neighborhood.

5) People that want to be part of a transformation.

6) People that enjoy "urban" living and all that it entails (proximity to Downtown, walkability, different types of people, etc).

7) People that appreciate living in a Historic district and the responsibility that comes with it.

The above is a very good and predominately accurate list. The problem as I have experienced it is not knowing what that list should be but getting people to actually live it.  Many who live in Springfield often say they "get it" in the above sense, but then act the total opposite. 

Basically, for Springfield to truly work, everyone, or at least the vast majority, truly have to "get it" 100%.  Halfway only takes us halfway.

My personal opinion is that the SL article will make very little difference on it's own, it is how well people use the fact of the article that may have a positive impact later on.

[sheclown]

From the start of the auction to probably 2003, Springfield got millions and millions and millions and millions of city dollars in the form of facade grants and SHARP grants.  The neighborhood looks the way it does, prettied up and painted, because COJ made it so. 

[vicupstate]

From the start of the auction to probably 2003, Springfield got millions and millions and millions and millions of city dollars in the form of facade grants and SHARP grants. 

Fascade grants are for commercial establishments, right? If so, I would like to know where that money went.  Other than the Klutho building (was that before 2003?), I don't remember much improvements in that relm during that time.  Can you give some examples.

[Dan B]

It was commercial and residential.

[sheclown]

Most all of the money was used for residential.  Each facade grant was for $25.000 and there were (I would guess 100 of them??)  Then the SHARP grants were for renovations to the interior and stop-gap money (the difference between the cost of the renovations and the final value of the home). Joe and I did at least a dozen facade grant jobs and maybe almost as many SHARP grant jobs.  And we were only one of many contractors working in the neighborhood at the time.

The Epicurean got a commercial facade grant for $7500.  Some of that was matching funds.  I don't know of any other commercial facade grants, but I'm sure there were more of them, although not nearly as many as residential.

These are just guesses based on being around at the time and doing some of the work.  I can only guess.  On the block where I used to live, 70% of the houses got grants of some sort within a three year period.

[strider]

When you are calculating the federal, state, city funds channeled into Springfield, you should really include the 1998 Auction that kicked off everything.  From what I remember, an average of about 45,000 per house for ten houses?  That would be about a half a mil by itself.

I believe only five or six places got the old commercial facade grants.  They were not easy to get and because of some of the other requirements from the overlay, some of the costs were very high and the extra cash was not available.

When people say that they have issues with Jacksonville over Springfield, they need to be reminded that none of what has been accomplished so far would have happened without the millions that Jacksonville gave and channeled through here.  SPAR Council did none of that.  SPAR did very little and HSCC, while involved, could only do so much.  It was the likes of the Historic Department, Joel, Lisa and Helen at the time as well as the folks from the planning department like Travis and his bosses (at the time it was a woman who was a good friend of Springfield)  and peers (many who have moved on since then). And many, many individuals from the community.

Saying that Springfield is happening without Jacksonville is a very untrue statement. Saying that you resent Jacksonville for that is very selfish .  The truth is, the opposite is very true.  Springfield still stands only for Jacksonville and the millions provided.  It is now up to us to finish the job.

This is not to say that there are not issues at times with some of the people whom we must deal within the city government of Jacksonville, but credit must be given where it is due.  And, as some of the more recent information has shown us,  we must even watch the very people within the organizations charged with serving Springfield for they are not always serving Springfield’s best interests either.

[zoo]

My best holiday wishes to you, strider and sheclown, too.