Peyton to focus on downtown

[Ocklawaha]

Finally he is now talking about relocating the Convention Center to the riverfront. This to me is the most interesting part of the story.

Getter out and getter done Johnny!  Before a flying monkey lands a train station all over LaVilla! 


OCKLAWAHA

[vicupstate]

This is by far the best proposal Peyton has had in his entire term.  I couldn't believe what I was reading.  I mean a REAL convention center, in the RIGHT location, with a revamped Laura Street INCLUDING the Barnett and Laura trio.  Not to mention getting out of neutral on Cecil Field, and developing a genuine STRATEGY for economic development.  

I applaud this and look forward to hearing more about it.  I hope the business community buys into it and the next mayor picks up Peyton's plan and runs with it.

Also, if the Convention center is moving, does that now mean the transportation Center will  be re-worked?  

The MJ board should be popping champagne.  For thre first time, in years, I actually have some HOPE for DT.   Of course, words have to be backed up with ACTION, even if the construction can't start soon.  

[brapt]

Hooray (for the promise, at least)!

Commence bombarding all involved agencies with sustained positive reinforcement.

[CS Foltz]

Well John Boy has paid plenty of lip service to lot's of people, just now getting around to the people who put him in office though.........guess better late than not at all! Lip service is real cheap.........show me some plans, show me some vision...........show me the money to do it!

[Captain Zissou]

Does anyone else have the feeling Mayor Peyton is one of our many new members on metrojax?  All but the Cecil development have been front page stories in the past few months.  I'm excited about these proposals.... but come on!!  Next thing you know he's going to sponsor a showing of Hedwig at Florida Theatre.

[Captain Zissou]

Does anyone else have the feeling Mayor Peyton is one of our many new members on metrojax?  All but the Cecil development have been front page stories in the past few months.  I'm excited about these proposals.... but come on!!  Next thing you know he's going to sponsor a showing of Hedwig at Florida Theatre.

Funny you should mention hedwig, zissou.

And why is that?

[fsujax]

Just imagine being able to redesign the entire JRTC based upon the City finally now openly talking about relocating the convention center. Oh the possibilities are endless for the Terminal and surronding Lavilla blocks!

[thelakelander]

fsujax, having that opportunity would be nice!

[comncense]

I wonder if the moving of the Convention Center actually became a reality, would that cause more businesses to sprout up around the Bay Street area. Nothing against the Landing, but not everyone wants to eat at the eateries that are at the Landing. I'd love to see a diner open up downtown. Specifically one that would be open late.

[thelakelander]

I believe a convention center in that location would cause that entire area to boom.  Bay Street, Hyatt, Omni, the Florida Theater and the Landing would all be better because of it.

[Captain Zissou]

I think the convention center at the courthouse spot would help at least the western portion of the Shipyards site.  I'm sure there would be a hotel that would pop up.  I also think for a block or two going north you would see a number of retail and service oriented businesses open up.

[Dog Walker]

A multi-level convention center with a three story atrium fronted by a glass wall that looks out onto the river and the riverwalk; that's something that could be marketed!  Walk to the Landing, walk to your hotel.  Take the river ferry to an upper end restaurant on the South Bank.

Ride the Skyway Express to the......oops!

[fsujax]

Ride the Skyway to Mortons or the Charthouse!

[Dog Walker]

Ride the Skyway to Mortons or the Charthouse!

Not from a convention center located at the site of the current courthouse!

[subro]

Here is the speech. I would be thrilled if half of this comes to fruition.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-01-20/story/read_the_speech_mayor_john_peytons_vision_for_jacksonville

Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton is speaking this afternoon at Snyder Memorial Church downtown to lay out a road map for his final 18 months in office.  The Mayor's Office has just released a copy of the speech to the Times-Union.  It is reprinted here in its entirety. Look for complete coverage later this evening on jacksonville.com and in Thursday's Times-Union.

FOUNDATION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RECOVERY

Mayor John Peyton
Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010

Good afternoon. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to meet here at what is arguably one of our city’s most beautiful and poignant landmarks â€" Snyder Memorial Church.
I see a number of council members here and I am grateful for your presence. It is your partnership with the mayor’s office and the people of this community that makes great things happen in our city.
Between these stone walls there is more than a century of stories about a city that consistently rises above adversity to forge a greater path for its future. That’s what Jacksonville is known for and this church is a tribute to that fortitude in so many ways.
You know the story of the Great Fire well. The original church, founded in 1870, was destroyed in 1901, but rebuilt a year later by the parishioners and other members of our community. Today, it is a tribute to the craftsmen that rebuilt Jacksonville and a testimonial to the determination and focus of the people of Jacksonville.
Sixty years later, it was the people of this church â€" a traditionally white church â€" who helped usher in a new Jacksonville and a new attitude toward community stewardship. When groups of young black men were attacked in the park, this church served as a place of refuge. They took a stand against great injustices and brought Jacksonville out of some of its darkest days.
That’s what community leaders do. They challenge us to overcome. They help determine the path toward a better way. And they guide and support us in the execution of that vision.
But, enough about history. We don’t have a fire-torn city to rebuild. But as the current generation of community leaders, we do have a city, hampered by a difficult economy. We have a city that must continue the momentum that has brought us this far. Each of us has the power to affect real change in our community. And without commitment from each of us, Jacksonville cannot move forward. I have a limited amount of time left in office, and a monumental task list to ensure we maximize every moment we have left to serve this community.
The circumstances are challenging. The economists are touting the end of the recession. But from where I sit, it’s difficult to believe. Our unemployment rate hovers around 11 percent and our foreclosures are still among the highest in the nation.
As mayor, I can’t sit idly by. It is my job to help lay the foundation for Jacksonville’s strong post-recession recovery, by creating new job opportunities and a stronger financial foundation, improving our city’s quality of life and ensuring the safety of our citizens. By overcoming our obstacles and exploiting our opportunities we can position Jacksonville for a strong post-recession recovery â€" more quickly than the peer cities we compare ourselves to and compete with.
Economic Successes
I know there are a number of current and former JEDC officials here, and I appreciate the diligence with which you pursue great economic opportunities and job creation in our city. I also see the leadership of our chamber here. We have the finest chamber in the country and we could not have a better marketing arm for our city.
Over the past 6½ years, we’ve made great strides in the area of economic development, thanks to the solid foundation we have in place.
I am heartened by recent reports that Jacksonville added back more than 2,000 jobs in the 4th quarter of last year. While our job growth has defied gravity, we must do more.
We will succeed by continuing to “play to our strengths” and focusing on areas where we have unique assets and a proven track record.
Medical Community
First, we must leverage our robust medical and bioscience community to climb out of this recession. One in every six employees in Duval County work in the healthcare sector, with a total economic impact of more than $23 billion. With the combination of the University of Florida’s medical school presence, world-class medical research and quality patient care, Jacksonville is and will continue to be a hub for medical and health professionals. We must continue to invest in this industry.
We must recognize how unique Jacksonville is with the UF College of Medicine so closely linked with Shands. We are home to the nation’s fourth largest regional medical school campus and every medical student at Florida rotates through our Shands campus.
I believe we can grow this presence, and I know what a powerful economic engine this will be. One only needs to look to Birmingham where the UAB medical school campus sprawls across 87 downtown blocks.
We can do that here, but it will require investment. And I am committed to doing what is necessary to become one of the nation’s leading centers for biomedical science.
In Spring 2011 we will add a $40 million VA clinic to the Shands Campus. And I was pleased to be in Washington recently with Congresswoman Brown as we worked out the final details. We must play to our strengths of being a leader in this sector.
Military
Second, we will grow our military presence. Today, we are the proud home of the third largest Navy population in the country. With more than 75,000 direct jobs and 76,400 indirect jobs, it remains our largest employer and I am proud to be the mayor of a city that so many patriots call home.
This is the closest thing we have to a recession-proof business. And when a nuclear carrier is home ported in Mayport, Jacksonville will be home to nearly 10 percent of the Navy’s workforce â€" more than when Cecil Field was at its peak.
This is good news for our shipbuilders, our craftsmen and the hundreds of small businesses that rely on our military population in Jacksonville. I know this is our congressional delegation’s #1 priority. I deeply appreciate the work they do every day to bring a carrier back to Jacksonville.
In fact, last week I met with Adm. Jim Stavridis and had a chance to talk with him about Jacksonville’s distinction as the #1 requested duty station in the United States Navy and our desire to welcome even more sailors and their families to the First Coast.
Given the strategic importance of diversifying the fleet along the East Coast and the apparent instability in the Caribbean basin, I am confident that next month’s Quadrennial Defense Review will be favorable for Mayport, and reinforce the Navy’s desire to locate a carrier here.
Jaguars
Third, we are going to leverage Jacksonville’s passion for sports to help sustain our economy and keep Jacksonville on the map. From the Super Bowl and the Jaguars’
games to the annual Florida-Georgia matchup, the Gator Bowl and weekend afternoons at Suns’ baseball games, no one does sports better than we do â€" this is a strength.
We have phenomenal sports facilities. The arena, ball park and football stadium are superb venues with great proximity to downtown. On any given Jaguars Sunday, it takes more than 2,500 people to run the concession stands, park cars and ensure the safety of the fans.
Put simply, sports and the Jaguars support jobs in our city, and remind viewers across the country what a great place Jacksonville is to live and work. We’re not going to lose those jobs. And we’re not going to lose our team.
You have heard about the recent effort to reenergize our Jaguars fan base. We all know that losing an NFL franchise could devastate our recovery efforts and set Jacksonville back decades. Since 1995, no other entity has done more for Jacksonville in terms of economic development, national exposure and community pride.
That’s why last year I convened a group of business leaders â€" many whom are here today â€" to discuss the long-term viability of the NFL in Jacksonville.
From that discussion grew the revived Touchdown Jacksonville organization. Touchdown Jacksonville is now running a community-wide campaign to support our team. Touchdown Jacksonville hosted TEALgate that sold out the bowl and avoided a black-out of the only nationally-televised home game.
To date, ticket sales are vastly outpacing that of last year’s. When you leave here today I need you to visit www.MyTeamTeal.com and learn how you can help with the effort.
Cecil Field
Continuing to play to our strengths, we’re going to create new jobs at Cecil Commerce Center. The runways, hangars and office space make it appealing to the many aerospace and manufacturing tenants who’ve already committed to making Cecil Commerce Center their home.
At a time when manufacturing jobs are scarce, Jacksonville should be proud of the progress we’ve made. When international companies like Saft are choosing to do business in Jacksonville â€" above other locations in the world â€" it bodes well for Cecil Commerce Center and Jacksonville’s strong economic recovery.
Building on those successes with the help of a master developer and public/private partnership will help unlock Cecil’s full potential. We currently have more than 2,200 employees and 27 tenants operating at Cecil Commerce Center. But with more than 4,500 acres available for development by the city and 6,000 acres available by the JAA, we have a significant amount of capacity to do much more. Developments of this size do not happen overnight.
Deerwood Park, a park that I am intimately familiar with in my family business, took more than 25 years for development â€" and involved only 1,000 acres. We have significantly more land at Cecil. And the land is more problematic. It will require significant fill and infrastructure to become a pad-ready development.
Cecil will need industry expertise and capital dollars to become a successful commerce center. For that reason, the city must engage a master developer for the site.
We are currently negotiating with Hillwood, a Texas-based development company that will provide the capital resources and expertise necessary for large-scale industrial development. Hillwood, a Perot company, is consistently ranked among the top developers in the country with a number of brand-name clients such as Coca-Cola, UPS and AT&T.
I am confident that, a master developer with that kind of experience can help Cecil realize its full potential for creating jobs and expanding the tax base. I plan to present a formal proposal to the JEDC involving the city and Hillwood that utilizes their talents and capital to accelerate the development of this important site.
Port
Speaking of playing to our strengths, thanks to our Port Authority, Jacksonville is poised to become a leader in international trade in the post-Panamax era. It is clear that these opportunities are the most viable way to expand our local economy. Just last Friday the city, the port and private logistics companies met together to begin developing the latest public policy strategies related to securing federal dollars for dredging, highway projects/rail projects to improve connectivity at the port.
In addition, the state has already recognized that our seaport is unique among Florida’s 14 ports. I look forward to working with our state delegation to leverage this distinction into more state dollars for Jacksonville. These capital projects will position the
port for long-term growth in the post-Panamax era and help solidify Jacksonville’s reputation as “America’s Logistics Center.”
While the growth of our port is important to the health of our local economy, it should not come at the expense of our river and other natural resources. The port, the regulatory authorities, our environmental community and my office share in that common goal and understand the importance a healthy river. We are committed to keeping that balance in mind and continuing to move forward as a top tier import and export city.
River Quality
Equally important in positioning Jacksonville for a post-recession recovery, is improving the quality of life for residents. No doubt, communities with better sustainability efforts, more green spaces, clean water ways, responsible growth and funded infrastructure will be the communities that perform better economically. For this reason, water quality issues, conservation and access measures will continue to be a major focus. The St. Johns River’s health contributes directly to our community’s economic viability â€" especially the development of downtown.
In order to provide the best improvement in water quality â€" while also protecting our precious water supply â€" the city is focused on a multi-faceted approach that includes removal of failing septic tanks, reduction in fertilizer use, adopting Florida-friendly landscaping principals and conserving water.
In addition, we’ve received more than $7.8 million from the federal government to create and fund a comprehensive sustainability plan for the city. This will include retrofitting buildings, job training and education initiatives.
Since the creation of the River Accord, we’ve made conservation and protection of our natural resources a top priority. As a city, we’ve made great strides toward sustainability and decreased consumption. We are replacing the old fleet with more fuel-efficient vehicles, improving water conservation methods at city facilities and parks, retrofitting old buildings with energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly standards and better managing our waste by utilizing recycling services. Last year we hired the city’s first Sustainability Officer who monitors our efforts and recommends new policies for implementation.
Since the creation of a dedicated funding source for stormwater treatment, we’ve collected more than $37 million to fund maintenance of 44,000 inlets, 1,000 miles of stormwater pipes, 6,000 miles of ditches, 134 city ponds and 8 pump stations.
It has also funded the construction of $8.5 million in city-wide drainage system rehabilitation projects. While I know this was a difficult issue for our community and our city council, the stewardship of those funds will make a difference for our river, and future generations will be indebted to those who helped create it.
River Access - Downtown & Beyond
During the next 18 months we will invest more than $30 million to develop miles of trails, boat docks, fishing piers, water taxi landings and improved access at various parks and preserves throughout the county. We look for Hogan’s Creek master plan to be complete next month.
We love this river. We want to be able to enjoy this natural resource and do all we can to leave it better than we found it. And there is a nexus between doing what is right for the river and doing what is best for downtown.
Earlier this month, with broad council support, we filed legislation to fund Southbank Riverwalk repairs, Friendship Fountain restoration and Metropolitan Park redevelopment. Not only will these improvements spur future private investment. It will also put citizens back to work, while taking advantage of a record low bidding climate.
Building on successes like the Riverside Arts Market, the Northbank Riverwalk and other public spaces will draw people to our downtown.
Since its grand opening in April 2009, the market has become one of Jacksonville’s most popular weekend family outings, hosting around 15,000 visitors per week. We’d like to continue that success and provide weekend boaters access to the market with the construction of floating docks. We are in the permitting process now and expect them to be in place by August.
Over the past several years we’ve seen a boom in residential housing on the Southbank. These properties represent more than $166 million in private investments and more than 800 residents. With the increase of residents, we also have 10,000 employees who work in the area and enjoy amenities like the Riverwalk and Friendship Park.
It is critical that we replace the old, degraded Southbank Riverwalk structure with a more permanent and durable walking path with new railing, landscaping and lighting. We expect to begin construction this summer.
We will also restore what was once a beautiful, iconic fountain with new pumps and lighting. We will break up some of the concrete that surrounds the fountain and create a lawn for family picnics and other gatherings and create connectivity to the Southbank Riverwalk. You should see construction begin in the spring.
Continued…