Downtown improvement plan clears first hurdle

[thelakelander]

Actually, i'd even prefer the Riverwalk expansion to Memorial Park rather than the Met Park plan too.

many of us would...but the City can't get the land just yet.

also, don't forget that many suburban families came to play at Kids Kampus when it was fully operational...fixing that back up will encourage those folks to once again return to the urban core.

Unfortunately, they won't spend money downtown.  Its a mile away.  Speaking from experience (the wife and kids & their mommies group used to go to kids campus on a regular basis), suburbanites that visit Metro Park will drive there and drive back to their suburb to spend their money for the most part.

[Joe]

Actually, i'd even prefer the Riverwalk expansion to Memorial Park rather than the Met Park plan too.

many of us would...but the City can't get the land just yet.

Is this really the case? If memory serves me, they would only need easements from a handful of property owners (Cummer Museum, Women's Club, Red Cross) a couple of whom shockingly seemed okay with the idea back when it was proposed. Wasn't it just that one condominium building that threw a giant fit? 

[thelakelander]

As, I recall it was just that one condominium building.  If push came to shove, they could just build a boardwalk in the river to go around their property.

[tufsu1]

As, I recall it was just that one condominium building.  If push came to shove, they could just build a boardwalk in the river to go around their property.

correct...but just ask Tampa how much and how long the boardwalk enviornmental studies take

[thelakelander]

Don't know, how much.....$8 million?

[tufsu1]

Don't know, how much.....$8 million?

good question...because it isn't done yet....they originally hoped to have it ready for the Super Bowl (last February) but don't evenhave all the permits yet.

If you can cantilever it off a bulkhead, the environmentalreview is pretty easy...if you need to put pilings in the water, it takes approval of the ACOE

[fsu813]

It's official! :

Jacksonville council OKs downtown projects

The Jacksonville City Council has approved Mayor John Peyton’s plan to rebuild three downtown destinations: the Southbank Riverwalk, Friendship Fountain and Metropolitan Park.

The council on Tuesday night passed all three bills quickly and with no debate, something council President Richard Clark credited to hard work by Peyton’s staff.

“I think that the administration has done a great job in sitting down with each council person,” Clark said. “And I think we all understand the needs of downtown and the responsibility that we have, especially the properties that we, the city, own.”

The council unanimously approved $3.2 million in renovations to Friendship Fountain and its surrounding park.

Councilman Clay Yarborough was sole dissenter on the bill approving $11.9 million to rebuild the Southbank Riverwalk, replacing its wooden planks with more permanent materials.

Yarborough and John Crescimbeni voted against spending $8.2 million to renovate Metro Park’s Kids Kampus area. They logged those same votes last week when the bills were passed in the Finance Committee.

Yarborough said he still believed it was wrong to spend taxpayer funds on these projects during an economic downturn. However, he also agreed the mayor’s office had done a good job selling the projects ahead of Tuesday’s vote.

Yarborough said the lack of discussion during the meeting demonstrated the council’s confidence in the committee’s recommendation.

“It has been vetted,” he said.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-02-09/story/jacksonville_council_oks_downtown_projects

[reednavy]

Mr Yarborough, you're outta the club, meeting is adjourned.

[JeffreyS]

I am very hopeful. Ok lets get the this all talk posts out of the way.

[TheProfessor]

After personally talking to Yarborough, I can vouch for his incompetence!  He is holding our city back with his personal agenda.

[mtraininjax]

Clay is a good guy, at least he is not deadwood like Corrigan. Clay fights for the people in his district, I mean, come on, who in Arlington even knows there is a riverwalk on the southbank? Corrigan did not know his district went all the way to the Clay/Duval line.

[Coolyfett]

can metropark get an actual name......something that identifies it as the place in Jax?

[TheProfessor]

Clay may be a good guy on his own time, but he sure he sure lacks a cosmopolitan edge

[mtraininjax]

Clay may be a good guy on his own time, but he sure he sure lacks a cosmopolitan edge

So does Redman, and any of the CC members who build statutes of themselves in public parks, but one thing Clay is not short on is fight. I admire him and wish my council person, Corrigan had 1/100th the fight that Clay does. Clay is not all about making "Clay look good", he fights for his constituents. I can't blame him for saying "To hell with downtown", but in the end, he will get votes for a future project for his area.

He is good for a few soundbites, without having to show up in an Aunt Jamima costume for the full effect.

[fsu813]

"I can't blame him for saying "To hell with downtown", but in the end, he will get votes for a future project for his area. "

- i can. it shows he lacks perspective. a great downtown benefits the entire city, especially those neighborhoods that aren't too far away (such as Arlington)