When Downtown's Policies Went to the Southside

[Metro Jacksonville]

When Downtown's Policies Went to the Southside



In addition to studying and writing about the urban policies that have created vibrancy and success around the country, Metro Jacksonville has also spent a few years documenting the artificial impediments that hold downtown Jacksonville back.

We have repeatedly suggested that a combination of downtown specific conditions make it very difficult for any retail or services to succeed, a fact demonstrated by its nearly complete collapse.  

In these humorous graphics, we conjecture what would happen if those same policies were implemented in the most successful retail area of the city: The St. Johns Town Center.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-apr-when-downtowns-policies-went-to-the-southside

[Charles Hunter]

Funny stuff!

and sad, too.

I was going to say you forgot the confusing purple wayfinding signs - but even confusing signs would be an improvement at SJTC, which does not seem to have anything to guide the lost shopper searching for a certain restaurant or store.

[Actionville]

This is hilarious

[north miami]

and........

The St.Johns Town Center renamed Jacksonville Town Center

[SkipnStones]

Of course the obvious fly in the soup, the gorilla in the room is that St. Johns Town Center is managed by private investment and downtown Jacksonville is managed by bureaucrats, incompetent city management and pontificating politicians eager to further their personal agendas.

Lets face it the city council and the Mayors office have never produced a consolidated effort, that has not been undermined by special interest and personal political payoffs. There is ONLY one one solution to this quagmire affecting the revitalization of downtown Jacksonville. The city government must get the hell out of the way!

For Jacksonville to ever have a unified approach to revitalization one person ( entity ) must be given full authority to implement agreed methods and designs towards revitalization. City politicians and management bureaucrats should only be consulted on infrastructure complexities.

All contracts, quota's and community interests should be protected by what is currently guaranteed by law.

What private entity would ever continue to employ a management team that has the historical track record of city management, the Mayors office and the City Council?

Of course, the city is never going to release its perverted strangle hold on the power to accomplish nothing......except add more flies to your soup!

[Lunican]

What exactly is the city charging for? The privilege to park in front of an abandoned building?

[thelakelander]

What exactly is the city charging for? The privilege to park in front of an abandoned building?

People say that's to stop office workers from parking there all day.  Anyway, that building was taken down a few years ago by bulldozer.  So now you pay to park in front of an abandoned overgrown lot.  Its so effective, that no one parks there.

[Lunican]

Yeah, it's completely ridiculous. How many businesses can really survive in an environment like this?

Nature taking downtown back...

[JaxNative68]

no one is parking there because there is nowhere to go, not because of the stupid parking meter.  what is more troubling to me in these pictures is the number of buildings the city has allowed to be torn down.  you can't trade buildings one for one and expect the area to grow. in the case of dt jax we have been trading a dozen buildings for one which is far more destructive to the urban fabric.

[Lunican]

So how do you think the SJTC would respond to implementing the policies in place downtown?

[Actionville]

where should the homeless shelters go?

[SkipnStones]

The homeless require shelter not location. The transportation company contracted by the city should transport the homeless to an area where there is ample acreage to provide shelter, rehab and education.
The existing jail should be evacuated and utilized or razed..then established on the same site (homeless)....which should be contracted out to private company.....not the Jacksonville government!
 

[ESHC]

A better questions to ask would be:
Is there a way to coordinate services so everyone in Jacksonville has a safe place to stay? OR
Is there a way to create more affordible housing throughout Duval County so people and families can move out of shelters into a home?

[ESHC]

Working on that - of couse all buildings we are considering fall within a JEDC master planed area.

[Ocklawaha]

No sweat, the new Convention Center converted from an 1912 vintage logging railroad terminal will be built in Sawmill Slough. It will host at least one Monster Truck, Gun, Aluminum Boat show, or Survivalist show per month.

The Town Center will spend $200,000,000 Million Dollars to connect itself to the outer edge of the Publix Parking Lot, with a high tech Skyway Express.  It is predicted the Skyway Express will carry 250,000,000 Million riders per year, making it the most advanced and busiest transit system in the world. Depending on the success of the starter line consideration will be given to future expansion to Bermuda.  JTA spokesman Mike Milner said, "People hate rail, so we built this 19 tire, 4 mile express, at a 500% higher cost, to show the world that rail is at last dead!"


OCKLAWAHA