Why should Jacksonville change?

cityimrov · July 25, 2010, 04:43:48 PM

I'm going to have some fun here today!

Why should Jacksonville change? I like the way things are right now. I don't care about the port dredging or the cruise ship terminal or even that useless courthouse! Why am I even paying for such a monstrosity? The city has a good courthouse right now and I see nothing wrong with letting people stay there. Downtown? Ha! I don't even go there! That place is useless and I'm fine right here doing what I do right now. I'm getting sick and tired of seeing my tax money go to waste on these useless stuff. So why doesn't someone here convince me, why should Jacksonville change? Don't use those big fancy words either! I like things exactly the way they are and all my neighbors agree with me!

reednavy · July 25, 2010, 04:52:06 PM

Why shouldn't it is the better question.

Based on the above statement, you're a f*cking moron and fit the intelligence level of people in Lake Butler or Starke.

ChriswUfGator · July 25, 2010, 04:54:20 PM

I agree the courthouse was a total waste we could have easily done without. Actually, from the standpoint of demolishing so much infrastructure to build it, plus the $150mm in cost overruns, it's a total boondoggle that will remain an albatross around downtown's neck for years to come.

But aside from that, I wouldn't mind seeing change in other aspects of our city.

Timkin · July 25, 2010, 05:23:20 PM

I would not mind seeing MAJOR Change in our city, starting with a total overhaul of its management, planning and development, City Council and HPC..

The (NEW) Courthouse could be imploded , and I would not shed a tear.. We never needed that concrete monster going up . We Could have remodeled the existing one for a hell of alot less money.. Building the friggin Courthouse ,when it really is time for one, in the Southside somewhere.

Above all, I want to see NOT ONE MORE historic building anywhere in this city ,fall. It is beyond absurd how many have , to be replaced by ......... 0

Evidently it is felt we need a new Convention Center.. I do not personally think it needs to be on the site of the Old Courthouse... What about the site of DCSB ..tear that hideous thing down and put it there. .. I know I know...contamination... Where in Jax is there NOT contamination? .. DCSB then should move into any one (take your pick) of the largely vacant office spaces downtown, if they would not consider reacquiring School #4 and with an add-on, convert this space to their offices... So they have to look at the expressway... Big deal! Close the blinds and do your job! But the building could be used for something viable ,as opposed to a canvas and a target for vandals and graffiti brats.

tufsu1 · July 25, 2010, 08:36:58 PM

so wait...are you saying that the oexisting courthouse and city hall annex are more worth saving than the DCSB building?

Keith-N-Jax · July 25, 2010, 09:01:42 PM

Every city should try to improve where improvments are needed. Maybe we didnt need such a hugh, massive court house, but the facilites did need improvement. It may take some time, but I feel we will gradually see some improvements DT and city wide.

Timkin · July 25, 2010, 10:49:11 PM

Quote from: tufsu1 on July 25, 2010, 08:36:58 PM
so wait...are you saying that the oexisting courthouse and city hall annex are more worth saving than the DCSB building?

No Tufsu.. I am saying we did not NEED a new Courthouse NOW... IMO we would come closer to needing a new Convention Center now.. DCSB / The existing Courthouse/ Annex could all go.. My post stated we did not need that Courthouse ...not now, and not at the SUBSTANTIALLY over budget price that it is presently going up at. That is all. More debt for all of us to bear, some of us for the rest of our lives.

Ocklawaha · July 25, 2010, 10:49:33 PM

Burbank is a great lesson in being a city that never improved. Cleveland has it's big lake but not even that could save it's industries and jobs. Buffalo is just a shadow of it's former self. The pioneers that founded Orlando would recognize it. Even Panama city is no longer a city.

Lest ye all thinkith Ock has lost it, their all in Oklahoma!

...and none of them improved a thing since the oil boom of 1920.

Lesson learned?

OCKLAWAHA

thelakelander · July 26, 2010, 12:17:11 AM

Quote from: stephendare on July 25, 2010, 05:20:27 PM
Quote from: cityimrov on July 25, 2010, 04:43:48 PM
I'm going to have some fun here today!

Why should Jacksonville change? I like the way things are right now. I don't care about the port dredging or the cruise ship terminal or even that useless courthouse! Why am I even paying for such a monstrosity? The city has a good courthouse right now and I see nothing wrong with letting people stay there. Downtown? Ha! I don't even go there! That place is useless and I'm fine right here doing what I do right now. I'm getting sick and tired of seeing my tax money go to waste on these useless stuff. So why doesn't someone here convince me, why should Jacksonville change? Don't use those big fancy words either! I like things exactly the way they are and all my neighbors agree with me!

Because if jacksonville doesnt change, you and your neighbors will watch the whole thing crumble to the point where its not possible to maintain your roads, keep your streets lit, fund your schools, or get jobs.

But other than that.....hey! knock yourself out with keeping things the way they are.

Your neighborhoods were built with our tax money, not yours, and your tax money doesn't even pay for their upkeep.

This basically sums things up. It's clear we can't afford the maintain the sucky situation we're living with now. This is proven by the need to raise taxes every year to maintain status quo. Doing the same will make things worse and quickly bankrupt the city. The only way to improve our longevity is to change our wasteful way of doing things.

stjr · July 26, 2010, 12:46:04 AM

Jax has resisted change for 100+ years* and look where that has gotten us. Enough said.

*Demolition of historic buildings excepted.

Timkin · July 26, 2010, 12:47:00 AM

I cannot top that post at all. Point WELL taken.

Jaxson · July 26, 2010, 08:32:30 AM

I think that we all know why Jacksonville should change. This is one reason why we have websites like MetroJacksonville - to help improve our city. I guess that is where I have to play some semantics. For many, 'change' is a threatening word. That word implies that our way of life is going to somehow come to an end. For those who dislike 'change,' they embrace the status quo because that is their comfort zone. How about we focus on 'improving' our city. We all want to make our city a better place. The challenge is for us to move forward in a non-threatening way...

I would like to ask another question, "Why is Jacksonville, when compared to other Florida cities, less open to change/improvement?"

vicupstate · July 26, 2010, 08:44:42 AM

The reason Jacksonville needs to change is because it falls very, very far BELOW it's potential. It suffers from an inferiority complex that holds it back, as well as a derth of genuine leadership.

Given it's advantages, it should be running circles around it's peer cities, but instead even cities that are below it's size and without it's geographical/political advantages, are running circles around it.

duvaldude08 · July 26, 2010, 09:20:03 AM

We all know Jacksonville needs to change, but who is going to step up and be the catalyst for change? 95% of the citizens of Jacksonville hate the city and dont have a mind set for change. They have a mindset of relocation. When we get adminstration and mayor in office who cares about the city, and some citizens who will take pride in the city and what we have now, things will never change. PERIOD.

iluvolives · July 26, 2010, 09:37:08 AM

Quote from: duvaldude08 on July 26, 2010, 09:20:03 AM
We all know Jacksonville needs to change, but who is going to step up and be the catalyst for change? 95% of the citizens of Jacksonville hate the city and dont have a mind set for change. They have a mindset of relocation. When we get adminstration and mayor in office who cares about the city, and some citizens who will take pride in the city and what we have now, things will never change. PERIOD.

I think the problem is that 95% of the city does not hate it. Like the poster who started this link the majority of jacksonville residents are suburban loving soccer moms who think the town center and st. johns county are great. They don't care about what happens to downtown because they never go there.

Unfortunately, the informed posters on this site represent a smaller % of the population that we would all like to admit. But hopefully we can save the city inspite of it's residents- it just takes more work.