Mojo's coming to avondale strip

[north miami]

                                 **** (NO)  PARKING ****

Seems many Avondale merchants and a few nearby residents have concerns about the increased parking pressures another retaurant could bring.One high profile merchant hoping to address parking expressed dissatisfaction with Michael Corrigan.

[ben says]

I was walking by the place the other day and saw an orange notice saying work has stopped as there have been violations? Apparently they did some roof work without an o.k. from the city? Maybe i misread the sign...wondering what's going on though.

[thelakelander]

Regarding the parking issue, it sounds like these merchants and residents need to jump on the push for better mass transit.  Parking should be the last thing to stand in the way of economic development and quality of life.

[Jimmy]

And, of course, there's plenty of side-street parking in the vicinity of the Shoppes.

Then again, I guess that's what the residents in the area are trying to avoid. 

[north miami]

Regarding the parking issue, it sounds like these merchants and residents need to jump on the push for better mass transit.  Parking should be the last thing to stand in the way of economic development and quality of life.

By all means agreed Lake.

The amandoned gas station could absorb some parking demand however the price tag for the property is two million asking.....

In the mean time-certain venues such as restaurant do generate significant parking need.

Biscottis,Fox,Partners and to an extent former Sterlings (now Bluefish) got their start as neighborhood establishments.With their deserved popularity there is now a broad regional clientele.Frank (Bluefish) told me last week he has customers from Ponte Vedra that are tiring of the parking scene.

We see with the Ortega Boatyard Condo and expanded slip rezone the assumption inadequate on site parking would simply be answered by spill over to adjacent neighborhood.

[mtraininjax]

Frank (Bluefish) told me last week he has customers from Ponte Vedra that are tiring of the parking scene.

Frank is a tired old gasbag. He still owns the parking lot next to bluefish, and the buildings, but he lets Richard run the restaurant (which is awesome by the way). Frank will tell ANYONE and I mean ANYONE who will listen why his people coming in from Ponte Vedra won't come to Sterlings, er Bluefish, because they can't find a place to park.

Frank, the shops of Avondale were built in the 20s, we have had parking issues since then, lord knows almost 100 years. Its a neighborhood of shops and residents. Get over it. Apparently Frank speaks for all, even though he and the Biscotti's owners were never known to be "close", that all merchants are unhappy because the Corrigan overlay allows anyone to open a restaurant in any shop, without needing to have parking, under the old formula. Sounds like a turf war to me.

Keep the people in Ponte Vedra in Ponte Vedra. I live in Avondale to support my local restaurants and I am going to fight Harden and his sockless loafers through this, because its laughable in an urban setting. I live 4 blocks away from Bluefish, and I love being able to walk there.

[ChriswUfGator]

Frank (Bluefish) told me last week he has customers from Ponte Vedra that are tiring of the parking scene.

Frank is a tired old gasbag. He still owns the parking lot next to bluefish, and the buildings, but he lets Richard run the restaurant (which is awesome by the way). Frank will tell ANYONE and I mean ANYONE who will listen why his people coming in from Ponte Vedra won't come to Sterlings, er Bluefish, because they can't find a place to park.

Frank, the shops of Avondale were built in the 20s, we have had parking issues since then, lord knows almost 100 years. Its a neighborhood of shops and residents. Get over it. Apparently Frank speaks for all, even though he and the Biscotti's owners were never known to be "close", that all merchants are unhappy because the Corrigan overlay allows anyone to open a restaurant in any shop, without needing to have parking, under the old formula. Sounds like a turf war to me.

Keep the people in Ponte Vedra in Ponte Vedra. I live in Avondale to support my local restaurants and I am going to fight Harden and his sockless loafers through this, because its laughable in an urban setting. I live 4 blocks away from Bluefish, and I love being able to walk there.

I also live 5 blocks away and walk. Parking is a non-issue for me.

I do think it was kind of asinine that the new streetscape tore down a bunch of indiginous trees and then eliminated a bunch of parking spots to plant more trees. Seems like that could have been better handled, but overall even when I'm lazy and drive I still don't think parking's really a problem over there. I've never not found a spot.

[fieldafm]

Agreed, parking isnt a huge problem right now... but it could be as more restaurants come into the mix.
I think its a VERY good problem to have, BTW.  And its why I adamently believe JTA has an incredible opportunity on their hands.

If people care about the neighborhood, they would email Kent Stover over at JTA and ask for:

-Expanded nightime service of the Riverside Trolley
-Opening a 2nd route on Park Street(bus line consolidation can occur here with the R5 line, much like what happened with the expansion of the current service)
-Linking the current service with Roosevelt Square
-Better payment options for Riverside Trolley(rumor is JTA is working on a monthly pass specifically for RT)
-Creating a merchant/transit partnership program  (aka you spend x number on a meal or retail ticket, you get a token to ride on the PCT system... also, a trolley/merchant map can be done and heavily promoted through a partnership with RAP, like the Beaches Trolley did with the Kurtis Group when that service first rolled out).  JTA missed an opportunity when the beach service rolled out, lets not drop the ball this time!

Kstover@jtafla.com

[Tonyinchicago]

"Frank is a tired old gasbag."    Hmmm...how nice.   Really?  Who are you mtrain?

Lets see here, when you register on this site you have to agree to the following:

You agree, through your use of this forum, that you will not post any material which is false, defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, adult material, or otherwise in violation of any International or United States Federal law. You also agree not to post any copyrighted material unless you own the copyright or you have written consent from the owner of the copyrighted material. Spam, flooding, advertisements, chain letters, pyramid schemes, and solicitations are also forbidden on this forum.

Now review all of this blogger's posts and you will find violations on so many different levels.

How embarrassing for you Mtrain to spew out opinions when you really know NOTHING and have BAD information.  Sounds like you have a personal agenda, just sayin', after reviewing all your past posts.

[ChriswUfGator]

Well, FWIW, I always have thought Frank Gallo is a pretty nice guy. Everyone has their opinion about everything, and I guess that's to be expected, it's a small town and most of us have been around awhile, so experiences naturally differ. But in my personal experience, he's never been anything but been fun and a geniuinely nice person. I certainly wouldn't call him a gasbag, that seems harsh, and I had missed that part of the original post when I was responding to the parking comments. Speaking personally, I like Frank.

[simms3]

I do think it was kind of asinine that the new streetscape tore down a bunch of indiginous trees and then eliminated a bunch of parking spots to plant more trees. Seems like that could have been better handled, but overall even when I'm lazy and drive I still don't think parking's really a problem over there. I've never not found a spot.

I agreed at first until someone reminded me that the trees originally planted were water oaks with lifespans of about 60 years.  Their time was fast coming due.  The city is apparently going to plant more live oaks (they live hundreds of years) and quit planting water oaks.  Funds for new live oaks have been raised by local groups through local fundraisers like the Root Ball (which my mother organizes).

Also, not to sound overly negative, but every time I have seen the trolley, it has been either empty or mostly empty.  I know it fills up for special events and apparently during lunch hour between downtown and Riverside, but I thought I would just observe.

I also want to point out that I have been coming to eat and shop, etc in Avondale my whole life and have never really had a problem parking.  Maybe I'm lucky, but I usually get a decent spot, and if I don't, there are three different side streets and the back alley that I park at.

[mtraininjax]

I certainly wouldn't call him a gasbag, that seems harsh, and I had missed that part of the original post when I was responding to the parking comments.

Tony from Chicago, I had 2 realtors with me entertaining a client who purchased the Chelsea lofts and plans to purchase an 11 million dollar complex in Jacksonville with me while Frank went off on Corrigan and the overlay. I had a member of RAP there with me as well as the wife of a local developer, Frank was obnoxious and WRONG. He wants to change the system and throw Avondale back to where it was when he ran the unused Sterling restaurant. A fine representative of Jacksonville Frank sets, especially to people willing to invest in Jacksonville!!!

Forget him. He can go back to wherever he came from, instead, he wants to hire Paul Harden who just makes life worse for the majority since the minority end up paying his bills.

If you or Chris think I'm lying, go in and see Frank over the weekend and ask him about Parking in Avondale and get ready for him to unload. I've heard his story about PVB residents not able to find parking now twice. Get a cocktail before listening, you will be there a long time.

[Tonyinchicago]

Mtrain,     it is obvious that you have personal issues with Frank.

Wow, it's astounding how misinformed you are.  Again, let's quote you: 

"Frank was obnoxious and WRONG. He wants to change the system and throw Avondale back to where it was when he ran the unused Sterling restaurant. A fine representative of Jacksonville Frank sets, especially to people willing to invest in Jacksonville!!!

Forget him. He can go back to wherever he came from, instead, he wants to hire Paul Harden who just makes life worse for the majority since the minority end up paying his bills. "

So can I suggest you contact Paul Harden and ask him yourself if Frank has hired or has even spoken with him?  And then would you report back here with your findings?   I suspect you will not and know for a fact that you are wrong.

Last time I checked, it was Barbara Sutton pictured on the Folio article on this matter.

[mtraininjax]

Tony,

My "personal" issue with Frank is that he wants to have a well known attorney remove an overlay that many of us who live in the neighborhood, want to remain. Frank left Jacksonville, turned over the operation of the restaurant to Richard, comes back and on the night I was there at the Bluefish, embarrassed himself in front of 5 residents of Jacksonville and our guest who was from Miami.

I only bring up Harden, because Frank mentioned it when we were there. Nothing is made up here, I have the witnesses to backup what happened. I don't care if Frank enlists the tooth fairy for his dispute. He's wrong for wanting to take Jacksonville backward, and I, along with RAP and residents in Avondale plan to challenge his actions to have the overlay repealed.

As to whether or not Frank has enlisted Karen at Biscotti's or Steve with the Brick to join his crusade, who knows. Maybe you know and can shed light on this for us all. Perhaps a quote or two from Frank as well?

[VAgent]

Finally ate there last night. It was awful. I'd ordered the shrimp and cheesy grits, with the waitress's Yum of Approval, only to be served an unbelievably salty dish swimming in grease. "Cheesy" was the last thing I'd call the grits. Management was extremely nice and immediately offered to replace my entree with something else. (Can't they just make the shrimp and grits not salty and actually cheesy, minus the abundance of grease?) My partner ordered brisket, which he said was very salty, too, and my replacement entree was the BLFGT (bacon, lettuce, fried green tomato) sandwich, which was also overly salty but edible. Seriously, I hate to complain, but I hope my comments here will have some effect on their practice of over-"seasoning."