Urban Construction Update - March 2014
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/3133322251_wGRxHxq-M.jpg)
Major construction projects have returned to the landscape of Jacksonville's urban core. Find out where (and more) as we take a brief look at the status of various developments under construction in and around Downtown Jacksonville during the month of March.
Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-mar-urban-construction-update-march-2014
Another great update. DIA Board meeting today at 9am. 1st. Floor city hall. On item number 3 Southbank Riverwalk the Jacksonville city council is scheduled to take emergency action at their 3/25/14 scheduled meeting that will provide the funding to complete the Southbank Riverwalk all the way to the Duval County Public Schools building. very positive. Is there any truth to the rumor of an active as opposed to a passive recreational canoe, kayak, SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) launch next to MOSH? VISIT JACKSONVILLE! This could be part of the new CRA and all that would be required is one person show up at the April 16 CRA/DIA Public meeting that will be the last opportunity before this legal and binding document will be forwarded for a full vote of the legislative Authority our Jacksonville city council.
I'm pretty sure you guys could have just posted the February update again and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
Looks like a lot going on in Springfield
Quote from: hightowerlover on March 21, 2014, 09:29:19 AM
I'm pretty sure you guys could have just posted the February update again and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
Most projects in these updates are small in nature because we don't have as much going on, in comparison with our peer communities. Each month, a few drop off and a few join. For example, Corner Taco and Riverside's 7-11 fell off because they're now open while Bella Vita Pizzeria (Murray Hill) and the New York Steam Laundry Co building (DT) joins the list because construction has started on both. Hopefully, we'll see a couple of larger projects like Beacon, the Trio and East San Marco start to come online in upcoming months.
Quote from: thelakelander on March 21, 2014, 09:44:56 AM
Quote from: hightowerlover on March 21, 2014, 09:29:19 AM
I'm pretty sure you guys could have just posted the February update again and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
Most projects in these updates are small in nature because we don't have as much going on, in comparison with our peer communities. Each month, a few drop off and a few join. For example, Corner Taco and Riverside's 7-11 fell off because they're now open while Bella Vita Pizzeria (Murray Hill) and the New York Steam Laundry Co building (DT) joins the list because construction has started on both. Hopefully, we'll see a couple of larger projects like Beacon, the Trio and East San Marco start to come online in upcoming months.
Not to mention the flurry of TOD that will accompany the arrival of the "BRT" stations.
Don't forget the new "Levels" night spot downtown. From the outside, I can't tell if work is underway, but the DDRB did approve the design in February.
^I walked by it yesterday and peaked in the windows. I didn't include it because it didn't appear that any work had taken place. I expect it to be included in next month's update.
Quote from: Todd_Parker on March 21, 2014, 10:13:29 AM
Not to mention the flurry of TOD that will accompany the arrival of the "BRT" stations.
LOL, I'm not holding my breath for that infusion of economic activity. I can see it now. A year from now, we'll start claiming that the Gate station going up at Emerson and Philips (and the other fast food restaurants that join it) qualifies as TOD.
The owner of the building Snap Fitness is in on Oak in Riverside is revamping the two spaces next to Snap.
Great! Thanks for the update.
Quote from: jcjohnpaint on March 21, 2014, 09:35:00 AM
Looks like a lot going on in Springfield
There's quite a contrast between commercial development/progress in the neighborhood and residential development/progress. Off the top of my head, I can think of a dozen significant renovations going on now, and a few very cool & unique new construction projects planned.
Based on level of interest, if there were more decent rent ready spaces available on Main Street, they'd be popular. I'm contacted all the time about 9th & Main, a number of Petra's buildings, and other random spots on Main. But, either the owner is unresponsive, or they want too much for property that needs a lot of work. That's why you see successful businesses like Reputation Ink, Red Fin, Maige Paulk & Associates, etc find spots off the commercial corridors.
Patience is a virtue for Main & 8th Streets in SPR....
I haven't been following these updates every month, but this looks a lot better than the updates during the height of the recession. Man that was depressing!
Quote from: thelakelander on March 21, 2014, 09:44:56 AM
Quote from: hightowerlover on March 21, 2014, 09:29:19 AM
I'm pretty sure you guys could have just posted the February update again and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
Most projects in these updates are small in nature because we don't have as much going on, in comparison with our peer communities. Each month, a few drop off and a few join.
What are Jacksonville's peers? I always think of other older, smaller Southern metro areas like Birmingham, Memphis, Greensboro, Richmond. I think a monthly update for any of these places would be fairly similar.
Thanks for doing these, BTW. I still enjoy them even when they don't differ much from the previous update. They've been a huge help in keeping up with what's changing in Jax with me living far away the past few years.
I consider peers to be other metropolitan areas of similar size. We've become too global to limit ourselves to southern metros. Thus, I'd say Charlotte, Nashville, Hampton Roads, Milwaukee, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Richmond, New Orleans, Hartford, Raleigh, Birmingham, Buffalo, Salt Lake City, Grand Rapids, etc. Growth in a few of these communities (ex. Charlotte, Nashville, etc.) over the last 15 years may have some people believing they are no longer peers. However, I view it more as when you start to have quality growth and development, they represent how rapidly your atmosphere can transform over a decade or two. On the bottom side of that, you have Buffalo. A top 10 city and comparable with San Francisco a century ago, it's been in a pretty big free fall since 1950 and countless cities, including Jax, have passed it by.
Out of the list of cities mentioned above, Birmingham is the one I've recently visited, that I felt was on par with DT Jax's progress. But if one considers UAB and the Southside, then Birmingham is seeing more infill urban development as well.
Not the urban core but I was surprised to see UF Health Jacksonville's north campus this far along:
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I'm warmer to the idea that there are more factors in being a peer city than just population. Looking at humans, you have age, race, gender, religion, interests, life experiences, culture, socioeconomic status -- many possible factors that can make people your peers or not. Cities are no less multifaceted. I find it hard to consider cities like Las Vegas and Cincinnati, for instance, peers of each other, given their glaring contrasts in just about everything except metro population.
Well the example of a Las Vegas and a Cincinnati is a pretty extreme example and there is always exceptions to every rule.
Nevertheless, many of the cities I mentioned have a lot more in common that just similar population size. Some, like us, have heavy concentration of military. Others, like us, have significant economic history with insurance companies, ports and railroads. A few others, like us, were once the major player in their states and now they aren't any more. A couple others, have changed significantly over the years via significant growth. There's also differences between every community on the list as well.
Yet, at the end of the day, however we want to compare or label them, the majority are seen as secondary markets. They all, also have to compete for economic development and growth with cities their size, larger and smaller. In this sense, Jax is not unique. Our core should be responding well to national trends just like many of these cities and others throughout Florida. If we're not (which we aren't), then we need to look at ourselves and figure out solutions to issues that may be limiting our economic potential.
I've lived here all my life and there is a major mindset change I can attest to: although there was a time when this city did not want to grow and closed its doors to the world, the issue now is that it wants to grow but doesn't know how to go about it.
We've gone from self-imposed isolation to playing a brand of catch up that requires some creative engineering on our part.
You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Look at other cities and see what they've done. But make a plan and stick to it. We tend to say "look what Salt Lake is doing!" for two years, and then veer off to "look what Cincinnati is doing!" followed two years later by "look what Charlotte is doing!"
What would be interesting to see is if people would stick to the comprehensive land use plans, and incorporate ideas into that. And cease this constant urban sprawl. 9A, 9B, then 9C and 9D anyone?
Last night, I saw Jude Law on the Daily Show. He mentioned the ferris wheel in London was erected for the millenium celebrations, and was to be torn down right after. Londoners said they liked it, it was cool, and so now it's still there, and it's iconic.
Half of the building housing the Veloce Pizza on Hendricks will be a new cocktail concept called Sidecar, helmed by the inimitable Kurt Rogers (of Orsay and Black Sheep fame). They've already gotten national write-up in Details Magazine, and we'll be hosting a photo series of the development of both projects in the very near future. Stay tuned!
http://www.details.com/blogs/daily-details/2014/01/the-11-most-promising-bars-slated-to-open-in-2014.html (http://www.details.com/blogs/daily-details/2014/01/the-11-most-promising-bars-slated-to-open-in-2014.html)
Great write up. Can't wait to check this place out. That area is becoming seriously hip.
This news pleases Tacachale. Pleases him verily.
http://thebarnettjax.com/
^^??
^^JBJ just posted a story about it.