QuoteMayor John Peyton has a full calendar every day and Wednesday afternoon, it was full of appointments at the Landing.
The first item on his schedule was a reception attended by more than 50 Downtown merchants and advocates where Peyton shared what the Downtown Action Committee has been working on including a new promotional inititative and the first new Downtown event which will be held next week.
“It’s time to refocus on Downtown. I’ve got 38 months left in office which is plenty of time to move the ball on a few key issues. Downtown is one of them,†he said.
With the theme, “Make a Scene Downtown!†the City is hosting a party May 15 on the top level of the Water Street parking garage with a live reggae band and food and drink specials.
Peyton said the idea for the after-work event came out of the committee’s efforts to identify ways to improve the impression people have of Downtown and get more people to come Downtown for street-level special events.
full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=50000
I applaud them in their efforts to make a scene downtown. However, the idea to host a part on the top of a parking garage doesn't make much sense, if the goal is to get more people to come downtown for street level events.
Remember, the term "connectivity"? It applies to special events as well. Next time around substitute the Water Street garage, with Hemming Plaza or Laura Street instead.
Quote from: thelakelander on May 08, 2008, 04:13:20 PM
I applaud them in their efforts to make a scene downtown. However, the idea to host a part on the top of a parking garage doesn't make much sense, if the goal is to get more people to come downtown for street level events.
Remember, the term "connectivity"? It applies to special events as well. Next time around substitute the Water Street garage, with Hemming Plaza or Laura Street instead.
All the seats in Hemming Plaza are already taken. ;)
We can clear them by having a public feeding that day in the $700k outdoor litter box, a block away off Main Street.
Great work Mr. Mayor. I too applaud your efforts but, like Lakelander, don't see the benefit of throwing a party on top of a parking garage.
Why not work with Sleghman on opening up the Landing to the street thereby connecting the Landing's regular concerts and events to the rest of the city?
this is laughable.
plus, does anyone else see the irony here???
Quote
With the theme, “Make a Scene Downtown!†the City is hosting a party May 15 on the top level of the Water Street parking garage with a live reggae band and food and drink specials.
Peyton said the idea for the after-work event came out of the committee’s efforts to identify ways to improve the impression people have of Downtown and get more people to come Downtown for street-level special events.
Quote from: thelakelander on May 08, 2008, 04:28:36 PM
We can clear them by having a public feeding that day in the $700k outdoor litter box, a block away off Main Street.
yeah...i heard there was a WHOLE LOT of poo poo in that pocket park.
“Up until now, our focus has been to get people in and out of Jaguars games as quickly as possible. The Super Bowl proved football can be very good for business if people stick around.â€
LOL, what a funny statement...
I seriously hope they can find a meeting point between the downtown community and JSO, in regards to game day traffic movements. Right now, thousands of potential customers are being lost because downtown's streets are converted into exit-less one way freeways to I-95.
Quote from: Jason on May 08, 2008, 04:31:04 PM
Great work Mr. Mayor. I too applaud your efforts but...
Jason...you sound like an advisor to a Sim City Mayor. ;)
They're going to have a Reggae band? That sounds more like Honolulu. Wouldn't it make more sense to have a classic rock band or a country band.
Quote from: Driven1 on May 08, 2008, 05:08:32 PM
Quote from: Jason on May 08, 2008, 04:31:04 PM
Great work Mr. Mayor. I too applaud your efforts but...
Jason...you sound like an advisor to a Sim City Mayor. ;)
I'll be putting on a parade to honor his valiant decision. ;)
Seriously, this attempt (although seemingly ill-conceived) looks to be a serious attempt at refocusing some of the energy downtown. I feel some credit is due for his efforts. We won't know the full extent of his plans until they are released and/or implemented so I'll hold out judgement until then.
Mayor Peyton will never, ever get it. On top of a parking garage, come on; and on a week day to boot, after work, when everyone will be clamoring, fighting, and bull rushing to get home.
How about picking a weekend day and holding it in Hemming Plaza (we can retake those seats in Hemming Plaza for a one day event), or block off certain streets on a Sunday and hold it around and in Hemming Plaza, or how about at the Landing having the band on the stage in the Courtyard? ........not bad for a business adminstration graduate huh?
Mayor Peyton, please get a grip, in all due respect sir. Thank you.
Heights Unknown
Every party can't be exactly where you want it to be. I'm a Peyton basher generally but he did a good thing here try not to nit pick.
A focus on downtown ;D
A plan for continued promotion ;D
Involving downtown merchants ;D
Following advice of Metro Jacksonville ;D ;D
A small detail not exactly what you might plan (no biggie)
A rooftop party in the night air right now sounds cool.
Quote from: heights unknown on May 08, 2008, 06:50:31 PM
Mayor Peyton will never, ever get it. On top of a parking garage, come on; and on a week day to boot, after work, when everyone will be clamoring, fighting, and bull rushing to get home.
How about picking a weekend day and holding it in Hemming Plaza (we can retake those seats in Hemming Plaza for a one day event), or block off certain streets on a Sunday and hold it around and in Hemming Plaza, or how about at the Landing having the band on the stage in the Courtyard? ........not bad for a business adminstration graduate huh?
Mayor Peyton, please get a grip, in all due respect sir. Thank you.
Heights Unknown
Actually a weekday is better in my opinion. Nothing except the Landing is open DT on Saturdays except a very few scattered restaurants. I guess the other shops could open for that day, but for a one time event I don't know if it would be worth it to them.
What I would suggest is a WEEKLY event that seeks to become a signature citywide "Happy Hour" event. Instead of everyone getting into rush hour traffic, they hang back and have some drinks and listen to live music in Hemming Plaza or between Hemming and the Landing along Laura.
One of the very first things Greenville did to revitialize DT was sponsor "Downtown Alive" every Thursday from 5pm until. It was been held every Thursday for 8 months of the year, for going on close to 15 years now. Main Street Jazz is the same thing but on Fridays.
The two events firmly established DT as the entertainment/nightlife district of the entire metro. What had been a boarded up largely abandoned area, became the place to be for entertainment/restauarants/nightlife all week long. Once crowds could be expected on a regular basis, other retail eventually followed.
A live band, a beer truck, radio live remotes, a gathering area with some ambience, that's all it really takes. Sponsors pay for the expenses.
The problem with the location is:
A. This is no different from having an event at Metropolitan Park. Just because an event is thrown within downtown's borders, it doesn't mean that it will create "buzz" and spill over traffic.
B. The location is not centralized, the Water Street garage is quite isolated from retail and dining uses in downtown. Unless they are catering, the merchants get little benefit.
C. It goes against the concept of encouraging street level activity. People attact people, however, when the party is out of view, its ultimate impact is restricted.
In any event, I know Peyton's name is attached to this, but I don't think he's calling the shots on his own. This idea probably arose from the group of downtown stakeholders that were assembled to be a part of the Events Committee.
Vic, were these events held on the top of a parking garage on the edge of Downtown Greenville?
The party is not the important part of the story. The organized regimented continual plan for promoting Downtown is whats new. And a spiffy new slogan.
That part to me was old news because, other than the slogan, its been mentioned for a few months now. I just don't understand how a party on a roof deck on the edge downtown could ever be considered as a way to add street life, which is what the article indicated. However, maybe some mistakes were made writing the article and the party was never meant as a way to pull people downtown or enliven the streets.
new slogans are awesome... i think we should get them more often.
It would have been nice if there was more than one week of promotion before the first event, especially since many believe Downtown is dead. Regardless, I plan on attending and am interested in what the city will look like from the top of the garage. It still seems odd to have a parking garage as the setting for happy hour.
Does anyone have a copy of the “Make a Scene Downtown†booklet mentioned in the article or know where to view it online?
According to the city's calendar of events:
http://www.coj.net/NR/rdonlyres/eqa2c5ipipgib3g2lvwwxiipziqieq2yttowtqsnjsfd3xma3kqru3odn4vuloxev3a6lafrcad3p4hpamixg3y34vc/May+Calendar.pdf
this party will be a weekly event, every thursday.
Quote from: thelakelander on May 08, 2008, 10:01:33 PM
Vic, were these events held on the top of a parking garage on the edge of Downtown Greenville?
No, the heart of DT.
Glad to hear this is a weekly event. Move it to a better location, and this could be a real catalyst for activity.
As a frequent critic of the mayor, I do salute Peyton and the city for doing this.
I agree, Vic. I'm not a big fan of Mayor Peyton, but I am looking forward to this. Maybe we could take advantage of the Riverwalk since it seems dead at 5 looking out from Fidelity.
I'm surprised they didn't want to make use of their fancy pocket park on Main St.
Quote from: JeffreyS on May 08, 2008, 09:41:52 PM
Every party can't be exactly where you want it to be. I'm a Peyton basher generally but he did a good thing here try not to nit pick.
A focus on downtown ;D
A plan for continued promotion ;D
Involving downtown merchants ;D
Following advice of Metro Jacksonville ;D ;D
A small detail not exactly what you might plan (no biggie)
I agree, the intention was good but planning, focus, and using the brain wasn't. Intentions don't always turn out or pan out as success!
No nit picking; our leaders need to earn those salaries that our tax dollars pay them for and use their heads instead of intentions.
Heights Unknown
Quote from: stephendare on May 08, 2008, 09:44:59 PM
Plus you will be able to see the downtown better from the rooftop.
No sarcasm or pun intended, then in all due respect, maybe it should be held atop the MODIS Building.
Heights Unknown
Quote from: heights unknown on May 09, 2008, 08:01:25 AM
Quote from: stephendare on May 08, 2008, 09:44:59 PM
Plus you will be able to see the downtown better from the rooftop.
No sarcasm or pun intended, then in all due respect, maybe it should be held atop the MODIS Building.
Heights Unknown
That would be awesome.
I maybe changing sides here on the party but if it is every week it probably should be street level.
I think its a great start. At least something is being done by Peyton about the revitalization of downtown. I am in Honolulu right now and I must tell you the downtown here is a ghost town after 5 pm even on the weekends. However, we have Waikiki to fall back on, but that doesn't mean there is anything to do in Honolulu. This city is pretty boring unless you like to club and drink all the time. Trust me, Jacksonville has so much more to offer than even the popular tourist destination of Honolulu. At least downtown Jacksonville will now, hopefully, have a weekly event to go to.
I just recieved a phone call from one of the even's planners. Just so everyone will know:
1. A garage party was chosen because event planners felt a garage would allow guests to park and party in a single location.
2. A party on top of the deck would allow attendees to enjoy the sunset.
3. The Water Street location was chosen because the party had to be on a flat deck and Water Street is the city's only garage with a flat top deck.
4. All downtown vendors are encouraged to set up vending booths for free.
5. The party is free for everyone.
6. Private money was donated to make the party a reality.
Now putting on my "urban planner's" hat, for a one time or periodical event, the location should be fine. However, if it is going to become a weekly event, it should be shifted to a more visual/central location. Its amazing how fast you can enliven a space when you flood it with a diverse amount of activites on a regular basis. People attract people and the image of a place can change dramatically when you have people walking on the sidewalks (ex. sidewalks with buildings/businesses on them, as opposed to parking lots), attending events that interact with actual business locations. Plus, when there's private dollars involved and it has the city's backing, those become stronger reasons why these events should be planned in a fashion that can benefit the area the most.
That's the thing - it's not that I think the part is a bad idea, but if there goals is to enhance street level activity, then why is it 10 floors up?
Although its a couple of floors up, perhaps something can be done at street level to inform the un-informed passerbyer that there is a free event taking place on top of the deck.
Quote from: JaguarReign on May 09, 2008, 08:23:52 AM
I think its a great start. At least something is being done by Peyton about the revitalization of downtown. I am in Honolulu right now and I must tell you the downtown here is a ghost town after 5 pm even on the weekends. However, we have Waikiki to fall back on, but that doesn't mean there is anything to do in Honolulu. This city is pretty boring unless you like to club and drink all the time. Trust me, Jacksonville has so much more to offer than even the popular tourist destination of Honolulu. At least downtown Jacksonville will now, hopefully, have a weekly event to go to.
you need to get down to Chinatown, particularly for one of the First Fridays. There are tons of bars, restaurants and clubs going off into the night down there. http://www.greatescapes.com/ci_6414761?source=most_viewed
not to mention they have one of the best Irish Pubs around, Murphys, down on Merchant and Nuuanu, which always amazes me that Downtown Jax doesn't have a decent Irish Pub. Just get out of the business center and theres a lot going on at night, much more than here thats for sure.