This would never happen (at least not in the current layout of downtown)
An Apple Store - I don't think everyone in the city wants to go to TC to go to the store and that place is always packed. An Apple Store would easily feed additional retail, food, and entertainment in the encompassing area.
Pipe dreams....
What? There's one Apple store in town, in basically the geographic center, clustered with other retail in the newest shopping center the town has. Downtown would be like maybe the 20th location they would put an Apple Store in downtown. Orange Park, Mandarin, the Beaches, heck even San Marco and Riverside/Avondale would get Apple stores before downtown. This might be more pie-in-the-sky than the aquarium, and it certainly wouldn't be a game changer.
I can't tell if you're joking.
I thought this was CCMJax trolling with another $3 Million study post.
In what way would this "Change the game" for downtown?
Quote from: Captain Zissou on August 13, 2015, 10:49:54 AM
I thought this was CCMJax trolling with another $3 Million study post.
In what way would this "Change the game" for downtown?
Ha, good one! Nope, not in trolling mood today and no I don't think the folks over at Apple are really interested in sparking a revitalization effort with one of their stores. They will go where the market already is.
If there were only one Apple Store and it was downtown, I could see it being a mini game changer. They do have quite a large captive audience that would be funneled to one location. Obviously Apple has little incentive to do that though.
We have an "apple" store downtown...in fact we have at least two. Apple a Day in the Landing and Candy Apple Cafe at Sweet Pete's ;)
All kidding aside, Sweet Pete's has been far more of a game changer than an Apple store would ever be. Every weekend, families from the suburbs with their young children are coming into a largely unexplored area of the core.
It would be like putting a Walmart in downtown. It would pull in its select group of loyal followers. However, I seriously doubt it would be a "game changer", in terms of creating some type of vibrant walkable setting. A series of moves like it would be a negative "game changer" for Apple stock holders though! ;D
How about a university on the vacant parcels in LaVilla? Maybe a satellite of SCAD? Force freshmen to live on campus and WAMMO 1000+ residents overnight...
Apple knows how to draw shoppers, and they've apparently been getting some special deals from mall operators for that reason. When it comes time to expand (the current location is just a little cramped there on the weekends!), I'd guess Simon will move them somewhere else in SJTC.
It'd be interesting to see if Apple alone could draw other retail downtown, but they seem to open their stores in established retail areas. It'll be a while before downtown gets that way.
Quote from: hiddentrack on August 13, 2015, 11:58:30 AM
Apple knows how to draw shoppers, and they've apparently been getting some special deals from mall operators for that reason. When it comes time to expand (the current location is just a little cramped there on the weekends!), I'd guess Simon will move them somewhere else in SJTC.
It'd be interesting to see if Apple alone could draw other retail downtown, but they seem to open their stores in established retail areas. It'll be a while before downtown gets that way.
They already need to either expand, or open a second one. It's ridiculous how long it can take to do basic things there. It seems even to surprise Apple technical support.
Quote from: camarocane on August 13, 2015, 11:52:17 AM
How about a university on the vacant parcels in LaVilla? Maybe a satellite of SCAD? Force freshmen to live on campus and WAMMO 1000+ residents overnight...
I keep wondering why J.U. and Flagler can't figure out a way to collaborate on something downtown *if* they, either one, couldn't do it alone?
UNF ? ? ? Their Coggin College of Business ? ? ? A strong argument could probably be made that UNF should be seriously planning for a downtown campus to complement its current suburban campus.
We
desperately need some kind of *real* university presence downtown.
Quote from: camarocane on August 13, 2015, 11:52:17 AM
How about a university on the vacant parcels in LaVilla? Maybe a satellite of SCAD? Force freshmen to live on campus and WAMMO 1000+ residents overnight...
UNF and JU were interested in occupying parts of the Barnett, really a perfect spot for a satellite business or law campus. I have been thinking a downtown campus for JU and UNF coupled with perhaps a satellite for UF or FSU would be great in DT. UF Health already has a huge presence here, wonder if UF has ever thought of perhaps a part of their business or law school being downtown. And where is FSU's presence? Loads of cities around the country are getting these downtown satellite campuses, another thing to add to the list . . . get a university (not junior of community college) satellite campus of some sort downtown.
How about a law school, possibly where the Construction trailers are on W. Adams, by State's Attorney's Office, Federal Courthouse and County Courthouse.
How much would be willing to give away to get another school (we do have FSCJ who wants to expand) downtown? Give away the house like Charlotte did a decade ago and it might not be so hard to pull off!
I mentioned on a post awhile back that FBC could easily convert their downtown properties into a University level establishment of about 800 students.
They laid off 200 support staff last year due to budgets and lack of use. I say bring the college kids in.
In hindsight- 'Gamechanger' may have been stretching the idea.
I agree that Sweet Pete's has been one of the best things in downtown since Dos Gatos was built and became one of the best bars in Jax (IMO). I'm amazed (in a good way) that people flock to SP's on Sunday's and give a glimmer of hope of vibrancy in downtown.
A LOT could be done in LaVilla especially a college. We were in Charlottle recently and was not aware of how the college got built on the skirt of downtown. I have not read all the past post about LaVilla but it astounds me that Jacksonville has not developed some commercial space that should attract people on the highway.
Quote from: CCMjax on August 13, 2015, 12:40:46 PM
Quote from: camarocane on August 13, 2015, 11:52:17 AM
How about a university on the vacant parcels in LaVilla? Maybe a satellite of SCAD? Force freshmen to live on campus and WAMMO 1000+ residents overnight...
UNF and JU were interested in occupying parts of the Barnett, really a perfect spot for a satellite business or law campus. I have been thinking a downtown campus for JU and UNF coupled with perhaps a satellite for UF or FSU would be great in DT. UF Health already has a huge presence here, wonder if UF has ever thought of perhaps a part of their business or law school being downtown. And where is FSU's presence? Loads of cities around the country are getting these downtown satellite campuses, another thing to add to the list . . . get a university (not junior of community college) satellite campus of some sort downtown.
IMO there would be more of a residential draw downtown if we had an undergraduate campus, its just not there with a graduate level college. We would need something like SCAD with an international prescence to bring in international students.
Seems like UNF, JU, and FJSCJCC (whatever it is this week) draw mainly from the locals.
Quote from: NativeDigs on August 13, 2015, 01:20:57 PMA LOT could be done in LaVilla especially a college. We were in Charlottle recently and was not aware of how the college got built on the skirt of downtown. I have not read all the past post about LaVilla but it astounds me that Jacksonville has not developed some commercial space that should attract people on the highway.
They essentially paid the private, nonprofit college millions to consolidate its two campuses in Norfolk, Va., and Charleston, S.C., into one and relocate to Charlotte back in 2002.
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2009/09/14/daily29.html
http://www.carolinajournal.com/articles/display_story.html?id=4246
If you believe you'll eventually get your money back in the long term and you're willing to throw enough upfront cash to close some significant development deals, you can pull them off. Judging from line of downtown projects asking and waiting for city help, I 'd say we're not there yet.
There are only and I repeat, ONLY 2 game changers on the horizon, to make a real difference downtown. 1) Tear down of the Landing and build something hip and cool for the 12,000 downtown residents, and 2) The Shipyards and what Khan will bring to the table and downtown.
Everything else is 2nd fiddle.
I disagree, mtraininjax.
Quote from: camarocane on August 13, 2015, 03:07:37 PM
IMO there would be more of a residential draw downtown if we had an undergraduate campus, its just not there with a graduate level college.
Agreed; undergrads are the key. Graduate students would be good too but you've got to have undergrads in the mix, bigtime.
Number of UNF Majors by College (these are approximate numbers):
Brooks College of Health
2,750
Coggin College of Business
2,850
College of Arts & Sciences
6,700
College of Computing, Engineering, & Construction
1,600
College of Education & Human Services
1,650
So, Arts & Sciences is their biggest college and these are their component departments:
*Art and Design*
Biology
Chemistry
Communication
*Criminology and Criminal Justice*
English
History
Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Mathematics and Statistics
Music
Philosophy
Physics
*Political Science and Public Administration*
Psychology
*Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work*
I placed stars next to the departments that I suspect could make creative use of a presence in the urban core but, minimally, all UNF has to do is build a big dorm downtown that students have a choice of using as a housing option. That starts the ball rolling.
Personally, it is probably the Coggin College of Business that could really be a gamechanger downtown.
Whatever the case, UNF (given that it has matured as a university) should have an absolutely major presence downtown. Shad Khan and Rummell, both, should be looking at creative ways to bring themm into their development mix. In fact, Shad Khan should be in serious talks with UNF about a major expansion of the university downtown. UNF has done a good job of not doing growth simply for the sake of growth (yes, UCF, I am looking at you) but they can and should grow more and they should do so downtown.
^^^
FCCJ has been downtown for decades and it makes no difference. JU developed around Arlington and UNF has blossomed as the area around it has taken off as well. The neighborhoods help support the campus locations. There is no real neighborhood downtown, there are far too few people to make FCCJ's Main Downtown Campus a viable SCAD or Rollins College (Winter Park) type solution.
UNF has thrived because the neighborhoods have grown and expanded, as have its resources and degrees. FSCJ or FCCJ or Fruit Juice as we like to call it has had all sorts of opportunities to grow and expand and its a nice system with some nice facilities around town, and they all seem to thrive in neighborhoods that are growing, but downtown needs to grow on its own, and it needs more residents.
Case in point - Town Center, do you think it thrives because it has the southside, or because it has FSCJ South AND UNF and they play off one another? Town Center is becoming the epicenter of Jacksonville, and downtown has nothing to provide in terms of a life for people, besides a few restaurants. It needs a real game changer, Shipyards and Landing can be that change.
mtraininjax, your comparison of FSCJ with UNF says you don't really understand the difference between the two. They (FSCJ) simply can't be compared to UNF, especially when discussing the possibility of bringing some life and vitality to downtown Jacksonville.
I'll also say that the Town Center adjacent to UNF has very little to do with UNF, per se, and everything to do with its location in the growth center of this metropolitan area.
Lastly, if Jacksonville University was forward-thinking they'd be looking to sell their entire Arlington campus (or partner in its development, commercially / residentially, etc.) and move to the urban core -- especially while so many incentives (goodwill and otherwise) exist to try and assist them in their effort, if chosen, to become a true "urban" university. It's a natural evolution that should be seriously considered while The Shipyards and Healthy Town, etc., are being dreamed into existence.
Quote from: RattlerGator on August 14, 2015, 07:32:06 AMI'll also say that the Town Center adjacent to UNF has very little to do with UNF, per se, and everything to do with its location in the growth center of this metropolitan area.
Yes, UNF has very little if nothing to do with the SJTC's success as the newest regional shopping mall in the area.
Quote from: RattlerGator on August 14, 2015, 07:32:06 AM
mtraininjax, your comparison of FSCJ with UNF says you don't really understand the difference between the two. They (FSCJ) simply can't be compared to UNF, especially when discussing the possibility of bringing some life and vitality to downtown Jacksonville.
I'll also say that the Town Center adjacent to UNF has very little to do with UNF, per se, and everything to do with its location in the growth center of this metropolitan area.
Lastly, if Jacksonville University was forward-thinking they'd be looking to sell their entire Arlington campus (or partner in its development, commercially / residentially, etc.) and move to the urban core -- especially while so many incentives (goodwill and otherwise) exist to try and assist them in their effort, if chosen, to become a true "urban" university. It's a natural evolution that should be seriously considered while The Shipyards and Healthy Town, etc., are being dreamed into existence.
I seriously doubt JU has any plans to move fully downtown. They keep buying up adjacent land in Arlington and building new dormitories, not to mention that they've doubled down on their effort to reach back into the community and help improve the surrounding neighborhoods.
Jax's most realistic chance at growing a school in DT is FSCJ. Yeah, it's not UF or Harvard but it can have more of an economic impact than it does today. Their plans to add student housing and a culinary school in downtown should become a great start.
JU did sell off a good bit of their property to pay off debt a few years ago, thus limiting future growth.
I would have thought that the art museum UNF partnership would have been a good thing downtown, sort of like SCAD, but on a smaller scale, but has not had much impact.
QuoteYes, UNF has very little if nothing to do with the SJTC's success as the newest regional shopping mall in the area.
My point was not that the university had anything to do with the neighborhood's success, rather the opposite. UNF has thrived as the area has thrived. Conversely, FSCJ downtown has gone down the spiral of death as downtown Jacksonville has led the way.
Until you fix downtown, FSCJ can put stripes on its buildings lined with gold for all that matters, no one will take them seriously nor give a hoot about their programs.
FSCJ is a terrible mention to the idea of an undergraduate school as FSCJ is a commuter school. Community colleges do not have living facilities that would keep students in the geographic area past class hours.
Quote from: mbwright on August 14, 2015, 08:35:46 AM
JU did sell off a good bit of their property to pay off debt a few years ago, thus limiting future growth.
I would have thought that the art museum UNF partnership would have been a good thing downtown, sort of like SCAD, but on a smaller scale, but has not had much impact.
JU still has more property in Arlington than they could ever assemble in DT Jax. However, the school as a whole still has less than 4k students. We've pretty much screwed the pooch on the core being home to a large scale university when UNF selected the Southside over Sugar Hill, decades ago. UNF did have a downtown campus in the same building as the art museum from 1978 to 1987. At its height, it had +2k students. When enrollment fell below 500, UNF shut it down. Unfortunately, it may have been negatively impacted by the construction of Hemming Plaza, like all the department stores that shut down around it during the mid-1980s.
http://www.unf.edu/library/specialcollections/archives/Buildings_-_Downtown_Center.aspx
Today, SCAD has nearly 10,000 undergraduates at its Savannah campus. It renovated it's first downtown building 37 years ago. Assuming Jax was able to attract an institution like that to downtown, if growth were the same, what we've seen SCAD do for Savannah wouldn't come to full fruition in DT Jax until 2050.
Quote from: mtraininjax on August 14, 2015, 08:47:49 AM
QuoteYes, UNF has very little if nothing to do with the SJTC's success as the newest regional shopping mall in the area.
My point was not that the university had anything to do with the neighborhood's success, rather the opposite. UNF has thrived as the area has thrived. Conversely, FSCJ downtown has gone down the spiral of death as downtown Jacksonville has led the way.
Until you fix downtown, FSCJ can put stripes on its buildings lined with gold for all that matters, no one will take them seriously nor give a hoot about their programs.
In general, I don't believe there is a single catalyst project that can or should be considered a "gamechanger". To really change the game, you'll need years of coordinated investment in a mix of private and public sector projects, all taking place within a compact pedestrian scale setting. I view the FSCJ situation the same way I do our convention center issue. Regardless of how many may view the school, its main campus is already downtown and it already attracts thousands. However, like the rest of downtown, it's not well integrated into the urban core. It's easier to better integrate and expand existing destinations than beating our brains out over how to attract another SCAD. When all the dust settles, the thing everyone loves about SCAD has been their ability to expand by investing in bringing existing building stock back online. Apply the same expansion/retrofit techniques to FSCJ, FBC and a host of other Northbank destinations and we'll be surprised with the extra level of foot traffic and street level activity that can be generated with anchors we already have in place.
Quote from: Murder_me_Rachel on August 14, 2015, 08:56:53 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on August 14, 2015, 07:46:47 AM
Jax's most realistic chance at growing a school in DT is FSCJ. Yeah, it's not UF or Harvard but it can have more of an economic impact than it does today. Their plans to add student housing and a culinary school in downtown should become a great start.
Nah, it's Florida Coastal. That school may eventually outgrow its space and it makes sense to be downtown amongst the law firms and courthouses.
We screwed the pooch here too. Florida Coastal actually wanted to come to downtown before picking their Baymeadows site. Unfortunately, we couldn't close the deal, even with her boozed out at the bar, hanging on us at 3am with her panties already pulled halfway down her ankles. Jokes aside, FCSL still has less than 1500 students and no student housing. You're not getting "SCAD" out of that. We could easily accomplish more simply working to better integrate FSCJ's expansion needs and desires.
Quote from: NativeDigs on August 14, 2015, 09:16:26 AM
FSCJ is a terrible mention to the idea of an undergraduate school as FSCJ is a commuter school. Community colleges do not have living facilities that would keep students in the geographic area past class hours.
They want to start adding housing....
QuoteTU: FSCJ looks to offer student housing, support downtown revitalization in 'win-win' outcome
A "win-win" situation is a phrase frequently being used to describe Florida State College at Jacksonville's early plans for further downtown expansion.
The college is eyeing two buildings for a proposal to develop student housing, a cafe and Center for Civic Engagement.
Downtown Jacksonville gains lively, young residents and fills empty buildings, while the school is able to provide a more traditional residential college experience for students who want that option.
FSCJ President Cynthia Bioteau said the school prides itself on being not just a community college, but the community's college.
"Part of what I believe our community needs, as we look at the downtown revitalization of the city core of Jacksonville, is we need live bodies, energetic bodies, and students are the best of what I could imagine living downtown, 24-hour-a-day, seven days a week and bring that kind of energy to the city core," she said.
The first of the two properties is the abandoned 26,288-square-foot, five-story property at 218 W. Church St. located four blocks from FSCJ's Downtown Campus. Bioteau said it is her goal to have the 50 to 75 housing units available to students in time for fall 2016 classes, which she called an optimistic timeline.
The plan would be the first time FSCJ has offered student housing. The school enrolled 32,000 students last fall and expects that to grow by 16 percent with this fall's classes.
Bioteau said demand for student housing already exists among students, especially those younger students right out of high school and international students. She expects the college will have no problem filling as many as 75 units, and there could be more housing in the future.
full article: http://www.fscj.edu/media/tu-fscj-looks-to-offer-student-housing-support-downtown-revitalization-in-w
It probably would not hurt us to stop worrying about what we don't have and better capitalizing on what we do and what we can turn existing anchors into.
Quote from: johnnyliar on August 14, 2015, 07:42:06 AM
Quote from: RattlerGator on August 14, 2015, 07:32:06 AM
mtraininjax, your comparison of FSCJ with UNF says you don't really understand the difference between the two. They (FSCJ) simply can't be compared to UNF, especially when discussing the possibility of bringing some life and vitality to downtown Jacksonville.
I'll also say that the Town Center adjacent to UNF has very little to do with UNF, per se, and everything to do with its location in the growth center of this metropolitan area.
Lastly, if Jacksonville University was forward-thinking they'd be looking to sell their entire Arlington campus (or partner in its development, commercially / residentially, etc.) and move to the urban core -- especially while so many incentives (goodwill and otherwise) exist to try and assist them in their effort, if chosen, to become a true "urban" university. It's a natural evolution that should be seriously considered while The Shipyards and Healthy Town, etc., are being dreamed into existence.
I seriously doubt JU has any plans to move fully downtown. They keep buying up adjacent land in Arlington and building new dormitories, not to mention that they've doubled down on their effort to reach back into the community and help improve the surrounding neighborhoods.
Yeah I worked on the dorm they just built. Doesn't seem like they would abandon ship and move completely to downtown with the work they are doing. I think they will eventually occupy part of a single building downtown with some sort of program like every other university is doing in other cities. Same goes for UNF, it's just a matter of when. I'm not talking about an entire campus per se, maybe just a few floors in a building like the Barnett like they had planned or maybe one newly constructed joint venture building.
As far as JU and Arlington - Nice setting on the campus, dismal neighborhood for college students though. Good grief they need to do something to offer more to the student body, I'll bet there are loads of potential students opting to go elsewhere strictly because the neighborhood offers them absolutely zero in terms of things students look for around their campus . . . nightlife, culture, local hangouts and just an interesting progressive vibe. The one thing it has is being on the water. It is just far enough from downtown that it is sort of an inconvenience to go there and you have to drive. Arlington is a microcosm of the city of Jacksonville . . . the infrastructure layout and potential are there but it is slothy in its active progression and the right kinds of development just haven't happened. And zoning policies have made it unattractive.
Same goes for UNF, I'm sure a lot of potential students pass on it because it isn't close to any neighborhood, just a mall.
JU is not leaving Arlington. Too much invested there and they continue to do more.
UNF is not going to add classes or students downtown anytime soon. The mission is currently to focus on building up the campus we have. That said, a number of downtown investors are always pushing us to expand downtown in some way, but the company line is that we can't do anything that would take away from the core campus. I think ultimately, we may add a branch downtown focusing on night and grad courses to serve Downtown and Westside workers who can't make it out to the Southside. UNC Charlotte has done similar with an uptown campus. But that would be a long way off. We do/have held art classes at MOCA Jax, but interest has been pretty limited.
Discounting FSCJ is silly. For one thing, many community colleges do have student housing, and in fact UNF allowed FSCJ students to reside on campus until recently, when we ran out of space. For another, FSCJ's Downtown campus has been pretty quite mostly because it's been dominated by vocational and GED work. Nothing wrong with that, but it's clearly not going to draw lots of 24/7 students. What they're talking about doing now is investing more into the campus, including moving the entire culinary program. Is it going to be a silver bullet? No, but it's going to be a net positive.
Quote from: Murder_me_Rachel on August 14, 2015, 08:56:53 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on August 14, 2015, 07:46:47 AM
Jax's most realistic chance at growing a school in DT is FSCJ. Yeah, it's not UF or Harvard but it can have more of an economic impact than it does today. Their plans to add student housing and a culinary school in downtown should become a great start.
Nah, it's Florida Coastal. That school may eventually outgrow its space and it makes sense to be downtown amongst the law firms and courthouses.
Given the recent struggles of for profit colleges and Florida Coastal's struggles to place debt ridden graduates in decent jobs, I would say the school is much more likely to flounder in coming years than it is to grow. That probably wouldn't be a bad thing for the quality of the legal profession in town....
I agree that FSCJ probably has the best chance to grow a large campus downtown. UNF is considered by many around the state to be a "beach school". A lot of its students live at the beach or as close to the beach as they can afford to. Many of them come from beach towns around the state. Maybe Tacachale can provide some facts, but my impression of UNF's student population, is that a substantial amount come from the coastal counties in the state between Palm Beach and Volusia County. In other words, they come to UNF for the beach, not for urban living.
FSCJ on the other hand, has a chance to build and create programs that would attract urban dwellers like: arts, culinary, graphic design, etc. Plus a lot of FSCJ students currently live in areas of town that are not as desirable to live as downtown, Riverside and Springfield are. It would likely be a lot easier to lure them downtown from Mandarin, the westside, Arlington, etc, than it would be to lure UNF students from the beach or from their apartment complexes on the southside.
Turn FBC into Broward Baptist University.
Then the downtown properties will become a true 7 day a week locale instead of the 2 day a week it is now.
800 to 1200 students. All downtown. All the time.
FSCJ has several 4-year programs but here's a recent article about the growth in on-campus housing at community colleges across the country.
QuoteDorms Help Give 2-Year Colleges a 4-Year Feel
Dorm living is a rite of passage for students at most four-year colleges. But community college students have largely missed out on that experience – until recently.
About 25 percent of two-year colleges in the U.S. now offer on-campus housing, according to data from the American Association of Community Colleges.
Between 2000 and 2010, 43 community colleges added new student housing, the association reports. And that figure continues to grow.
Full article: http://www.usnews.com/education/community-colleges/articles/2015/02/09/dorms-help-give-2-year-colleges-a-4-year-feel
The main reason community colleges (at least in FL) were allowed to grant more 4-year degrees was because the State University System of Florida was unable to handle the huge influx of new undergrads coming through the in-state pipeline. Previously, graduating with an associates degree from a Florida CC guaranteed admission into one of Florida's state universities. Since they could no longer promise that, they had to come up with a way to obtain a bachelors for those who wanted one. In that vein, I think you're seeing them also serve these traditional students with a more traditional college environment.
Not to insult anyone but, yes, the discussion about FSCJ *is* silly. I'm not dismissive of what they want to do nor what they can do, but they can't do what I'm talking about. Ennis, with all due respect, you don't understand the potential that already exists in this city if that is your mindset. And it can't be Florida Coastal; law schools are in trouble all over the country and are in a downward spiral. It has to be J.U. and or UNF and or Flagler (or some combo of all three).
And yes, many kids do come to UNF for its easy access to the Beach. Great. No one wants to fight that. Such an attractive feature, however, is also why a downtown campus could and would *also* work for UNF. Do a comparison of the growth of UCF and USF with UNF. Our local university can easily grow downtown. Build a big dorm downtown and X number of students would flock to that dorm. Work out an agreement like they have in Gainesville with the bus company (students ride free because a set amount of student fees annually cover them), increase the routes that regularly run from downtown out to UNF, and you'd have much traffic between downtown and the core campus.
If J.U. was smart, they'd move into the core. Fully or partially. That Arlington location has never really worked for them, has it? But no, I don't expect them to do that.
My focus is the University of North Florida. If UNF was smart, they'd seriously try and figure out a way to move their College of Business, at a minimum, into the core. FSU is pinning much of its upcoming pitch for private money by developing the area around the Civic Center and trying to force-spread that development down from the shadow of the Supreme Court and the State Capitol all the way west to Doak Campbell Stadium (they are calling it the "Madison Mile" -- the corridor runs along Madison Street). The catalyst for them is moving their biggest academic college, the College of Business, off of center campus and out adjacent to the Civic Center.
Surely the people at UNF are aware of what FSU is doing, or what UF is doing with their exciting Innovation Hub, etc. Both universities are actively trying to be change agents for their local center cities. None of the stuff I'm talking about is radical or crazy. It just takes vision, and UNF has to think much bigger than they've been thinking. The Shipyards or Healthy Town offer them that opportunity. We've never demanded much of our local State University System institution. That has to change and it has to change now.
Quote from: RattlerGator on August 14, 2015, 05:04:38 PM
Not to insult anyone but, yes, the discussion about FSCJ *is* silly. I'm not dismissive of what they want to do nor what they can do, but they can't do what I'm talking about. Ennis, with all due respect, you don't understand the potential that already exists in this city if that is your mindset. And it can't be Florida Coastal; law schools are in trouble all over the country and are in a downward spiral. It has to be J.U. and or UNF and or Flagler (or some combo of all three).
Two questions to help me understand your perspective:
1. Can you elaborate on the potential that exists?
2. Why these particular schools?
QuoteAnd yes, many kids do come to UNF for its easy access to the Beach. Great. No one wants to fight that. Such an attractive feature, however, is also why a downtown campus could and would *also* work for UNF. Do a comparison of the growth of UCF and USF with UNF. Our local university can easily grow downtown. Build a big dorm downtown and X number of students would flock to that dorm. Work out an agreement like they have in Gainesville with the bus company (students ride free because a set amount of student fees annually cover them), increase the routes that regularly run from downtown out to UNF, and you'd have much traffic between downtown and the core campus.
Not knowing the answer to the two questions, I'll mention that USF doesn't have housing in DT Tampa. However, DT Tampa does have the University of Tampa. It's been there since 1933 and is about twice the size of JU. However, it hasn't had the impact that SCAD has had in Savannah's historic district. Why would JU be any different?
QuoteIf J.U. was smart, they'd move into the core. Fully or partially. That Arlington location has never really worked for them, has it? But no, I don't expect them to do that.
JU seems to be committed to investing in and improving the neighborhood around them. With their recent expansions, it's hard to say things haven't worked out for them. I know there's been talk of them establishing some sort of downtown Jax connection but it's hard to see anything significant happening anytime soon.
QuoteMy focus is the University of North Florida. If UNF was smart, they'd seriously try and figure out a way to move their College of Business, at a minimum, into the core. FSU is pinning much of its upcoming pitch for private money by developing the area around the Civic Center and trying to force-spread that development down from the shadow of the Supreme Court and the State Capitol all the way west to Doak Campbell Stadium (they are calling it the "Madison Mile" -- the corridor runs along Madison Street). The catalyst for them is moving their biggest academic college, the College of Business, off of center campus and out adjacent to the Civic Center.
Surely the people at UNF are aware of what FSU is doing, or what UF is doing with their exciting Innovation Hub, etc. Both universities are actively trying to be change agents for their local center cities. None of the stuff I'm talking about is radical or crazy. It just takes vision, and UNF has to think much bigger than they've been thinking. The Shipyards or Healthy Town offer them that opportunity. We've never demanded much of our local State University System institution. That has to change and it has to change now.
FSU and UF are literally across the street from the downtowns of their respective cities. FSU's law school has been located across the street from the civic center for decades. They are somewhat different animals, given the proximity of their main campuses to those city's cores.
Better comparisons would be UCF, USF, FAU and FIU. What are their expansion plans and visions for the cores of their cities. UCF has plans to expand some programs in DT Orlando. However, Rick Scott just vetoed their funding request. On the other hand, Scott did approve some funding for USF to establish a medical school in DT Tampa. Here's a good article about their vision to establish an urban medical district.....something we suggested for the Shands area that Rick Mullaney ran with during his failed bid for mayor.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/usf-trustees-set-to-discuss-downtown-tampa-medical-school/2204366
Last, what's your take on EWC? A smaller school with a nice urban oriented campus a mile away from DT.
Florida Coastal is actually shrinking of recent and is one of the largest law schools (and worst) in the country. Don't expect them to "grow out of their facilities" but it was a mistake not to have the school in DT with the many law firms and courthouse DT.
JU does not have the resources to invest DT so there is NO CHANCE of it.
UNF does have the resources (due to the state) and potential local donors who would be interested in moving maybe the College of Health downtown and partner with UF Health. If I were in charge, I would be begging UF to invest more in UF Health Jax as it comes to research, and help attempt to create more coordinated medical cluster in this city with Mayo, UF Health, UNF Nursing, etc. on the research side.
UF Health Jax has its own issues, like the threat of shutting down if it does not get enough support from the City. I would not bet on Healthcare to rescue downtown, there is a reason why MAYO is where it is, look at the wealth and income, and then look at where UF Health Jax is located. Again, geographical issues here.
Let Khan do his deal, nice spread about it in the 904 magazine this month, the "Money Issue", so rightly described!
Quote from: mtraininjax on August 15, 2015, 03:16:01 PM
UF Health Jax has its own issues, like the threat of shutting down if it does not get enough support from the City. I would not bet on Healthcare to rescue downtown, there is a reason why MAYO is where it is, look at the wealth and income, and then look at where UF Health Jax is located. Again, geographical issues here.
That is a pretty stupid comparison. The missions of Mayo and UF Health Jax are VERY different. The main reason UF Health struggles financially is because it is the official indigent care hospital for Jax. It might be interesting to note that other major urban hospitals in Florida have access to funds that the state legislature has refused to allow UF to tap into.
Btw, possibly the best university teaching hospital in the country, Johns Hopkins, is located in an area far worse than UF Health Jax.
^The John Hopkins example would also suggest that there's no such thing as a single "game changer."
This has been an interesting conversation. Personally I've been under the impression that any educational facility downtown would be a big win, and it would to a degree, thelakelander makes a good point though. There seems to be other variables at play. I think a great early step to take would be to encourage downtown institutions to take on more interns from local schools. A strong link created between the business and administrative functions located downtown and the intellectual capital fostered at our schools could bolster both camps. When local colleges see this connection as part of holistic process of education and work placement the more these schools will focus there attention on downtown. An incentive has to exist before schools want to physically be part of the urban core.
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 16, 2015, 09:17:38 AM
Quote from: mtraininjax on August 15, 2015, 03:16:01 PM
UF Health Jax has its own issues, like the threat of shutting down if it does not get enough support from the City. I would not bet on Healthcare to rescue downtown, there is a reason why MAYO is where it is, look at the wealth and income, and then look at where UF Health Jax is located. Again, geographical issues here.
That is a pretty stupid comparison. The missions of Mayo and UF Health Jax are VERY different. The main reason UF Health struggles financially is because it is the official indigent care hospital for Jax. It might be interesting to note that other major urban hospitals in Florida have access to funds that the state legislature has refused to allow UF to tap into.
Btw, possibly the best university teaching hospital in the country, Johns Hopkins, is located in an area far worse than UF Health Jax.
UF Health needs to have a presence near the center of the city because I believe it is the area's only Level 1 Trauma center, meaning they treat everything. You get shot in the head, you go there, you get in a wreck and need emergency surgery within 30 mins or your dead you go there. It needs to be centrally located. They also treat anyone who walks in, with insurance or without, they don't care about a patient's financial situation or credit history, these are not the most profitable hospitals. Mayo I believe is almost entirely if not completely out of pocket, totally different system. But with that said Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN is located right downtown. I've been to the facility, it's huge and employs a huge amount of people in that city. But I don't think Mayo would ever locate downtown here, I would think they get a lot of their patients (very wealthy) from the beaches and out-of-towners with deep pockets or at least those willing to sell the farm for treatment. There's really no reason for them to be centrally located here since, at least from my understanding, is that they really don't serve low-income neighborhoods.
Quote from: CCMjax
UF Health needs to have a presence near the center of the city because I believe it is the area's only Level 1 Trauma center, meaning they treat everything. You get shot in the head, you go there, you get in a wreck and need emergency surgery within 30 mins or your dead you go there. It needs to be centrally located. They also treat anyone who walks in, with insurance or without, they don't care about a patient's financial situation or credit history, these are not the most profitable hospitals. Mayo I believe is almost entirely if not completely out of pocket, totally different system. But with that said Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN is located right downtown. I've been to the facility, it's huge and employs a huge amount of people in that city. But I don't think Mayo would ever locate downtown here, I would think they get a lot of their patients (very wealthy) from the beaches and out-of-towners with deep pockets or at least those willing to sell the farm for treatment. There's really no reason for them to be centrally located here since, at least from my understanding, is that they really don't serve low-income neighborhoods.
Mayo takes insurance, probably not HMOs but I've had several PPOs/HDHPs that let me go there. As you mentioned they get lots of people who travel from around the world and pay cash too.
Interestingly, it seems as though UNF has opted to move into the Brentwood Building north of Springfield for an entrepreneurship center. It is basically being given to them for free so I guess I get it but I really think they should be looking more at Downtown. This building is just too far from the real hub of activity to do much for connectivity. Could be good news for that specific area and Springfield though.
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2015/12/23/unf-eyeing-brentwood-building-for-entrepreneur.html (http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2015/12/23/unf-eyeing-brentwood-building-for-entrepreneur.html)
^LOL, if you have a better located building you're willing to give for free I'm sure they'd be all ears.
It is definitely not free, OPEX can be a significant cost depending on the type of lease it is. Also, its not really close to Golfair, it is pretty much on the other side of the 20th Street Expressway at Main St. which I really consider Springfield, not Brentwood- although it is probably semantics.
Pretty cool. It's essentially Springfield. Hopefully, if this goes through, it can spur some redevelopment in the few blocks between 20th Street and the Springfield Warehouse District. Nevertheless, to stir the pot for the downtown focused people, if all it takes is a free building, perhaps COJ should be offering up the old courthouse or city hall annex?
Game Changer? Alvin Brown already coined that phrase with the video boards.
I can't for the life of me understand why the city hall annex or the courthouse site has not been offered up yet. I've always envisioned the sites as an extension of The Landing making the Landing more so a waterfront district vs. a singular building on the river. You would have 'The Elbow' adjacent to 'The Landing'. All buildings in between would take on the Landing moniker ex. 'The Hyatt Riverfront @ The Jacksonville Landing and so on.
This is clearly a damn good start for UNF and the kind of thing they very much need to do.
Now . . . a big-azz dorm downtown. Maybe in partnership with UF. Make it happen.
I think this is a plus for the Springfield commercial corridor. If UNF has a successful program at 21st street and a new dorm downtown, it does appear that certain amount of in-fill will occur in between and yes, it could spread to the Warehouse District. For Historic Springfield to keep growing, the areas around it, like the area from 12 to 20 something st, need to be brought up as well. Everyone wins if that happens.
The building in discussion:
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Neighborhoods/Brentwood/i-Msrgr9D/0/L/P1340560-L.jpg)
Overall, I'm not really a fan. I think we could do much better. I'm sure the building itself will be nice when they're done but it's definitely a commuter oriented development just like the rest of UNF I suppose :/
Quote from: UNFurbanist on December 24, 2015, 11:34:37 AM
Overall, I'm not really a fan. I think we could do much better. I'm sure the building itself will be nice when they're done but it's definitely a commuter oriented development just like the rest of UNF I suppose :/
An unimpressed MetroJacksonville poster???? I'm shocked.
^ I'm not normally that MJ poster who is always negative. In fact quite the opposite. This I take a little more to heart though because I am a current UNF student. I love my university but I feel like we always tend to do things half right. Like it's cool but it could be better. A bigger vision, a better location, just something more innovative. I know it's not on the radar now but I always thought that the old annex could be awesome as a full blown downtown campus. Especially since I would think tapping into the new spark district for an entrepreneur hub would be a no brainer. idk I'm just not inspired. Is that fair? haha
This is happening because the building is coming basically for free. I doubt this is the location one would choose in a vacuum, but in a decision between this building and not having such a project at all (for now), the choice is much easier. FWIW, there were naysayers about MOCA Jax as well.
UNFurbanist, I'm hoping this won't be a one-off for UNF. This is merely a beginning, I hope.
The downtown core was abandoned decades ago mostly as a consequence of the automobile boom and the population growth. The core was left to endure years of decline as the energy, investment, and population spread outward.
We watch as a slow and hesitant recovery ensues, sensing that full recovery will occur eventually via the rare occasional infusion of cash and vision. But the rate of recovery will remain a snail's pace ... taking decades ... as long as we assume that the core stagnation will somehow cure itself naturally, without sacrifice and determined actions from those desiring progress.
If we are determined not to accept this slow pace, we must encourage ... even force ... an increased recovery rate by "tax dollar investment" in solid and necessary infrastructures, thus creating an environment that entices residents, business, and visitors to engage the core. The result of this investment will soon move core energy past a threshold, after which, the journey to vibrancy will be self-sustaining -- residents and businesses will compete to invest in the core.
Just as tax dollars are spent to build and improve roads, bridges, parks, and municipal buildings; so too, tax dollars must be spent in creative ways to force the core past a threshold -- a point after which, growth will occur via the natural energy of a mature and powerful local economy.
Until this temporary sacrifice of tax dollars is spent ... until we build a solid infrastructure, which might include subsidies to entice residents and small businesses to engage the core, the road to vibrancy and infill will remain at a snail's pace.
Whatever the past, I see two things working against companies moving to downtown.
A. Rents and costs are cheaper in the burbs.
B. With the internet and the advent of online forms, email, video conferencing, overnight package delivery, etc a business does not have to be near the other businesses they work with.
A. I agree with. For small start up businesses at least. Larger companies like say publix would move in as soon as they saw market demand.
B. Although that is true, that has not been the case in countless of other cities. Downtowns across the country are booming right now! Orlando and Tampa, which I think should be fair comparisons (I understand there are differences), are having huge amounts of investment and development in their downtowns. They both have massive suburbs that also get tons of investment yet their core grows because it serves a different market and specifically because many businesses want to be near other business to foster creativity.
^Yea I agree. While modern technology has certainly made a lot possible, there has been a slow migration away from the sprawling corporate campuses that isolate businesses and telecommuting. Not saying these are trends on fire but there is certainly push back now as companies seek to get their employees interacting more with colleagues and other complementary businesses.
Seems like DT Jax has been pretty successful attracting and retaining office workers in recent years. We just have a ton of empty space to fill. This particular situation is different from Orlando which was pretty small 40 years ago.
Quote from: thelakelander on December 26, 2015, 08:15:48 AM
Seems like DT Jax has been pretty successful attracting and retaining office workers in recent years. We just have a ton of empty space to fill. This particular situation is different from Orlando which was pretty small 40 years ago.
Very true. I wonder if it's time to revisit the zoning in places like the Cathedral district. Over there big houses were rezoned and turned into law offices and such, back when demand was high for offices and low for residential. But we currently have to much office space and not enough residential.
Quote from: Tacachale on December 26, 2015, 08:59:01 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on December 26, 2015, 08:15:48 AM
Seems like DT Jax has been pretty successful attracting and retaining office workers in recent years. We just have a ton of empty space to fill. This particular situation is different from Orlando which was pretty small 40 years ago.
Very true. I wonder if it's time to revisit the zoning in places like the Cathedral district. Over there big houses were rezoned and turned into law offices and such, back when demand was high for offices and low for residential. But we currently have to much office space and not enough residential.
I think in those cases, the allowance to convert houses to office space has saved many of them
Yes. In a similar fashion, the conversion of older houses into apartments and rooming houses, decades ago, saved much of Springfield's historic building stock.
That's absolutely true - that's why the buildings are still there. but the market's flipping now.
As a homeowner in the Historic District and both I and my partner are Computer Science majors, this is a huge opportunity. The imaginary borders of the historic district and the rest of SPR and surrounding neighborhoods has caused more damage than not, so much so that this property's location was mocked upstream of this thread.
UNF CCB and CCEC::SOC will be contacted. I see excellent opportunity for our venture to draw from the underrepresented since, you know, the Northside deserves only 8th generation hand me downs.
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 23, 2015, 04:07:27 PM
But the location of this building is so far from Springfield's revitalization that it will be an island that folks commute in and out of.
Ideally it would create some synergy . . . but proximity is so important, that I suspect the quote above would be true.
Quote from: Bill Hoff on December 27, 2015, 07:38:19 AM
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 23, 2015, 04:07:27 PM
But the location of this building is so far from Springfield's revitalization that it will be an island that folks commute in and out of.
Ideally it would create some synergy . . . but proximity is so important, that I suspect the quote above would be true.
This makes it sound like (Historic) Springfield and it's revitalization is the only thing that matters and yet, until and unless the surrounding areas get some help and get lifted up Historic Springfield will continue to struggle and the Springfield Main Street commercial corridor will remain mostly a wasteland. This building at 21st Street is certainly going to have an impact on various businesses in the mile or so radius around it. While an office building is actually pretty stagnate during business hours, a facility like this will be a lot more in flux and will bring a different vibe to the area. The direct help to the immediate area will be noticeable and the indirect help to the urban core is very much needed for it's future.
Interesting questions arise concerning the abandonment of the core, which, I suppose reached a climax in desolation in the eighties and nineties. Was there an option to the decline of the core? Could the vacancies and desolation have been prevented? Or was it necessary to sacrifice core vibrancy to develop the entire county? -- a development process encouraged naturally by a burgeoning population, a vibrant post-war economy, and facilitated by the flexibility in choosing a residence locale, such as in the suburbs, as offered by the increasingly common automobile.
The fact is that the core desolation and exessive vacancies exist, and the suburbs have developed. And now everyone is enjoying the challenge of somehow filling and revitalizing the core, filling the many vacant buildings ... giving ... forcing ... life into the core. Although there have been some small steps made in the direction of core vibrancy and infill, most will probably agree that progress is very slow ... and often felt to be non-existent.
Quote from: strider on December 27, 2015, 09:10:30 AM
Quote from: Bill Hoff on December 27, 2015, 07:38:19 AM
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 23, 2015, 04:07:27 PM
But the location of this building is so far from Springfield's revitalization that it will be an island that folks commute in and out of.
Ideally it would create some synergy . . . but proximity is so important, that I suspect the quote above would be true.
This makes it sound like (Historic) Springfield and it's revitalization is the only thing that matters and yet, until and unless the surrounding areas get some help and get lifted up Historic Springfield will continue to struggle and the Springfield Main Street commercial corridor will remain mostly a wasteland. This building at 21st Street is certainly going to have an impact on various businesses in the mile or so radius around it. While an office building is actually pretty stagnate during business hours, a facility like this will be a lot more in flux and will bring a different vibe to the area. The direct help to the immediate area will be noticeable and the indirect help to the urban core is very much needed for it's future.
I think Bill's saying that for stuff like that to have maximum impact it needs to be clustered with other things. It's true, and something we miss *way* too much in Jacksonville. That's not a knock on Brentwood. But if this were about finding an ideal location I doubt Springfield would be chosen either. However, in this particular case, it sounds more like this was an interesting opportunity that arose that will be pretty cool wherever it's located.
We might look upon the problem of revitalizing the core as one similar to any dysfunctional system, organization, or vehicle ... one having serious faults preventing optimum operation or progress along the path for which it was designed. The failure to encourage a system or vehicle, or even a piece of machinery, to operate at optimum levels, or to proceed along a journey at a good pace, is often a result of ignorance as to how the system or machine works, which, if known, requires only the discovery of the dysfunctional or malaligned subsystem or part, and the correction or replacement of same.
The core revitalization problem might best be related to a complex system, having many components, aspects, and pressures ... interwoven, each either facilitating or discouraging progress ... resulting in a summation which will either encourage or inhibit revitalization.
If we were to believe it possible to revitalize the core with a respectable speed, and if we acknowledge that we have failed to do so, then we must also believe that there exists specific ignorances, errors, or dysfunctions within the minds of those who have been, or who are in, the important positions to control or affect the progress of revitalization.
Quote from: JaxNole on December 27, 2015, 04:35:15 AM
As a homeowner in the Historic District and both I and my partner are Computer Science majors, this is a huge opportunity. The imaginary borders of the historic district and the rest of SPR and surrounding neighborhoods has caused more damage than not, so much so that this property's location was mocked upstream of this thread.
UNF CCB and CCEC::SOC will be contacted. I see excellent opportunity for our venture to draw from the underrepresented since, you know, the Northside deserves only 8th generation hand me downs.
If it comes to fruition, this should provide a needed economic boost to New Springfield. There's a lot of cheap, great housing stock within walking distance.
Quote from: JaxNole on December 27, 2015, 04:35:15 AM
The imaginary borders of the historic district and the rest of SPR and surrounding neighborhoods has caused more damage than not,
I believe I understand the intention of the statement, along the lines of other close by neighborhoods being stigmatized because they aren't apart of the more favored historic districts. But, the historic district status of Riverside, Avondale & Springfield have been integral to their revitalization. So successful, that it may be beneficial to the surrounding communities to have those boundaries expanded, eventually. One only has to look at the recent Jessie B Dupont Block by Block study to see how the 'imaginary' borders of Jacksonville's historic districts are real in a variety of ways, and a huge positive.
If anyone ever has a chance to sit down with local historians (Crooks, Wood, etc), or review literature from the National Trust about the community benefits of historic districts, take it.
Your "if I had been there" ideas make sense SD. If one is to suggest that the abandonment of the core ... and the creation of excess vacancies and desolation within, was not inevitable, and that certain policies and legislation could have prevented the exodus, then it follows that one might assign blame to certain individuals or groups in place at the time.
Who was ... is ... responsible for the analysis and solution of this kind of problem? The mayor? The city council members? Perhaps individuals intimately connected with both the FBC and the city? If these individuals or positions were responsible and at fault back then, can we assume that the same individuals or positions are responsible for continued core desolation now ... decades following?
Who's in charge? Should the "community" simply accept continued floating in good and bad economies, accepting mediocrity, consuming whatever candy we can find for our own personal comfort and gain ... without aggressively devising a solution to a problem long causing the suffering of many in our city? Certainly the average citizen cannot be held responsible for any error or lack of legislation or policies needed to encourage or force core revitalization.
Only the mayor, the city council members, the various groups formed for the purpose of revitalization, and others in positions of influence, can apply enough force, by way of legislation and policies so as to destroy the momentum of desolation and stagnation in the core. These individuals are elected and appointed to serve all citizens ... to solve the core problem by wise contemplation of realities surrounding its predicament, and then to engage creative and bold legislation and policies for solution. Our elected officials exist ... are elected for the purpose of doing ... for the mass of citizens what the individual citizen cannot do alone.
An additional note SD ... your last post hinted at the parts played by race and religion in the decisions and policies that, years ago, encouraged the abandonment, and infrastructural destruction, of the core. The sometimes overt, sometimes subtle, pressures of race and religion are still with us today.
While Stephen occasionally keeps looking backward and lapsing into what appears to be a blame game, while also still fixating curiously on the school that is *not* Florida State University in Jacksonville but, rather, the local community college -- 90% of their annual degrees awarded are
not Bachelor's degrees, and yes: that matters! -- now seems like a good time to re-post a slightly modified version of my earlier comment about UNF downtown. Luckily, we're now seeing the first initial indication that SOMEONE at UNF (thank you, Vulcan Materials & Coggin College of Business) is giving serious thought to entrepreneurial creativity from our local state university
in Center City:
QuoteUndergrads are the key. Graduate students would be good too but you've got to have undergrads in the mix, bigtime.
Number of UNF Majors by College (these are approximate numbers):
Brooks College of Health
2,750
Coggin College of Business
2,850
College of Arts & Sciences
6,700
College of Computing, Engineering, & Construction
1,600
College of Education & Human Services
1,650
So, Arts & Sciences is their biggest college and these are their component departments:
*Art and Design*
Biology
Chemistry
Communication
*Criminology and Criminal Justice*
English
History
Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Mathematics and Statistics
Music
Philosophy
Physics
*Political Science and Public Administration*
Psychology
*Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work*
I placed stars next to the Arts & Sciences departments that I suspect could make creative use of a presence in the urban core but, minimally, all UNF has to do is build a big dorm downtown that students have a choice of using as a housing option. That starts the ball rolling.
Personally, it is probably the Coggin College of Business that could really be a gamechanger downtown.
Whatever the case, UNF (given that it has matured as a university) should have an absolutely major presence downtown. Shad Khan and Rummell, both, should be looking at creative ways to bring them into their development mix. UNF has done a good job of not doing growth simply for the sake of growth but they can and should grow more and they should do so, in part, downtown.
Coggin College of Business can be the nexus. But as their Dean indicated, all programs on campus could participate with this anticipated facility just north of the old 20th Street Expressway -- especially the starred programs I listed in their College of Arts and Sciences -- and other College's and department's may be offered a range of other structures in Center City now that an example is being set.
In the 2025 State University System Strategic Plan, our public universities are changed with the duties, in part, to:
[1] Transform and revitalize Florida's economy and society through research, creativity, discovery, and innovation; and,
[2]
Deliver knowledge to advance the health, welfare, cultural enrichment, and economy through community and business engagement and service.
Faster, please, UNF.
More, please, UNF.
Quote from: stephendare on December 27, 2015, 11:19:01 PM
rattler gator, why not stick to the sports forums, where posting stupid things is the norm?
His post isn't stupid and at least offers some insight. Why respond so bitterly? You even mentioned like 5 posts before that a university driving downtown decisions is a step in the right direction. They might not be promoting your specific agenda but at least there's has gained some traction in the same direction.
Quote from: stephendare on December 27, 2015, 11:19:01 PM
rattler gator, why not stick to the sports forums, where posting stupid things is the norm?
The juvenile totalitarian in you Stephen, it's so ugly. But I do forgive you. Maybe that Florida State University in Jacksonville thing -- some might call that genuinely stupid -- is more telling than I realized.
Be back soon to engage this very interesting subject SD. Been busy at stores 'n stuff.
Your referenced articles, SD, do encourage a more forgiving approach to those who first engaged the early urban decline and sprawl issues, as they were, after all, pioneers, engaging unfamiliar dynamics.
But time has passed. Most who've inherited the responsibility for addressing urban issues ... as in facilitating the achievement of core vibrancy and infill ... have lived with the problem of relative core stagnation for many years. Time for contemplation, measurement, study, and experiment has been generous. It is time for good and measured focus, analysis, and finally, the correct decisions to ensure solid progress toward the desired threshold of core energy ... a threshold, after which the core will develop by its own energy at an accelerated rate. Post-threshold characteristics, forced into the core by our creativity, focus, wisdom, sacrifice, and determination ... will be attractive to potential residents and businesses, and therefore will draw and entice both entities into the core, not only from the suburbs, but from other cities.
We are fortunate in having the talented and determined individuals who have worked hard, who have expended much time and money to push the few core businesses to success in spite of the lack of a sufficient core consumer base. We are fortunate also to have the creative individuals who've pushed to success projects in the arts and culture, as without these efforts in the arts, we would be so much further from our destination.
The recent article in Folio emphasized the importance of the arts in the urban core. Tony has been a great positive in the revitalization process. However, other creative and giving individuals have also had great positive impact upon efforts to encourage a self-sustaining vibrancy to the core.
If respectable progress is to be made on the journey to mature revitalization and core infill, the accomplishments in the arts must be supplemented with a significant, permanent, population infusion -- in the form of residents, workers, and businesses -- so that consumers, suburbanites, and tourists will follow. Core real estate infill and development will follow ... riding the surge of energy, which is the essence of a post-threshold era.
What is an urban renewal or a revitalization? Both terms imply a journey from an existing, to a future condition. And because the future condition is thought by most reasonable individuals to offer great rewards to all citizens of the middle and lower classes -- not only rewards to wealthy individuals building expensive private Disneyesk monuments of immortality for themselves -- most sensible tax payers desire a journey to it.
Whereas the trickle down idea associated with the expensive, carelessly concepted projects, are occasionally viable, positively impacting without fail the population majority with jobs and a strong local economy, too many seem to fail, surviving into mediocrity until the next billionaire rebuilds to attempt his unique kind of immortality. Although some of these pie in the sky projects prove successful, too often they are discovered to be bullshit in essence. In any case, the very fact, that over decades the journey has not been successfully completed, implies that a problem exists, and persists ... unsolved.
If we suggest or suspect that it is possible to solve the problem, then we might wonder how much time should be spent upon it in order to arrive at the opinion that we have failed. I suggest that enough time has passed, so that we can believe that we have indeed failed ... and are failing still.
The recognition of this failure is exciting, as most of us love the challenge of solving problems. Whereas most problems are somewhat simple ... call them level one problems ... the solutions are basically simple, requiring only momentary focus to achieve solution.
But some problems are not simple, and appear initially so complex that the entire scenario offers only a fog to the mind, with no clear direction to solution. These complex problems require contemplation ... mental exercises in possibilities before one can begin perceiving the hidden simplicities within ... simplicities which must be understood before efficient problem solving can proceed ... simplicities without which, any solution is achieved only via trial and error, and luck, taking much more time than is desirable. Have we had enough of trial and error?
We have not discovered, and forced action upon, the perhaps four or five fundamental causes of our obvious failure to progress effectively to the end of our journey. We too often give attention to the consequences of the root causes or issues, and fail to resolve the root causes. We have focused upon the peripheral, less significant issues, which of course are somewhat necessary, while avoiding the most potent; that is, the issues that, if confronted, would produce the much needed boosts down the road to a sustaining vibrancy.
(to be continued ...be back soon)
Before engaging ideas about a structured approach to efforts at revitalization ...a short digression about taxes. Because any revitalization journey involves the expenditure of local tax revenue, one might inquire as to what factors most influence the citizen's willingness to pay, and even to accept temporary increases ... perhaps with ultimate approval to spend on projects toward core enhancement. Surely, revitalization will involve the expenditure of tax revenues collected from the entire county. Confidence in those who spend tax revenue collected from hard working citizens is necessary for progress toward a revitalized core. Who wants to pay money to any entity or individual who wastes it, or doesn't know how to best spend it?
Just as many of us cringe at the idea of being forced to pay heavy federal taxes to support the unnecessary wars instigated and encouraged by an oligarchic clique ... which is our actual government ... to ensure maintenance of their power and massage their obsession with greed, the local citizen cringes at the idea of paying taxes when the use of revenue is carelessly wasted in projects ultimately found to have been done in ignorance or haste or, more unforgiving, if done to satisfy an individual, a group, or an institution such as a church or corporation .... all at the expense of the wellbeing of the majority of citizens. Governments exist ... city councils exist ... mayors exist ... to arrive at decisions that ultimately satisfy the genuine needs of "all" the citizens, who have actually hired them.
In this economy ... in the predicament endured by our community regarding the stagnation of the core, with the resultant huge local unemployment problem .... there is no room for error or careless experiment. Our approach, if we are to succeed, must be a structured one, with a determination to discover the fundamental issues affecting progress.
(must get to work ... to be continued)
Quote from: Bill Hoff on December 27, 2015, 02:44:53 PM
Quote from: JaxNole on December 27, 2015, 04:35:15 AM
The imaginary borders of the historic district and the rest of SPR and surrounding neighborhoods has caused more damage than not,
I believe I understand the intention of the statement, along the lines of other close by neighborhoods being stigmatized because they aren't apart of the more favored historic districts. But, the historic district status of Riverside, Avondale & Springfield have been integral to their revitalization. So successful, that it may be beneficial to the surrounding communities to have those boundaries expanded, eventually. One only has to look at the recent Jessie B Dupont Block by Block study to see how the 'imaginary' borders of Jacksonville's historic districts are real in a variety of ways, and a huge positive.
If anyone ever has a chance to sit down with local historians (Crooks, Wood, etc), or review literature from the National Trust about the community benefits of historic districts, take it.
Bill, dare I say I agree with you on this issue? What has happened to the world? :)
I recall shortly after closing on our house asking numerous leaders and through different channels what plans Historic Springfield had for integrating more with Eastside/Phoenix/Tallyrand, New Springfield, Brentwood, and Durkeeville. One response I received was, "The Eastside is invited to our CPAC meetings and sometimes some [residents] show up." The other responses were silence.
How long do you think we should continue waiting before we put boots on the ground and expand our view beyond our 1 square mile?
Sierra Delta .... don't mean to be gone so long from this conversation. And I appreciate your subtle invitation to continue it. I indicated an intention to engage it further, with an attempt at sound ideas affecting probable best routes to solutions to our delayed progress in achieving real core vibrancy and infill ... especially in the north core. I am not surprised to discover the complexities encountered, and am currently involved in sorting and relating ... measuring and weighing ... including and eliminating ... all the while discovering that what was thought to be isolated, is not ... what was thought to be insignificant, just might be, and what was thought to be significant, perhaps isn't.
The project of attempting to make sense of it is quite fun, and I proceed between my seven day work schedule and finding the right state of mind. I must arrive at ideas having a certain level of validity so that I am not laughed off the forum. There is no rush I presume. After all, we've engaged, to varying degrees, the project of revitalization for a few years. I do not presume that what I might say will be of much consequence. I only play with these things .. call them problems ... as it is quite fun. In any case, I shall return soon.
Quote from: JaxNole on January 03, 2016, 03:24:37 PM
Quote from: Bill Hoff on December 27, 2015, 02:44:53 PM
Quote from: JaxNole on December 27, 2015, 04:35:15 AM
The imaginary borders of the historic district and the rest of SPR and surrounding neighborhoods has caused more damage than not,
I believe I understand the intention of the statement, along the lines of other close by neighborhoods being stigmatized because they aren't apart of the more favored historic districts. But, the historic district status of Riverside, Avondale & Springfield have been integral to their revitalization. So successful, that it may be beneficial to the surrounding communities to have those boundaries expanded, eventually. One only has to look at the recent Jessie B Dupont Block by Block study to see how the 'imaginary' borders of Jacksonville's historic districts are real in a variety of ways, and a huge positive.
If anyone ever has a chance to sit down with local historians (Crooks, Wood, etc), or review literature from the National Trust about the community benefits of historic districts, take it.
Bill, dare I say I agree with you on this issue? What has happened to the world? :)
I recall shortly after closing on our house asking numerous leaders and through different channels what plans Historic Springfield had for integrating more with Eastside/Phoenix/Tallyrand, New Springfield, Brentwood, and Durkeeville. One response I received was, "The Eastside is invited to our CPAC meetings and sometimes some [residents] show up." The other responses were silence.
How long do you think we should continue waiting before we put boots on the ground and expand our view beyond our 1 square mile?
I'm not sure who you spoke to about your question of better connecting, but there's certainly more partnering going on between the Springfield historic district and it's surrounding neighborhoods than CPAC.
To your most recent question: I'm not sure who you mean by "we".
Quote from: Bill Hoff on January 17, 2016, 01:53:04 PM
Quote from: JaxNole on January 03, 2016, 03:24:37 PM
Quote from: Bill Hoff on December 27, 2015, 02:44:53 PM
Quote from: JaxNole on December 27, 2015, 04:35:15 AM
The imaginary borders of the historic district and the rest of SPR and surrounding neighborhoods has caused more damage than not,
I believe I understand the intention of the statement, along the lines of other close by neighborhoods being stigmatized because they aren't apart of the more favored historic districts. But, the historic district status of Riverside, Avondale & Springfield have been integral to their revitalization. So successful, that it may be beneficial to the surrounding communities to have those boundaries expanded, eventually. One only has to look at the recent Jessie B Dupont Block by Block study to see how the 'imaginary' borders of Jacksonville's historic districts are real in a variety of ways, and a huge positive.
If anyone ever has a chance to sit down with local historians (Crooks, Wood, etc), or review literature from the National Trust about the community benefits of historic districts, take it.
Bill, dare I say I agree with you on this issue? What has happened to the world? :)
I recall shortly after closing on our house asking numerous leaders and through different channels what plans Historic Springfield had for integrating more with Eastside/Phoenix/Tallyrand, New Springfield, Brentwood, and Durkeeville. One response I received was, "The Eastside is invited to our CPAC meetings and sometimes some [residents] show up." The other responses were silence.
How long do you think we should continue waiting before we put boots on the ground and expand our view beyond our 1 square mile?
I'm not sure who you spoke to about your question of better connecting, but there's certainly more partnering going on between the Springfield historic district and it's surrounding neighborhoods than CPAC.
To your most recent question: I'm not sure who you mean by "we".
Instead of just implying it is happening, why not tell us what you know ...the who, what, and where of it?
Time seems not generous, and nor is the state of mind to engage our problem. However, I offer the below ideas for a temporary input, and will continue soon.
The journey we speak of will end when we have achieved core vibrancy and infill. If anyone contemplates the question as to why we should strive for vibrancy and infill, one might consider the image of a house deteriorated with neglect, with a yard left unkempt with trash upon it. A well kept house and yard assumes the existence of order, of caring, of concern, of reasonable economic comfort for the residents, and ... unless there is an opposing reality within ... of love ... presenting a scene of balance and beauty for those within, and for those passing by.
As expressed earlier, the fact of our failure to proceed along our journey to destination implies the existence of a problem ... a somewhat complex problem. Those remembering certain seemingly complex physics problems will recall that progress to solution could be achieved only via a structured approach ... first identifying the essence of a solution ... then a separation of the significant factors from the insignificant ... relating each to each, and slowing forming a logical path to solution ... arriving at an equation, which is actually, in our scenario, a structured plan of action.
Therefore, we might begin by clarifying the essence of a solution to the problem before us ... regarding the journey to true core vibrancy and infill.
Of all the attributes and characteristics that one might expect in a vibrant core, no single aspect can exceed in importance the existence of a respectably high "permanent population" in the core, in the form of residents, workers, and visitors. In fact, genuine core vibrancy cannot possibly exist without this permanent population. Sounds too simple. However, to ignore this component -- which is actually the component to which all other factors and aspects are related -- is to be foolish, and would perpetuate our relative meandering along the journey. Although temporary "people" drawn into the core via events is necessary as in interim method of providing interest and energy in the core ... and will actually form a part of true vibrancy eventually ... we cannot allow this temporary population to offer too generous a satisfaction as to progress toward true core vibrancy.
The permanent population implies of course that permanent "businesses" have been drawn into the core, along with interesting nightlife; with the visitors and tourists following.
Therefore, if it is true that little of consequence can happen toward genuine core vibrancy without the infusion of a population of "permanent" residents and workers etc, we might wonder what most influences any increases or decreases in this permanent population. All focus ... all decisions, to varying degrees, must address the goal of increasing the permanent core population.
Permanent creature infusions into the core are facilitated and persuaded, and sometimes dissuaded, by natural mechanisms stabilized within infrastructure and policies -- offering positives to entice and negatives to deter human decisions to permanently engage the core.
These natural mechanisms of positives and negatives function 24 hours per day, every day of the year, and as a consequence, greatly impact the decisions of potential residents and investors to engage or to avoid the core.
Besides the impact upon potential core residents/entrepreneurs of a set of mechanisms or conditions evolved from the natural consequences of a population attempting to make a living in the core, there are the "profound projects" generated by moneyed and determined investors to "force" an impact upon the core ... projects such as the Trio, the Landing, the Shipyards, the Sports Complex, and even visionary efforts from taxpayer based projects such as mass transit. These processes of both "force" and "enticement" are necessary to ensure respectable progress toward the goal of full vibrancy and infill. Of course the profound projects often involve "risks" to those attempting them.
Must get to work. The above might be somewhat askew from a perfect post, but I don't have time to polish. Can't wait to talk about the next phase in the process of arriving at a formula ... which should offer the much needed structure affecting decisions and action.
Sierra Delta, thank you your patience regarding my slow responses to our conversation ... although I've improved my awareness of the core issues by reading many of the earlier articles, and the posts by you and others, I move along with some naivety, and therefore error. But my focus is about process to action ... an attempt introduce clarity to the problem, with possible clues as to viable structure of solution.
I realize that my thinking aloud approach is somewhat tedious ... perhaps boring and repetitive, but this method of discussion might stress the importance of form and structure, and perhaps improve focus upon certain realities that "must" be addressed if progress along the journey to core vibrancy and infill is to be accelerated.
The previous post suggests two important components; one being the expensive and risky "profound projects", and the other being the accumulated natural mechanisms stabilized within infrastructure and policies. In the first ... called "profound projects" ... the heavy investors engage their own visions, making decisions to act according to risks and potential rewards. Although the powers-that-be can encourage and invite these important individuals into the core, we must be prepared to wait for the brave and moneyed to jump into it.
It is the second component that, in my view, is the most important to us at this point, as it involves the shaping of the infrastructure and policies within the core so that the scenario offers, through time, a greater number of "positives", and fewer "negatives"; thereby enticing, encouraging, and allowing potential residents, entrepreneurs, businesses, and visitors to engage the core. Of course this scenario offers the same invitations to the potential "profound project" heavy infestors.
If we were to imagine that, on the left side of an equation, is placed the goal of vibrancy, with its essence of a high permanent population, then we might imagine on the right, factors and components that can either act as positives or negatives, thus increasing or decreasing the magnitude on left .... the essence of the goal. This brings us to the profound realization that all we must do, in order to achieve our goal of vibrancy and infill as represented by the magnitude on the left, is to manipulate the variables on the right.
Must get to work. We are getting close to discussing the factors most profoundly affecting the left side of the equation. Some are related to each other, rising and falling according to dynamics berween. I would like to introduce the perhaps dozen related factors, but reduce them to six or so as a consequence of bundling two or three together, simply because they are so intertwined, and are in reality only "one' issue.
For example, and I pick this item for no particular reason, if one major factor is that of proper, effective, and efficient use of each block in the core; that is, so that each block supports maximum use of real estate in regards to maintaining a reasonably high "population" upon it throughout each day of the year -- then we might look at the existence of, and the future of, the First Baptist Church in the core -- not that I wish to, or expect to, affect the future of the FBC.
Although the above comment is potentially rather offensive to certain entities, I might remind the reader that my intention is of be objective, giving attention to what I consider to be crucial and unavoidable factors as related to the goal of revitalization. There is much to be said about the dynamics involving the FBC -- its origin, the original need for this church in the core, the great accomplishments of the church through its existence. In any case, I look forward to clarification of the above words regarding the FBC, and invite any responders to be patient. Even though I am an atheist, I intend to convince any reader that my words about the FBC are related not to religion, but to the goal of revitalization, and therefore, to the goal of a better quality of life for all citizens of our city.
Again, I must get to work. Be back soon.
Quote from: stephendare on January 03, 2016, 11:45:23 AM
I think in many ways I agree with your points Ron.
Nothing has been addressed to the causes of downtown's decay, nor has there been any acknowledgement of or interest in the question of why previous attempts at revitalization failed.
The larger ethos of cities and land use---the one driven slowly and relentlessly by economy, federal spending and technology, is generally driving people back towards the cores of cities. But Jville hasn't looked into which of its policies are still forcing suburban sprawl, so while we will continue to see the larger trend back towards the cores, we will experience it even slower and less well articulated unless we make a few changes.
Likewise we are still trying to force a complex self organizing system to materialize at the behest of a few, under qualified people, instead of allowing it to happen naturally. A panel of 12 people simply do not have the organizing capacity to control or even establish something as complex as an organic self organized urban economy.
Also, (and this is partially because of the age of the people attempting to decide the future) absolutely no one downtown is incorporating the importance of technology into the future. Most of the panels are composed of people in their fifties and sixties, with the younger members being in their forties. Very few of them even understand how modern communications and social networking actually work, much less the working of internet connections, or the transmission of data.
I don't think there is a single person on any of the panels who has even heard of Li Fi, or looked at comparative delivery speeds for data with european cities or even much faster american cities. Its like having EPCOT designed by Jules Verne or CERN designed by a Swiss watchmaker from the 1930s.
If what we are designing for is the future, our design teams are presently trying to correct the failures to design for the ideal version of 1990 (as seen from 1970). Two different notions with predictably wide difference in outcomes.
Some progress is being made, especially in the realm of returning some sense of ownership of the core back to the artistically creative class, and that is a good thing.
But if we want a vibrant future, youth ownership of the core is vital in several other areas as well. Most of them tech enabled. The creative engineers, the best of our budding entrepreneurs, the most forward thinking of our tradesmen must also find the infrastructure and welcome that they need to thrive in the urban core.
Presently they are still being penalized, and both economic and technological reasons keep them in the business villages of the south side.
Penalized parking, penalized in digital infrastructure, and penalized in terms of building inventory and red tape to open downtown or in the core.
But as I mentioned earlier, these things are easily fixed, its just that the prism through which we view our problems and opportunities has been broken for a few decades.
Well said SD. I agree. I intend to expand on some of your points. For the time being, given that I am less familiar with social media and the Internet aspects of high tech ... I will focus on other factors as related to the core situation.
You've said SD (Stephen)... "But Jville hasn't looked into which of its policies are still forcing suburban sprawl, so while we will continue to see the larger trend back towards the cores, we will experience it even slower and less well articulated unless we make a few changes." We "must" make the necessary and significant changes.
Although the equation analogy introduced earlier might prove interesting ... and it would be fun to create an actual mathematical formula relating all factors ... it would be tedious. Therefore, I suggest a more efficient path to clarity about the journey by proceeding with the simple analogy of "positives" and "negatives" ... actions, policies, or conditions that either facilitate or impede.
The following -- and I invite offers of elimination, addition, or revision -- are my suggestions of primary issues or aspects affecting the journey, followed by the particulars affecting each.
First, a little review. If we ... those having interest in, and set with the responsibility for, core revitalization ... are convinced that revitalization (the achievement of genuine vibrancy and infill in the core) has, for at least two decades, been possible, and is possible now, then we can comfortably assume "we" have failed. We cannot rest our minds any longer by blaming the economy. We cannot blame anything but ourselves. The realization that "we" are at fault, and ultimately responsible, should be quite fun for most of us, as most humans love solving somewhat difficult problems. Additionally, I suggest that we are set to confront not merely a problem, but, in some aspects, more of a predicament. Predicaments imply entrenched, long standing, infrastructures, both in mindset and in physical attributes. The nature of predicaments contain the reality that they offer fewer options to solution. Therefore, any possible options for the predicaments must be sought with diligence, held as valuable, and when possible and appropriate, surely acted upon.
(This manner of thinking aloud, giving perhaps the presumption that I actually know what I am talking about, is only the consequence of ... well, I must admit that I cannot remain silent on ideas affecting certain problems, and I can think only in certain ways. Therefore, please pardon any perceived bold assumption via my words that I offer much in the way of truth or value. My inclination to think in a simple manner is an attribute of what I call "thinking out loud" and is not meant to talk down to anyone; that is, I assume that most of you already know what I'm talking about. Many of you know so much more about the issues than I do.)
Because the issue of revitalization involves complexities greater than first expected, my posts will be arriving at various times, offering suggestions according to state of mind and time available.
The first of the factors affecting the "problem" is FREEDOM: The idea of freedom, and its influence upon the dynamics of a core seeking vibrancy and infill is so pervasive that I shall begin with this factor ... realizing that within it lies other factors that can be covered in detail later.
If we assume there exists a population of individuals who have the dreams, the resources, and the abilities to move into the core as residents, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investor/renovators; and if we acknowledge that they are not doing so ... given the evidence over some decades ... then we might inquire as to why not; that is, why they choose other options.
The critical energy sought and needed, lies within the individual. A motivated individual desiring to enter, invest in, and encourage core vibrancy is much like the oil upon a table attempting travel to the opposite edge (vibrancy). Even though the table is slightly tilted in favor of the oil, a lack of favorable infrastructure, or excessive obstacles or restrictions will slow or block its progress. And even with an improved tilt, a very slight opposing breeze can prevent the oil's progress. A negative effect of cold ambient, causing high viscosity, will overcome the positive effect of greater tilt, resulting in no movement to goal. The point is that, as SD has suggested above, unless significant and specific changes are made, the oil will sit unmoved for years, never completing its journey.
One might ask ... freedom for whom ... and from what? Freedom "for" any entity, individual, or group attempting to make the journey, and freedom "from" any infrastructural condition, policy, legislation, group, or bureaucrat set to obstruct it.
The few projects I've attempted in the core have been met with an overall good experience. The professionalism and expertise of the team in the Ed Ball building has been impressive. Only rarely has the occasional inexperienced bureaucrat, feeling his or her momentary and subtle power, and perhaps ignorance, successfully obstructed unreasonably. Fortunately, in most cases, his or her superior intervened with that most rare attribute called common sense, forcing a focus on getting the job done. Praise one of the gods.
As a general objective, if we are to acknowledge the goal of a greatly increased population in the core then we might encourage a certain mood of freedom within the various agencies ... within the entire governmental environment, encouraging all departments and bureaucrats involved with zoning, permitting, building codes ... in fact, all individuals potentially affecting progress ... to be firm regarding safety, engineering, and other important issues ... but to be reasonable .... facilitating when possible ... and avoiding the tendency to obstruct simply because obstruction is possible. Because it is impossible to establish perfect regulations and laws to achieve safety, aesthetics, and facility, we should remember our ultimate goal is to move forward, and to be wary of potential damage to real progress via blind adherence to the letter of the law or regulation.
In the Soviet Union, during the Stalinist times of the 30's and 40's ... anyone who delayed, obstructed, or sabotaged process or machinery, or any industrial effort, was called a "wrecker". Once convicted or accused of being a "wrecker", the individual was either sent to a work camp or, if they were lucky, executed. :D
While the zoning, permitting, inspections etc can obviously affect "freedom", the following less obvious issues or conditions ... we might call them infrastructural ... can also restrict the freedom of anyone, or any business, from engaging the core efficiently, or at all. Deficient or ultimately obstructive infrastructural conditions ... streets, buildings, moods, attitudes, regulations, or monuments, can form formidable obstacles to progress, and because they represent entrenched, permanent entities, they should be considered predicaments instead of problems. As mentioned above, predicaments offer fewer options than mere problems. Predicaments, because they are more formidable obstructions to change, often create moods of toleration and acceptance, or even defeat, until drastic measures or actions remove them.
One particular infrastructural freedom issue relates to the ratio, within the core, of city blocks that are inviting and facilitating to residents and businesses -- as compared to those that are not; that is, those that offer no opportunity to increase the population in the core every day of the week, all day, and into the evening.
If we are to suggest that the north core is limited on the south by the river, on the north by Union, on the east by Liberty street, on the west by Jefferson Street, we might have about 110 city blocks within. As the ratio of city blocks thought to be relatively useless for the promotion of all-day, every day vibrancy via a permanent population, drifts in the direction preventing vibrancy, then the predicament becomes more formidable, and might offer a slight glimpse into one part of the essence of our failure to move at a reasonable pace toward vibrancy and infill.
The various local and federal courthouses, sheriff / jail compounds, JEA, the various other municipal buildings ... in fact, any city blocks failing to promote continual population intensity ... negatively affect the ratio ... prevent true vibrancy, and therefore make the predicament more entrenched and difficult.
Although according to some descriptions one might consider the jail and the sheriff's office compounds, and even the First Baptist Church, to be slightly out of the core, they are, for all practical purposes, in it ... increasingly so, if and when core vibrancy begins to spread outward.
(Will proceed soon ... sorry about the rambling .. must get to work this morning)
Where are we? Oh ....
What other factors affect core progress? What about parking, parking tickets, mass transit, the homeless, the vagrant, the fugitive, and the unemployed populations? And what are the societal consequences of our arrogant, unfair, and unjust "justice" system? Is there true leadership in our local government and in our justice system? What about traffic congestion, smart signals, the dearth of business friendly sidewalks?
Positives and Negatives !! A "core" offers, at any moment in time, a large and complex set of attributes or characteristics, ranging from infrastructure to regulations ... to cultural events, moods and attitudes -- some acting as positives, some as negatives -- to potential residents, entrepreneurs, businesses, investors, and visitors. The point is that the sum of these positives and negatives ultimately determine progress toward the goal of core vibrancy. Only when positives are increased so as to overcome negatives by a good margin will the resultant attractiveness allow significant movement on the journey to true vibrancy and infill. Anyone not understanding this is either a fool, or too comfortably enjoying the status quo to gather the interest to think about it.
Excessive comfort, obsession with money or power, too often breeds a mind not apt to think critically about important issues ... and if they do show signs of thinking, they engage only half of an issue's aspects, with the inevitable flawed conclusions. And when these incompetent individuals are in the "justice" system, it usually results in the abuse of, or the destruction of, the lives of the most vulnerable in society. Anyone who thinks that certain segments or individuals in our justice system, by allowing abuse and unfairness, are not partly responsible for our inability to move toward vibrancy should reconsider this dynamic.
Thank goodness for the individuals in our local environment who do have the ability to think critically about all aspects of issues, but they are overcome by those who cannot. What, in our local environment allows or encourages the accumulation, within the various agencies and governmental power structures, of this unfortunate population of individuals who, via complacency or excessive comfort ... or obsession with a temporary power ... cannot perceive essential realities regarding our core issue?
Must get with some customers .. shall return soon.
Thanks Stephen. :)
Core Positives and Negatives?? Given that the courthouse, the jail, and the sheriff's compound are in the city core, and if our objective is to increase core positives, we might inquire as to what these structures add to, or detract from, the city core. Of course, they are where they are, so no matter whether we view them as symbols of justice or injustice, we must endure the predicament of their presence, even though they don't actually do what our ideal city blocks should do, which is to provide sidewalk vibrancy by way of a high population of "people" in the core .. every day, all day, and into the night.
If evidence persuades us, or educates us, to the opinion that these structures increasingly represent symbols of injustice, we can either accept and endure the predicament, while thousands continue to suffer the ruinous consequences of such an abusive system, or we can seek change within the structures so as to bring relief to those who suffer most by the predicament.
My rather poor opinion of our local "justice" system is shaped by recent evidence related to three victims of the system. My opinion is not a consequence of any actions against me personally. The point is that I have, without seeking, been made aware of distinct and separate incidents wherein three individuals ... good decent citizens, two white and one black ... each attempting to work and survive in our city, were ruined ... set back years financially ... by our indifferent, arrogant, and abusive local "justice" system. The most recent incident involves a black man who was arrested several days ago .. released after payment of bail.
The system, specifically the state attorney's office, is attempting to ruin this man by placing unreasonable charges and maximum bail. Even with the minor infringements, one attorney said that, normally the cost would be $10,000, but he would take care of it for $6,000. I suggested that the attorney was a vulture ... a thief ..., seeking to put a man in debt for several years so that he could buy better whores and more drugs. In any case, we did not seek this particular thief's services ... who, by the way, was referred by another attorney, who perhaps did not have the stomach to contribute to the further ruining of this poor fellow -- who is basically a decent and hardworking individual.
The point is that if I discover, without effort, three instances of abuse and indifference perpetrated by our "justice" system, I wonder about how many other individuals have unnecessarily suffered ruinous consequences after having been caught up in the "system". Our "justice" system is apparently rigged to financially benefit a population of individuals comfortably enjoying its ongoing arrogance and abuse ... individuals enjoying the exercise of the powers given by the mechanisms of the system.
I want to stress that I know individuals within the sheriff's office, the department of corrections, the state attorney's office, the law profession, and even an assortment of judges ... who are the finest professionals one could ask for ... each exhibiting levels of integrity, ability, dedication, and honesty well above what one would expect. Dale Carson is one of the few professionals who is concerned, competent, and quite effective in solutions, while also being very reasonable in fees. A rarity in my view.
However, anyone who dares to think about it should know by now that within any system not having the benefit of strong, knowledgeable, and concerned leadership, there can evolve within it a population of workers and bureaucrats who, by surrendering to the most addictive and appalling of human habits of indifference and abusive inclinations, can cause extreme and undeserving hardships to the most vulnerable in our society ... those who've unfortunately come under their charge.
Must get to work ... will continue with this very interesting subject on issues affecting the journey of our city core. Apologize for my interrupted stuff. Will be back soon to clarify what is not already clear ... hopefully.
Well ... I'm not getting much feedback or conversation on this thread. Oh well .... my own fault. Makes sense .... I've always known ... I sorta suffer mentally.
Meanwhile .. onward ... to our journey to core vibrancy.
Where were we? Oh ... I was beginning to attempt relating things like whether the "legal" structures ... the jail, the courthouses, the sheriff's compound, and the state attorney's office (prosecutor's offices too?) ... all existing in our core, are symbols of justice, or symbols of injustice. I suggest that most thinking humans, if they were to be informed of the realities of our local justice system ... if they were to know of the realities of cases of abuse and indifference in our justice system, they would be concerned -- and therefore they might view these core structures as lacking as symbols of justice -- unless of course they are too comfortable .. perhaps profiting from their part in the system to even think about the issue.
Who am I to make the suggestion that the system too often serves not justice, but injustice? Why should any of us be concerned ... especially when we have not suffered personally? Perhaps those of us who sit comfortably distant from it should simply let the arrogance, the indifference to justice, and the abuse continue. But how can we, the comfortable citizen, watch from afar as some of the vulnerable ... and our community and core as a whole ...suffer the ruinuouse consequences of a system favoring the moneyed and connected, while ensuring an already underprivileged, struggling to survive, is perpetually forced to struggle. The connected and wealthy, if they find themselves fleetingly engaging the system on the wrong side, usually avoid the usual incarceration for weeks, months, or years ... as the system "works". However the economically vulnerable are made more vulnerable as they become trapped in a system forcing long jail stays while waiting ... losing whatever job and properties they might have had.
I suspect that the occasional evidences and rumors of injustice, indifference, and abuse I've encountered would be supported and confirmed if the jail had glass walls and video/sound cameras throughout ... if the "system" allowed convenient visits to those incarcerated, and easy access to all records ... if all court conversations were recorded or available in complete transcript. Further confirmation would exist if all communication of anyone engaged in cases -- police, prosecutors, attorneys, judges etc ... that is, email, phone, office voice recordings, and written ... was offered for all interested citizens to see, both those incarcerated, and those still free.
The system workers hide their destructive and reprehensible behavior behind walls of secrecy and privilege as they financially impair the vulnerable, who attempt to rise ... to recover from past mistakes ... or simply to escape from abominable conditions set by race, color, or predicament of birth .. a vulnerable held back and ultimately destroyed by a system run by arrogant, insensitive, and abusive bureaucrats who've gravitated to their positions because they already possessed the mental inclinations to abuse, control, and destroy those less favored by societal conditions.
Once again, I must say that I personally know fine, intelligent, competent, and concerned individuals in our law enforcement and our justice system...individuals sensitive to the welfare of those caught up in the system. These competent and concerned individuals attempt to assist and save the vulnerable from the actions of the abusers and the incompetents. The problem ... as with imbalances in any organization ... is that the good offered by these individuals is too often overcome by the destructive and abusive actions of a stabilized population of incompetents.
If justice is to be, many of the individuals who've contributed the most to reduce and hold our "justice" system to one of "injustice" would themselves be held accountable ... would be charged, prosecuted, and held in jail for perhaps one year so as to improve their perceptions of reality. Discomfort seems to encourage critical thinking and sensitivity to the welfare of others.
An interesting experiment would be to buy a full page ad in the TU, and one in Folio, requesting all citizens who've endured foul play or abuse to themselves, relatives or friends ... as a consequence of some "engagement" with the police, with the department of corrections (jail), the prosecutors office, attorneys, or judges ... to come forward and offer a full written report of same. I would expect a huge response from the citizenry ... so much so that a small group would have to sort through and organize all the reports.
But in this imaginary solution there would be no charges or court sessions, as in the usual sense, because the current habits and procedures are too entrenched in secrecy, indifference, and the profit motive, to allow fairness or justice. The road to justice would begin by first clearly documenting, for all to see ... via the citizen's reports ... each of the cases seeming to have the most validity.
Then, and this would be interesting, the employee of the "justice" system, accused of excessive arrogance, of indifference, of abuse, and ultimately of destroying the chances of real justice, would be encouraged to meet with the citizen affected, along with other citizens, so that the victim could freely confront them, without being silenced by arrogance or absurd rules, by a judge, or anyone else. During the questioning, there might emerge, if the facts support it, clear evidence of abuse and injustice ... clear wrongdoing on the part of the individual employee of the justice system.
But, there is hope, as these structures of "justice" occupying our core, not being easily removed from it, can be changed to symbols of justice, if we are to give proper attention to, and seek the removal of, the mechanisms allowing for the abusive, unfair, and somewhat corrupt nature of these institutions, which exert a greater assortment of negatives to our core, and to our city, than most might realize.
I am not too familiar with the legal system, and really don't have time to be. I am also not familiar with how to make a good soup ... but I know a bad soup when I taste it. I suspect that I am joined by others in the opinion that our local justice system has evolved to one of the most oppressive, arrogant, and abusive systems one can contrive, destroying the lives of the vulnerable who get remotely close to it ... even for the most innocuous reasons.
Sorry about the repetitions. Must get to work. No time to polish. Will return soon with some ideas shaped to solutions ... which concern leadership in the various agencies and offices. The leadership is ultimately responsible for the descent to arrogance and abuse. Leadership sets the tone, and allows the evolution and stability of abusive conditions. I will suggest why the use of keywords and phrases such as "fighting crime" ... and "hard on crime" ... "making the streets safe for the citizen" ... etc ... are all balloons of emotion .... properly fitting the shallow minds in most campaigns, but ultimately allowing for erroneous decisions regarding the achievement of true justice. As everyone knows, as emotions rise, accurate thinking descends ... the ability to perceive all aspects of issues is thwarted. Must run to work.
Onward to discussing factors affecting progress to revitalization. Where were we ... Oh ... about increasing positives and decreasing negatives in the core.
Any system or organization, without strong, principled, and persistent leadership tends to evolve downward, to levels at least unsatisfactory, if not shameful ... shaped by the least desirable of human tendencies. Left alone, the unprincipled bureaucrat (attorneys, officials, prosecutors, etc) especially those of mediocre intellect, and/or held stupid by greed and/or excessive drugs and alcohol, will tend to obstruct progress, avoid fairness and justice, and abuse the unfortunate victims affected by their decisions or indifference.
Only strong and persistent leadership from a principled top dog ... or top cat (female of the species) ... can, by example and instruction, encourage and enforce principled and proper decisions affecting the individuals who've engaged the "justice" system. The failure of any system, agency, or organization, is the fault of leadership, especially so if the "leader" has been in power for more than a year or two. No other opinion survives close scrutiny. Vote the incompetent individuals out, or appoint new ones.
The mediocre bureaucrat ... either leader or typical worker ... usually confronts criticism by shifting blame to fellow bureaucrats, or to the victims over which they hold temporary power ... thus perpetuating the existence of a system wrought by ignorance, abuse, and oppression.
So that the reader might avoid the opinion that I imagine the abuse perpetrated by the mental mediocrities within our local "justice" system, I offer the following recent evidence of local abuse and greed.
An individual, a white male of the species, through some kind of sex offense charge about eight or ten years ago, was put on eight years of probation. I don't know the specifics. He was also required to attend counseling for the entire time.
About last November, four months before his probation was to end (March), his probation officer, a black female of the species, put a violation on him unnecessarily, without good cause ... frivolously. He was arrested, held without the possibility of bail for about six or seven weeks. He lost his job, as his employer had to hire a replacement quickly so as to engage tasks formerly covered by him. He had to pay $2,500, which he didn't have, to an attorney to represent him.
When the court event arrived, the judge saw the ridiculous nature of the probation officer's decision, and simply threw it out. If the violation had been real, his probation could have been extended, which apparently is what the PO wanted.
He had been required to visit and pay for a counselor for the entire eight years of probation. Currently the probation officer says that she will violate his probation again if he does not, within several days, supply a document showing that he has completed assigned counseling. The counselor, also a female of the species, says that she will not provide one. Why? Don't know. Does she hope that he will be violated, thereby possibly extending her student's payments for a year or two more? Greed? This fellow, a good man, has been hindered in finding a job during all of these years, finally found a decent one, was working hard, and the arrogant and abusive PO acted to ruin his life further by fabricating a non-existent scenario. Imaginations and assumptions within this incompetent allowed her to violate this man's probation, forcing a six or seven week stay in jail. And after the judge threw it out, she does not have to answer to anyone. The point is ... How many of these instances of abuse of power occur? How many lives are ruined by this indifference and abuse by mentally warped bureaucrats? I suspect many ... of various types and degrees ... all preventable with proper leadership. Any leader or department head, who allows this kind of individual to serve the citizen under his or her watch, does not deserve to be in a leadership position. Vote the incompetent out. If I had been king or queen of the agency or office within which idiots like this PO worked, and if I had discovered the above event, I would have this idiot up against the wall ... answering questions like ... "What is your purpose sir .. or Ms? What are you here for? Are you here to apply fairness and justice ... to attempt to improve society, or to destroy it, and the occasional citizen?
Strong, effective, and principled leadership requires ... forgive me ... a reasonably high level of intellect. Surprised? Why is this so? Well . first of all, the top dog or cat must be able to distinguish between the emotionally charged goals of "fighting crime", "making the streets safe", "saving our children", and "being hard on crime" .... and the most important goal ... which is "justice".
The primary goal is "not" to fight crime, to be hard on crime, to make the streets safe, or to save the children. The goal is "justice" ... which, if properly achieved, would accomplish all of the above. The greater intellect in leadership would allow the following perception -- when we seek and achieve "justice" as the primary goal, we accomplish all the emotionally tainted goals shouted out in campaigns.
I don't know the structure of the state attorney's office, and how it relates to the prosecutor's office or the probation program. However, surely, within the structures, there is an individual positioned at the helm ... in leadership, held responsible for all decisions and actions below. This individual is ultimately at fault in our local system, as he or she has certainly failed to rise to the challenge set by he goal of justice. This individual ... apparently as a consequence of lacking that rare combination of common sense and intellect, is limited to perceiving only perhaps 60% of a total scenario. This limitation allows one to be excessively impressed by the emotionally charged phrases like "fighting crime", "fighting drugs" etc. As emotions rise, rational thinking descends.
By some set of dynamics in campaigning, with its emotional hoopla of "fighting crime etc", intellectual mediocrities too often are elected to important positions in our "justice" system. And these mediocrities continue tenure, unfortunately doing great harm to the lives of citizens who've become trapped in the "justice" system. These elected mediocrities do great harm as they grossly obstruct real justice ... all the while allowing system bureaucrats to destroy the efforts of affected citizens to rise to productive levels in our local society.
It appears that the leadership has no clue, and apparently little concern, about the decisions and actions of those over whom they reign. It is more likely that the leadership "knows" what is going on, but their lack the mental equipment allows them to actually believe that "all is good". Shameful. Vote the incompetent out.
I want to continue on this track before continuing on to other aspects of the effort to bring true vibrancy to the core. There is more to be said about the "justice" system however. I have some more specific scenarios of abuse to offer. ... must run to work.
My god (lots out there .... pick one) ... I just read over my recent posts and found that I have bounced here to there on the core problem. A summary for better focus.
True revitalization will have occurred only when core population has increased to a point wherein a natural energy provides a vibrancy nobody can ignore or restrain. Little else matters other than the number of "people" living and working in the core. Event visitors, although important for the overall process, are secondary as compared to "permanent" people.
We must prepare the infrastructure to encourage and allow "permanent occupiers" in the form of residents, workers, investor/renovators, entrepreneurs, businesses etc.
Individuals having a passioned purpose is the key ... those having the dreams, the abilities, and the resources. Connecting with and facilitating the individual is crucial. Of all the above factors, only the "facilitating" factor is within the control of any powers in our city. The "connecting" factor exists, but is of lesser importance. Massaging the facilitating factor by increasing infrastructural attractiveness, by ensuring freedom ... and removing obstructions, and in general increasing any positives and decreasing negatives will assist an easier process for potential residents, entrepreneurs, workers, and businesses.
I digress to describe an unfortunate situation of about two years ago to illustrate another event wherein "justice" was almost thwarted by a manipulative attorney ... working the "justice" system.
One of my employees was in an auto crash which totalled her auto. The driver of the other vehicle caused the crash. She was shaken up, and although a little sore, began to wonder about the possibility of long term injury, knowing that at some point she must sign some kind liability release. I suggested an x-ray etc .. and time, to ensure complete normalcy. Soon however, perhaps encouraged by a friend, an attorney visited her place of work to discuss the potential problem of having to attempt proper financial recovery for any damages exceeding the cost of the auto.
In any case, an attorney arrived, and they sat at a table to talk. She asked that I listen in. I did so ... listening ... asking few questions. I began to perceive however his purpose. This attorney, over many minutes, began to urge her to fabricate, to fake it, to lie ... so as to build a case of injury, even though there was absolutely no evidence of any. To me, the sensible thing would be to seek, via medical checks, any evidence of injury, and wait a few weeks to determine if there was in fact injury. But this fellow encouraged her to lie ... to deceive ... to fake an injury.
Once I determined his motive, I stood up and said something like .... "I wouldn't do a fucking thing with this fellow." I walked away. She then ended her effort to obtain "advice" from this fellow, who, as I recall, worked for Morgan and Morgan. I don't wish to trash Morgan and Morgan, as I've heard some excellent feedback from individuals obtaining their services. Every profession, every company, has its scoundrels to drag society downward. This particular viper, apparently pulled from the bottom of their pits and sent to "assist" my employee was set to inject his poisons into the mix ... lies, fabrications, and distortions ... all for his own profit ... nothing for honesty or justice. If his attempt had been successful, who would have suffered the consequences in the end ... after he walked off with a handsome "percentage" of whatever the insurance company was forced to pay?
Of course it would have been the average Joe in society who has to pay the increased premiums. It would have been the client, who would have had to accept the process of lying for money. It would have been society in general for having one more case of fraud and greed upon it. And the attorney profits on this kind of thing so as to buy another home, a Porsche, or better drugs.
We witness herein a microcosm of the shift of wealth from the average Joe and Josephine to professionals positioned to financially rape citizens of the middle and lower classes. The point is that this event illustrates the degree to which the occasional attorney has allowed our system of "justice" to descend to lies and thievery ... to total indifference to the goal of justice. Doesn't the law "profession" have some kind of association that watches over the behavior and ethics of attorneys? If there is such an association, please encourage them to take a closer look at what some of their associates are doing in the name of "professional" assistance to the citizen.
What does the above have to do with core revitalization? Look at the number of buildings in the core involved in the "justice" system. We are talking about attorneys ... defense, prosecuting, judges etc., and how these individuals have the responsibility to, and the ability to, ensure that our current core structures housing the "justice" system, are forced to be maintained as systems of justice and integrity.
A reminder that I know many fine attorneys on both sides of the fence ... attorneys of impeccable ethics and abilities. We need more of these ... and less of the scoundrels.
Here I go again ... my short time this morning absorbed with the "justice" system. I will talk with my counselor about problem. Must get to work.
Next post ....onward to the goal of revitalization.
The wild animal ... wandering ... searching for a place to live and hunt in nature, must accept a new environment it cannot change. The animal measures and compares ... perceiving positives and negatives, and either remains to live and hunt, or travels to the next forest, jungle or savannah to seek better amenities such as food, hunting opportunities, shelter, social interaction, sex ... seeking not only less danger from formidable carnivores, but also less interaction with humans, the animal exhibiting the most cruel, irrational, and destructive behavior of all animals. And if the animal was inclined to the gay or lesbian style ... the search would include a community having an ARO.
Sound familiar? The human animal also compares cities, the suburbs and city cores, for the best amenities for survival. However, whereas the powerful and relentless ... and sometimes gentle ... forces of nature, shapes forests or savannahs to stable and balanced environments, providing the best environment for the various animals shaped for it, a city core is void of nature's benevolent pressures to evolve to optimum conditions for those seeking to live and hunt within. There are very few natural forces, descended from the pressures of nature, benevolent to optimum change within a city core -- no natural force to encourage an evolution toward amenities that ultimately invite and encourage a population of humans to desire working, investing, and living within it.
In the core, the reliable and beneficial forces of nature have been replaced by human decisions too often shaped by a general ignorance ... shaped by overly generous portions of stupidity ... shaped by a passion for wealth at any cost to society ... shaped by self serving motives limited to the next day's profits in money, prestige, and power ... shaped by an indifference to the ideal of justice for all inhabitants within the city ... shaped by the irrational, as offered by excessive impressions emanating from the religious establishment.
Just as the animal avoids investing time and energy in a forest or savannah offering no food in trees or plants, prey on the ground, or shelter in the tree or the earth ... the potential human investor or resident will certainly, of necessity for survival, avoid a city core not offering an infrastructure or set of amenities matching his or her needs.
If the core community does not have the benefit of the forces of nature as it attempts to provide an environment suitable for potential residents and investors, what force can be relied upon to do the job?
Ultimately, given the meandering paths taken by the population in and around the core, and the failure of this population to progress with respectable efficiency toward the achievement of true vibrancy and infill in the core ... even after decades of attention to it ... the rational thinker should realize that the primary cause has been a lack of strong and enlightened "leadership". What is the nature of leadership, and where does it exist?
If we could answer the question posed by the last sentence, we could not only begin to assign blame but, more important, we could begin to determine how best to light some fires under the asses of some who exist too comfortably in their assumption that they are actually doing their job in city hall ... and in the chambers of the business elites.
Of course the attributes of strong and effective leadership emerges, and are held ready, in the mind of the potential leader ... and unless he or she is overwhelmed with the details of the everyday doings of their office or position ... the qualities of it bursts forth unrestrained, making few compromises ... to influence all around, above, and below ... so that they too, might see the best path to the goals set by his or her vision.
As any "vision" approaches a shape and condition wherein it cannot be refuted or improved upon, given all other options ... it becomes close to the truth of the matter in all respects. The truth of it provides a power in the mind of one who possesses it ... a power that gives him or her, the strength, the will, and the ability to overcome all those who oppose it.
Must get to work this morning. Can anybody help me on the problem of the idea of "leadership"? In our current predicament, I can see no other aspect more important than that of leadership. I am convinced that without strong, enlightened, and effective leadership ... nothing will happen ... nothing can happen; that is, regarding the efforts to increase the rate of progress along the road to core vibrancy and infill.
Addendum to above:
Of course, all the rhetoric about revitalization, and about the importance of leadership, is for the most part irrelevant unless we believe that revitalization of the core is possible. If it is possible, and if it has been possible for decades, then we can assume that failure has occurred, and occurs still. Failure of any system to achieve possible and desirable objectives or journeys, can only be a consequence of a failure of leadership ... which in turn, can only be a consequence of a general apathy, preoccupation of a population humored by society's toys, and/or ignorance within the population as a whole ... as it is they who vote for and choose the leadership. Desirable and necessary movement or change within any system, business, environment, or city .... can only be forced and achieved by strong and effective leadership.
Thanks so much for engaging the subject Stephen. I need feedback so as to determine the rate at which my mental condition descends to that of the imbecile or the insane.
Your questions:
Is it the homeless, the criminal and the poor who are the problem?
These groups do exist within the core, so they have a some impact on the "problem". However, you might notice that I don't discuss these entities much, as I consider them to be "consequences", or the fallout, of the real problem ... which consists of conditions allowed to evolve over decades of societal mismanagement by those in positions to power and influence. So ... a short answer to your short question, .... is "No". A more considered answer ... they are only an insignificant part... and actually more of a consequence.
2. Are the businesses and wealthier residents of means the (sole) solution?
I doubt if any one or two entities can provide the sole solution. However, these entities play important parts in process and journey, having the necessary resources of both money and business mechanisms ... and momentum in the business world ... all very necessary to engage any effort to make progress on the journey. The most important solution lies in "leadership", from both the political and the business arenas. So .. the easy short answer is "No".
3) Are people smart enough to make change?
Yes and No. We have a lots of smart people in our local environment. The very fact that we have failed .... that very few relevant changes have occurred over decades to force progress along the journey to genuine core vibrancy should answer this question. Smart people can be quite useless without strong and effective leadership that focuses actions to achieve any goals.
4) Why are some people/criminal justice policies/litigious bastards so fucked up? (SD ... I can't believe you used a four-letter word sir.)
A partial answer prolly (love that word) lies within my recent posts. However, an expansion follows, with an effort to avoid four-letter words. As you might suspect, every organization, agency, company, or department has within it individuals of high integrity who give all their energy to achieve fairness, justice, and the worthy goals set before them. However, within these same organizations, lie a small population of individuals who, by some chance of nature, personal experiences, or abuse in their maturation, possess the most vile of human attributes, and these opportunistic and abusive individuals too often eagerly vent these attributes upon those held captive before them, whether on the street, in the jail cell, the courtroom, in the law office or in prison. I suspect that some individuals, having certain less than admirable attributes, gravitate to jobs that seem "appropriate" for their inclination and need to control and abuse others.
So .... in answer ... the "justice" system is so fucked up because .... here I go again ... of the lack of "leadership". If the sheriff, the head prosecutor ... any of the top dogs in the system, allow continued and unrestrained excessive abuse, and behaviors and actions found to be counter to the achievement of real justice, then the fault in the system lies with these top dogs.
In all the environments wherein the "justice" game is played, from the street, through the law offices of prosecutor or defense, to the courts, and to the cell, and even to the streets following release, reigns too often a mood of arrogance, an attitude that might makes right, the assumption and confidence that power exercised in secret and with collaborators precludes the necessity for concern, honesty, integrity, or justice.
Although I have great respect for most individuals who work hard for fairness in our justice system, I have no respect for our justice system as a whole, and believe that some of those in the system who've been determined to have performed abusively, should be themselves prosecuted for indifference to justice .. for abuse to those caught up in the system, and incarcerated for terms appropriate to their offenses. Perhaps their time in the cell will encourage them to avoid tendencies to abuse those who've been caught up in it for whatever reason, whether valid or not.
It seems, without my trying to make it so, that the theme of "leadership" crops up in my meanderings. I really believe that real progress ... a breakthrough ... waits for the appearance of a profound leader to exert his or her vision and plan of action. We need a local Hitler perhaps ... or an FDR.
Coffee this morning finds me wishing to elaborate on the forest or jungle analogy. For us to continually, year after year, suggest that we need "investors in the core" .... or that we need this or that in the core ... is useless repetitive rhetoric. It's like a jungle inviting monkeys to live among its trees when its trees bear no fruit suitable for monkeys. A monkey thrown into the jungle will starve to death or it will quickly exit, travelling to the jungle offering fruits allowing it to survive. If the jungle wants monkeys living within, then it had better somehow encourage nature to grow trees with the proper fruits for monkeys.
If the jungle has too many tree-climbing carnivores, the monkey will of necessity exit that jungle area, and travel to another ... one offering more "positives" and fewer "negatives". Infrastructure sir Stephen. If the very effective system of nature is the architect, the decision maker, the power behind any changes to a jungle's infrastructure, what or who performs the same tasks in a city core?
As the strong leadership provided by nature ensures the proper infrastructural habitat for a population of animals, the jungle achieves full "vibrancy and infill". Without the proper infrastructural characteristics, there would be very few animals in the jungle. Sound familiar?
If nature provides leadership in the jungle so as to achieve proper infrastructure ... enhancing positives and removing negatives, who or what provides a similar leadership in our city core so that human animals, in the form of residents, investors, workers, will settle within?
We might wonder about the most important infrastructural components that, if allowed or encouraged to exist in the core, would be most effective in providing a more inviting habitat for the human animal.
Just as nothing happens in the jungle without the pressures of nature, nothing can happen in a city core attempting change ... attempting a balance and infrastructure suitable for inhabitants, without strong and effective leadership.
We've witnessed decades of poor leadership. What dynamics encourages this condition ... or prevents the emergence of proper leadership?
Getting to work ... will continue .... sorry about any repetitions.
Quote from: ronchamblin on February 29, 2016, 08:26:05 AM
Coffee this morning finds me wishing to elaborate on the forest or jungle analogy. For us to continually, year after year, suggest that we need "investors in the core" .... or that we need this or that in the core ... is useless repetitive rhetoric. It's like a jungle inviting monkeys to live among its trees when its trees bear no fruit suitable for monkeys. A monkey thrown into the jungle will starve to death or it will quickly exit, travelling to the jungle offering fruits allowing it to survive. If the jungle wants monkeys living within, then it had better somehow encourage nature to grow trees with the proper fruits for monkeys.
If the jungle has too many tree-climbing carnivores, the monkey will of necessity exit that jungle area, and travel to another ... one offering more "positives" and fewer "negatives". Infrastructure sir Stephen. If the very effective system of nature is the architect, the decision maker, the power behind any changes to a jungle's infrastructure, what or who performs the same tasks in a city core?
As the strong leadership provided by nature ensures the proper infrastructural habitat for a population of animals, the jungle achieves full "vibrancy and infill". Without the proper infrastructural characteristics, there would be very few animals in the jungle. Sound familiar?
If nature provides leadership in the jungle so as to achieve proper infrastructure ... enhancing positives and removing negatives, who or what provides a similar leadership in our city core so that human animals, in the form of residents, investors, workers, will settle within?
We might wonder about the most important infrastructural components that, if allowed or encouraged to exist in the core, would be most effective in providing a more inviting habitat for the human animal.
Just as nothing happens in the jungle without the pressures of nature, nothing can happen in a city core attempting change ... attempting a balance and infrastructure suitable for inhabitants, without strong and effective leadership.
We've witnessed decades of poor leadership. What dynamics encourages this condition ... or prevents the emergence of proper leadership?
Getting to work ... will continue .... sorry about any repetitions.
Perhaps, what downtown needs is the kind of monkeys who will be willing to tough it out and live in a jungle with few resources. The kind of monkeys who won't be put off by having to travel a ways to get a banana. Then, over time, fruit will start to migrate to the jungle, as there will be a small, but burgeoning, population of monkeys. Over time, the fruit options will start to increase in number - and other, less adventurous, monkeys from outside the jungle will start to admire the community in the jungle and will move there. The price of trees will eventually go up and the original monkeys will be displaced, of course. But it happens. Just look at Riverside.
Actually Sierra Delta, after I responded with what I thought was desired answers, I realized what you had asked, which was of course whether your summaries were close to what I had offered. So ... yes, for the most part, your summary was right on .. although I must admit that it seems difficult to summarize.
Adam Whiskey (oops .. Alpha Whiskey) ... I enjoyed your analysis, and will respond prolly tomorrow during coffee, as I must now attack the work load today.
Alpha W ... seems to me that what you describe is basically what has stabilized within the core over recent years. This stabilized, subdued, momentum does not provide enough energy for a sufficient rate of movement to vibrancy ... and certainly not the sought after threshold, after which there will be no need for expenditure of city or state tax revenue in the core to boost progress along the journey.
Sure .. there are a few monkeys who, possessing certain characteristics, can live and work in the jungle ....er.... city core. The problem is that our core lacks the ability ,,, or infrastructure ... to attract enough monkeys. Only some, with perhaps unique qualities and needs, can survive in the core jungle.
I presume most concerned citizens are set with the opinion that we are not satisfied with our relatively desolate core ... as compared to what it was and, as suggested by Sierra Delta, as compared to what is possible. We want, I presume, a vibrant core.
We must recognize the importance of changing and developing the city core, even with occasional investments via taxpayer money, to allow a jungle environment to evolve that makes it "possible" for potential residents, workers, businesses, and investors to survive in the core. Can one throw a fish into the desert, and expect it to survive?
The very fact that so very few have jumped into the core in any manner, with the result that it is relatively desolate, should inform all of us that the core infrastructure is not right for entry ...that it pushes potential residents and businesses away simply because the core infrastructure cannot compete with outside options. We must understand that other jungles, forests, and savannahs are drawing all the monkeys away from our core, which offers only limited fruit and shelter for their survival.
I have, over my ten years in the core, lost count (30 or so) of the number of small businesses that have opened up on Adams, Monroe, and Laura, and have fled within four months to two years ... weak and undernourished ... decimated some ... for lack of the ability to survive. The jungle they selected did not have the food, shelter, social support, and other amenities for their survival. What does this say about the status and essence of our core?
Unless we make the necessary infrastructural changes and investments in the core, with some taxpayer assistance ... we should not waste our time with statements like ... "We need investors in the core" .. or "Why don't more businesses move into the core". Statements and questions like these have occupied the speech of thousands over the decades ... and these statements are meaningless.
Again, if you throw a monkey into a jungle having too few attributes allowing survival, it will perish or it will flee ... searching for a habitat allowing survival. We seem not to realize the importance of this kind of thinking. And as you've said Alpha Whiskey, there will be some few monkeys who, having certain perhaps "supermonkey" abilities such as a wily intelligence, or brute strength (firepower) with which to confront carnivores ... or with the ability to survive on bark or certain leaves. Yes ... these aberrations of nature can remain in the jungle. Look at Jerry Moran. ;D
Actually, most should know by now that Jerry's LaCena Restaurant is leaving the core after over a dozen years. He purchased a building on Edgewood, which is undergoing renovation. Apparently the new owner of the Elk's Building is wanting to increase his lease by around 40%. I suspect that the new owner will discover how difficult it will be to obtain this kind of rent in the core. Perhaps he or she can in ten years or so.
I will miss Jerry, as he has been a good neighbor ... and a plus for the core overall ... surviving in the jungle. I think he enjoyed the struggle and the environment overall. However, I think the rent increase caused him to seek challenges and fun elsewhere. Although many of us enjoy the struggles in life, as it sharpens the intellect, and increases the variety of tools within one's mental tool box, one can tire of the same kind of struggle after a while.
The news about the FSCJ living quarters in the building on Adams street is wonderful news. This kind of "gift" to the core, if continued in kind, will provide one of the most powerful and much needed ingredients to the core .. that of "people". Nothing happens in the core without the infusion of people ... by any means possible, as Malcolm X used to say. Perhaps the "powers" can entice and encourage other entities to approximate this kind of investment in the core.
Gonna get to work. Time to talk about the "infrastructure" word. It keeps creeping up. Any opinions as to what is meant by the word. And specifics attached?
Where was I ...? Oh ... infrastructure. Establishing an effective core "infrastructure", along with the achievement of strong and visionary "leadership", are the two most important variables in the quest for core revitalization and infill. Our failure to move with respectable speed toward vibrancy is the direct result of our failure to address the two issues of an inadequate infrastructure and leadership.
Is revitalization possible?" Sierra Delta, several posts ago, has supported the conviction that true core vibrancy and infill is indeed possible. This is comforting, as I would be a fool to continue discussing a quest that is only fantasy.
(I hope this form of writing, as if thinking aloud ... with its occasional repetitions and perhaps tedious nature ... is not a discomfort to the reader, as it is my comfortable way during morning coffee.) Thank one of the gods that people don't "have" to read my shit.
If the revitalization is indeed possible, then we might inquire about the probability of achieving it, measuring all factors. The probability is dependent upon the cost in public tax spending for infrastructural changes. The probability is dependent upon the strength of the leadership for creating a vision, and for encouraging the citizen to pay for implementing the changes inherent in the vision.
What is true core vibrancy and infill? One has only to imagine the times of the thirties through the fifties to sense the essence of a vibrant core. And one has only to perceive the current "mini cores" of Avondale, San Marco, etc, to feel an approximation of the energy we seek in the city core.
Is revitalization desirable? Whereas desolation is beautiful in nature, it is unsightly and repulsive in a city core because all who endure the sight of it know that it was caused by the least desirable of human tendencies. Nature, even when seemingly destructive, produces beauty and function. Humans, tending to greed and selfishness, too often wreck and destroy, encouraging scenes of desolation.
Oh ..... a message just arrived to mind ... from some god I presume (will try to identify which) ... encouraging me to suggest that we return the core to the benevolent care of nature ... to the wisdom of a forest ... to all the trees and plants waiting eagerly to fill it ... to the animals we've pushed to near extinction ... and that all humans move to the suburbs. The core must return to its natural beauty via the wisdom of nature, having failed vibrancy via the folly of humans. Why endure any further the wasteland humans have caused in the core? Nature will surely create, by its wisdom, a most beautiful natural zoo for the enjoyment of suburbians. The zoo cost will be practically zero ... as the labor will be nature's ... with decisions and actions always beneficial and loving ... not corrupted by human greed, religious absurdities, indifference, stupidity, or ignorance.
The norther border would be Union Street, the southern the river, the west I-95, the east perhaps Philip Randolph. This means that the city hall, courthouses, the jail, etc .. and the FBC, would have to move out ... perhaps to the Town Center ... the new city core. In any case, the buildings in the core could be demolished to make way for the new sub-tropical jungle. The core could be surrounded by a 50' moat, with a 4' fence down the center. Boats could approach the shore to view the jungle flora and fauna. Animals appropriate for the environment would be invited to live in the jungle.
... time to work. Will return soon to clarify the essences of "infrastructure".
Quote from: ronchamblin on March 06, 2016, 10:22:08 AM
(I hope this form of writing, as if thinking aloud ... with its occasional repetitions and perhaps tedious nature ... is not a discomfort to the reader, as it is my comfortable way during morning coffee.)
Hurry folks, today only (possibly others, I'm not sure) you too can try the mescaline infused coffee served at Chamblin's Downtown! Get it while it's hot. Offer good while supplies last. ;D
(http://i3.cpcache.com/product/1604121815/keep_calm_and_peyote_song_on_mugs.jpg?side=Back&height=225&width=225)
Quote from: ronchamblin on March 06, 2016, 10:22:08 AM
Oh ..... a message just arrived to mind ... from some god I presume (will try to identify which) ... encouraging me to suggest that we return the core to the benevolent care of nature ... to the wisdom of a forest ... to all the trees and plants waiting eagerly to fill it ... to the animals we've pushed to near extinction ... and that all humans move to the suburbs. The core must return to its natural beauty via the wisdom of nature, having failed vibrancy via the folly of humans. Why endure any further the wasteland humans have caused in the core? Nature will surely create, by its wisdom, a most beautiful natural zoo for the enjoyment of suburbians. The zoo cost will be practically zero ... as the labor will be nature's ... with decisions and actions always beneficial and loving ... not corrupted by human greed, religious absurdities, indifference, stupidity, or ignorance.
The norther border would be Union Street, the southern the river, the west I-95, the east perhaps Philip Randolph. This means that the city hall, courthouses, the jail, etc .. and the FBC, would have to move out ... perhaps to the Town Center ... the new city core. In any case, the buildings in the core could be demolished to make way for the new sub-tropical jungle. The core could be surrounded by a 50' moat, with a 4' fence down the center. Boats could approach the shore to view the jungle flora and fauna. Animals appropriate for the environment would be invited to live in the jungle.
... time to work. Will return soon to clarify the essences of "infrastructure".
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/enigma/returntoinnocence.html (http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/enigma/returntoinnocence.html)
I knew the tone sounded familiar. Chase the dragon through the rabbit hole, brother.
Good expresso. But .. onward to the idea of infrastructure.
My opinion of the nature of infrastructure is any facet or condition within the city core that provides either a positive or a negative to any entity desiring, or planning, to engage the core; whether as a resident, entrepreneur, business, worker, or visitor. Therefore, it seems sensible to suggest that if the citizenry desires to encourage vibrancy, and if vibrancy is measured by the quantity of "permanent" residents, workers, entrepreneurs, visitors etc ... then it seems reasonable to suggest that great attention should be applied to changing any infrastructures to be more positive in effect, and less negative.
The smell of a city is part of infrastructure. Whether the parking gestapo's intention is to reluctantly issue parking tickets, or to issue with joy, is part of the infrastructure. The beauty of a core's architecture. The quality of mass transit. Even the hope offered via future plans for improved mass transit, is part of infrastructure. The reliability of electric power, and the quality of water. The lack of potholes in the streets.
The degree to which zoning and permitting facilitates or frivolously obstructs those attempting projects in the core. The degree to which the leadership maintains low percentage of "obstructionists" in their offices ... to use a term similar to Stalin's "Wreckers". As mentioned in an earlier post, my encounters with the Ed Ball group have always been impressive, as they've intelligently balanced guidelines to achieve safety, engineering requirements, and the need for getting the job done.
There are many more components of infrastructure, some being less easily identified. Any ideas?
Will continue with list later.
The importance of making attractive all aspects of the core infrastructure cannot be over emphasized because the prospective investor, entrepreneur, resident visitor makes critical decisions based on what they perceive as important "existing" conditions, aspects, and realities within the core.
The core "problem" is much trying to encourage a stubborn animal to move from one place to another. One must use all possible methods, avenues, and forces, hoping that their sum will encourage desired movement. Unless we look upon the infrastructural changes in a like manner, we will never make progress toward vibrancy with any respectable speed.
More infrastructural components. The number of side-walk friendly lease spaces available for entrepreneurs must be increased whenever practical. The traffic signalling must be made smarter than the current dumb signals, which cause traffic jams. The current dumb signals cause huge negatives in the core. The traffic "engineers" must get off their asses ... and try being problem solvers.
I'm on a role. Must help some customers.
Thanks Stephen. If I interpret correctly, you believe I am missing the mark suggesting that an inadequate infrastructure is a primary cause of our lack of movement to vibrancy. This is interesting. I am at work now. Meanwhile I would like have more of your thoughts on the subject, especially a summary of your own opinion as to primary cause or causes.
Quote from: stephendare on March 06, 2016, 03:35:50 PM
Quote from: ronchamblin on March 06, 2016, 02:55:55 PM
Thanks Stephen. If I interpret correctly, you believe I am missing the mark suggesting that an inadequate infrastructure is a primary cause of our lack of movement to vibrancy. This is interesting. I am at work now. Meanwhile I would like have more of your thoughts on the subject, especially a summary of your own opinion as to primary cause or causes.
You can't really design an environment for a specific kind of person and have a good outcome. If there are any lessons to be gleaned from the experimentation of Robert Moses, I would think that has to be it.
But you can design an environment for health, ease of business, socialization and vibrancy.
And in any age, there is an infrastructure that enables business. In this age, its communication and connectiveness.
Business infrastructure is literally the only metric that we haven't designed for downtown, and it shows.
We seem to be thinking similarly Stephen, looking from slightly different positions. The "business infrastructure" you mention might come under the more general idea of ... via strong leadership and a measured expenditure of tax money ... creating an infrastructure encouraging and facilitating the entry of any entity to engage a "permanent" presence in the core.
The idea of making changes for a "specific kind of person to achieve a good outcome" is, in my view, covered under the umbrella of making changes in infrastructure because the changes are set to be broad, covering effects on all citizens set to engage the core.
In other words, the idea of infrastructural improvements is more like tilting a table to allow marbles to roll to an opposite side ... that is, if that was to be a goal ... a goal similar to our goal of achieving true core vibrancy.
The core revitalization problem is one rather complex ... obviously, since there has been no solution for decades ... and is a problem causing an attitude of frustration for those who've addressed it. And what, on occasion, do people who confront complex problems do, if anything, when they have no specific solution to it? In desperation, they try everything via mostly irrational thinking ... they push whatever they can touch, the heat it up, they cool it down, they pray, they attempt to frighten it, they tip it further to the side, they hit it with a hammer, they shoot it.
My idea of making infrastructural changes is to imagine existing conditions or aspects in the core that pose excessive negatives upon the minds of prospective investors, residents, entrepreneurs .... anyone looking to engage the core with energy and money .... and then to slowly remove those negative conditions, or change them to positives, as perceived by the potential core investor or resident. Surely there are significant conditions in the core that we could solidly identify as being negative ... some, formidably so ... to the prospective investor, resident etc.
For example, the issuing of parking tickets is a clear negative for the core. And actually, the existence of parking meters is a negative for the core. Easy solution? No. The parking problem is tied to the idea of mass transit ... which is a massive and complex project before anyone or any agency set to establish a viable and effective system ... a system that would preclude the necessity of everyone driving their autos into the core.
As an interim, the parking problem is related to the education of the core employee to the requirement that they not take up street spaces for an entire day that could be better used for customers who seek convenient parking for an hour or two. The foolish and selfish core employee will park in a valuable street parking space all day, not caring about the fact that the space could have been used by perhaps 8 or 10 visiting customers throughout the day, thereby improving the survival rate of any businesses enduring the current low foot traffic in the core. There is always available spaces in parking garages for employees. The foolish and the lazy fail to use them.
And look at the dumb signal lights, which break the natural law -- a signal must never stop vehicles without good cause. Another way to put it -- no intersection should ever be without traffic upon it ... unless of course there is no traffic in the environment. Either way, the consequences of dumb lights, as allowed by dumb traffic engineers, is traffic crawl and jams. If anyone does not understand how this occurs, I feel sorry for you. Technology exists to remedy the above problem of dumb signal lights. In any case, traffic crawl and jams is a solid negative for any city core. And the negative will get worse with time unless smart signals are installed.
Thank goodness I have to get to work, else my hopefully not too jumbled nonsense would continue. There is much more to say about negative infrastructure ... some of it not so obvious in impact ... but quite important in reality.
Sierra Delta .. Stephen ... Been thinking about the idea of core revitalization ... again. Forgive me, for I know not what I think.
Repetitive use of a word doesn't give its meaning truth, or its existence validity ... words such as witches, warlocks, gods etc. However, in spite of how many times we state it, "revitalization" seems to be a valid concept, and a valid goal to which we should strive. After all, who wants to live in, and/or work in, or visit a city core not yet recovered from the desolation that followed the urban sprawl?
In the interest of simplicity, our focus might be limited to four components .... with a look at each, along with the dynamics between ... ignoring for the most part the ones responding less to human influence, and focusing upon the ones responding more.
Components of the Revitalization Problem:
First:
Investors, Doers, Performers ... the individuals or groups making up the potential entities looking to invest in, live in, work in, open a business in, or visit ... the city core.
Second:
Infrastructure ... which is any facet, aspect, policy, or structure within the core that influences, either positively or negatively, the opinions and decisions of those in the first component.
Third:
Implementers ...the individuals, groups, agencies both governmental and private ... who have the means, influence, money, and power to change the infrastructure to a sum increasingly positive for those in the first component; and this, via tax money and the wise use of any resources available from state and federal agencies.
Fourth:
Leader: ... to push, drive, encourage, and lead the way.
The first two have stabilized over the years, the first trying to engage the second, much like the fish trying to engage a water. A fish cannot live in a water contaminated or without sufficient nutrients or proper temperature. And we seem to expect a potential investor, entrepreneur, or resident to engage in a core infrastructure deficient in fundamental necessities and amenities ... a core overcome with deficiencies and negatives?
If the environment we wish to bring to vibrancy is a lake, fed by various streams ... and with an exit to a lower valley, and if the lake owner ... nature ... desires to attract fish, then it must create, build, or change the lake environment so as to attract the fish .. or, one might say, so as to allow fish to survive and prosper.
A lake's essence and beauty is defined somewhat by the creatures living within it. A city core's essence and beauty is defined by the creatures living/working within it. A core without abundant human creatures is like a lake without fish.
Most of us might commit to the idea that a rather desolate lake, in order to attract fish, must evolve an environment allowing the fish to survive within it. If a lake is barren or semi-desolate because of insufficient nutrients or because of excessive pollution ... only by changing and improving its water, will the fish swarm to the lake.
Pretty basic stuff huh? Why do so few people understand the importance of the city core infrastructure; especially if one wonders why so few humans, over decades, dive into the core with investment, a business, or resident presence?
Who changes the infrastructure, and how is it done? Certainly the fish cannot change the water in a lake. Nor should the entities in component No. 1 be expected to change the infrastructure of a city core. The potential investor, entrepreneur, resident, or core visitor are like the fish from adjacent streams (suburbs?), circling the lake, waiting ... eager to enter when the water is right with nutrients and temperature, and without toxic pollutants.
Just as nature provides the wisdom and the force of change to the waters of the lake, the third and fourth components; that is, the Implementers, and the Leader, must provide the wisdom and the force to change and improve the core infrastructure. To expect the investor, the resident, the entrepreneur, or the core visitor, to change and improve the core infrastructure is folly ... is stupid ... and is like expecting the fish to change the water in a lake.
The funding for the actions of the third component ... the Implementers ...must come primarily from the taxpayer, and perhaps secondarily from the private sector in the form of gifts from any wealthy benefactors ... those who might handle a million dollars with the same effort that most of us would handle a hundred or a thousand.
But what of the last component? Just as any system, whether organic or mechanized, must yield to, and achieve proper movement via the guidance and pressure from great leadership, so too, the core journey to real vibrancy and infill can only be completed via the wisdom and pressure from great leadership. Even considering the other three components ... nothing happens without the fourth ... that of great leadership.
The army cannot conquer without the leadership of a great general. The organic system cannot evolve, grow, or change without the wisdom and leadership of nature. The vehicle cannot move efficiently on journey without the leadership emerging from the perfect symphony between all its parts. Our city core cannot progress along the path to real vibrancy and infill with any respectable speed, without great leadership.
Whence does this leadership come? In our particular situation regarding the city core ...nothing happens without it.
Where am I? Where did everybody go? ... Oh .... the four components:
the first -- dreamers, doers, residences, entrepreneurs, and creators.
the second -- the infrastructure, into which the creators and residents (the first component) must plunge and survive.
the third -- the facilitators of infrastructural change to the second component.
the fourth -- the leader, or leadership .... Pushing and leading all, especially the third.
A Summary. No. 1 waits until changes in No. 2 allows their survival and prosperity. No. 2 depends on actions from a usually lethargic No. 3, which historically hasn't acted without direction, encouragements, and threats from a strong No. 4. Ultimately, any significant progress depends on a strong No. 4.
And nothing happens toward true core vibrancy and infill without the successful "permanent" invasion into the core of the prime movers represented in No. 1. -- Residents, workers, entrepreneurs, businesses, visitors, performing artists and musicians etc. This could be called the "Vibrancy / Infill Supreme Law No. 1.
Although some infrastructural changes have been made in the city core, there are still many aspects that pose negatives for any entity planning to engage the core.
We might wonder about the relative stagnation, and what causes or allows the lack of real progress toward "change" in the core infrastructure. Among those in positions to produce core improvements, there seems to be a curious hesitancy to engage the process of change with any urgency. What allows or causes this hesitancy ... the complacency ... the snail's pace we've experienced for decades?
There seems to be a disconnect between those who want, with great enthusiasm, to revitalize the downtown core (investors, entrepreneurs, potential residents (No. 1), and those who possess whatever it takes to actually produce infrastructural change (No. 3). In other words, the individuals who have the wealth and influence to make necessary infrastructural changes, are not motivated to do so. They apparently are comfortable ... perhaps excessively so.
Comfort to one's life in general, along with a respectable measure of financial security ... at least stable in its source ... and comfort further buttressed by spiritual strength and positive social interactions via an established church affiliation, usually encourages a warm comfy feeling ... and thus, a complacency. Who in a frigid winter, wants to endure cold reality for more than a moment ... when they can remain warm by doing nothing?
Generous and prolonged comforts often cultivate a lethargic mind ... an indifference to tasks perhaps viewed as important to others ... and thus a mind inclined to perpetuate the environment giving security and comfort. Thought habits leading to real change seldom emerge from individuals enjoying material and spiritual comforts, or from individuals who profit from the status quo.
So .... Yes ... there is a disconnect. The individuals having the energy, the dreams, the passion, and the future (No. 1 .. Doers, creators etc) ... usually don't have the money, nor the influence to bring about much needed infrastructural change, which alone will allow their survival in the core. The creators and doers are like the fish, desiring entry into a lake with little nutrients and excessive pollutants ... a lake wherein only a few odd species can survive ... individuals such as Jerry Moran. Aren't we tired of having a core populated only by the odd species?
Oh ..... before I forget, I saw on Truthdig yesterday, an article stating that a fight for police / justice system reform in Chicago and an adjacent county got a boost when the voters ousted the top dog and cat (female) state's attorneys. Seems that these individuals were not too intent on achieving "justice" for all citizens ... and were perhaps a little too obsessed with the power given them by their postions. Time to look at our state's attorney's office?
Seems that we have in our city a nice and comfy system of "justice" wherein some segments of the police, some in the state's attorney's office, some in the probation system, some in the court system, and some attorneys .... are feeding like vultures upon the lower class, the minorities, and the vulnerable, those without money and influence, or knowledge of the law. The system has become a circle of predators, each taking his or her profits from the victims ... the weak ... then passing the often innocent on to the next vulture, with a final blow from the attorney's who "save" them after financially raping them with huge demands for money from a "possible" long jail terms for, in many cases, bullshit conjured up from unthinking bureaucrats who themselves should be prosecuted and incarcerated for gross neglect, for the destruction of the lives of good citizens, and ultimately, for allowing their greed and indifference to justice to encourage a descent of our local society to further levels of abuse to the vulnerable.
Our local justice system has within in many intelligent, perceptive, sensitive, and able individuals who are "positives" for the system and for our local society. We need more of these individuals, and less of the abusers.
Again, there "are" individuals called "criminals" who should be locked up for decades or executed ... but to allow the bureaucrats ... the mediocre "professionals", those who suffer a loss of rationality as a consequence of being so overwhelmed by the phrase "fighting crime", to destroy the lives of many citizens without clear justification, is to fail miserably. Too often these mediocrities ... probation officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and police officers ... offend common sense as they surrender to the most inhuman and abusive of tendencies.
Gotta get to work. Didn't intend to drift to the local "justice" problem. I wanted to cover more aspects of the problem of infrastructure ... leadership ... complacency ... and perhaps the origin of the complacency in certain populations. Forgive me, for I know not what I think.
Observing the sparse feedback to my ramblings, and sensing that some of my MJ friends are already convinced that I'm slipping at an increased rate into dementia, I asked my counselor to read my last several posts. She did, and has now determined it best to change my meds. She wants me to increase the beer by 20%, the weed by 30, and to cut both the cocaine and the sex by 50. Now I'm confused ... occasionally happy, sometimes sad.
Movement toward true vibrancy and infill is indeed like tilting a table to cause desired movement of marbles atop it... assuming the marbles are like the entrepreneurs, residents etc, that we desire in the core. We might imagine several dozen little hydraulic jacks under one side of the table ... call them infrastructural components ... lifting the table on one side so as to obtain movement of the marbles to the desired side ... the state of vibrancy and infill. The point is that as many jacks as possible must be made to apply lift to the proper side of the table.
Let's imagine the impact of only one of the jacks ... the infrastructural component represented by the issuing of parking tickets. This parking ticket hydraulic jack has the capacity to apply lift, and therefore become a positive, or it will not support lift, and remain a negative regarding the goal of tilting the table ... to vibrancy.
The point is that every effort must be made to ensure that as many jacks as possible apply lift (offer a positive) to the proper side of the table.
Anyone in the city who suggests, or encourages an attitude, that the issuing of parking tickets is to be considered and encouraged as a source of revenue for the city is a fool ... a stupid fool, if there is such a creature. Any parking enforcement gestapo supervisor, who instructs his subordinates to issue tickets with aggression or joy, with the goal of issuing as many as possible during a day, is a fool.
Why? .... because they are injecting a huge negative into the city core. I'm amazed at the number of times per year that one of my customers, who needs a book from the downtown store, comments that "Oh, I never go downtown .... there is no parking ... and I always get a ticket." WTF.
If the parking enforcement guru had any sense, he or she would issue orders to the street gestapo that tickets should be issued reluctantly, as a last resort. In fact, a huge positive would be offered to the mind of any citizen if he or she observed a parking gestapo finish writing a ticket for his or her auto, but then observe the gestapo cancel the ticket, with a "have a nice day", when he discovered that the auto owner had just returned.
The point is that the parking tickets, which are of course necessary at this point, should be manipulated by common sense and an improved sense of purpose so that the their impact provides, as much as possible, a decreased negative to the core.
If we view the core infrastructures as a kind of soup, within which are many ingredients, we should do everything possible to ensure that all ingredients improve the taste of the soup. The parking ticket issue is only one ingredient. There are dozens more, and we would be fools to not give attention to each of them, so as to make each improve the taste of the soup.
To work.
In order to feel comfortable continuing with the revitalization idea, I must keep reminding myself that the core has been stagnate for at least two decades, and that even now, it cannot be considered to be moving with any respectable speed toward a condition resembling a revitalized core. This is the problem we've identified, and are set to ponder. I must admit that I occasionally wonder just how "possible" is the goal, and how "probable" is success to it.
In any case, I cannot help but sense that, given the lack of progress in general ... over decades of apparent efforts ... too many individuals of position and stature, as a consequence of being too comfortable with the status quo ... have not felt the pressure to focus properly or to think critically about the issue, and therefore remain ignorant as to the best decisions affecting progress. These individuals only rarely take actions necessary for effective and swift progress to a revitalized core.
This kind of problem is so multifaceted ... so fluid ... and a little complex ... that it continues to defy our attempts at solution. The lack of progress, and the fluid nature of the problem reminds me of the Brautigan book "Loading Mercury With a Pitchfork".
The city core is a relatively small geographical area of around 120 blocks into which we have been trying to encourage residents and businesses to move so as to encourage its evolution to a condition at least resembling the vibrancy of the forties and fifties of the last century.
Wise investors, entrepreneurs, business persons, and potential residents -- make decisions to relocate, based on the comparison of options before them ... or, based on an area's positives and negatives. We might recognize that the attributes being measured and compared by potential entrepreneurs and residents "already exist" in the core, and therefore these attributes might be described as part of the core's infrastructure.
If the infrastructure is what the potential investors etc see, measure, and compare, then it makes sense for concerned parties to change the many infrastructural components ... one at a time if need be ... so that each becomes more attractive to the potential investors etc.
My last post was about the infrastructural attribute called parking tickets. How about the infrastructural component called "Sidewalk Frontage Lease Spaces"? For descriptive purposes, it is often productive to exaggerate, or to suggest extremes, so as to clarify relationships and consequences.
Exaggerated Scenario No. 1 Imagines that 80% of the blocks in the core have an abundance of small to medium lease spaces facing the sidewalks. The remaining 20% might be government buildings, jails, banks, churches, parks, vacant lots, etc.
Exaggerated Scenario No. 2 Imagines that only 10% of the blocks have lease spaces facing the sidewalk. The remaining 90% might be government buildings, jails, banks, churches, parks, vacant lots, etc.
Only the comfortable deluded fool would expect a Scenario No. 2 core to achieve real vibrancy and infill.
Approaching the ideal of the No. 1 has allowed the mini-cores of Avondale, Riverside, Park & King, San Marco, and the Town Center to grow to and maintain reasonable levels of vibrancy.
The available lease space scenario in the current core unfortunately lies near the end close to No. 2.
Because the sidewalk frontage lease spaces (SFLS) described above directly impact the ability of the core to attract viable investors and residents, we can consider the ratio as representing a critical portion of core infrastructure. We have failed miserably, as infrastructural managers, to increase the available SFLS in the core, and therefore the attraction quotient is far below what is necessary to move forward. Of course, as retail related infrastructure improves ... people are more inclined to move into the core.
How does one improve the ratio of SFLS? There are no SFLS in front of structures like Bank of America ... city hall ... the jail ... the courthouses ... vacant lots ... parking garages ... or any of the huge granite or cement monoliths in the core ... including the FBC. Of course most of these monoliths add to the essence of a city. However, there must be pressure to somehow increase, where practical, the small to medium, sidewalk frontage lease spaces in the core.
To suggest that the few "empty" SFLS is enough in the core, is to forget that any movement toward vibrancy, with reasonable infill, will quickly show the current number to be inadequate. A perception, as held by any entity contemplating entry into the core, that there are not enough spaces for an expanded growth for their future partners in creating a vibrant area ... will calm their interest in the core.
Fundamentally, the core is competing with the malls and outlying areas for customers, residents, businesses, and investors. The disadvantages existing in the core, as compared to the non-core competition, simply means that we must enhance any existing core assets and advantages (infrastructures), and do anything and everything to increase any positives, and remove any negatives.
Gotta get to work. Does anyone suggest any other significant core infrastructural components ... stabilized as negatives to potential investors and residents ... that clearly need to be changed or improved?
Stephen ... I think you mentioned the Wi-Fi in the core on some other posts. I didn't, at the time, understand the exact nature of it, but we must see more of this kind of solid core improvement, as it can definitely be described as an infrastructural improvement.
As the city makes more substantial infrastructure improvements to the core, we can expect more "experiments" and investors to survive in it. One might say that every core, at any point in time, has a survivability quotient. The key to revitalization in our core depends directly on how much the city can increase this quotient. Ignoring this relationship will only prolong the era of stagnation.
The city and various groups, can, with enthusiasm and great effort, encourage investors, residents, and entrepreneurs to engage the core. However, as all the failed experiments over the past few years have proven, little of significance will happen until the survivability quotient is improved by the city and others able to do so ... and the only way to improve it is to target any negatives (parking, parking tickets, lack of progressive mass transit, the lack of sidewalk frontage lease spaces etc), and remove them ... the only way is to target opportunities to add positives ( Wi-Fi), and to act on these opportunities.
Only a person preoccupied with other objectives ... only one who is possessed by excessive ignorance or foolishness, would attempt to encourage a population of fish to survive and prosper in water polluted, or without necessary nutrients.
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on March 06, 2016, 10:38:27 AM
Quote from: ronchamblin on March 06, 2016, 10:22:08 AM
(I hope this form of writing, as if thinking aloud ... with its occasional repetitions and perhaps tedious nature ... is not a discomfort to the reader, as it is my comfortable way during morning coffee.)
Hurry folks, today only (possibly others, I'm not sure) you too can try the mescaline infused coffee served at Chamblin's Downtown! Get it while it's hot. Offer good while supplies last. ;D
(http://i3.cpcache.com/product/1604121815/keep_calm_and_peyote_song_on_mugs.jpg?side=Back&height=225&width=225)
Quote from: ronchamblin on March 06, 2016, 10:22:08 AM
Oh ..... a message just arrived to mind ... from some god I presume (will try to identify which) ... encouraging me to suggest that we return the core to the benevolent care of nature ... to the wisdom of a forest ... to all the trees and plants waiting eagerly to fill it ... to the animals we've pushed to near extinction ... and that all humans move to the suburbs. The core must return to its natural beauty via the wisdom of nature, having failed vibrancy via the folly of humans. Why endure any further the wasteland humans have caused in the core? Nature will surely create, by its wisdom, a most beautiful natural zoo for the enjoyment of suburbians. The zoo cost will be practically zero ... as the labor will be nature's ... with decisions and actions always beneficial and loving ... not corrupted by human greed, religious absurdities, indifference, stupidity, or ignorance.
The norther border would be Union Street, the southern the river, the west I-95, the east perhaps Philip Randolph. This means that the city hall, courthouses, the jail, etc .. and the FBC, would have to move out ... perhaps to the Town Center ... the new city core. In any case, the buildings in the core could be demolished to make way for the new sub-tropical jungle. The core could be surrounded by a 50' moat, with a 4' fence down the center. Boats could approach the shore to view the jungle flora and fauna. Animals appropriate for the environment would be invited to live in the jungle.
... time to work. Will return soon to clarify the essences of "infrastructure".
Made me think of this, which I spent WAY too much time finding:
(NSFW warning just to be safe, very tiny comic nudity)
http://i.imgur.com/hSZFjRe.png
Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_Jennings
"Business Reply Pamphlet": This small, sixteen-page pamphlet is produced to put inside the postage-paid, business-reply envelopes that come with junk mail offers. Every envelope collected is stuffed with the pamphlet and mailed back to its original company.
I wonder how the upcoming JSO option or obligation to write tickets for jaywalking will impact the core? Will it be an overall positive for core development, or a negative? How often will tickets be issued to those who can least afford them, as compared to those who easily can, when both types jaywalk equally? Will this new rule give any officer inclined to be unfair or prejudiced, the option to ticket some, and not others?
Just as rules of the law and the court often interfere with the ability or obligation of justice system employees (judges, defense and prosecuting attorneys, police and probation officers etc) to think clearly about fundamental objectives ... one being real justice for all concerned ... the new rules concerning jaywalking can also remove from the minds of the pedestrian, the necessity of thinking clearly about the most important objective on the street, which is that of safety ... and avoiding at all costs, close engagements with moving traffic.
A classic example is when a motorist is so intent to abide by the letter of the law ... to stop completely at a stop sign ... does so in order to avoid a ticket, but then pulls in front of traffic when he or she forgets to check for oncoming traffic, by far the most important objective. Excessive rules can remove from the citizen, the necessity of thinking critically and accurately about conditions and issues surrounding the rule. He or she approaches being a robot, a dumb robot, and often a dangerous one. Surely, the most valuable asset humans have, by far, is the ability to think critically. Although most laws and rules are necessary, in many instances, the new, almost frivolous rules, remove from the mind the need and opportunity to exercise critical thinking.
Would it make sense to have an advertising program encouraging pedestrians and motorists to actually think? Or is this to much to expect in our population? Will the tickets encourage people to think, or to simply look for the officer who might give a ticket?
But ... onward to the vibrancy issue. Should we ... any of us, any group or organization attempting to increase the rate at which the city core travels toward the goal of vibrancy and infill, consider it true that all efforts have basically failed? Imagine the state of the core 30 years ago ... 20 years ago ... 10 years ago. Look at it now. Sure, there has been some progress along the journey. Does anyone suggest that the core has made anything but a very little progress?
If most people familiar with the core and its condition over recent decades believe that failure to make reasonable progress is the current state, then where are we? What are we doing different now, that was not being done 10, 20, or 30 years ago? Stephen? .... Or anyone? What are we doing now, that is supposed to encourage, facilitate, or force real progress? Are we doing enough? Are we really doing anything substantial?
It does little good ... and it is a waste of everyone's time ... in fact it is shameful and almost deceitful ... to entice and encourage companies and businesses to move into or invest in the city core, "UNLESS" the infrastructure has been improved sufficiently so that great confidence exists that the new prospect will not only survive, but that it will also prosper.
Any city program designed to offer monetary assistance or incentives to companies or individuals measuring the idea of moving into the city core would be considered to be a part of the core infrastructure, as it would be a fixed core quality to be measured by any potential investor. It should be the order of the day, for the city to compensate for any core deficiencies, as viewed by potential investors, to share some of the risk to investors in the current state of the core, by offering incentives and assistance.
Incentives would be like priming an old hand well pump. It would be similar to expending much energy to build a fire ... gathering small tender, blowing as the friction heats. Soon, after much effort, the fire will start, and a strong flame will emerge and continue alone. Every new resident or business engaging the core, will move the tender closer to flame.
Just as the camper needing a hot meal would suffer without doing tedious work to build a fire, a city will stagnate and suffer if it does not invest in infrastructure in general, and specifically by offering reasonable incentives to potential investors.
So far, we've covered the infrastructural components: Parking Tickets ... Sidewalk Frontage Lease Spaces ... The "Justice System" ... Intelligent Traffic Lights ... Incentives .... and a couple of others. Gonna get to work.
Quote from: ronchamblin on March 22, 2016, 08:34:29 AM
Observing the sparse feedback to my ramblings, and sensing that some of my MJ friends are already convinced that I'm slipping at an increased rate into dementia, I asked my counselor to read my last several posts. She did, and has now determined it best to change my meds. She wants me to increase the beer by 20%, the weed by 30, and to cut both the cocaine and the sex by 50. Now I'm confused ... occasionally happy, sometimes sad.
I suspect a decent range of us are lurking, reading, and thinking.
Keep writing, bruh, keep writing. I'll refrain from addressing your "other" specified activities ;-)
Thanks RG. I have appreciated your inciteful comments along the way. I hope you and most appreciate my occasional attempts at humor, as shown above. The extent of my intrusion into drugs only goes so far as BC powder and aspirin. Hell ... I've never been brave enough to smoke cigarettes ... boring I know. A beer some nights .... Certainly.
But ..... Yes ..... I hope too, that my attempts to be serious about issues of interest are somewhat productive, and enjoyed by most. I don't get excited with, or have the time for, the light chit chat, as some do. We have a somewhat serious condition in the core, and I like to address it with some reasonably contemplated ideas. I do enjoy however, any serious attempts to criticize what I've written.
Coffee again, this Saturday morning. Been thinking again. Forgive me, for I know not what I think.
The FBC? I've occasionally wondered about the impact of the church, as it occupies, including parking lots, perhaps 13 city blocks ... maybe more? The core proper might be assumed to occupy about 115 city blocks. If the church actually occupies the 13, then if one considers that the adjacent blocks are impacted too, the total impact might be 25 or so. If the impact is thought to extend to two blocks outward, the total block impact would be more or course.
Without researching, I will suggest, including the smaller churches, a possible total church core presence of about 20 blocks ... and to 35 or so if one extended impacts to adjacent blocks. One can perceive, depending on adjacent block considerations, a possible church core impact of at least 25% of the core blocks.
So ... why even talk about the impact? What if these blocks were simply parks? Parks convey beauty and nature ... spaces that can be enjoyed by "all" citizens, every day of the week, all day, and into the night ... even by atheists like myself ... or people who do believe ... but do so quietly ... without church attendance.
But so what about this rather ineffective use of core city blocks? Think of the jails? Just as some citizens do not wish to enjoy church, some do not wish to enjoy the jail. Whereas church attendance is voluntary, jail attendance is mandatory ... especially if one is poor, and especially so if one is of a minority "and" poor ... and even more so, if one engages incompetent and prejudiced employees of the justice system ... judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys.
But ... who is to say that the core must be limited to the 115 or so blocks, and cannot evolve to more blocks, thereby reducing the impact of existing church, jail, or sheriff compound presence? Any city core can grow outward, block by block. We see now, coming from the southwest, from Five Points, through La villa etc, encroaching vitality. In a few years, as the core evolves larger, a future visitor might not perceive the old boundaries.
The FBC and the jail are similar in that they do not contribute, during the day and the night ... every day of the week ... to a sidewalk vibrancy; that is, they do not entice or encourage sidewalk people, shops, social excitement ... critical components necessary for a city to be considered alive and well. In this respect, these two structures, along with the sheriff's compound, provide a rather mundane architectural presence in the core, and represent an overall negative to core infrastructure.
Currently, there is little urgency to engage the issue of poor use of core blocks as occupied by huge compounds such as the FBC, the Jail, or the adjacent Sheriff's compound, as we've not even utilized the existing "available" core blocks. We look to the future. But ... when will the negative impact of these entities in the core become somewhat apparent, even to the most comfortably complacent ... those less inclined to think about these things because of that very comfort, a comfort perhaps provided by the status quo?
Do we need a jail right in the core ... practically on the river? Do we need a sheriff's compound in the same area? And would the FBC better serve its flock by relocating outward, to a nice wooded area? All for future consideration.
To avoid paying for downtown parking, for the last month I've been parking near FSCJ, north of State Street and walking 1/2 mile to my office at 121 W. Forsyth Street. When it rains, I use the Skyway. Other than that, I use Laura Street. I've also been to several cities in the last month or two (ex. Houston, Baltimore, Savannah, Mexico City, etc.), where I've started to pay attention to enjoyment or despair of 1/2 mile distances from a pedestrian's standpoint. It's been an interesting experience and has given me a different persective of Laura Street and FBC. First, there's basically three main property owners between Orange Street and Hemming and they are all public or religious use.
The first large scale property owner is the campus of FSCJ. It should be much more of an area asset and foot traffic generator on that end of downtown. The campus is enclosed with a tall fence and what should be a campus gateway, mixed-use infill project or educational related activity center (the corner of Laura and State) is a huge parking lot. Now that the school is interested in downtown housing, addressing this particular corner with some infill would have a bigger immediate impact than renovating buildings around the Northbank, IMO.
Second, State & Union aren't hard to cross, assuming you have a reason to be on foot in that area. Other than Savannah, the streets in the other large cities were typically much wider with a lot more traffic (although they were easy to cross on foot too). There's also a lot more pedestrian traffic on that end than I've ever noticed when driving. Foot traffic is also pretty diverse in terms of age, race and economics. Downtown would feel quite different if their foot traffic were happening in the core instead of the edge.
The next major property owner is JTA. Most of the foot traffic in the area is definitely due to the Rosa Parks station. Between State & Union, property on both sides of Laura have been vacant for a while, despite some of the highest pedestrian and vehicular counts in the city being on those streets. JTA should take advantage of this by dusting off their old plans for selling their remaining vacant land for private development. While mixed-use would be great, I don't know if it is practical in that specific location, unless FSCJ got involved in some manner. Nevertheless, even something as simple as a single level strip mall, like what fronts Oak and Margaret Streets near Publix in Riverside, would be a major improvement at street level.
Once you get past Union Street, and into the campus of FBC, the environment changes to an urban fill. Foot traffic goes down but there are buildings and shade trees on the sidewalks, as opposed to surface parking lots. Unfortunately, FBC's campus is totally underutilized and the impact that it could have on the surrounding pedestrian environment is limited by the pedestrian scale hostile design of most of its buildings. For example, the Children's Building and Welcome Center is a well designed and open structure. Not surprisingly, this is where I encounter an uptick in pedestrian traffic during the week.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/785726593_R4fAj-M.jpg)
Children's Building and Welcome Center
Outside of that, the scene is dominated by barren walls and parking garages, despite the presence of some activities that should be better exposed. The church's cafeteria is one example of this. It fronts an entire block of Laura between Beaver and Ashley Streets. Outside of them sticking a sandwich board out on the sidewalk, you'd never know a large restaurant was there because the dining area is all glass block. A move as simple as replacing the glassblock with transparent windows and signage would totally change the vibe of a full block in the heart of the church's campus.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/785728235_skLTy-M.jpg)
FBC cafeteria from Laura Street sidewalk.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/785726827_3Bea2-M.jpg)
At night, you can barely tell there's a dining room behind those glass block windows. During the day, it's impossible.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/785728056_FQuqk-M.jpg)
Inside, you basically have something like a Morrison's or Piccadilly, that literally two blocks north of Hemming Park.
In short, I believe FBC and it's stretch of Laura can be improved very easy to become a better downtown asset. Also, if the church's membership is shrinking and it does not need all of the square footage it now occupies, it would seem that conversion of some of these properties to FSCJ or another entity for educational/cultural/performing arts use, may make some sense from an adaptive reuse perspective. Nevertheless, it's a stretch to compare the jail to FBC.
Sidenote, our jail on the river isn't as unique as some might think. For centuries our cities turned their backs on their urban waterfronts, using them for heavy industry. When the jail was built, East Bay was an industrial zone. You'll find similar waterfront structures in cities like Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Houston.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Next-City-Houston-2016/i-WkbXZhh/0/L/20160513_155647-L.jpg)
Downtown Houston's jail
The last major land owners are the JEA and COJ. This stretch of Laura, between Ashley and Duval is the worst. All of the buildings they use were major retail anchors for most of the 20th century. Everyday, I find myself trying to image what this desolate stretch of Laura would have felt like when Ivey's, May-Cohen's and Purcell's were around. Instead of storefront displays, a pedestrian is greeted with various offices for JEA and COJ personnel. It also appears that the Purcell's retail spot has been vacant since the Blue Boys sandwich shop closed years ago. The only hope I can imagine for this stretch is JEA moving out and those building being taken over by the private sector.
Interesting Lake. I had no idea that a restaurant was in the FBC structure.
Most of what you discuss is related to the "infrastructure" I've been mentioning. Improving it is the key. Otherwise, not much happens. My tongue in cheek association of the FBC with the jail .... ? Well, my main point was that they both don't do what my "ideal" of a city block should do ... which is to provide as much as possible ... an opportunity for the growth of an interesting sidewalk life ... shops etc. Basically, the growth of core vibrancy and infill will not occur until some of those basic changes you mentioned are configured ... and other changes of course.
Got to ready for opening.
Just read this morning's Tango Uniform. The BBC ... doing a documentary about our local justice system workers having difficulty achieving "justice", but success in achieving "convictions" and heavy sentencing? Is the BBC assuming that some of our local officials and professionals (prosecutors, judges, police officers, probation officers, defense attorneys ... and other bureaucrats), held dumb by their sense of power and comfort, can be persuaded to actually think? Which of the assorted gods before us do we wish to thank?
What about the prospect of a downtown outlet mall? Whilst the traditional malls are dying outlet malls are very much on the rise and moving further into downtown areas. New Orleans opened an outlet mall downtown in 2014, there is one currently being constructed in Philadelphia and Cleveland is also considering one. Arguably Jacksonville is undersized in this area with the nearest outlet mall 40 miles south in St. Aug.
It would bring significant retail back to the urban core and also in addition to shopping create new leisure opportunities for new bar and restaurant openings and encourage people from the suburbs to return to spend time DT and create jobs.
I think the shipyards would be a perfect location. Khan's project is dead.
I reviewed this thread the other day. What has happened regarding core movement to true vibrancy during recent months? Looks like we've voted out ... ousted ... a chunk of justice system leadership bent on fighting crime so obsessively and carelessly that there was no room for justice and fairness. Good news, as too much of this kind of abusive nonsense can push a local culture to further levels of poverty ... thus perpetuating more cycles of crime.
I suspect that the stabilized cycles of crime are enjoyed or at least comfortably tolerated by some, as they feed upon it as vultures upon the weak or dying animal. This is not to say that the vultures contrive the abusive scenario, but by behavior, they accept and perpetuate it. Our new leadership in the state's attorney's office offers hope for a more progressive and balanced view to objectives and procedures. A beginning.
Overall, I gained from the thread comments, having improved my understanding of local history via the input from SD and others. I also enjoyed the exercise of attempting to express my impatience with the status quo. I suspect that some others are at least somewhat impatient with the lack of progress to core vibrancy.
But ... as always, there are occasional glimmers of hope, as rumours come and go, glancing upon the minds of those anxious for true core revitalization. We've watched for decades as the core sat low in water, without a plane for speed to destination ... a plane that can be achieved only with sufficient power in the form of a larger motor; that is, of leadership and/or financial clout.
Occasionally, I find myself wondering what effect our local culture might exert upon our attempts to proceed to vibrancy. If we have agreed that we have indeed failed, even after decades, to bring our core to a respectable level of infill; that is, to a respectable population of residents and workers, businesses ... and of course shoppers and visitors, then this perception of failure should provide a little clarity and focus to most minds.
A failure to solve a problem in any system is often only a consequence of failing to perceive the dynamics working it. Although we might perceive some core/city dynamics simply because they are obvious, what of those hidden ... perhaps simmering in our local culture? Are there any cultural attributes, hidden, that could actually be obstructing progress to true vibrancy and infill?
Whatever the culture, the subtle but persistent qualities and pressures within it influences all .... 365 days per year ... shapes all. I suspect that hidden cultural aspects can affect the journey to a complete and vibrant city core.
When I think of culture (avoiding the classic definition), I think of ideas related to the arts ... the economy ... inequality .... the religions, churches, and their influences ... the educational system ... the justice system and all its appendages of jails, probation etc .... the political establishment ... the real movers and shakers ... the local media ... the general mood of most citizens ... the continued momentum of suburban expansion outward ...etc.
Admitting that some of the above attributes might lie outside of the definition of what is "culture", one might wonder how, and to what extent, some can affect progress to true revitalization of the city core. If it is true that we have not made reasonable progress toward revitalization by focusing on the clearly obvious, then we might seek out and attempt focus upon hidden factors, which might ultimately be found obstructing the journey.
The hidden effects of culture is similar to a large body of water, which, as a consequence of its size, prevents an observer from knowing whether it is a river or a lake. The observer, desiring to cross to a large tower on the distant shore, and unaware of the current, gradually drifts downstream ... stagnating on the journey as its small motor cannot gain against the current. The hidden current is like the hidden cultural attributes ... both preventing movement to goal.
But, what of the idea of power? When a larger motor is installed in the boat .. overcoming the effects of the not obvious current ... the boat proceeds to the tower. If we suspect that hidden cultural attributes subtly obstruct progress to revitalization, knowledge of them is less necessary if enough power is applied in the form of money, good sense, and determination.
Concerning power (a larger motor), especially in the form of money ... what of this fellow Khan? He certainly has the resources to approximate the effect of the larger motor in the boat analogy. Apply enough power ... money ... with good sense, and success to goal can be achieved.
Until either the current miraculously subsides (until the obstructing cultural attributes subside) .. via prayer perhaps ... or until a larger motor is installed, there can be little progress to the tower (a revitalized core).
Any discussion of the subtle cultural attributes becomes less necessary as the probability of increased power (larger motors), in the form of money, is forthcoming.
One might suggest that once one or two large projects are completed, any hidden and negative cultural attributes formerly acting to obstruct progress, will have less effect on the movement to true vibrancy and infill.
To work.
Quote from: thelakelander on May 28, 2016, 08:39:37 AM
The last major land owners are the JEA and COJ. This stretch of Laura, between Ashley and Duval is the worst. All of the buildings they use were major retail anchors for most of the 20th century. Everyday, I find myself trying to image what this desolate stretch of Laura would have felt like when Ivey's, May-Cohen's and Purcell's were around. Instead of storefront displays, a pedestrian is greeted with various offices for JEA and COJ personnel. It also appears that the Purcell's retail spot has been vacant since the Blue Boys sandwich shop closed years ago. The only hope I can imagine for this stretch is JEA moving out and those building being taken over by the private sector.
One side note to your Blue Boys Sandwich Shop comment. All these many years later, they still have the downtown location listed on their website. 421 Laura Street.
Quote from: landfall on September 07, 2016, 09:52:01 AM
What about the prospect of a downtown outlet mall? Whilst the traditional malls are dying outlet malls are very much on the rise and moving further into downtown areas. New Orleans opened an outlet mall downtown in 2014, there is one currently being constructed in Philadelphia and Cleveland is also considering one. Arguably Jacksonville is undersized in this area with the nearest outlet mall 40 miles south in St. Aug.
It would bring significant retail back to the urban core and also in addition to shopping create new leisure opportunities for new bar and restaurant openings and encourage people from the suburbs to return to spend time DT and create jobs.
I think the shipyards would be a perfect location. Khan's project is dead.
While I agree that an outlet mall downtown would be great, I don't think the shipyards area is appropriate. I think the best use for that stretch of land is a combination of office space, hotels, a convention center, and a large urban park and I think Khan's project is going to happen, just not as originally planned. I don't want to see any more parking lots built along the water. Perhaps a better place for an outlet mall (to serve downtown, Riverside, Springfield, and San Marco) would be somewhere immediately southwest of the new Duval Count courthouse. I don't know if enough property could be cobbled together there for a mall, but it would be great if it could tie in with the new JEA transit hub (or whatever it's called).
Why would an outlets mall work; the Landing started going down hill within five years of when Rouse originally built it and all the major department stores left before that. We need housing in Downtown to support retail!
Perhaps the best hope for bringing residential is what was suggested on the first page of this thread; get a real university campus to build downtown.
I know it would never happen, but if UF law school were in downtown Jacksonville I would be a Gator instead of a Seminole. Gainesville is a truly awful location for a prestigious law school as far as work experience and networking goes, especially compared to Tallahassee or Jacksonville.
[1]
The legal profession is in such a state of flux -- yes, it would be great if UF would open a downtown Jax annex. I don't see that ever happening.
If UNF woke up, they could and should have a major presence downtown. In fact, I suspect major changes are coming to our public higher education system. Just think if UNF was the public higher education umbrella for this area; if FSCJ was a sub-unit of UNF, for instance. Wouldn't that change the perspective of many in town regarding the viability of a much bigger downtown footprint for them?
Why aren't we hearing anything about a UNF-FSCJ partnership with respect to downtown?
http://www.cityoforlando.net/mayor/2016/02/why-were-supporting-the-ucfvalencia-downtown-campus/
We need to be demanding much more from UNF vis-à-vis a serious downtown presence.
[2]
About FSCJ, Ennis wrote:
The campus is enclosed with a tall fence and what should be a campus gateway, mixed-use infill project or educational related activity center (the corner of Laura and State) is a huge parking lot. Now that the school is interested in downtown housing, addressing this particular corner with some infill would have a bigger immediate impact than renovating buildings around the Northbank, IMO.[/b]
Agreed.
Lake's reference to JEA, COJ, and FSCJ is interesting. The Laura St. run of JEA, COJ, and FSCJ ownership ... along with the FBC ownership ... lowers the probability of achieving vibrancy in the area, as these entities present an unfriendly sidewalk environment ... a condition obstructing natural growth simply because they basically repel people. The sidewalks might as well be fronted by concrete walls ... which is, in most of the area, the actual case.
Of course JEA and COJ offices must exist somewhere in the core. So, what might be a solution? Perhaps, at least regarding the JEA building, and even, with a stretch of the imagination, certain parts of city hall, creative build outs to accommodate sidewalk access retail is an option. The FBC building?
But even if these build outs existed, the current lack of a residential population, along with the vacancies in core buildings, does not provide enough customers to support many types of retail. We continue to see experiments in retail etc, abandoned after only a few months of experiencing reality ... ; especially the spaces along Adams, Laura, and Monroe.
The times have changed from decades ago, when the core was the only source for retail purchases. The options for acquisition of retail goods now include the Internet and the suburbs. Increased core residential, along with anything else establishing a reasonably constant population in the core, is necessary before any reasonable retail can survive in the core.
Some possible bright lights on the horizon ... the upcoming FSCJ facility on Adams, between Main and Laura, and the possibility of Kahn doing something with the Barnett, and Atkins with adjacent buildings. As some have suggested, isn't it about time for a UNF presence in the core?
More affordable residential ... lofts etc ... along with initiatives from universities (injections of people), will I suspect provide a momentum that will finally push the core closer to a threshold. Post threshold conditions will provide an energy level permeating all aspects of the core ... encouraging and allowing the final push to true core revitalization simply because the energy will convey a high probability of success to hundreds of average investors, creators, and entrepreneurs ... individuals of the kind who've recently found confidence only in the mini-cores such as Five Points, Park/King -- all "Post Threshold" areas.
But ... what of the idea of a threshold? Is it a valid concept? If so, what are the characteristics of a pre-threshold era? What are those of the post-threshold? The differences are profound ... and worth, in my opinion, discussing. Will continue. To work.
^^ What is the status of your residential building project? It will take more of that type of project before the bigger residential projects happen, IMO.
Tnx for asking vicup. I shall ramble for a bit this morning during espresso. I suspect this kind of rambling ... other then revealing the fact that I am a fucking idiot ... might convey a somewhat helpful thought process to anyone else contemplating doing a project in the core.
We are "finally" ramping up to continue with the project. I've been spending money and time on flat roofs, and other improvements on the various buildings accumulated for the bookstore operation. Basically, I have the resources to do only a certain number of things simultaneously. So the 225 Laura building has had to wait for a spell.
I've been cautiously paying down my debt ... reducing my real estate monthly payment demand by ½ over the last three years. As you might know, some or most banks, although seemingly our friends at times ... smiling all the while ... can become like vultures and maneuver to take everything you've worked hard for ...especially the large banks like Bank of America. Forgive me sir or madame, but I don't trust any of these fucking institutions, as they are excessively infected with the insanity encouraged by our American way of gaining money and riches at any cost to any and all of the hard working average Joe's, Vic's, Rachel's, or Ron's ... when there is the slightest opportunity to do so ... even if it borders on outright theft. When I pay off my single, very small balance to Bank of America, I shall close all accounts with this bank, and never enter their doors again. These bastards will put you down, and take what you have, at the slightest opportunity to do so.
One must acknowledge however, that there are sensible, fair, concerned individuals working in and leading certain banks ... working to achieve their objectives to gain profits and wealth on reasonable levels. I will seek out these types to engage a loan. In over 40 years of business I've never failed to make a single payment on any loan. I smile occasionally when a potential lender seems worried that I might not be a good risk.
In any case ... I've been monitoring the curve on sales since about 1995. The expected decline has not occurred. I've always wondered about a rising impact of the ebook and the competition online via the cancerous Amazon. The sales curve has traveled through very slow rises and declines ... overall stabilizing on a flat curve over the years since the onset of the Internet ... quite tolerable in my view. My employee count has risen to almost 30, and will increase by several more when we open the 225 operation. I still work 6 to 7 days per week, and never take a vacation. In case anyone might wonder, this kind of work schedule is almost necessary if you want to survive in a world infected by vulturous and predatory banks operating in our often insane capitalist system.
I recently talked with the architect on the 225 building, who has been waiting for info to continue the drawings. He is about 60% finished. We are back on track now to continue exploratory demo so as to gain info for him.
And vicupstate, you might remember when the grant funds ... around $37K ... was tabled a few months ago until I decided whether I would operate the lower floor restaurant myself or lease it out. Having recently made the decision to "do it" myself ... hiring chef and crew ... I informed the waiting members of the board of my decision. We are to meet again within days to discover or determine if there is any reason to hold up final release of the grant funds to me. I suspect the money was tabled because some individuals present suspected that my indecision was related to a potential project failure. But of course, the board or grant rules .. rule.
Of course, I cannot get far on the project with $37K, so I'm also preparing for a construction loan with some local banks. I will need ... I don't know ... maybe only $500K ... maybe $700K. Given the plans for the four two-bedroom apartments and the lower floor operation, the income will easily pay for the loan. I already have, without advertising, several people wanting to rent the apartments. Most look forward to being able to look down upon the Hemming Park show ... all kinds of persons, creatures, and activities. I paid off the building by the way. In 2012, I paid $295K for it.
But ... overall, I am excited to get on with the project. It will be fun. And the city core will gain by it. We are going to do a bang up job on the front ...attempting to return it so as to look like it might have looked many years ago.
I forgot to talk about the idea of the "threshold". Later.
Onward to work.
Thanks, Ron. It really is the entrepreneurs like yourself that have brought about the urban renaissance in the U.S. from what I have seen. The big boys only show up when someone else has already had the vision and done the heavy lifting. I can only imagine the headaches you have experienced, even though I have experienced some myself trying to enliven the core. Best of luck to you.
While I haven't had bad experiences with Bank Of America in the few dealings I have had with them, I have heard other horror stories and never intend to do business with them again.
P.S. Not that it matters, but I am a Sir.
Thanks for the update Ron. Looking forward to seeing progress on 225!!!
Ron, that 8:25 a.m. entry this morning is quite a read. Ramble on, man, ramble on.
Jlmann ... The apartment sizes will be from about 850 sq. ft. to 1,200 sq. ft. I'm not familiar with the going average. I will probably stay at perhaps 15% below the average for the area. Each will be two bedroom. We will see.
But ... onward .... The idea of a threshold. Is it valid? And if valid, is it significant? And what might be its nature?
If we were to admit that the city core is on a journey from stagnation to a condition of true infill and vibrancy, we might imagine a point along the journey ... call it a threshold ... before which exist conditions lacking optimism, energy, investment, projects in renovation and construction, a sense of freedom, enough population, and general happiness ... whereas the post-threshold world would be the opposites; that is, enthusiasm, optimism, energy, investment, renovations, new construction, general moods of excitement, and a spring in the walk amongst an increasing core population ... all not seen in the pre-threshold era.
I suggest that the idea of the threshold is more important than many might realize ... so important that a post-threshold era would, if achieved, allow a greatly increased rate of progress along the road to true core infill and vibrancy. If the threshold is so important, what conditions or events might allow or force reaching it?
The current pre-threshold era witnesses for the most part, people of energy and money choosing areas other than the city core to deploy their investments, business plans, dreams, and money. Why do they choose the suburbs and not the core? To a considerable degree the decisions to avoid the core are because the core is stabilized in a pre-threshold condition.
We discussed the idea of infrastructure on earlier posts, and the importance of improving and shaping it so as to remove negatives and enhance positives; thus making the core more attractive to the dreamers and investors; that is, encouraging decisions toward the core instead of outlying mini-cores.
The very fact of decades of relative stagnation in the core qualifies the statement that the core is definitely in a pre-threshold condition ... and in much need of reaching the point of threshold.
One might ask of the duration of the point of transition. The transition from a pre to a post threshold era is similar to the boiling of a pot of water. If one is to suggest that the desirable post-threshold would be a boiling water, one might observe, with the continuous addition of heat, that the water simmers ... bubbling somewhat ... and then, with the continued application of sufficient heat, begins to boil with vigor -- the desired post-threshold era.
However, if not enough heat is applied, the water will slowly cycle from a smooth surface to the occasional bubbling .... never passing the threshold ... stagnating just as our core has stagnated. Not enough heat?
The garden. Trash the word "infrastructure" and think of the core as a garden. The most important enabling characteristics of a garden is the soil and its irrigation. The core is like a garden, inviting anyone with dreams of beautiful plants to carefully set theirs.
But who builds and cares for the soil? We've seen many plants, placed with care and enthusiasm in the poor soil of the core, wither and die after a few months or a year or two of struggle.
Of course, there are the big money persons ... who have the funds to bring and install their own soil, and to provide the proper irrigation. But most gardeners, after waiting for decades for an improved soil, have chosen the better soil of the smaller but well soiled gardens in the outlying areas.
So .... What must be done to reach the threshold .... to achieve the boil ... to perfect the soil?
But first, it's important to realize that, whereas a pre-threshold core requires and endures constant fabrications, additions of facades, promotions, wasted investments, failed projects, and low energy levels; a post-threshold core will, by its higher energy, excitement, it's bold confidence in the success of dreams .. become like a runaway steam locomotive ... surging with a power not seen in many decades. This era in the core will produce a confidence that will draw investors and residents in great numbers, as a momentum of optimism and success finally will have been reached.
Fundamentally, a pre-threshold condition requires ... from governmental entities, agencies, committees, and councils ... laborious efforts in money and worry to engage it. A post-threshold era will run free ... energized by its own momentum ... requiring only the occasional guidance and restraints. A city core must get past this imagined threshold point if it is to emerge from a decade-long stagnation.
But ... again, what of the question .. how is the threshold to be achieved? I must get to work this morning. Any ideas about reaching this imagined point? I will think on this question too.
The current relative emptiness in our city core -- building emptiness ... a lack of population in the form of workers, residents, and visitors ... along with a lack of core energy in general -- might encourage some to contemplate the necessity or inevitability of it ... and ultimately the acceptance of it.
Certainly moderate desolation is not necessary, and once the nature and cause has been discovered, the assumption of inevitability is dissolved by sensible decisions and actions. But what of the "acceptance" of the tendency to perpetual core stagnation and desolation, as evidenced over several long decades?
Acceptance, whether a form of defeatism, a preoccupation with economic survival, or simply ignorance, certainly suppresses critical thought and action. Acceptance of less than optimum conditions might imply individuals experiencing a condition of complacency, which implies either the enjoyment of a condition of comfort via wealth, along with a tendency to exercise a subtle power to maintain that wealth; or it implies citizens experiencing complacency via discouragement, heavy debt, and a loss of hope as a consequence of enduring an infrastructure of exploitation evolved, orchestrated, accepted, and perpetuated by a small population of quasi elites exercising a predatory effect upon the majority of citizens ... a predatory dynamic that can exist both locally and nationally .... a dynamic that could, as a consequence of affecting a large population, be considered part of the culture.
The large projects proceeding in San Marco and other close-in areas, exposes a pattern of development from the outer city toward the inner core, the latter apparently destined to be the last space to enjoy the benefits and excitement of development. Apparently the lack of robust investment in the city core, as compared to current outlying areas, is simply a consequence of better investment/return ratios in outlying areas. The development of the core will have its time. As in most projects, we tend to do the easiest things first, and delay action on the difficult ... until it too is easy. Apparently the core, being the most difficult and challenging, will be last.
However, no matter the comparison, the long term stagnation and semi-desolation in the core, when most have desired a filled and vibrant core, allows one to ponder why so many years have passed, and continue to pass, without serious core development ... even when development has ultimately been possible.
A continuing condition of depression or inaction, whether in the mind of an individual, or in the core of a city, offers evidence of a moderate disorder or low grade illness. A disorder of moderate nature can be endured perpetually simply because the fact of moderation allows invisibility. Out of view, there is no pressure to discover causes ... and therefore no thought to solution or healing.
If we leave the cause of human or animal illnesses to the physicians or dietitians, to whom do we refer analysis of a city's affliction? Of course we all become physicians in some form or another, each offering our analysis, and the occasional paths to solution.
The complexities of animal or city systems can occasionally prevent a "physician" from determining the cause of ill health, and therefore both can suffer prolonged dysfunction and low grade illness. If high blood pressure in the human can be termed a silent killer ... if persistent low oil pressure can shorten the life of the auto engine ... what might be the cause of a low-grade illness or dysfunction in a city core?
Being hidden ... subterranean ... I suspect that we might discover the culprit to be part of our local culture. But then ... what is culture? I suspect that culture can be anything contemplated, performed, or endured by a large segment of a circumscribed population. If this makes any sense, then we might search for aspects of our local culture that might be holding the city and/or city core in a moderate form of dysfunction or illness.
But, does it make sense? Has the city core been enduring decades of stagnation? Certainly. Is the cause unknowable? Apparently it is unknowable because if the cause was clear for all to see, then the dysfunction would have been addressed, and resolution achieved.
One aspect of a culture, or any part of a culture, is that it often exists subterranean ... hidden ... all the while affecting the realities in economics and the standard of living of the majority ... exhibiting effects both positive and harmful. Of course, our purpose requires interest only in the harmful pressures from an imagined culture; pressures successfully neutralizing efforts to achieve progress on the journey to full infill and vibrancy in the core.
If you cannot figure out what or how or why about something, then look to the money interest. Or,Follow the Money. And in America, where the insane religion of unfettered capitalism has gained sway over the minds of most, the result has been the extreme inequality in wealth and income, both locally and nationally. The standard of living of perhaps 80% of our population has suffered considerably over recent decades.
The rumour is that, at least on the national level, the wall street predators, the big corporations, and the bought politicians are responsible for destroying the economy and the living standards of the great mass of average workers in our country.
But what about our local culture ... the strength of our local economy ... the standard of living of our local population ... and the jobs of reasonable quality available to allow the implementation of a robust local economy? If the amplitude of these local economic aspects are indeed suffering, how might these depressed aspects ultimately affect the efforts to achieve a revitalized city core? If the strength of the above attributes are significant as enablers in our efforts to proceed to vibrancy, how can we identify and improve them? What in our local culture or economic environment can be targeted as contributing to a depressed economy ... to the local inequalities in the wealth/income ... and thus to an economy/job situation unsupportive of efforts to revitalize our city core?
If there are predators financially raping the great middle class on a national level, who or what can be contributing to the financial rape of the local citizens who are considered to be part of the lower and middle classes? If there are financial vultures and predators on a national scale, who are their counterparts locally?
Finishing my espresso and stuff, and hearing work beckon, I will think upon this, and return when espresso again stimulates the mind. Does anyone have an idea as to what might exist within the local culture that influences our local economy to one of depression, and thus perpetuating a continual repression of efforts to enliven the core to one of complete infill and true vibrancy?
To work.