Random branding question for you guys:
It's no secret that the Town Center area has been the primary hotbed of development in the city over the last decade. Right now, it easily has the highest concentration of shopping and restaurants in Jacksonville, there are endless entertainment options nearby, and together with the adjacent Deerwood area, it has to be considered the city's secondary business district. Plus, new development is seemingly popping up by the month lately -- the Town Center Exchange, Top Golf, Baptist Emergency Center, etc -- with no signs of slowing (http://jacksonville.com/business/2015-09-19/story/town-center-boom-set-continue-so-much-more-coming-soon).
Anyone else think it would be an awesome idea to do away with the generic "Town Center Area," and rebrand the area as Midtown Jacksonville? It might not be Midtown Manhattan or Atlanta, but it's certainly as strong of an area as Midtown Charlotte, for example.
I think it would be a great way to tie the Town Center area, Tapestry Park, Tinseltown, Deerwood, all future development, and even UNF together into one unified sense of place. Especially if you could find a way to make the whole area just a little bit more interconnected, whether it be bike trails, shuttles, whatever, connecting things like Top Golf, the movie theater, the shops, the hotels, the dorms, etc.
Am I crazy in thinking that this actually makes a lot of sense? It gives a unifying brand to the area. It differentiates it from Downtown Jacksonville. It de-emphasizes the SJTC, which is great, but only one part of a larger area. It makes on-campus living more desirable at UNF. I think it encourages even more develpoment. Plus, it just sounds like a cooler, more interesting place to point visitors toward than "the St. Johns mall."
Rough borders could look something like this:
(http://i.imgur.com/Rh7bDtX.png)
Naming alone isn't going to change anything, but in this case, giving a more concrete sense of identity to a really hot yet somewhat disconnected area might make a lot of sense.
It's an interesting idea, though I don't quite see it as a "midtown" for some reason. I think my other issue with the term is it seems a bit to marketing-y for me.
I'm fine with that. When I describe the area I usually call it town center, but I have to add in Tinseltown, Tapestry Park and Deerwood Lake. You're right that this area will continue to develop for years to come, so it would be nice to have a moniker for the area as a whole. Midtown seems as good as any...it's sorta the midpoint between downtown and the beaches.
I think your idea is on point.
Quote from: KenFSU on September 19, 2015, 02:04:18 PM
Random branding question for you guys:
It's no secret that the Town Center area has been the primary hotbed of development in the city over the last decade. Right now, it easily has the highest concentration of shopping and restaurants in Jacksonville, there are endless entertainment options nearby, and together with the adjacent Deerwood area, it has to be considered the city's secondary business district. Plus, new development is seemingly popping up by the month lately -- the Town Center Exchange, Top Golf, Baptist Emergency Center, etc -- with no signs of slowing.
Anyone else think it would be an awesome idea to do away with the generic "Town Center Area," and rebrand the area as Midtown Jacksonville? It might not be Midtown Manhattan or Atlanta, but it's certainly as strong of an area as Midtown Charlotte, for example.
I think it would be a great way to tie the Town Center area, Tapestry Park, Tinseltown, Deerwood, all future development, and even UNF together into one unified sense of place. Especially if you could find a way to make the whole area just a little bit more interconnected, whether it be bike trails, shuttles, whatever, connecting things like Top Golf, the movie theater, the shops, the hotels, the dorms, etc.
Am I crazy in thinking that this actually makes a lot of sense? It gives a unifying brand to the area. It differentiates it from Downtown Jacksonville. It de-emphasizes the SJTC, which is great, but only one part of a larger area. It makes on-campus living more desirable at UNF. I think it encourages even more develpoment. Plus, it just sounds like a cooler, more interesting place to point visitors toward than "the St. Johns mall."
Rough borders could look something like this:
(http://i.imgur.com/Rh7bDtX.png)
Naming alone isn't going to change anything, but in this case, giving a more concrete sense of identity to a really hot yet somewhat disconnected area might make a lot of sense.
There's a midtown apartment near Butler and 95. I've always considered that area more midtownish, because of all the office buildings over there.
Quote from: KenFSU on September 19, 2015, 02:04:18 PM
It's no secret that the Town Center area has been the primary hotbed of development in the city over the last decade. Right now, it easily has the highest concentration of shopping and restaurants in Jacksonville, there are endless entertainment options nearby, and together with the adjacent Deerwood area, it has to be considered the city's secondary business district. Plus, new development is seemingly popping up by the month lately -- the Town Center Exchange, Top Golf, Baptist Emergency Center, etc -- with no signs of slowing (http://jacksonville.com/business/2015-09-19/story/town-center-boom-set-continue-so-much-more-coming-soon).
Add Red Robin to the list, potentially.
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546203
Bout damn time they came to Jax, even if I could take or leave them myself.
the "growth" in that part of the city is amazing. Midtown sounds like a proper moniker.
Quote from: KenFSU on September 19, 2015, 02:04:18 PM
Anyone else think it would be an awesome idea to do away with the generic "Town Center Area," and rebrand the area as Midtown Jacksonville?
I like the idea of giving a sense of identity to this disconnected area, but "Midtown" isn't any less generic. Something unique and/or more Jacksonville-centric would be better, IMHO.
"midtown" isn't a bad idea, assuming that it denotes midway between downtown and the beach. The real estate folks call the area "Intracoastal West", which never made sense to me, and nobody uses the term. I'm sure Glen Kernan and Jax Golf and Country Club wouldn't mind being called Midtown. Or tamaya, which already has a jingle about being between the city and the sea. So I would define the area as between the west bank of the ICW and I-95. Works for me.
Quote from: KenFSU on September 19, 2015, 02:04:18 PM
Random branding question for you guys:
It's no secret that the Town Center area has been the primary hotbed of development in the city over the last decade. Right now, it easily has the highest concentration of shopping and restaurants in Jacksonville, there are endless entertainment options nearby, and together with the adjacent Deerwood area, it has to be considered the city's secondary business district. Plus, new development is seemingly popping up by the month lately -- the Town Center Exchange, Top Golf, Baptist Emergency Center, etc -- with no signs of slowing (http://jacksonville.com/business/2015-09-19/story/town-center-boom-set-continue-so-much-more-coming-soon).
Anyone else think it would be an awesome idea to do away with the generic "Town Center Area," and rebrand the area as Midtown Jacksonville? It might not be Midtown Manhattan or Atlanta, but it's certainly as strong of an area as Midtown Charlotte, for example.
I think it would be a great way to tie the Town Center area, Tapestry Park, Tinseltown, Deerwood, all future development, and even UNF together into one unified sense of place. Especially if you could find a way to make the whole area just a little bit more interconnected, whether it be bike trails, shuttles, whatever, connecting things like Top Golf, the movie theater, the shops, the hotels, the dorms, etc.
Am I crazy in thinking that this actually makes a lot of sense? It gives a unifying brand to the area. It differentiates it from Downtown Jacksonville. It de-emphasizes the SJTC, which is great, but only one part of a larger area. It makes on-campus living more desirable at UNF. I think it encourages even more develpoment. Plus, it just sounds like a cooler, more interesting place to point visitors toward than "the St. Johns mall."
Rough borders could look something like this:
(http://i.imgur.com/Rh7bDtX.png)
Naming alone isn't going to change anything, but in this case, giving a more concrete sense of identity to a really hot yet somewhat disconnected area might make a lot of sense.
The equivalent area in Charlotte is known as SouthPark, and is not their Midtown.
Midtowns are always (if I'm not mistaken) the next "area" up from downtowns, and some cities also then have an uptown. Sometimes cities take on different/unique names for these areas, but they are always extreme core, not far flung suburban area with miles of highway in between.
Though I like the idea/though-process. In my opinion, Town Center as a name has grown on me and rolls off the tongue. Southpoint used to be a name I commonly heard for the adjacent surburbany office area, and I like that name, too. I would think of Springfield around 8th near 95 more as a Midtown (or Uptown) if it ever came to be something more than it is, but not the SJTC area.
"Skinnerville" ?
(http://i.imgur.com/Rh7bDtX.png)
Looking at the map, I'd say Southpoint ties in with Tinseltown and the Town Center area, more so than anything on Beach Blvd. It's basically a linear corridor or development straddling JTB, along Gate Parkway, Deerwood Park Boulevard and Town Center Parkway.
I believe the city council designated Midtown as the name of an area already. This was doen years ago I believe and was for either the Eastside or the Philip Randolph/ Sports district if I recall correctly.
^I think they applied Midtown to what is typically called just the Sports Complex or Stadium district. It hasn't really stuck.
The area definitely needs a name. Southside is far too broad and Town Center is too narrow (and lame, it's not the center of town or anywhere near the St. Johns).
Honestly, no one gives a damn what the city council designated some years back -- that's not going to be controlling. And simms3: "I would think of Springfield around 8th near 95 more as a Midtown (or Uptown) if it ever came to be something more than it is, but not the SJTC area." No one in town is going to think of that area as Midtown -- no one.
Midtown or Uptown works, I think, but given its location South something works better and, personally, South City works for me.
There was a small push to brand Springfield as Uptown in the mid-2000s. That name never stuck either.
Town center known as Mid-town? Can you get Ben Carter to change the name? I am sure he could have called in Mid-Town, after all, he has been to Atlanta.
Perhaps interesting to note that "St.Johns" Town Center is located on Duval land..... :)
Quote from: Know Growth on October 10, 2015, 01:31:36 PM
Perhaps interesting to note that "St.Johns" Town Center is located on Duval land..... :)
So is a significant portion of the "St Johns" river. Seems a bit fishy...
Quote from: RattlerGator on October 10, 2015, 08:13:37 AM
Midtown or Uptown works, I think, but given its location South something works better and, personally, South City works for me.
South City sounds good to me!
How about "The Sprawl?"
Not only is it accurate, it's highbrow and cool:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sprawl (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sprawl)
"Sprawlton"
"Edge City"
Joel Garreau,in his book "Edge City", notes we have not built a single old-style downtown from raw dirt in over eighty five years.
(At this rate,we'll need to reconsider the future of the remaining D Dot Ranch wild lands. Pesky barrier.Nocatee is located on lands many considered to be D DOT Ranch.Years ago Local enviros fought valiantly against the proposed Southeast Garbage Land Fill. With a breath of relief,the Garbage Land Fill ended up way out west on the slope of the Trail Ridge.......perfect for consigning the Southeast lands to Nocatee ;) )
It is amazing to realize how convenient it is to go to the Town Center from Avondale. I'd rather head to the Town Center than grind down Blanding Blvd. to Orange Park. At least for now.
Since it is considered an Edge City and is south, I'll go with the South Edge District. SED could be used for easy reference too.
This is Southside. It is the heart of Southside. I consider everything around Gate to be Southside. Farther South is Southpoint. Then it gets into Mandarin. They named one of the apartments by the SJTC "Uptown."
Honestly, Brroklyn would probably serve as a better Midtown.
I've only lived in Jacksonville since 2007, but I've always referred to the corridor along Southside Blvd as Southside. To me the area between Regency and the Avenues is "Southside."
I think the area around the JTB/295 interchange should be called "Southside Heights." It definitely isn't a midtown.
One of the mayor's transition groups suggested focusing on Neighborhoods as a way of creating and supporting community identity throughout the city. I love cities that have signs and official designations of neighborhoods.
QuoteTown center known as Mid-town? Can you get Ben Carter to change the name? I am sure he could have called in Mid-Town, after all, he has been to Atlanta.
Well, there's already a
Buckhead Branch Drive right in the middle of things..... ;)
AND Mid Town Parkway.....
"Town Center" is really only the "St. Johns Town Center" mall. "Southside" in contrast, includes pretty much everything south and east of the river that's not Arlington or the Beach. "Southside" was originally "South Jacksonville", which was present-day San Marco and St. Nicholas, but interestingly folks in the older neighborhoods sometimes cringe when we're lumped in with "Southside". Either way, there's not really one term for the specific area we're talking about here.
Since I lived here. The destination area has been defined by its largest retail activity.
If we go to Southside and Touchton/Gate, we say we are going to Tinseltown.(even if we arent going to the movies)
If we are going to Southside and Philips, we say we are going to the Avenues. (Even if we arent going to the mall)
If we are going to Atlantic and Southside, we say Regency (even if we dont go in the mall).
The one place that doesnt have a name (yet) is Beach and Hodges. Technically it could be called Intercoastal West, but for now we call it by its intersecting streets.
Outside of this area we use neighborhood names.
Ie: San Marco, Riverside.
If I told someone I had errands to run in Mixon Town, they would probably think I was going to Georgia.
I do say I am going to Brooklyn and it causes double takes.
Southside is too much of a catch all for the area between the river and the intracoastal. I think the area between Touchton and Baymeadows and 9a and southside blvd would do well to create branding. I like South City or Midtown. Southpoint denotes a pretty compact area and has a well known name.
Midtown, not to be confused with Midtowne
(http://i.imgur.com/cEetqat.png)
Off Butler:
https://goo.gl/5w3whb
When Ira Koger built Midtown Centre they must of thought that was "midtown" in Jax at the time.
In 1957, Koger opened it as the Koger Center. I believe it was re-branded as Midtown Centre in the last decade or two.
How about SouthTown Center. It "connects" Southpoint, southside, Town Center together. The use of Center sounds like some cities where that implies a business area.
Dang. I thought this was an update to Midtown Deli. Anyone know where they are going to reopen?
Quote from: thelakelander on October 12, 2015, 01:33:57 PM
In 1957, Koger opened it as the Koger Center. I believe it was re-branded as Midtown Centre in the last decade or two.
Yep. When Koger sold out, it was bought by LNR Commercial (Lennar) and it was rebranded as Midtown Centre. I forgot about that little tidbit of time!