Great Ideas; No Action: 10 Projects That Never Happened
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/plog-content/images/development/building-boom/42980361_635d7a3fdd_b.jpg)
Over the past 100 years, Jacksonville has been an epicenter of economic opportunity. It's also been a place where dreams have come to die. Here's 10 proposals with some merit that, for a variety of reasons, ultimately failed to materialize into reality.
Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2016-apr-great-ideas-no-action-10-projects-that-never-happened
2014-560 and the NEW CRA/DIA in the USA will change all that for any Downtown projects. We have a new Authority.
Fight Blight has been replaced with NICE and active legislation before the council 2016-140 will have every other project saying "Welcome to the Neighborhood".
Love the history Ennis.
Visit Jacksonville!
Great article, I always enjoy MJ's lookback pieces, although it's hard not to get jaded about all the missed and bungled opportunities.
I'm curious about the 8th and Pearl rendering in the title picture since I live a block away from that intersection - what's the story with that project?
Sea Glass Tower:
http://news.wjct.org/post/project-build-floridas-tallest-structure-proposed-downtown-jacksonville
I still have my fingers crossed : )
Quote from: Jomar on April 06, 2016, 10:08:58 AM
Great article, I always enjoy MJ's lookback pieces, although it's hard not to get jaded about all the missed and bungled opportunities.
I'm curious about the 8th and Pearl rendering in the title picture since I live a block away from that intersection - what's the story with that project?
^That was Craig Van Horn's 8th & Pearl proposal. It was supposed to be an infill mixed-use project with street level retail and residential above. I remember a few buildings on 8th Street being torn down for it. It never broke ground and Craig's real estate investments eventually went under with the fall of the housing market.
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-6829-8th_pearl_final.jpg)
More info on it and other dead projects from the early 2000s here: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-oct-results-of-the-boom-dead-projects
ABOUT AMTRAK
As for Amtrak, I believe what happened is the cash strapped Federal corporation, the State and the Florida East Coast merely changed the approach when the ill-advised Florida HSR bit the dust.
All Aboard Florida/Brightline is effectively completely overhauling the entire railroad. Double track (once one of the nations only completely double track routes) is going back down. Work is now breaking out of the Miami - West Palm area and into Martin County, Brevard and Orange. New signaling, new rail, new ties, new track, new right-of-way (Cocoa-Orlando) and it's just a matter of perhaps 2-3 more years until this breaks into the Cocoa-Jacksonville region. New Stations are already well on the way in downtown Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando and about to break ground in Cocoa Beach. Expect the same to happen in either Daytona or New Smyrna, St. Augustine and ultimately Jacksonville.
Once this system is up and running as an intrastate corridor service, Amtrak long-distance trains such as the Silver Meteor and Silver Star can move in at a fraction of the cost that they originally anticipated. Huge savings, new stations and a complimentary corridor service.
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*All photos from the Brightline executive tour of the Siemens plant
Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder Siemens Mobility
Performance figures
Maximum speed 125 mph (201 km/h)
Power output At alternator:
4,400 hp (3,300 kW) Short-Time
4,200 hp (3,100 kW) Continuous
At wheel (HEP dependent):
~4,000 hp (3,000 kW)
to
~2,900 hp (2,200 kW)
Tractive effort Starting:
290 kN (65,000 lbf)
Factor of adh 4.07 (24.57%)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/52BEA671-2036-452C-838A-A2EA2CFF6387.png_zpswrabgwe5.jpeg)
Performance figures
Fuel type Diesel
Fuel capacity 1,800 US gal (6,800 l; 1,500 imp gal) (Standard)
Larger tanks available up to
2,200 US gal (8,300 l; 1,800 imp gal)
Prime mover Cummins QSK95
RPM range 600-1800
Engine type 45° V16, four stroke cycle
Aspiration Turbocharged
Displacement 95 liters (5,800 cu in)[1]
Traction motors Siemens AC Traction Motors
Cylinders 16
Cylinder size 5.9375 liters (362.33 cu in)
Transmission AC-DC-AC
MU working Yes
Train heating Locomotive-supplied head-end power; 1,000 kW (1,300 hp) 3-phase, 60 Hz, 480 VAC, 1000 kVA
Loco brake Dynamic / Regenerative / Electropneumatic
Train brakes Electropneumatic
Safety systems FRA standards
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/1F7B6191-F22A-4A9A-997C-15A4CB152547.png_zpscncmey2a.jpeg)
Performance figures
Minimum curve 250 ft 0 in (76.20 m)
Wheelbase 32 ft 6 in (9.91 m) (between truck centers)
Length 71 ft 6 in (21.79 m)
Width 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
Height 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Axle load 67,500 lb (30,617 kg)
Adhesive weight 100%
Loco weight 264,556 lb (120,001 kilograms)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/432FEC98-9DF9-4F5E-9627-980648FA7F95.png_zpsv3qz6tps.jpeg)
Performance figures
Specifications
AAR wheel arr B-B
UIC class Bo′Bo′
Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Trucks Siemens model SF4
Wheel diameter 44 in (1,118 mm)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/1CF6A1AF-3A7A-4642-927F-283607B20D54.png_zpspmch10ms.jpeg)
Passenger car sides for Brightline
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/943203E9-F539-4A69-B5B0-DB146C61E1A9.png_zpsi2bm80fl.jpeg)
Brightline, All Aboard Florida, Florida East Coast and Siemens officials at the roll-out of the first Brightline passenger car.
The DDA's 1984 era, 'Nation's First Heritage Streetcar' system could easily be added to the list.
Not sure I would classify the Freedom Commerce Centre Mall as a "great idea".
Quote from: pierre on April 06, 2016, 12:38:31 PM
Not sure I would classify the Freedom Commerce Centre Mall as a "great idea".
Yeah, some of these are a lot "greater" than others. We're way better off with Freedom Commerce Center Mall being wetlands than a(nother) mall. The Shipyards section also leaves out the part where Trilegacy defrauded the city.
Quote from: Tacachale on April 06, 2016, 01:14:47 PM
Quote from: pierre on April 06, 2016, 12:38:31 PM
Not sure I would classify the Freedom Commerce Centre Mall as a "great idea".
Yeah, some of these are a lot "greater" than others. We're way better off with Freedom Commerce Center Mall being wetlands than a(nother) mall. The Shipyards section also leaves out the part where Trilegacy defrauded the city.
Though I'm glad to see Disney World isn't on the list this time ;)
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-oct-jacksonvilles-ten-major-missed-opportunities
Quote from: thelakelander on April 06, 2016, 11:09:30 AM
Quote from: Jomar on April 06, 2016, 10:08:58 AM
Great article, I always enjoy MJ's lookback pieces, although it's hard not to get jaded about all the missed and bungled opportunities.
I'm curious about the 8th and Pearl rendering in the title picture since I live a block away from that intersection - what's the story with that project?
^That was Craig Van Horn's 8th & Pearl proposal. It was supposed to be an infill mixed-use project with street level retail and residential above. I remember a few buildings on 8th Street being torn down for it. It never broke ground and Craig's real estate investments eventually went under with the fall of the housing market.
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-6829-8th_pearl_final.jpg)
More info on it and other dead projects from the early 2000s here: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-oct-results-of-the-boom-dead-projects
WOW. This one is incredible. This would have radically accelerated the current trajectory of Springfield. I really wish something like this could still happen. :-/
No tears for the Freedom commerce Center but Riverwatch would have been nice, especially considering what went there instead. Such a waste of a prime spot.
Quote from: vicupstate on April 09, 2016, 09:07:49 AM
No tears for the Freedom commerce Center but Riverwatch would have been nice, especially considering what went there instead. Such a waste of a prime spot.
Yup. Just hearing the words riverfront and parking together makes me cringe.
I have always wanted to get into real-estate development but after reading this thread - and many more like it, there is probably more money to be made in "promotional material" production.