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Mayor Curry has revealed his plans for replacing the Jacksonville Landing after its demolition, and as Urban Core advocates have feared for months, it's mostly an empty field. Get ready for Lenny's Lawn. Read More
Read more: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/lennys-lawn-the-grass-field-replacing-the-landing/
Just dropping some quick props to Stephanie Brown at WOKV (report referenced in the article), who has consistently delivered the best reporting on downtown and capital spending in the city over the years from a traditional media perspective.
Sad to learn that she's moving on from reporting this week and taking a job with a nonproft organization, but happy for her as well.
Stephanie Brown and Dave Cawton (also gone from reporting, I know, you guys love him) have been my go-to reporters for live updates from DIA, DDRB, and big City Council/JEA meetings for years.
Not sure if there's anyone else doing that same type of live coverage.
Great article ... "Demo Lenny" love it!
Well, there goes the neighborhood (downtown) thanks to lenny, who doesn't know how to manage or spend a penny.
I, for one, am looking forward to Lenny Lawn! I can't wait to stroll through the park with my kids with a view of the river and a bum pissing on the lawn. It will be so much fun to sit on the grass and have a conversation with my family while being verbally accosted by one of hundreds of bums for denying them a handout. What joy is in store for all of us when Lenny's Lawn opens up!
Look on the bright side. When you get hungry, you can get into your car and drive over to the new T.G.I. Friday's at Lot J.
^First plate of mozzarella sticks is on the house!*
*If "on the house" means that $387 in cash from every adult resident of Duval County set aside for Lot J ($209 million in cash / 539,278 residents over the age of 18) actually goes toward mozzarella sticks.
Word of warning, the pizzadillas will cost extra.
I would like to get some Demo Lenny bumper stickers to pass around.
LOL...
Curry's legacy will be his great world renowned lawn...
Will there be hot dog carts?
^Now that's a big idea!
There will be representatives from The Jaxson on the First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross to discuss the latest on the Landing this morning at 9am. Here's a link to listen live:
https://www.wjct.org/listen/
Join The Conversation: (904) 549-2937 (Note: This line is only active during the program, 9 -10 a.m.)
Email First Coast Connect link: https://news.wjct.org/programs/first-coast-connect-melissa-ross#_ga=2.36892448.1489096341.1565663509-129271083.1530834732
Listening on 89.9 FM right now as well.
Quote from: Jim on August 12, 2019, 11:33:22 PM
Will there be hot dog carts?
That isn't the key question. The key question is do they actually go up with the bridge as it rises or do they stay on the fixed part?
Seriously, I'll have to listen to the recording. Stupid 9AM meeting I have to listen in on.
Should I get my lawn chairs ready for when I visit Jax?
Quote from: heights unknown on August 13, 2019, 02:03:35 PM
Should I get my lawn chairs ready for when I visit Jax?
This is a great opportunity to start the annual First Coast Lawn Chair Festival, Jacksonville's favorite new tradition!
I am not in Jax and my family isn't as plugged in as they should be, but friends have told me there's no real vocal opposition to tearing down the Landing and replacing it with a lawn or to the $230 million dollar entertainment...thing at Lot J. Is this true? Are most Jax residents in favor of these things? Does Curry have a lot of support or is he riding roughshod over the opposition?
The Jaxson and Nate Monroe are the only voices speaking up against him. Everyone else is cowering in fear.
Quote from: Bativac on August 14, 2019, 03:57:01 PM
Does Curry have a lot of support or is he riding roughshod over the opposition?
He's riding roughshod over the opposition. Most are in fear to speak out.
Curry is drunk on power. Good people who know better are doing nothing. Thus, here we are.
I honestly can't even get my head around a mayor WANTING to have any responsibility for the schools to this degree. Does he really want to get the phone calls and the criticism and the headaches that come with that? Doesn't he have enough to herd over already?
In reality I know he really doesn't, he is doing the bidding for others and he isn't running again, so he doesn't really care.
Quote from: Bativac on August 14, 2019, 03:57:01 PM
I am not in Jax and my family isn't as plugged in as they should be, but friends have told me there's no real vocal opposition to tearing down the Landing and replacing it with a lawn or to the $230 million dollar entertainment...thing at Lot J. Is this true? Are most Jax residents in favor of these things?
I think we're talking two different questions here.
Cronyism (and a personal grudge dating back to the 2014 mayor election) is clearly how he got away with it, and why the Landing is being torn down and replaced with a vacant lot.
As to why there isn't more vocal opposition, I think the realistic answer is:
Lots and lots and lots of people, for better or worse, view the Landing as a dump that's a black eye on the city. This has been a widespread, largely nonpartisan view predating Curry.
Both because it's fallen into disrepair in recent years, and because some very public, very voilent crimes have occured on the site.
Sleiman has never been the most popular guy in Jax either.
Plus, it sadly takes more time and energy to understand why adaptive resuse - or at least leaving the door open for adaptive reuse - is the smartest use of taxypayer dollars than the average Jacksonville citizen (voter turnout was 12.5% at the last election) is willing to give.
^Honestly, I don't think the majority of the city really cares one way or the other about the Landing, Lot J or downtown in general. However, this is the situation in most cities. More do care about what happens with JEA and the public schools because they directly impact their quality of living. For the lower percentage of the population that does care, it's a mixture of the things Ken has stated, along with what boils down to pure local politics and potential fallout from going against the mayors office. When politics are at play, the outcome or proposed resolution becomes less important than being on the side for whatever the person controlling cash flow desires to do.
Quote from: Bativac on August 14, 2019, 03:57:01 PM
I am not in Jax and my family isn't as plugged in as they should be, but friends have told me there's no real vocal opposition to tearing down the Landing and replacing it with a lawn or to the $230 million dollar entertainment...thing at Lot J. Is this true? Are most Jax residents in favor of these things? Does Curry have a lot of support or is he riding roughshod over the opposition?
Curry has a lot of well-earned support. What you're reading here is an embarrassment from people who should know better. That said, their responses are as predictable as mine. I can admit it. Fine, we're on opposite sides. The difference is this:
they've lost a political battle by a *WIDE* margin because most of the people in the City who care to follow this stuff, always a minority in *every* locale, know the bitch-and-moan crowd (yes, I'm looking at y'all) will only support the approaches they favor that are *totally* group-think from within an authoritarian bubble along the lines of
density, density, density (gargle)
core, core, core (gargle) but only as
*we* define it.
Sorry, friends, that won't cut it. To hell with your definitions, okay? To hell with 'em. I mean, what level of fool doesn't understand the proposed Duval Live! facility is far beyond the possibility of the The Landing? Damn what *you* prefer, the city had spoken about The Landing, loud and clear, years ago. What fool doesn't know how to admit the creation of a district available nowhere else in Florida -- yet demonstrably successful elsewhere -- isn't a plus for Jacksonville?
The Landing was built on a wish, and championed by the sort of folks bitching about its demise. Oh, they say, that was the wrong approach and we knew it all along,
these possibilities are the right approaches. Man, shut up! You were wrong then and you're wrong now.
Talk nonsense about a so-called Lenny's Lawn all you like, the facts say this is a can-do mayor
sho 'nuff getting things done *and* facilitating downtown development.
Since he can't disclose all that is planned or being discussed, I know this upsets the
tell me everything, tell me everything right freaking now gang but that is a feature, not a bug. Win elections, guide the future. Deal with it. So, *y'all* can uncharitably dismiss all he has done for downtown Jacksonville if you want to but it will be dismissed as the sour grapes it surely is.
Now, if only Shad & Tony & Tom & Doug et al. can just get our Jaguars to the Super Bowl . . . sigh.
Good morning, everybody. Nice to be tangling with y'all once again.
Welcome back RattlerGator! I miss your objective posts. We should catch up for brunch on Laura Street on Sunday to see all the success! You pick the restaurant!
Quote from: thelakelander on August 15, 2019, 08:08:22 AM
Welcome back RattlerGator! I miss your objective posts. We should catch up for brunch on Laura Street on Sunday to see all the success! You pick the restaurant!
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Somebody post a picture of Peyton's Park soon to be dog park, to show Rattler how 'off base' this crowd has been about predicting the end result of party-hack-turn-mayor projects.
I like this RattlerGator fella. Refreshing to see someone poke the beehive
Quote from: Bativac on August 14, 2019, 03:57:01 PM
I am not in Jax and my family isn't as plugged in as they should be, but friends have told me there's no real vocal opposition to tearing down the Landing and replacing it with a lawn or to the $230 million dollar entertainment...thing at Lot J. Is this true? Are most Jax residents in favor of these things? Does Curry have a lot of support or is he riding roughshod over the opposition?
I think the issue we're also facing is that downtown really hasn't worked for over a generation. I'm in my mid 30's and my generation doesn't ever know a lively Downtown Jacksonville. My in-laws (as they've been here MUCH longer than my parents) haven't seen a vibrant downtown in decades either.
In short - the general public I believe has become so jaded about downtown that at this point is sort of like the adults in Peanuts. I think most people would like to see it happen, but since we've been talking about downtown revitalization since the 1971 master plan that presents a challenge.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 15, 2019, 08:08:22 AM
Welcome back RattlerGator! I miss your objective posts. We should catch up for brunch on Laura Street on Sunday to see all the success! You pick the restaurant!
Careful! I've heard trying to find a table at a downtown establishment on a Sunday is quite difficult.
Quote from: Steve on August 15, 2019, 09:16:43 AM
Quote from: Bativac on August 14, 2019, 03:57:01 PM
I am not in Jax and my family isn't as plugged in as they should be, but friends have told me there's no real vocal opposition to tearing down the Landing and replacing it with a lawn or to the $230 million dollar entertainment...thing at Lot J. Is this true? Are most Jax residents in favor of these things? Does Curry have a lot of support or is he riding roughshod over the opposition?
I think the issue we're also facing is that downtown really hasn't worked for over a generation. I'm in my mid 30's and my generation doesn't ever know a lively Downtown Jacksonville. My in-laws (as they've been here MUCH longer than my parents) haven't seen a vibrant downtown in decades either.
In short - the general public I believe has become so jaded about downtown that at this point is sort of like the adults in Peanuts. I think most people would like to see it happen, but since we've been talking about downtown revitalization since the 1971 master plan that presents a challenge.
Exactly what I mean when I say the problems with urbanization in Jax are cultural. We have a population that just doesn't know anything else except low-density sprawl.
On a side note, my wife who is a typical Jax resident asked why traffic gets so much worse when school starts. It is something that in years past she just accepted as a given but never understood why. She is finally starting to connect the dots.
https://news.wjct.org/post/sleiman-enterprises-acquires-3-san-marco-square-buildings
I can't help but think this and his previous purchase of the Lakewood Promenade is a big FU to Lenny Curry!
I hope he doesn't do to San Marco Sq what he did to The Landing.
I'd be willing to put money down that Sleiman gets those buildings leased years before Curry gets his plans for Landing Riverfront Park drawn up.
^ hey fences are now down on the former courthouse and annex site - Lenny's team moving at light speed! #winning
Nice! I'm sure people must be flocking down to lay and roll around in downtown's new urban public space.