(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/Southbank-Crossing/i-NwW74cs/0/7b18cf79/L/Southbank%20Crossing-L.jpg)
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Recently conceptually approved by the Downtown Development Review Board (DDRB), Southbank Crossing is poised to be the latest adaptive reuse retail and dining development on Hendricks Avenue. Here is a look at the presentation provided to the DDRB.
Read more: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/renderings-of-southbank-crossing/
I think this development does the best with what the city allows. There's a wealth of parking a block away, but still the market requires on site parking for the tenants to sign on, so we end up with less density than before. With better transit infrastructure, on site parking could be reduced and density increased.
Quote from: sanmarcomatt on December 18, 2019, 10:50:29 AM
While not optimal, I will take this. I desperately want Hendricks side walk widening/improvements and I think it being included with new development like this is my only realistic hope.
It will be interesting to see who wins the new " high end restaurant " tenant battle considering what has been announced as desired future plans. Two here plus three others with Publix corner, ex bathhouse site, and Sleimans Square bldg. Five added to what is in the area currently? I don't think so.
The sidewalks in this area of Hemdricks are all but useless. There's either a tree, light pole, or street sign every 6 feet. I don't know how the ADA or others haven't gotten onto the city about it. There is absolutely no way you could reasonably make it through there in a wheelchair.
Overall, looks like a nice project. However, the interlaced square/rectangle look on every new retail and apartment building in town is getting old. Can't someone offer up with curves, crazy angles, tilted surfaces, etc. with some occasional texture and/or details to make our buildings a bit more unique and interesting? When I visit other cities, it seems there is a lot more architectural variety.
Quote from: acme54321 on December 18, 2019, 11:23:49 AM
Quote from: sanmarcomatt on December 18, 2019, 10:50:29 AM
While not optimal, I will take this. I desperately want Hendricks side walk widening/improvements and I think it being included with new development like this is my only realistic hope.
It will be interesting to see who wins the new " high end restaurant " tenant battle considering what has been announced as desired future plans. Two here plus three others with Publix corner, ex bathhouse site, and Sleimans Square bldg. Five added to what is in the area currently? I don't think so.
The sidewalks in this area of Hemdricks are all but useless. There's either a tree, light pole, or street sign every 6 feet. I don't know how the ADA or others haven't gotten onto the city about it. There is absolutely no way you could reasonably make it through there in a wheelchair.
This. It's pretty much impossible with a stroller, and it's all a result of the streetscape project they did less than 10 years ago! Clearly the idea was to make the street pretty for cars as they drive past, and little thought was given to anyone actually using the new sidewalks. They never even bothered to mortar the inlayed brick, so many of them have come loose.
Yeah, stroller pushing is how I first noticed how bad it was. We completely avoid it now. Actually, one time I pulled our 2 kid bike trailer through it. In one spot it would not physically fit between a tree/pole and the adjacent building and I couldn't go around it on the other side or I'd have been way off the curb. The trailer is only like 30" wide...
Quote from: JBTripper on December 19, 2019, 09:25:08 AM
This. It's pretty much impossible with a stroller, and it's all a result of the streetscape project they did less than 10 years ago! Clearly the idea was to make the street pretty for cars as they drive past, and little thought was given to anyone actually using the new sidewalks. They never even bothered to mortar the inlayed brick, so many of them have come loose.
Same with the SB riverwalk. They never actually considered the experience for the walker. It's about 4 feet wide at points due to the benches/lights. I have scared dozens of people half to death when I have to run around them and they're listening to music on their noise canceling headphones. You have to get within about a foot of people.
I would encourage folks to take a few minutes to write to their city reps to complain about Hendricks. No one in the city will care unless they're made to.
Since it's downtown, you can also report the issues here
http://downtownvisioninc.myworksite.com/
Hendricks is a state road - when FDOT did the road diet, the standard was 3' sidewalk clearance per ADA - that has now increased to 5'
This was approved by the DDRB yesterday.