Learning from Raleigh, NC: Fayetteville Street Renaissance
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Like Downtown Jacksonville's Laura Street, Fayetteville Street in Downtown Raleigh, N.C. is poised to become the city's premiere street. The issues that held back Fayetteville Street were much more severe. In 1977 it had been converted into a failed pedestrian mall, removing all vehicular access and shutting down the businesses that once lined the street.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/419
Its amazing to see how far Raleigh has come in a short amount of time. Considering this city sprawls more than Jacksonville, has less urban fabric and lacks our natural setting and amenities, it also illustrates the potential our city has for great things. Hopefully, articles like this, will spur our leaders to do the right thing, the right way, for a change.
The idea of one of the local stations setting up a street-level studio in downtown Jax is very intriguing. I know that they have already tried this a couple of times, but only at their existing studios, which are out of the way and have no natural traffic pattern. Emulating Raleigh, and even the national networks in New York City, is an excellent idea in my opinion. And it's not as if there's a shortage of nice, street-level space for them to use.
Yes, the studios do add excitement and energy in urban environments.
Central Florida News 31, in downtown Orlando.
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It's insane how far we are behind. Raleigh does have a built in advantage. They are a state capital. But still, we suck.
Way to bash Jax JJ; It seems like you constantly bash this city. I assume you live in Jax; Why do you live here if you hate it so much?
Look at the pics above and pretend like we are anywhere close to that. Go ahead and lie to yourself.
Hell, it could be a pic of Hiroshima and you will still find some kinda way to favor Hiroshima over Jax. You can go ahead and lie to yourself about Raleigh having a beach.
I love Jacksonville, but this city has abused downtown so much it may never be what it should be. The pictures above prove our leaders are asleep at the wheel. Progressive cities build convention centers and have tax programs to have residents move to the core. We have a mayor who want ferris wheels and hot dogs. We are stuck with the this fool for 4 more years!!! That is 4 more years of nothing. How many more restauants and stores in the core need to close before we wake up? How many more ill-conceived pocket parks need to be built before we wake up? We are falling apart. Other cities our size and smaller are halfway through the race and we are sleeping. Somebody needs to wake us up.
I agree JJ. Everything you said is true, just because there is no sugar and a cherry-on-top its bashing to others.
JJ, you explained the Jax city government in a nutshell on your lastest post; I agree that they're not progressive. Your first post was alot different; Excuse me for taking "we suck" as bashing Jax; That seems to go hand and hand. No, I'm not looking for "sugar and a cherry on top", but "we suck" seems to be like "salt in an infected wound". Don't get me wrong Raleigh seems to be on the right track, but the pics of Raleigh looks like most downtowns in "Anyplace USA" I'm not blown away buy no means. The new Convention center is the only thing that brings me a little envy. That being said Jax can definitely learn a thing or two from Raleigh. As I look in many parts of Jax, they continue to grow like on the Southside Westside, and Northside. To me that means alot; No the Westside is NOT the suburbs, it's in the city limits. To me that's more impressive for the city to fill out, then just constantly worrying about downtown in every realm. I know someone is gonna say "that happens everywhere", but I disagree with them. Most cites don't have the land to fill in their CITY LIMITS like Jax.
Channel 12 and 25 are nestled safely in their suburban style building next to Alltel Stadium. They aren't going anywhere. Channel 30 and 47 are somewhere in the suburbs utilizing video equipment from the 80's. Channel 4 cannot afford it. Our local TV is a joke. How about some competition and then we might get some effort. Clear Channel helped ruin local news here and now they are bailing.