Quote(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/Vesctor-LaVilla-Townhomes/i-VLvzRs7/0/c83ed78b/L/253288_standard-L.jpg)
In 2019, the Downtown Investment Authority selected Vestcor to develop a key LaVilla parcel over a stronger bid based on Vestcor's greater development experience. Last week, Vestcor dropped the project after all. The affair sets progress at the site back two years, and exposes a serious flaw in the way the DIA chose the bidders.
Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/failed-lavilla-project-reveals-flaws-in-dias-selection/
Well done piece and once again, the Jaxson/Metro Jax was right.
My takeaway from this and other goings on Downtown, is that Jax simply can't afford to have someone learning to do such an important job on the fly. I know Lori Boyer was a great councilperson, is dynamic, has great relationships, and is well respected; but she simply has never held a job like this. It's arguably the most important job in the entire City of Jacksonville government (not counting mayor). In such an important role, with so much public land available (and money to be made for the city), and so much on the line; Jax needs a world class leader in that position, with years of similar experience.
Downtown Jax would be infinitely better off, if it aggressively recruited and paid above market (with signing bonuses) to lure in the director of Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Charlotte, Nashville, etc's downtown agencies.
Quote from: CityLife on March 12, 2021, 08:21:19 AM
Well done piece and once again, the Jaxson/Metro Jax was right.
My takeaway from this and other goings on Downtown, is that Jax simply can't afford to have someone learning to do such an important job on the fly. I know Lori Boyer was a great councilperson, is dynamic, has great relationships, and is well respected; but she simply has never held a job like this. It's arguably the most important job in the entire City of Jacksonville government (not counting mayor). In such an important role, with so much public land available (and money to be made for the city), and so much on the line; Jax needs a world class leader in that position, with years of similar experience.
Downtown Jax would be infinitely better off, if it aggressively recruited and paid above market (with signing bonuses) to lure in the director of Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Charlotte, Nashville, etc's downtown agencies.
She's got this golden child viewpoint from many which is completely unmerited. She is in over her head in her current role.
Quote from: CityLife on March 12, 2021, 08:21:19 AM
Well done piece and once again, the Jaxson/Metro Jax was right.
My takeaway from this and other goings on Downtown, is that Jax simply can't afford to have someone learning to do such an important job on the fly. I know Lori Boyer was a great councilperson, is dynamic, has great relationships, and is well respected; but she simply has never held a job like this. It's arguably the most important job in the entire City of Jacksonville government (not counting mayor). In such an important role, with so much public land available (and money to be made for the city), and so much on the line; Jax needs a world class leader in that position, with years of similar experience.
Downtown Jax would be infinitely better off, if it aggressively recruited and paid above market (with signing bonuses) to lure in the director of Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Charlotte, Nashville, etc's downtown agencies.
It doesn't matter who is in the position, if they are not allowed to do the job in an objective, professional manner without undue influence from internal and external political forces. Given the history of the city and the comments of others, that may be the problem here. There seems to have been other instances where a well qualified professional from elsewhere took a position in JAX only to leave in a year or two.
Can someone do a quick summary of "the other bid" and why it was "stronger"?
Quote from: MusicMan on March 12, 2021, 11:51:23 AM
Can someone do a quick summary of "the other bid" and why it was "stronger"?
From the article:
Quote
In contrast to Vestcor's bid, Johnson Commons would be mixed-use and the developers offered $100,000 for the property. Johnson Commons included 98 1,430 square foot townhomes priced at $250,250; on Davis' recommendation, the townhomes' architecture reflected the dense, urban shotgun houses that formerly existed in LaVilla. In addition to the townhomes, the project would also include a minimum of 9,500 feet of retail space and donate $150,000 for the park.
Vestcor's bid was 70 units with a $100,000 donation for Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing Park, no retail and more basic architecture.
This link has more info on the Johnson Commons project: https://news.wjct.org/post/vestcor-faces-competition-johnson-commons-offers-competing-lavilla-plan
Quote from: vicupstate on March 12, 2021, 11:31:57 AM
Quote from: CityLife on March 12, 2021, 08:21:19 AM
Well done piece and once again, the Jaxson/Metro Jax was right.
My takeaway from this and other goings on Downtown, is that Jax simply can't afford to have someone learning to do such an important job on the fly. I know Lori Boyer was a great councilperson, is dynamic, has great relationships, and is well respected; but she simply has never held a job like this. It's arguably the most important job in the entire City of Jacksonville government (not counting mayor). In such an important role, with so much public land available (and money to be made for the city), and so much on the line; Jax needs a world class leader in that position, with years of similar experience.
Downtown Jax would be infinitely better off, if it aggressively recruited and paid above market (with signing bonuses) to lure in the director of Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Charlotte, Nashville, etc's downtown agencies.
It doesn't matter who is in the position, if they are not allowed to do the job in an objective, professional manner without undue influence from internal and external political forces. Given the history of the city and the comments of others, that may be the problem here. There seems to have been other instances where a well qualified professional from elsewhere took a position in JAX only to leave in a year or two.
I'd say this is has been the bigger problem. Boyer literally started the job the week Vestcor's initial proposal came out. The LaVilla neighborhood plan was developed before her time, and presumably so was Vestcor's proposal. Plus regardless of who is in charge, it's the board who voted on the bids.
Quote from: Tacachale on March 12, 2021, 12:56:13 PM
Quote from: vicupstate on March 12, 2021, 11:31:57 AM
Quote from: CityLife on March 12, 2021, 08:21:19 AM
Well done piece and once again, the Jaxson/Metro Jax was right.
My takeaway from this and other goings on Downtown, is that Jax simply can't afford to have someone learning to do such an important job on the fly. I know Lori Boyer was a great councilperson, is dynamic, has great relationships, and is well respected; but she simply has never held a job like this. It's arguably the most important job in the entire City of Jacksonville government (not counting mayor). In such an important role, with so much public land available (and money to be made for the city), and so much on the line; Jax needs a world class leader in that position, with years of similar experience.
Downtown Jax would be infinitely better off, if it aggressively recruited and paid above market (with signing bonuses) to lure in the director of Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Charlotte, Nashville, etc's downtown agencies.
It doesn't matter who is in the position, if they are not allowed to do the job in an objective, professional manner without undue influence from internal and external political forces. Given the history of the city and the comments of others, that may be the problem here. There seems to have been other instances where a well qualified professional from elsewhere took a position in JAX only to leave in a year or two.
I'd say this is has been the bigger problem. Boyer literally started the job the week Vestcor's initial proposal came out. The LaVilla neighborhood plan was developed before her time, and presumably so was Vestcor's proposal. Plus regardless of who is in charge, it's the board who voted on the bids.
As DIA CEO, Boyer came up with the criteria for scoring, then she was one of three members on the committee that scored the three proposals. All three members of the committee (including Boyer) scored Vestcor 20 for experience, despite them having minimal experience doing market rate and for-sale products. As the supposed expert in the field, she should have been looking at the project with a more critical and thorough set of eyes.
Had Boyer even scored Vestcor an 18 out of 20 for experience or properly weighted the scale, Johnson Common wins and the townhouses are already built. That is entirely on Boyer, not the board for voting 5-2 in favor of her committees recommendation. She all but admits they messed up (which is now obvious), which goes back to my original point. This is not a job for someone to be learning on the fly in. This is one of several obvious mis-steps I've seen DIA do under her watch, and I barely even pay attention to these things.
Sure, Downtown Jacksonville has some systemic structural, social, and political challenges; but virtually every big city does. Jacksonville is so desperate for development, that it's actually an easier job than many; expectations and standards are lowered, there are a ton of incentives to play with, and there is a lot of free land to give away.
^ Just curious, was Vestcor or John Rood a donor to Boyer's campaigns for City Council. They seem to participate in most races. I know she is honorable so not saying that she can be bought but it is hard not to give some deference to "friends" when splitting hairs. I think this is a real problem in this City and why certain decisions keep going wrong.