The Bread & Board announced April 27 it would open The Bread & Burger, another aspect of its project at the Downtown VyStar Credit Union headquarters.
The restaurant will be in the breezeway that runs from the 100 W. Bay St. building to Independent Drive, the news release said.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/the-bread-and-burger-to-open-in-vystars-downtown-breezeway
Where would downtown be without VyStar and Brian Wolfburg?
Interesting that they're CLUSTERING a bunch of active uses in a small geographic area. Maybe that's a strategy to develop Downtown?
:)
Always glad to see something new, but does anyone here work downtown still? If so have you noticed any meaningful foot traffic? Here in Orlando it's noticeably quieter downtown during the weekdays.
Quote from: jaxjaguar on April 27, 2021, 11:08:21 AM
Always glad to see something new, but does anyone here work downtown still? If so have you noticed any meaningful foot traffic? Here in Orlando it's noticeably quieter downtown during the weekdays.
I started working downtown during the pandemic and business has picked up at our establishment quite well and we're packed during lunch. There's decent foot traffic in downtown as a whole during business hours. I don't know how it compares to pre-COVID levels but I'd assume it's considerably less.
Quote from: jaxjaguar on April 27, 2021, 11:08:21 AM
Always glad to see something new, but does anyone here work downtown still? If so have you noticed any meaningful foot traffic? Here in Orlando it's noticeably quieter downtown during the weekdays.
It's definitely more quiet but VyStar is still planning to bring in hundreds of employees to this location. Hopefully the cluster of businesses will make the location a destination that draws a much larger crowd.
I work at TUPAC, Jacoby Symphony Hall. The Jacksonville Symphony has performed a full slate of concerts since September. We've been masked up, and so has our audience, but it's worked. Can't say enough for our management team for what they planned and executed. I'm hopeful the scooters will allow folks from 11E , The Carling, Berkman Plaza, and the various Vestcor properties to come down more frequently. Most symphony orchestras in a town this size get a substantial walk up crowd from "Downtown Dwellers." Jax Symphony not so much, 'cause there just aren't that many DD.
Quote from: Steve on April 27, 2021, 10:59:16 AM
Interesting that they're CLUSTERING a bunch of active uses in a small geographic area. Maybe that's a strategy to develop Downtown?
definitely not - what ever would give you an idea like that (besides thousands of years of urbanism)?
Quote from: Steve on April 27, 2021, 10:59:16 AM
Where would downtown be without VyStar and Brian Wolfburg?
Interesting that they're CLUSTERING a bunch of active uses in a small geographic area. Maybe that's a strategy to develop Downtown?
:)
I think its important to note that Vystar would have never been able to activate that breezeway, if it wasn't for the push to better design the site almost a decade ago. The previous building owner wanted to turn the alleyway into basically a two-way road and surface parking lot. What some cheerleader-types scoff off as being insignificant changes, often have generational effects on the built environment.
https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/hyatt-place-plans-show-power-of-public-persuasion/ (https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/hyatt-place-plans-show-power-of-public-persuasion/)
The original site plan:
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-76cw57v/0/X2/i-76cw57v-X2.jpg)
The modifications after people here got involved:
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-5GQbWR5/0/X2/i-5GQbWR5-X2.jpg)
Quote from: jaxjaguar on April 27, 2021, 11:08:21 AM
Always glad to see something new, but does anyone here work downtown still? If so have you noticed any meaningful foot traffic? Here in Orlando it's noticeably quieter downtown during the weekdays.
Most restaurants Downtown are down about 35-40% at lunch, and another 30% at dinner. That 30% estimate is skewed a little, because places like Gilis (no longer open for dinner), Zodiac (no longer open), Burrito Gallery (only limited hours on Friday and Saturday nights), etc have greatly reduced dinner hours.
The events at the stadium and associated full(er) hotel rooms helped the dinner business this weekend, immensely. Its been more than a year without events helping to drive those occasional surges in evening business, and the bottom line shows that very clear.
Brooklyn, on the other hand, is pretty close to pre-pandemic levels in the evenings... and that includes more competition with the opening of Chipotle and Bento. There are lessons to be learned there - easily identifiable parking, ample signage, clustering of complementary businesses along high-traffic thoroughfares, etc. The majority of Brooklyn's dinner business isn't coming from the three apartment complexes currently open in the neighborhood.
All this talk about the garage reminds me of that Hyatt Place that was proposed a while back. Such a shame that went away.