I make my way past this corner every day, with the empty lot that's constantly flooded with rain water on one corner, Flashdancers on the other, 1 tenant in a mostly abandoned building on another and a tire shop on the other. I keep hoping someone will come along & see potential in this intersection, but it feels incredibly hopeless. This spot is such an eyesore that could become something, yet year after year, as Jacksonville.. Jacksonvilles.. nothing changes. The only new thing going up at the moment is a storage facility next to the Wendy's, with the closed down Krystal not too far from the former intersection mentioned. What is it about this spot that I'm missing?
Quote from: duvaltilidie on June 26, 2023, 02:43:32 PM
I make my way past this corner every day, with the empty lot that's constantly flooded with rain water on one corner, Flashdancers on the other, 1 tenant in a mostly abandoned building on another and a tire shop on the other. I keep hoping someone will come along & see potential in this intersection, but it feels incredibly hopeless. This spot is such an eyesore that could become something, yet year after year, as Jacksonville.. Jacksonvilles.. nothing changes. The only new thing going up at the moment is a storage facility next to the Wendy's, with the closed down Krystal not too far from the former intersection mentioned. What is it about this spot that I'm missing?
What you're missing is that it's at the corner of Blanding and San Juan. Asking for nice things in an area that isn't nice is a tough request.
That's a shame. I grew up less that a half-mile from that intersection.
* Flash Dancers was a drive-thru liquor store, and next to it on Blanding was a Winn-Dixie, and on San Juan a pharmacy.
* The tire store was a gas station (at this point, I don't remember the brand). The House of Bargains was next door on Blanding.
* The partially leased strip had a diner on the corner, with Barnett's Frame store next door. Besides doing framing for art and photos, they handled some photography supplies. The owner was my science teacher at Lake Shore Junior High (back then, grades 7-9).
* When did they raze the block on the NW corner? At one time there was a drug store with a soda fountain, at the corner, and a variety of stores in the strip.
Think they tore it down about a year ago. Was really upset to see it go. That neighborhood is still really nice. Maybe next Murray Hill. I really hope it don't become a gas station.
Lakeshore deserves more attention than it gets. There should be some overlay of some kind for the area so it doesn't look like it was hit with a crippling recession. Imagine "incentives" for smaller community downtown areas like these.. the total bill required to front something like this is roughly 1% of what they are doing DT.
But let's focus on a few parcels in Arlington, Soutel I-295 interchange and the airport exclusively for a decade.
Trust me, I'd love to see that area blossom as well. That area is my youth. Everything from birthday parties at The Rollerdrome, Phoenix Lanes, playing football at Lakeshore AA, basketball seasons at Hillcrest and taggin along with Mom at Lakeshore Produce. Then once we got a little older, cold beers at Boondocks. Lakeshore/Hillcrest region is a shell of its former self.
I have engaged with the Lake Shore area for thirty years.
Something..... has influenced the area.....
I know of Lake Shore waterfront home owners who have packed up and sold.
Speaking of Lakeshore Door Step waterfront.....
The once thriving restaurant at the base of the bridge at Cedar River..... long gone..... ' adult' store.... new restaurant on the creek was a certified Bust....across the street... Herb White Marine..... the property in no use, the Bowling Alley next door closed, the property adjacent a ramble mess.
NFL Francise has not helped the area one bit.
Luckily, Lake Shore Produce is thriving.
They tore the NE corner building down because there was a tenant living in there and when the property manager told him he couldn't live in his unit he started a fire, which condemned the building, so the owners decided just to tear it down.
The building on the NW corner has a couple of tenants... it just looks abandoned.
At least Flash Dancers renovated their building and parking lot?
Quote from: Des on July 17, 2023, 08:46:09 AM
They tore the NE corner building down because there was a tenant living in there and when the property manager told him he couldn't live in his unit he started a fire, which condemned the building, so the owners decided just to tear it down.
The building on the NW corner has a couple of tenants... it just looks abandoned.
At least Flash Dancers renovated their building and parking lot?
It's kinda weird the 2 times I've said something about nothing happening.. Shared Use Path.. and now the corner lot where they tore down that building, something starts happening. It appears a car wash will be going in there, but apart from signage going up, I haven't seen any movement.
Looks like they are building a car wash on the north east corner.
Lol.....horrible.
Quote from: WarDamJagFan on June 26, 2023, 08:57:39 PM
Trust me, I'd love to see that area blossom as well. That area is my youth. Everything from birthday parties at The Rollerdrome, Phoenix Lanes, playing football at Lakeshore AA, basketball seasons at Hillcrest and taggin along with Mom at Lakeshore Produce. Then once we got a little older, cold beers at Boondocks. Lakeshore/Hillcrest region is a shell of its former self.
Wow we share some things. There was a photography studio somewhere along this corner and Barnetts frame shop (which I think is still there but in different location) that I remember going to with "mom" in addition to Lakeshore Produce (thank God that's still there!). I also remember playing on those white sculpture things that are sort of still there if not decrepit now.
Depressing that it's going to be another car wash - I saw this yesterday as I was driving by.
This is my battle here in Jax - on the one hand I like to defend "developers" against the tyranny of the activist anti-developer types that hold a lot back. On the other hand, most of the people with money and control of real estate in this town don't give two damns about building anything nice and worthy to be proud of.
There are so many sites around town that are within spitting distance of people with money, power, egos and generational roots that don't get any love. I won't call these people out by name because they are respectable and decent people here in Jax, but fundamentally it really pisses me off that anyone could buy an entire 3 acre block on King St right in the heart of that district and carve off a corner for a drive through bank and just renovate the existing building for a women's clinic. If it were me, I'd bring back a 4+ story mixed-use proposal from before, polish it up, hire good architects and a PR firm, and take the argument to the people and against RAP, bring all the firepower I could to build something really nice for that community, something you would see in a similar spot in basically any other city.
Instead we just get the "get the land and build the cheapest thing you can that will still bring in quick profits". That's such a Jax mentality around here and it makes it that much harder to give developers, in THIS city, a good name when fighting the activists and their crazy policy BS.
Quote from: JeffreyS on August 27, 2023, 09:11:19 PM
Looks like they are building a car wash on the north east corner.
Perfect
From the Jacksonville Business Journal
Because Jacksonville doesn't have enough of these single-purpose buildings that will require complete tear-down once the car wash fad passes.
Quote
About 1.12 acres on the Westside has changed hands for $1.8 million, brokerage NAI Hallmark announced Monday.
"We were pleased with the market's response to this prime retail site at the corner of San Juan and Blanding," Kay said. "Ultimately, the highest and best use was indeed a car wash. The buyers, Brightwork Acquisitions, LLC, were able to meet our goals and perform accordingly to get the site in a developable position."
Probably behind paywall, sorry: https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2023/10/09/blanding-boulevard-property-sells-for-1-8m.html?ana=e_JA_me&j=32976648&senddate=2023-10-10
Unfortunate. Car wash, drive thru coffee or self storage......that's where that suburban commercial market is at these days.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 10, 2023, 08:58:30 AM
Unfortunate. Car wash, drive thru coffee or self storage......that's where that suburban commercial market is at these days.
Sadly true. I noticed on the large empty lot at Ft Caroline and Merrill, there is now a "coming soon" sign for a self storage facility. Right across the street from a relatively new Camel Car Wash.
Quote from: pierre on October 11, 2023, 01:19:44 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on October 10, 2023, 08:58:30 AM
Unfortunate. Car wash, drive thru coffee or self storage......that's where that suburban commercial market is at these days.
Sadly true. I noticed on the large empty lot at Ft Caroline and Merrill, there is now a "coming soon" sign for a self storage facility. Right across the street from a relatively new Camel Car Wash.
Yes, the self-storage* facility was approved quite some time ago. The site was originally slated to be a Race Trac gas station - perhaps until someone at the Race Trac HQ realized they already had one less than a mile away, on the other side of I-295.
* I find the term "self" storage somewhat misleading. You don't store your "self" there. But, I guess it sounds better than "Crap I don't have room for where I live but don't want to get rid of" storage.
Very sad. Like we need another car wash...Gate Express Car Wash just opened literally a mile down the road.
I do wish there was more creativity in the development community focused on Jacksonville. This was a perfect opportunity for something unique, given its infill nature.
The car washes are soooo lucrative though. They pay as much or more for land than standard convenience stores and they pay more in rent. Kind of hard not to do them when it's your money...
I remember a time when one could buy a house ...... say..... Dancy Street.... and you washed your vehicles right there on your own " Property".
Increased " Density", shifting folks to Boxes/ Apartments will increase demand for Car Wash.
Yea- we working ( and " Investing") at the Car Wash!.... Ya Ya