In late 2019, Lori Boyer of the DIA, in conjunction with the Jacksonville City Council, announced the start of a $6 million project to overhaul Friendship Fountain and the surrounding park. The plan was several years in the making, dating back to Boyer's time on Jacksonville's City Council (1).
Though the fountain's pumps suffered from mechanical issues, Friendship Park was a popular riverwalk destination, enjoyed by downtown workers and residents, visitors, and those looking for a great photo opportunity for Instagram content. Construction was set to begin in early 2020, and to be completed approximately one year later in early 2021 (2). Though it would be sad to see the park closed for a year, residents were excited for the greatly revamped fountain and park space reopening the next year.
(https://floridahikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Jacksonville-fountain-1600x533.jpg)
Friendship Fountain in 2019, alongside its functional public park
Originally scheduled to begin construction in Spring 2020, over a year dragged on with the park closed to the public, but no progress at the site. DIA head Lori Boyer said, "I share some of the concern about why hasn't it started and how quickly we are going to finish it... I have adjacent private developments that I am working with who are all counting on it being completed, and completed on a timeline." In terms of reasons for the delay, Bori stated that "the city can only give a certain amount of money to contractors in a fiscal year, and one of the fountain's contractors had reached that limit. A delay in receiving parts also contributed." (3)
Nevertheless, residents were assured that the project would be completed by early 2022.
From this point, both the City and DIA fell silent for nearly two and a half years with no official updates on the fountain or the park given to taxpayers. The Spring 2022 opening came and went, as did Summer 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2022, Spring 2023, Summer 2023, and now Fall.
Inexplicably, the fountain itself has been upgraded, repaired, and operational for 19 months, and was being marketed by its designers as practically complete. You can see the restored fountain in action in Spring 2022 below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe4q9Ti5N88 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe4q9Ti5N88)
All the while, a popular public space was chained off and barred from entry by the City. As someone who works mere blocks from Friendship Fountain and who spent many lunch breaks and early evenings enjoying the park, I can confirm that years have gone by with no evidence of any work at all being done at the park.
Finally, in early 2023, we received an update on the park. The grand opening would take place on Memorial Day weekend (May 29th).
Memorial Day came and went, with the Grand Opening once again pushed, this time to July 2023 (4).
Shortly before Memorial Day, Laura Phillips Edgecombe of Build Up Downtown reported that "it's only a matter of time until the fences come down." Edgecombe reported that the missed deadline was the result of delays receiving the audio equipment. "The fountain will project a 15 minute light show every night timed to music. Since it's all one system, they can't open the fountain until those speakers are in place. The new timeline is to have the water pumping by the middle of July. If it's going to be done, it needs to be done right," said Edgecombe.
We are now three months removed from another deadline, and no one (myself included, despite repeated efforts) has been able to get a straight answer as to what's actually going on with Friendship Park (4).
Meanwhile, we close in on four years that retired couples have been unable to take afternoon strolls through Friendship Park. Parents can't take their quickly growing children to enjoy this amenity. Nationally televised football games and events from Jacksonville have not been able to shoot Friendship Park, one of the city's most historic, scenic locations. Downtown workers (myself included) have lost a lunch spot anchoring the Main Street Bridge.
And no one from the City, DIA, or any other organization seems to be willing to raise their hand, accept accountability for the four-year closure, and update residents and taxpayers on progress at the site.
If there is any silver lining, it's that the park itself - from the way everyone is talking officially - is practically ready for its grand reopening. We simply need to install the final speakers, and the park will be ready for its ribbon cutting, and ready to be returned to its rightful owners - the citizens of Jacksonville.
Surely, Friendship Park will be worth the wait as soon as those final speakers are installed, and will be a tantalizing tease of what's to come along the rest of the riverfront. It will also be a victory lap for the DIA and City of Jacksonville, after years of doubters questioning their competence with riverfront redevelopment.
I really don't want to steal anyone's thunder or detract from the ribbon cutting that has to be coming any day now, but after nearly four years, it feels like the public deserves a sneak peak.
Photos after the break!
1 & 2. https://news.wjct.org/first-coast/2019-11-20/video-jacksonvilles-friendship-fountain-getting-6m-overhaul (https://news.wjct.org/first-coast/2019-11-20/video-jacksonvilles-friendship-fountain-getting-6m-overhaul)
3. https://news.wjct.org/first-coast/2021-04-15/one-year-late-renovation-to-begin-on-southbanks-friendship-fountain
4. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/friendship-fountain-renovation-hits-snag-opening-pushed-back-july/77-3202ffa3-e7c7-4e6e-801a-f1fddd112064
5. https://www.reddit.com/r/jacksonville/comments/179aqo4/anyone_know_ifwhen_friendship_fountain_is/
Friendship Park October 2023 Photo Tour.
If you're as encouraged by the progress after four years as I am, don't hesitate to send the Mayor (https://www.coj.net/mayor/contact-us) or District 5's Councilman (https://www.coj.net/city-council/city-council-members/d05) a quick note about how great this project has gone! Or better yet, save your high-five for the grand opening, which is clearly just a couple of days and a few speaker wires away!
Sounds dramatic, but retired Southbank and San Marco residents are dying every day, and the sheer incompetence from all involved with projects like this these has stolen a wonderful quality of life amenity from these people for YEARS, with no urgency from leadership at all when it comes to giving it back to them. Just shameful.
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With the news you reported of an imminent ribbon-cutting, I see the park designers have adopted the ever-so-popular theme from movies and TV of "post-apocalyptic devastation" as their theme for F[r]iendship Park.
It doesn't look like anyone has been out there in months. It's turning into a new lawn. What is the new eta? Its crazy that the Miller Electric Center was built in a quarter of the time.
Maybe we should have left the 2019 version alone.
What in the hell did they even do?
Quote from: Charles Hunter on October 16, 2023, 07:18:37 PM
With the news you reported of an imminent ribbon-cutting, I see the park designers have adopted the ever-so-popular theme from movies and TV of "post-apocalyptic devastation" as their theme for F[r]iendship Park.
Nobody in this city should be allowed to close or demolish anything within the urban core until its replacement is shovel ready. That's not how vibrancy happens. How many examples do we need? Friendship Park. River City Brewing. Ford on Bay. The Landing. The Greyhound Station. Captain Sandy's Restaurant. Kids Campus. Met Park. We just let anybody do whatever they want with a wrecking ball or park closure, even if they don't have a timeline for reopening, and leave the public to clean up the mess. Do we really think Related is asking for a $15 million cash grant for their tower if Friendship Park was reopened as a complete, destination space in 2021 as intended? No urgency. No accountability. Destroy now, fix whenever we feel like it.
^The lion's share of these demolished projects are public. That's pretty damning.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 16, 2023, 08:02:17 PM
^The lion's share of these demolished projects are public. That's pretty damning.
Probably attributable to poor contract writing, with no, or unenforceable, penalties for non-performance. If contractors had a reasonable fear of being put on a 10-year no-bid list for such shenanigans, we would see projects completed on time and on budget. It might make initial bids higher once contractors learn the city won't approve whatever change orders they submit, but we taxpayers will be better off in the long run.
Quote from: Ken_FSU on October 16, 2023, 07:29:08 PM
Nobody in this city should be allowed to close or demolish anything within the urban core until its replacement is shovel ready. That's not how vibrancy happens. How many examples do we need? Friendship Park. River City Brewing. Ford on Bay. The Landing. The Greyhound Station. Captain Sandy's Restaurant. Kids Campus. Met Park. We just let anybody do whatever they want with a wrecking ball or park closure, even if they don't have a timeline for reopening, and leave the public to clean up the mess. Do we really think Related is asking for a $15 million cash grant for their tower if Friendship Park was reopened as a complete, destination space in 2021 as intended? No urgency. No accountability. Destroy now, fix whenever we feel like it.
The ones in bold were ideas that came out of city hall. All of these public assets were functional and utilized by the public. A few (i.e. the revamped Friendship Fountain and Kids Kampus, etc.) were barely 10 years of age....if that.
Ken, great work putting that narrative and photo essay together. Is it possible that the space is in flux until plans for MOSH or the Related Group project are finalized? What is even happening with Mosh? The latest I can find is that they have only raised $16 million in private donations as of April 2023.
I know most people know this, but I just want to emphasize that Friendship Fountain is possibly THE iconic feature of downtown. When it was built it was the largest and tallest fountain in the world. This is where people went to take prom or wedding photos. Where people proposed to their spouses. Where you have the best view of downtown and many people have their best memories of downtown.
To me, the fountain has a lot of nostalgia associated with it. We would eat picnics there on school field trips downtown, play hide and seek there during MOSH summer camps or sleepovers, watch fireworks there, and hang out there during festivals. I know that many people that grew up in Jax feel the same way.
No other city in the United States would treat one of (if not it's most) iconic landmarks like this. I mean Jacksonville has torn down The Landing, has let Metro Park go to waste, and is now letting Friendship Fountain sit idle for years. Can anyone name one city that has done anything remotely similar?
It's time for Jacksonville residents to stop just blaming politicians and incompetent administrations for repeated failures and take some ownership. You guys are allowing a completely incompetent government to destroy the city, in a time when it has never been easier for Florida cities to thrive.
^People recently took this stand at the ballot box. Lets give the Deegan administration a chance to deviate from previous administration priorities.
I always liked Boyer on the City Council. However, at DIA, despite any good intentions she may have, it is clear she is in over her head given DIA's track record during her term.
Deegan may be handcuffed by the DIA board that I recall contracted Boyer to say on for at least one more year. If Boyer doesn't gracefully and willingly offer to step aside, Deegan needs to begin working her out of this position and get someone more capable of improving infrastructure in a cost effective and timely manner that encourages good development, that doesn't cave to the whims of every developer that comes along with a pipe dream, that doesn't give out incentives like money growing on trees and reserves them for mainly historic preservation projects that contribute to what makes the City unique and that has the backbone to turn away bad developments that encroach on public spaces and the river and are just plain and ugly architecturally. All of this should be DIA 101 but we seem to have none of it.
Further, DIA should be opposing JTA's AV project tooth and nail as this is surely a Downtown killer/distraction. That DIA won't speak out is another example of their inability to take charge of Downtown.
Anything "good" Downtown has been driven by private investors and most of it isn't good at all, just a project rubberstamped by DIA to say something is happening. Unfortunately, we will not see these missed opportunities corrected within the lifetimes of most posters on the Jaxson.
Lastly, you can count on one hand who has truly benefitted from the largesse of DIA. Not criticizing the developers who milk the cow but, rather, the dairy farmer who gives them all the milk and starves everyone else.
I wouldn't invest a penny in Downtown, if I were so inclined, without a change at the top of DIA
^ Boyer will likely be there for 1-2 more years.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 17, 2023, 03:02:57 PM
^People recently took this stand at the ballot box. Lets give the Deegan administration a chance to deviate from previous administration priorities.
While the last administration was bad and is at fault for a lot of problems, Jacksonville's issues are much, much deeper than one administration, imo.
Many of the City Council members were in place during this (and other Curry debacles), are they up in arms about this (and other issues)? Why is poor KenFSU, who works a full time job having to do the job of the media and play investigative reporter here?
This is a great expose! Thanks Ken! My blood is BOILING.
During the JWJ park public input gathering thing at the library a few months back, I ran into some folks and asked the same questions. Got the same answers (about the speakers). It was a poor answer to me because like your pictures clearly show, it's A LOT more than speakers they are waiting for. There is literally no longer a park there, and it's essentially vacant land.
The fact that the media doesn't hound the city over this. Heads should literally roll. They are here telling us they are going to spend all this money on more waterfront parks (I work next to the Landing and I don't see all that much activity there, either), and yet they can't finish anything they start.
I've never seen such bad city leadership, stewardship or management. And worst of all, the citizens are partially to blame because we have one of the most clueless, disengaged citizenries out there. Nobody cares at all about some of the really important things, but then people DO care way too much about private real estate development and we have a huge NIMBY problem. If we got anywhere close to the level energy people have for showing up to public notice meetings about someone else's house or small project here and there with people showing up to dish their appetites for accountability with regards to public spaces such as this, we would have a completely different city.
Somebody send this info to the "investigative reporters" at the local TV stations. Isn't this page connected to WJCT News somehow? Nate Monroe at the TU?
Quote from: Charles Hunter on October 17, 2023, 05:39:17 PM
Somebody send this info to the "investigative reporters" at the local TV stations. Isn't this page connected to WJCT News somehow? Nate Monroe at the TU?
Everyone should "call Ken." Now that he is on the City Council, he can investigate himself as to why he isn't getting things fixed like this! Having done this for years for First Coast News, it would be poetic.
(https://media.yourobserver.com/img/photos/2023/10/17/Ken_Amaro_mnj6ko9_t850.jpg?94beabde1e982a4eee8f83697e93b1d92468de7c)
Quote from: CityLife on October 17, 2023, 04:49:54 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on October 17, 2023, 03:02:57 PM
^People recently took this stand at the ballot box. Lets give the Deegan administration a chance to deviate from previous administration priorities.
While the last administration was bad and is at fault for a lot of problems, Jacksonville's issues are much, much deeper than one administration, imo.
Many of the City Council members were in place during this (and other Curry debacles), are they up in arms about this (and other issues)?
What's bigger than the faces you see representing a machine in local politics? How do you overcome that? One of the best ways the general public can respond is to go to the ballot box. That has been done and now there's been a recent change in the administration and several council seats. What has been important and will continue to be important over the next few months is modifying representation at strategic staff levels and with the various boards and commissions. It took us years to get to this point and its going to take us just as long to get out of it. No doubt, the last decade of politics and strategy with downtown will go down in history as a complete trainwreck. Nevertheless, as of now, I'm more excited for Jacksonville's future than I've been in a long time.
Quote from: CityLife on October 17, 2023, 12:01:55 PM
No other city in the United States would treat one of (if not it's most) iconic landmarks like this. I mean Jacksonville has torn down The Landing, has let Metro Park go to waste, and is now letting Friendship Fountain sit idle for years. Can anyone name one city that has done anything remotely similar?
Jacksonville: It's Easier Here!
Is there a way to send just the Ken's first two posts to someone (say, Councilmember Amaro or C/m Joe Carlucci - whose district has the Fountain)? I don't think they need to see the rest of the thread.
Disgusting, unbelievable.......
As most know, I'm now working in the mayor's office, and while it isn't my main focus, I'm doing some things on downtown and urban core issues, and they'll always be deeply important to me. Right now it's a lot of getting boards and positions filled and working on processes. There's a lot to do, but fortunately, as we've said here for years, none of this is rocket science and there are plenty of successful examples in other cities across the country to follow. Hopefully we'll have some news soon that I think our members and readers will be happy to see.
Quote from: Tacachale on October 17, 2023, 11:51:07 PM
As most know, I'm now working in the mayor's office, and while it isn't my main focus, I'm doing some things on downtown and urban core issues, and they'll always be deeply important to me. Right now it's a lot of getting boards and positions filled and working on processes. There's a lot to do, but fortunately, as we've said here for years, none of this is rocket science and there are plenty of successful examples in other cities across the country to follow. Hopefully we'll have some news soon that I think our members and readers will be happy to see.
Congrats; I hope you assist in lighting a fire under our City leaders to get our city and downtown up and going before we're all a member of the upper atmosphere LOL.
Quote from: CityLife on October 17, 2023, 12:01:55 PM
Is it possible that the space is in flux until plans for MOSH or the Related Group project are finalized?
I'd hope not! Would be as short-sighted as holding back 50% of the work on the CBD's signature riverfront park in perpetuity based on a hypothetical 40-story tower without a development agreement that would need $25 million in public subsidy.
Quote from: simms3 on October 17, 2023, 05:10:26 PMThis is a great expose! Thanks Ken!
Just call me Truman Capote, only if Truman Capote stood on top of benches with an iPhone photographing blight.
Quote from: CityLife on October 17, 2023, 04:49:54 PM
Why is poor KenFSU, who works a full time job having to do the job of the media and play investigative reporter here?
In the media's defense, they're poorly paid, overworked, and newsrooms have been slashed left and right. Lot of boondoggles in the city to cover.
Quote from: Tacachale on October 17, 2023, 11:51:07 PM
As most know, I'm now working in the mayor's office, and while it isn't my main focus, I'm doing some things on downtown and urban core issues, and they'll always be deeply important to me. Right now it's a lot of getting boards and positions filled and working on processes. There's a lot to do, but fortunately, as we've said here for years, none of this is rocket science and there are plenty of successful examples in other cities across the country to follow. Hopefully we'll have some news soon that I think our members and readers will be happy to see.
I'm frustrated that a decade has gone by with no real signs of progress, but encouraged that a guy like you Bill will have a hand in turning things around!
^I know I shouldn't but I can't help but think about where downtown would be right now, if we would have just stayed the course with Brown and Sleiman's Landing revitalization plans. That one was a no brainer to take advantage of, given where the market stood at that time, along with the amount of incentives requested.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 18, 2023, 11:30:24 AM
^I know I shouldn't but I can't help but think about where downtown would be right now, if we would have just stayed the course with Brown and Sleiman's Landing revitalization plans. That one was a no brainer to take advantage of, given where the market stood at that time, along with the amount of incentives requested.
The saddest part is the
reason the Landing wasn't redeveloped, but rather destroyed, despite Toney Sleiman having a plan on the table in 2015 that required less than $12 million in public subsidy. It wasn't because the Landing was blighted. It wasn't because we had grand plans for some alternate use for the sight. It wasn't because we couldn't afford the subsidy as a city.
It really was as simple as Lenny Curry holding a stupid political grudge against Toney Sleiman for breaking rank and endorsing Alvin Brown in the 2015 Mayoral Election.
As soon as this happened, Sleiman became public enemy number one for the Curry administration.
Led to perhaps the most unintentionally and retroactively funny quote of the last decade from Curry's Chief of Staff, Brian Hughes:
"Throwing money, nearly $12 million, at special interests while kids are being gunned down in the street [...] is simply outrageous, it's disgusting."
The irony, of course, is that the Curry and Hughes - after exhausting every bullyish, strong-arm tactic in the book (pulling permits, threatening to cancel the Landing's keystone events, exploiting a deadly shooting, etc.) eventually had to pay over $20 million when all was said and done to oust Toney from the property.
It's also another great example of Jacksonville not heeding the old "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" adage. If you look at when Curry and Hughes REALLY started turning the screws to Toney Sleiman and trying to get him to leave, it was right after their secretive trip with Shad Khan and Mark Lamping to visit St. Louis, Kansas City, and Baltimore. There's no universe where the Landing wasn't demolished to clear the way for a Cordish/Lot J development at the stadium to "replace" it. Again, that one turned out just as well as demolishing River City Brewing for an unsigned Related development, the Courthouse and Annex for multiple failed RFPs, Kids Campus for a brownfield, the Greyhound Station for a fictional 60-story Miami-style tower backslash illegal parking lot, etc.
The unfortunate part is that same story and political strategy has impacted several other downtown projects as well. The point of creating the DIA was for it to be independent from the political play of city hall. That failed and the downtown you see today, including Friendship Fountain, is a result of that. So IMO, the best thing at this point was the results of the recent election. It's an opportunity to make a clean break from the obstacles that are political related, that also play out as picking winners and losers with various projects. Unfortunately, while there have been winners, the public has been the biggest loser of all. Now we have an opportunity to right that ship.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 18, 2023, 02:36:04 PM
The unfortunate part is that same story and political strategy has impacted several other downtown projects as well. The point of creating the DIA was for it to be independent from the political play of city hall. That failed and the downtown you see today, including Friendship Fountain, is a result of that. So IMO, the best thing at this point was the results of the recent election. It's an opportunity to make a clean break from the obstacles that are political related, that also play out as picking winners and losers with various projects. Unfortunately, while there have been winners, the public has been the biggest loser of all. Now we have an opportunity to right that ship.
This. It is why Curry DIA appointee, Boyer, needs to move on. Too much baggage there. Deegan needs to show a real turning over of a new leaf with a new leader at DIA. She seems good at diplomatically getting things done so surely she can find a dignified way to work Boyer out. That Boyer capitulated to the Curry machine is a major disappointment. As Ennis notes, we will be living with the consequence of that for decades to come.
Thanks for venturing out to see this, Ken. I recall a few months ago there being some mention of funding shortfalls for some of the DIA park projects, I would imagine this is the outcome. Definitely worrying that despite a lot of hubbub we haven't really worked out delivering these parks when we have to build so many. Unfortunately for the "largest urban park system" active urban parks aren't the same as nature preserves, and it's unclear we've recognized that. Hopefully that will change as Deegan works to right the ship.
Quote from: Tacachale on October 17, 2023, 11:51:07 PM
As most know, I'm now working in the mayor's office, and while it isn't my main focus, I'm doing some things on downtown and urban core issues, and they'll always be deeply important to me. Right now it's a lot of getting boards and positions filled and working on processes. There's a lot to do, but fortunately, as we've said here for years, none of this is rocket science and there are plenty of successful examples in other cities across the country to follow. Hopefully we'll have some news soon that I think our members and readers will be happy to see.
Fingers crossed Bill, we're all rooting for you.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on October 19, 2023, 04:29:42 PM
Thanks for venturing out to see this, Ken. I recall a few months ago there being some mention of funding shortfalls for some of the DIA park projects, I would imagine this is the outcome.
If this is the case, I'm dying to know what happened to the nearly $6 million we allocated to Friendship Park between the 2019 and 2020 budgets.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 17, 2023, 08:00:18 PM
Quote from: CityLife on October 17, 2023, 04:49:54 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on October 17, 2023, 03:02:57 PM
^People recently took this stand at the ballot box. Lets give the Deegan administration a chance to deviate from previous administration priorities.
While the last administration was bad and is at fault for a lot of problems, Jacksonville's issues are much, much deeper than one administration, imo.
Many of the City Council members were in place during this (and other Curry debacles), are they up in arms about this (and other issues)?
What's bigger than the faces you see representing a machine in local politics? How do you overcome that? One of the best ways the general public can respond is to go to the ballot box. That has been done and now there's been a recent change in the administration and several council seats. What has been important and will continue to be important over the next few months is modifying representation at strategic staff levels and with the various boards and commissions. It took us years to get to this point and its going to take us just as long to get out of it. No doubt, the last decade of politics and strategy with downtown will go down in history as a complete trainwreck. Nevertheless, as of now, I'm more excited for Jacksonville's future than I've been in a long time.
Jacksonville has a group called "Riverfront Parks
Now" that is tied in with Scenic Jacksonville. Both groups are actively lobbying for substantial improvements to Jacksonville's Downtown Parks system, an admirable cause. However, I see nothing on their social media or websites about Friendship Fountain. The Jessie Ball duPont fund hired a guy a year ago to be the "Downtown and Riverfront Parks Lead". Where are these people? Where is DVI and DIA? You can't blame it all on Curry if there is no public lobbying effort or outcry about something.
It's incredibly short sighted to advocate for new major parks improvements downtown, while letting your primary existing asset languish. The Fuller Warren Shared Use Path just opened, Southerly and Soba Apartment's just finished, and Related Group and RiversEdge are attempting to get stuff done along the Southbank Riverfront. What does it say to prospective residents, businesses, and developers when COJ botches something like Friendship Fountain?
If there is some valid reason for the delay like waiting to see what happens to MOSH, budget shortfall, or a construction related lawsuit, come out and say it. Don't keep lying to the public about a grand reopening. The Mayors office is free to weigh in on this or come save the day any time...
Also, this may have gotten lost by some in Ken's original post, but the new fountain itself is awesome.
If you didn't watch it before, watch it now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe4q9Ti5N88
(https://i.imgflip.com/8398ft.jpg)
Can anyone even attempt to win this argument^
Quote from: CityLife on October 20, 2023, 10:28:20 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on October 17, 2023, 08:00:18 PM
Quote from: CityLife on October 17, 2023, 04:49:54 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on October 17, 2023, 03:02:57 PM
^People recently took this stand at the ballot box. Lets give the Deegan administration a chance to deviate from previous administration priorities.
While the last administration was bad and is at fault for a lot of problems, Jacksonville's issues are much, much deeper than one administration, imo.
Many of the City Council members were in place during this (and other Curry debacles), are they up in arms about this (and other issues)?
What's bigger than the faces you see representing a machine in local politics? How do you overcome that? One of the best ways the general public can respond is to go to the ballot box. That has been done and now there's been a recent change in the administration and several council seats. What has been important and will continue to be important over the next few months is modifying representation at strategic staff levels and with the various boards and commissions. It took us years to get to this point and its going to take us just as long to get out of it. No doubt, the last decade of politics and strategy with downtown will go down in history as a complete trainwreck. Nevertheless, as of now, I'm more excited for Jacksonville's future than I've been in a long time.
Jacksonville has a group called "Riverfront Parks Now" that is tied in with Scenic Jacksonville. Both groups are actively lobbying for substantial improvements to Jacksonville's Downtown Parks system, an admirable cause. However, I see nothing on their social media or websites about Friendship Fountain. The Jessie Ball duPont fund hired a guy a year ago to be the "Downtown and Riverfront Parks Lead". Where are these people? Where is DVI and DIA? You can't blame it all on Curry if there is no public lobbying effort or outcry about something.
It's incredibly short sighted to advocate for new major parks improvements downtown, while letting your primary existing asset languish. The Fuller Warren Shared Use Path just opened, Southerly and Soba Apartment's just finished, and Related Group and RiversEdge are attempting to get stuff done along the Southbank Riverfront. What does it say to prospective residents, businesses, and developers when COJ botches something like Friendship Fountain?
If there is some valid reason for the delay like waiting to see what happens to MOSH, budget shortfall, or a construction related lawsuit, come out and say it. Don't keep lying to the public about a grand reopening. The Mayors office is free to weigh in on this or come save the day any time...
Those groups are advocates that are just as influential as you when it came to the previous administration's priorities around how it spent money. Cheerleaders is one thing.
Stepping in and paying for it is another. In the case of FF, it's on the Deegan administration's hands now. No excuses or placing blame at this point. It's just time to get it done since the biggest obstacle has been removed from controlling the purse strings.
Quote from: Bativac on October 17, 2023, 09:31:49 PMJacksonville: It's Easier Here.
What a great tagline, when viewed in its appropriate context!* ;D
*An ad campaign, targeted to leisure and business travelers, living in congested metros like Atlanta, Chicago, New York, or Orlando, that contrasts those hectic cities and their amenities with things like our beautiful, serene airport; our miles of beaches with public access and free parking; our great restaurants and breweries that don't require reservations six months in advance or a jacket to get into; our peaceful nature preserves and laid back vibe, etc.
Viewed in its proper context, it wasn't an attempt to sweep the problems Jacksonville faces under the rug. It was an external campaign aimed at saying, "Hey you [prospect in crowded, angry, traffic-clogged target market], things are easier/less stressful in Jacksonville. Give us a shot. Come stay here in our hotels, and spend money stimulating our economy. We think it will be a nice change of pace." Was never intended to appeal to the retired couple in Arlington who have lived in Jacksonville for decades, it was intended for the family in their 30s in Boston, fed up from shoveling snow off their driveway for the 20th day in a row, browsing Travel Advisor or Conde Nast for vacation ideas and seeing a family just like them bicycling on the beach in Jacksonville in April instead.
So much better than "The Flip Side of Florida," inauthentically positioning Jacksonville as the Portland of Florida, with its ZaNy rEd DiNoSaUr and WeIrDnEss, and leaning into all the wrong stereotypes about Jax with the mullets, Gator colors, and flip-flops :o
With the first campaign, Jax is messaging the genuine value proposition of Jacksonville to those in busier cities. They come here with the expectation that they're going to get bigger city amenities without the headaches of an Atlanta or Orlando. And they leave satisfied, booking a return trip or telling their friends and family. With the second campaign, we're relying on gimmickry and the buzzyness of being weird. While there are unique elements of Jacksonville (see: Bill's book), anyone coming to Jax expecting an Austin or Portland is going to be sorely disappointed.
BUT I DIGRESS....
:)
Quote from: CityLife on October 20, 2023, 11:55:16 AM
Also, this may have gotten lost by some in Ken's original post, but the new fountain itself is awesome.
If you didn't watch it before, watch it now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe4q9Ti5N88
It's BEAUTIFUL, and the public deserves to have been enjoying it for the last year and a half that it's been operational.
It's not at all dissimilar to the Shared Use Path debacle in Brooklyn/Riverside.
The taxpayers front the cost of an expensive overhaul to a public space.
And city officials apathetically sit on completion for years with no regard for the public, shifting blame from covid, to supply chain, to components, and back again.
I honestly don't think MOSH or Related have anything to do the delays, personally. MOSH now has clearance to move across the river, and Related's project largely exists outside of the park.
My bigger fear - aside from general apathy, lack of urgency, or disregard for the public - is that we're holding up completion of Friendship Park so that it can open alongside the other park across the river at the Times-Union Center. Friendship Fountain/St Johns Park is a Lori Boyer project that she has long positioned as being a complimentary project to Music Park, with a shared projection/audio/video experience spanning the Fountain, the Times-Union Center, and the side of the CSX building.
Big difference to me though between the Shared Use Path and Friendship Fountain is that the former was a new amenity that we had to wait longer than was reasonable to experience for the first time. The ladder was a beloved public space that the DIA and City have taken away from us, with no explanation, for nearly 4 years. We got every excuse in the book about why it hasn't been finished for about two years, before all parties involved just walked away from accountability and stopped talking about it. This ain't some suburban soccer field off the beaten path. It's one of the - if not the - most iconic remaining public space in downtown Jacksonville. And it looks like it's been hit by a nuclear weapon.
Hopefully things turn around with the new administration.
Random question for those who have studied turnarounds in other cities:
A common complaint is that the City of Jacksonville can't manage a capital improvement project to save its life. You look at how things have gone with major projects like the Courthouse, Coastline Drive, some of the bulkhead and park projects, etc, and it's not hard to see where that POV might come from. One of Lori Boyers common complaints, for example, is that the city is slow to secure bids, obtain permits and ultimately complete projects.
You contrast that with city owned projects that we allow the Jags to project manage, and those projects are always completed on time, on budget, and correctly.
Is there some requirement that the city has to project manage municipal projects like Friendship Fountain, Shipyards West, Coastline Drive, etc? If the city can't hit deadlines or finish a project within budget, is it possible to offload these tasks to private entities on a performance schedule, even if it costs a little more?
Heard recently that the fountain is probably ~4 months out. The full park is a year or so away.
No opinion on that timeline, as building nice parks isn't my expertise.
I would say that whether it's marriage between two people, or between people and their government, communication is key.
Quote from: fsu813 on October 20, 2023, 06:29:16 PM
Heard recently that the fountain is probably ~4 months out. The full park is a year or so away.
No opinion on that timeline, as building nice parks isn't my expertise.
I would say that whether it's marriage between two people, or between people and their government, communication is key.
All due respect, the fountain has been four months out and the park has been a year or so away since Nick Foles was on the Jags payroll, Kobe Bryant was still alive, and COVID-19 had yet to be observed in the wild.
I don't think you need to be an expert on building nice parks to look at the current state of the park and realize that, despite claims to the contrary for nearly four years, no actual work has started beyond repairing the fountain. And the fountain itself has been functional for over a year and a half.
Totally agree on the communication part, but it's gotta be honest, transparent communication. City officials have cried wolf on this project so many times on timelines and holdups that I'll personally believe it when I see it. Fool me once, shame on you. Tell me that speakers are the holdup from reopening when the park is in this untouched condition after being closed since 2020, shame on me.
Maybe if we told developers that those incentives you want, we are going to invest them in our urban core parks instead of giving them directly to you. Your developments will thrive with great parks around you that will be well maintained and that will offer a great amenity to your residents/office workers/shoppers/guests thus improving the value and success of your developments while also benefitting all the citizens of Jacksonville.
This is what I have been long advocating for. A way that motivates and helps not just developers but all all of us... investing in infrastructure vs. incentives... green spaces, streetscapes, transportation, lighting, public art, safety and security, etc.
I had lunch at the River Club last week and noticed some people were on site and there was "fresh" dirt around the fountain, so it could be something, could be nothing.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on October 20, 2023, 09:21:44 PM
Maybe if we told developers that those incentives you want, we are going to invest them in our urban core parks instead of giving them directly to you. Your developments will thrive with great parks around you that will be well maintained and that will offer a great amenity to your residents/office workers/shoppers/guests thus improving the value and success of your developments while also benefitting all the citizens of Jacksonville.
This is what I have been long advocating for. A way that motivates and helps not just developers but all all of us... investing in infrastructure vs. incentives... green spaces, streetscapes, transportation, lighting, public art, safety and security, etc.
The vast majority of dollars "given" to developers aren't given at all. It's a
temporary tax rebate on tax revenue that otherwise would never hit the city coffers. I have a tracker of about $2.6B in downtown development and the proposed incentive packages. About 74% of the incentives given to developers are REV grants, 19% is cash upon completion or forgivable loans, and 6% is conveyance of the land to the developer for free.
^ I get it but tax rebates are tax revenue passed up that could pay for the infrastructure projects I suggested, either directly or by supporting bonding with future revenues.
Bottom line, forgone revenue is real cash not received or out -the-door, just another flavor. If it didn't have real cash value, it wouldn't be an "incentive." Cash benefits to developers is cash benefits taken from the City.
Tried to attach a photo (#14, I believe) of the sulfuric acid barrel and the taller one next to it. That's so nice for our FL/GA game tourists to enjoy, as well...not to mention what mischief this could provide for people who would want to mess with dangerous chemicals in the environment. Thank you, Ken, for your diligence in exposing this.
Melissa Ross, the Mayor's press liaison, posted (https://x.com/MelissainJax/status/1718244757585940899?s=20) photos from last night of the fountain running.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on October 28, 2023, 11:33:23 AM
Melissa Ross, the Mayor's press liaison, posted (https://x.com/MelissainJax/status/1718244757585940899?s=20) photos from last night of the fountain running.
Looks like park opening will be at the end of January 2024 according to Ms. Ross' twitter account. Anyone taking the over?
Sounds like only the fountain will open in early 2024. The splash pad, kids playground, etc. will not be included in that opening.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 28, 2023, 11:28:35 PM
Sounds like only the fountain will open in early 2024. The splash pad, kids playground, etc. will not be included in that opening.
Love it.
A shame that the past administration made zero progress on the ancillary park features, but I'm happy the new administration is prioritizing returning Friendship Fountain to the public rather than continuing to hold it hostage.
Hopefully the additional features come with time.
Quote from: Todd_Parker on October 28, 2023, 09:20:51 PM
Quote from: marcuscnelson on October 28, 2023, 11:33:23 AM
Melissa Ross, the Mayor's press liaison, posted (https://x.com/MelissainJax/status/1718244757585940899?s=20) photos from last night of the fountain running.
Looks like park opening will be at the end of January 2024 according to Ms. Ross' twitter account. Anyone taking the over?
For Deegan to successfully restore trust in our local government, keeping these small promises will be key. The project has been mismanaged, but injecting a bit of sanity to a bad situation and getting something opened will slowly begin to signal that we are in competent hands who just need time to right the ship. It's a low bar to clear, but that's where we are.
Miss the January deadline...well, that would fall squarely on Deegan's administration and suggest that the promised change isn't happening fast enough. Let's hope that doesn't happen.
Quote from: jaxoNOLE on October 29, 2023, 12:37:27 PM
The project has been mismanaged, but injecting a bit of sanity to a bad situation and getting something opened will slowly begin to signal that we are in competent hands who just need time to right the ship. It's a low bar to clear, but that's where we are.
Yes, that's where we're at these days. The bar is pretty low to clear but must be done.
Quote from: jaxoNOLE on October 29, 2023, 12:37:27 PM
Quote from: Todd_Parker on October 28, 2023, 09:20:51 PM
Quote from: marcuscnelson on October 28, 2023, 11:33:23 AM
Melissa Ross, the Mayor's press liaison, posted (https://x.com/MelissainJax/status/1718244757585940899?s=20) photos from last night of the fountain running.
Looks like park opening will be at the end of January 2024 according to Ms. Ross' twitter account. Anyone taking the over?
For Deegan to successfully restore trust in our local government, keeping these small promises will be key. The project has been mismanaged, but injecting a bit of sanity to a bad situation and getting something opened will slowly begin to signal that we are in competent hands who just need time to right the ship. It's a low bar to clear, but that's where we are.
Miss the January deadline...well, that would fall squarely on Deegan's administration and suggest that the promised change isn't happening fast enough. Let's hope that doesn't happen.
January becomes February.
https://jaxtoday.org/2023/12/20/friendship-fountain-looked-done-on-sunday-night-football-it-isnt/
That's a shame. What is the issue at this point? Funding? Materials? Labor? What walls need to be broken down?
The fountain itself is done. The rest of the park and surrounding area will be done in phases so the whole thing isn't kept fenced off until everything is ready. Others like Lenny's Lawn will be the same; work there is happening now.
Quote from: Tacachale on December 22, 2023, 05:58:22 AM
The fountain itself is done. The rest of the park and surrounding area will be done in phases so the whole thing isn't kept fenced off until everything is ready. Others like Lenny's Lawn will be the same; work there is happening now.
Any idea on the timeline for the children's playground/splash pad element, Bill? Think we'll find funding for it sooner than later?
Officially opening on February 15th, to correspond with an expanded Sip n Stroll footprint. I will certainly be there, and I think instead of the mayor pushing the button to start the synchronized music, it should be Ken_FSU.
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2024/02/02/lights-water-music-friendship-fountain-to-sparkle-again-on-the-southbank/
Very happy to hear this. Kudos to the Deegan administration for getting this low hanging fruit project back on track.
Many airline reservations sites are being overwhelmed by the shear volume of flyers seeking trips to Jax for this attraction. Most hotel rooms are in short supply.
Fountain should be great. Love the Hardwick-esque touches they placed around it.
The park itself will be another year or so before it opens.
Quote from: Joey Mackey on February 02, 2024, 01:45:00 PM
Officially opening on February 15th, to correspond with an expanded Sip n Stroll footprint. I will certainly be there, and I think instead of the mayor pushing the button to start the synchronized music, it should be Ken_FSU.
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2024/02/02/lights-water-music-friendship-fountain-to-sparkle-again-on-the-southbank/
That's my mayor!
1. Sets out an aggressive timeline
2. Finishes on time
3. Re-opens the park, at a public event, within days of completion, rather than holding the space hostage for months to hold a self-serviing ribbon cutting during working hours
Appreciate ya, Joey, but will happily defer the button press ;D
Small sample size, a lot left to do, but it's crazy what happens when you start to put the community first, the special interests second, and surround yourself with a lot of smart people.
The fences around the fountain itself are down and its open now but they are still working on fine tuning it seems.
Quote from: Joey Mackey on February 02, 2024, 01:45:00 PM
Officially opening on February 15th, to correspond with an expanded Sip n Stroll footprint. I will certainly be there, and I think instead of the mayor pushing the button to start the synchronized music, it should be Ken_FSU.
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2024/02/02/lights-water-music-friendship-fountain-to-sparkle-again-on-the-southbank/
Absolutely beautiful and lovely. Wish they could of had more of different types of colors but hey...I will not cry over spilled milk or overly complain; I'LL TAKE IT!!!
Woohoo... it's almost Vegas!! I see a Super Bowl in the future...
Just want to highlight my experience this past Saturday. Wife and I visited the reopened Friendship Fountain and the adjacent play park. I was taken aback by just how many people were enjoying the park, the great weather, and the fantastic sights. Hundreds, maybe even a thousand.
Just a few years ago, I would walk the same exact route along the SouthBank riverwalk on a Saturday to the "under construction" fountain and I would only ever see a handful of people, mostly fellow apartment/condo dwellers and homeless people. Now it is a completely different, and a welcoming, experience. The vibrancy, the activity, is outstanding.
I can't speak to the Riverside Skate Park, as I have only visited that park once. But from my perspective, the redevelopment of the Friendship Fountain has been the biggest success story in downtown Jacksonville regarding vibrancy for a while. From literally no activity, to attracting hundreds of visitors on a Saturday.
Smarter people than me can decipher the lessons to be learned from this project and outcome, and I hope our City's leadership is paying attention to this success.
Got to check it out yesterday and it looks great. Plenty of people enjoying the spring weather with their families. Excited to see the next phases of the park open up
Quote from: Joey Mackey on April 21, 2025, 11:57:09 AMSmarter people than me can decipher the lessons to be learned from this project and outcome, and I hope our City's leadership is paying attention to this success.
It's such a simple thing, but one of the things this new administration has really hit out of the park so far is communication and follow-through.
Under the former administration, city government went radio silent on Friendship Fountain for YEARS.
If a reopening date was ever briefly noted, it would come and go without a word.
Contrast that to the new mayor's office.
Early on, they set a reopening date, communicated it to the public, and hit that reopening date.
When the park abruptly closed a few weeks back, I checked online, and easily found information:
a) announcing the closure
b) given a reason why it was inaccessible
c) giving a clear date for when it would reopen
Believe it or not, the park actually reopened as scheduled, and thousands of people got to enjoy it over the weekend, with upgrades.
Things like this go such a long way building the public trust.
Park looks beautiful, btw.
Quote from: Joey Mackey on April 21, 2025, 11:57:09 AM
Just want to highlight my experience this past Saturday. Wife and I visited the reopened Friendship Fountain and the adjacent play park. I was taken aback by just how many people were enjoying the park, the great weather, and the fantastic sights. Hundreds, maybe even a thousand.
Just a few years ago, I would walk the same exact route along the SouthBank riverwalk on a Saturday to the "under construction" fountain and I would only ever see a handful of people, mostly fellow apartment/condo dwellers and homeless people. Now it is a completely different, and a welcoming, experience. The vibrancy, the activity, is outstanding.
I can't speak to the Riverside Skate Park, as I have only visited that park once. But from my perspective, the redevelopment of the Friendship Fountain has been the biggest success story in downtown Jacksonville regarding vibrancy for a while. From literally no activity, to attracting hundreds of visitors on a Saturday.
Smarter people than me can decipher the lessons to be learned from this project and outcome, and I hope our City's leadership is paying attention to this success.
Quote from: Zac T on April 21, 2025, 01:34:41 PM
Got to check it out yesterday and it looks great. Plenty of people enjoying the spring weather with their families. Excited to see the next phases of the park open up
Thank you for this feedback, y'all! To me this success shows Jaxsons are eager to get out and enjoy good public spaces.all we need as a city is to make the investments.
I would like to +1 this comment. I took my 2 boys and there probably were a total of close to 1000 people wanting to participate in this. If they nail the restaruant/rooftop bar and botanical gardens it is just going to be such a gem.
That is to say nothing of the development across the bridge which could be just as amazing.
Maybe the success of public spaces like this will raise the profile of them and the City begins to prioritize more of this vs. paying developers to swallow up our publicly owned riverfront that any other city would kill to have for green space.
I think they will start to learn, assuming we keep someone in the Mayor's office who cares about those things. I think that is part of the equation here. Donna Deegan cares about these things and is willing to spend on them. That's half the battle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5qKnf7rsAU
"String of attacks at Friendship Fountain"
Having world class Riverfront Parks won't matter if the City can't keep its citizens safe who want to enjoy the public amenities. I've seen private security guards on the Southbank Riverwalk plenty of times, but I don't know what type of authority they really have (e.g. making arrest). The City should at least post some JSO officers at Friendship Fountain for the next month to re-establish the perception of it being a safe park.
Quote from: Joey Mackey on May 22, 2025, 10:42:19 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5qKnf7rsAU
"String of attacks at Friendship Fountain"
Having world class Riverfront Parks won't matter if the City can't keep its citizens safe who want to enjoy the public amenities. I've seen private security guards on the Southbank Riverwalk plenty of times, but I don't know what type of authority they really have (e.g. making arrest). The City should at least post some JSO officers at Friendship Fountain for the next month to re-establish the perception of it being a safe park.
I've had words with that low life at least twice.
I've been Downtown for more than 20 years. The aggression from bums has gotten
noticeably worse since 2020.
There are homeless people in bad situations that have resources available to them, and places like Sulzbacher have plenty of success stories giving people the assistance they need to
take care of themselves.
The violent bums are another story. I'm frankly tired of it, and JSO should be getting much more aggressive with the aggressors.
It also REALLY doesnt help that there are less things to do Downtown than there was before 2020. That just festers an environment where the bums are emboldened. Idiotic COJ policies like tearing down the Landing, having less programming, etc have made things MUCH worse. This weekend, Jazz Fest is being held in a freaking dirt parking lot along Talleyrand. Would sure be a lot less aggressive bums if there were tens of thousands of people walking around Downtown this Memorial Day Weekend instead of creating a traffic jam near the stadium
Quote from: fieldafm on May 22, 2025, 11:11:54 AM
Idiotic COJ policies like tearing down the Landing, having less programming, etc have made things MUCH worse. This weekend, Jazz Fest is being held in a freaking dirt parking lot along Talleyrand. Would sure be a lot less aggressive bums if there were tens of thousands of people walking around Downtown this Memorial Day Weekend instead of creating a traffic jam near the stadium[/b]
Don't forget closing significant parts of the Riverwalk at the same time - I mean the part by the performing arts center was supposed to be finished last year!
As for Jazz Fest - I am so not excited by the location - I may go see Trombone Shorty Saturday night - but that's likely it
Hosting the Jazz Fest in a riverfront park would be ideal. Are any of the park plans currently underway able to provide for that? Are any of the spaces capable of hosting thousands for such an event?
This has been my point all along. Can't have enough public space along the river for such things. As Jax grows, having 100,000 or more people for an event is likely to be recurring. Other cities have hundreds of thousands or even over 1 million hosted in their public spaces. Hosting a few thousand isn't going to get the NFL draft, Super Bowl* or any super sized music or cultural festival that might add thousands of tourists to local attendance.
Such spaces would also enhance activity at an adjacent convention center.
All this, again, takes forward, long term planning and visioning. We don't see to have it yet.
*Our 2005 Super Bowl used riverfront land on both sides of the river to host 100,000 +/- people. That land is mostly being repurposed so how does that work for a second shot?
^ Riverfront Plaza, Metropolitan Park, the Flex Field, and Shipyards West Park all seem capable of accommodating the Jazz Fest at least in part.
I would really hesitate to add a potentially substantial burden to the city in the form of multiple large event lawns (not just parks, but event lawns) that have to be maintained and especially policed (but apparently can't include any other use in part to help bear the cost of that maintenance or provide more eyes at night) on the speculation that there might eventually be big enough events to justify them, for the same reason that I would really hesitate to spend a billion dollars on a large convention center on the speculation that there might eventually be big enough events to justify it.
^ Not talking multiple lawns, just one big "mall", "commons", etc. Lots of cities have such spaces and find ways to use them frequently without events. The existing spaces hosting "in part" proves my point... we have nothing to handle larger events/crowds.
They could double as playing fields for urban residents, host outdoor movies, feature jogging tracks, music, dance, art and food festivals, car shows, travelling circus, Xtreme events, temporary outdoor ice skate rinks in winter, makers markets, etc.
The amenity value to attract urban residents, increase in the taxable base, and the economic boost from events hosted should more than pay for mowing the grass. The investment is a mere fraction of dollars spent on far less useful projects in this City, or given to developers for unnecessary incentives, that are better invested in infrastructure such as this, that promote all interests, not just a few.
Jax's lack of imagination is the issue.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on May 23, 2025, 11:26:36 PM
^ Not talking multiple lawns, just one big "mall", "commons", etc. Lots of cities have such spaces and find ways to use them frequently without events.
I believe Metro Park will be the closest match to what you describe.