A Closer Look at Philips Highway
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-7529-p1150374.JPG)
Philips Highway was once the home of Jacksonville's hottest suburbs. Now it is a prime corridor for infill growth and redevelopment.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/936
In Charlotte, it is South End, not West End.
Great article. Jax is at a turning point in it's future based on it's immediate transit decisions.
Can we some people into office who have any kind of vision. We need leaders who don't get excited over distribution centers and strip malls.
Quote from: vicupstate on November 12, 2008, 08:22:14 AM
In Charlotte, it is South End, not West End.
Great article. Jax is at a turning point in it's future based on it's immediate transit decisions.
Thanks. I've been traveling too much. I'm getting my neighborhoods and cities confused.
Has anybody noticed the new Sheraton branded hotel on Baymeadows? It seems very out of place considering the number of businesses that have closed in that area. Perhaps it will be a catalyst for that dying stretch.
Ennis writes: "However, with coordinated and proper planning between the City of Jacksonville, JTA, FDOT , the private sector and local residents, it can be an attractive gateway to the city of Jacksonville."
The MOST overloooked and under-represented piece of this puzzle is the "local residents" portion -- you know, the ones who are already living in these areas and whose voice has been overlooked in any of the planning regarding Philips (most recently the Jackson Square development) to-date?
Seriously, the way to make this happen smoothly and more cost effectively is to get the neighbors involved early and actually listen to their ideas and legitimate concerns. That way, you can avoid lawsuits that are SURE to come, and everyone feels like their voice and tax dollars aren't being wasted on yet another project that lines the pockets of the Paul Hardens of this town and empties the pockets of the taxpayers snd homeowners.
Seems to me like the COJ Planning Dept could not care less about the residents in existing neighborhoods that its OWN Comprehensive Plan says they are supposed to protect.
Is Chopstick Charley's still open? I live about a mile from Phillips and Emerson and a commuter rail would pretty much be amazing. The need for a car for me would be nearly non-existent, and who doesn't love that.
Another great post by the MetroJax crew...good job Fellas!
www.WhatsUpJacksonville.com
I live across form chopsticks and as far as i can tell its still open. I have wanted to wander in and see what it was like but not to sure if i would come back out lol...
Walter
Used to eat Chopstick Charlie's years ago. They had great food or a dive.
Is the Tallahassee Elements of Urbanism coming tomorrow morning?
I had some more images to upload. It will run either tomorrow or Friday at the latest.
As most of you know, the northern section of Philips from Atlantic Blvd to Emerson St is the worse. It's full of hookers and drug dealers on every corner. A lot of the problems come from all the run-down motels in the area as well as Southside Apartments on Westmont St. Now I'm no fan of Wal-mart, but it was nice that they built a new store along that section a few years ago. Also nice is the new Jerry Hamm Chevy dealership down near Emerson. The land that the old dealership was on is the land that *fingers crossed* Jackson Square will be built on. Hopefuly, all the new commercial development over the past few years will transform the area. With Jackson Square being a key piece of the redevelopment transformation.
Quote from: copperfiend on November 12, 2008, 09:31:29 AM
Has anybody noticed the new Sheraton branded hotel on Baymeadows? It seems very out of place considering the number of businesses that have closed in that area. Perhaps it will be a catalyst for that dying stretch.
i work for a hotel brand that has a location right down the street from that new Four Points by Sheraton. the location that i work at is close to the SJTC. being an extended stay hotel, we have plenty of guests that stay here but work out by the baymeadows location. that side of town seems unsafe to them, plus the location seems to be decades old. some of our major accounts have transeferred their employees from that hotel location to newer properties further north on southside blvd. to say the least, a new, not-so-well-known brand of hotel in jax in that area seems a bit hopeless. at least they finally knocked down Chevy's! lol now they just have to knock down Bennigan's...
and Miami Subs....and Waffle House....and Village Inn....and the overgrown abandoned golf course....and Roadhouse grill....and Pizza Hut....and Steak n Ale
It's like this wave of abandonment & decay sprialing outward from the center of the city. First it hit Emerson, then Univ blvd, now Baymeadows.
I'm old enough to remember when Univ blvd (Englewood area) still had some pep. A drive in movie theater on the corner of Univ & Phillips,a krispy kream donuts where the cash america pawn shop is now. A few other nicer establishments dotted the area as well. There was no railrail over pass at the Phillips intersection either, that train would always catch us on the way to school.
Emerson's always been bad in my lifetime, except the Market Square Mall Arcade & Skateworld is where most of us spent our early teen years in the area. Oh and you haven't lived until you've delivered pizzas to the north strecth of Phillips hwy. Gator Lodge, City Center motel, Mt. Vernon plus all the crackheaded trailer parks. It's pretty hard to deliver a pizza when a SWAT team's got the hotel you're trying to deliver to surrounded. ;D
Quote from: thelakelander on November 12, 2008, 06:12:49 PM
and Miami Subs....and Waffle House....and Village Inn....and the overgrown abandoned golf course....and Roadhouse grill....and Pizza Hut....and Steak n Ale
:D wow i couldn't have compiled a better list of baymeadows crap-olla.
But why did all of those places (and many others) fail? Why does everything struggle in that pocket? Is it because it's a cutthroat lunch-only market in Baymeadows? There's really been no downturn of significance of employers/employees that I can think of. It would have been a tough sell for me to open in that corridor - especially in direct competition (a la Chicago Pizza & Al's Pizza).
My all time favorite was Bombay Bicycle Club - so gross - so dingy - but I always went back.....
BONUS - can anyone name ALL of the tenants of the former Chevy's location? I probably couldn't confirm with 100% certainty, but it had to be the Bermuda Triangle of all JAX locations.
Quote from: blizz01 on November 12, 2008, 09:40:08 PM
But why did all of those places (and many others) fail? Why does everything struggle in that pocket? Is it because it's a cutthroat lunch-only market in Baymeadows? There's really been no downturn of significance of employers/employees that I can think of. It would have been a tough sell for me to open in that corridor - especially in direct competition (a la Chicago Pizza & Al's Pizza).
My all time favorite was Bombay Bicycle Club - so gross - so dingy - but I always went back.....
BONUS - can anyone name ALL of the tenants of the former Chevy's location? I probably couldn't confirm with 100% certainty, but it had to be the Bermuda Triangle of all JAX locations.
I think the decline happened after the state came in and changed the center turn lane. It used to be a yellow line turn lane with no curbs, but the state added curbs and limited where you could make a left. I remember local businesses making a fuss about it, but the state wanted to improve the traffic flow, which was gridlocked every day.
Some of those places used to be jam-packed during lunch and happy hour. I think the rise of the tinsletown scene helped with the decline.
Quote from: blizz01 on November 12, 2008, 09:40:08 PM
But why did all of those places (and many others) fail? Why does everything struggle in that pocket? Is it because it's a cutthroat lunch-only market in Baymeadows? There's really been no downturn of significance of employers/employees that I can think of. It would have been a tough sell for me to open in that corridor - especially in direct competition (a la Chicago Pizza & Al's Pizza).
My all time favorite was Bombay Bicycle Club - so gross - so dingy - but I always went back.....
BONUS - can anyone name ALL of the tenants of the former Chevy's location? I probably couldn't confirm with 100% certainty, but it had to be the Bermuda Triangle of all JAX locations.
I believe citibank had a huge campus right off baymeadows way , but they closed up shop there about 3 years ago and moved it out towards St. Augustine Rd/Bartram park area. That alone took several thousand of daily employees away i'm sure.
Ah yes, Bombay bicycle club was always a favorite after work/class spot. That place would get seriously packed on the most random of nights.
QuoteMy all time favorite was Bombay Bicycle Club - so gross - so dingy - but I always went back.....
One of the worst crash and burns I ever had hitting on a girl in front of all my boys. It was bad.
It's been almost 4 years since Citi left and took 4k employees with them. Their campus was also staffed 24x7, 365. The buildings they were in are now home to the Jacksonville Art Institute and Coastal School of Law.
There use to be a great old mom and pop corner store between Baymeadows and I-95, not far from Sunbeam Rd. It was the last of it's breed in Jax. I think it closed in the mid/late 80s.
This picture is not from Philips Highway. It is a picture of Baymeadows Road, where it lies between I-95 and Philips Highway. I'm just a stickler for details. ;)
Thanks. I believe in the article its mentioned that this image was taken along Baymeadows.
Some more buildings have been torn down near the Jacksonville Square Development. It was the small hotel that is pictured above. This could be a good thing, depending on what is planned for the space. Does anyone know anything about this?