Metro Jacksonville

Urban Thinking => Urban Issues => Topic started by: Metro Jacksonville on December 05, 2008, 05:00:00 AM

Title: Understanding Main Street
Post by: Metro Jacksonville on December 05, 2008, 05:00:00 AM
Understanding Main Street

(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-648-dcp_9700.JPG)

This is the city's gateway.  It's a critical element in the way people perceive downtown.  But it's also a critical thoroughfare for Springfield.  - Brad Thoburn FTU 8/23/00

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/953
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: jeh1980 on December 05, 2008, 05:28:10 AM
Great article! Superb. 8) I think Jacksonville can have the know how to get the job done. Let's do this!!!  :D
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: Bike Jax on December 05, 2008, 06:06:55 AM
Great job of highlighting Main St.. Notice in the pictures from all the other cites that every intersection has crosswalks. None of them have 3 block long medians preventing pedestrians from getting across the street. They also are not creating hwy. type of atmosphere with these medians.

These other cities understand that complete streets includes every type of traffic. They also understand that slowing down traffic not makes an area safer. It also creates more business because people want to spend time and money where they feel safe.
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: Deuce on December 05, 2008, 09:14:26 AM
I have to know where the author got the "Chicken District" reference from. I made that up myself to refer to that area of main. I thought I was original but it appears not, or perhaps I am the originator!?
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: triclops i on December 05, 2008, 03:19:09 PM
Need more murals like @ the flower shop. Only pretty thing in that whole district.
And that ugly grey building with the bike shop needs signage, dammit! lol

I
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: BridgeTroll on December 05, 2008, 07:39:23 PM
I propose a neon district... :)
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: thelakelander on December 05, 2008, 09:46:58 PM
Definately agree about the murals.  They are a creative way to add life to an area.  Center City Philly is loaded with them.  Their mural arts program was started to reduce the spread of graffiti in 1984.

(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2007/phil_murals/phil_mural_01.jpg)

(http://img.geocaching.com/cache/b4672a6f-cb1a-45ec-be9c-dde10a9171e0.jpg)

(http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/philadelphia-city-guide-ga-7.jpg)

(http://www.bagofnothing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/murialsofphillyos.jpg)

(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/images/philadelphia/mural.jpg)
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: thelakelander on December 05, 2008, 09:58:39 PM
Quote from: BridgeTroll on December 05, 2008, 07:39:23 PM
I propose a neon district... :)

Considering there's not anything remotely close to one in Urban Jacksonville, a little coordinated lighting could also become a unique characteristic of the Main Street area.

Yonge Street - Toronto
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-1317-p1010338.JPG)
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: riverside_mail on December 06, 2008, 11:36:14 AM
Great article. Adel's Supermarket is an architectural diamond in the rough. Imagine what it would look like cleaned up and painted Art Deco.
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: alta on December 08, 2008, 02:58:36 AM
What's happening with the Park View Inn?  The walls on the north and south facing rooms have been torn down of the last few months.  Is the city going to tear it down soon?
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: thelakelander on December 08, 2008, 07:19:56 AM
It looks like it is already being slowly torn down.
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: hanjin1 on December 08, 2008, 09:30:34 AM
Yea I saw that too and was wondering why they would just tear out some walls.
Title: Re: Understanding Main Street
Post by: ruck on December 09, 2008, 10:28:21 AM
Main Street has the potential to be our version of time square in NYC!!