Distinguish Jacksonville: Jacksonville Farmer's Market
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The Jacksonville Farmer's Market relocated to new facilities adjacent to its previous site in February 2007. This is Metro Jacksonville's first photo tour of the market with everything in full swing.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/480
I so whole heartedly agree that the farmers market should be considered part of the progress downtown. When people limit "downtown" to a very smalll area one has to realize that a large percentage will only be lawyers offices. I hope when this area prospers (especially because of the how unique the farmers market is) people will say that downtown is growing not that its nice the area prospered but to bad it couldn't actually be downtown. Downtown is also growing into San Marco but very few people see it that way.
Yes, we do tend to sell ourselves short by separating the core neighborhoods into district little burbs, instead of combining the numbers and cross marketing. Here's a link to an article published here a few months ago on how downtown and the inner city's retail strength could be increased by taking advantage of State & Union:
Urban Connectivity: State & Union
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http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/281/80/
Speaking of the farmer's market and the power they have when marketed correctly, Detroit's Eastern Market is spurring redevelopment in a once under utilized industrial area, just outside of their downtown. Imagine the same concept and activity lining the abandoned warehouses along Beaver Street? Here's a photo tour:
Eastern Market: Creating a successful farmer's market district
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http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/262/93/