QuotePeyton to focus much of final months on economic development, downtown
By Matt Galnor
In what he describes as one of his last major speeches, Mayor John Peyton will lay out a road map of his final 18 months in office to a collection of business and civic leaders Wednesday afternoon.
Peyton’s focus will be on emphasizing Jacksonville’s strengths and positioning the city to recover faster than its peers once the economy turns around.
“There are things we can to help Jacksonville to be more vibrant, more competitive and recover faster than the cities we compare ourselves to,†Peyton said Tuesday in an interview with the Times-Union.
The mayor, whose final term expires in June 2011, will discuss his plans in three broad groupings: continuing to push job growth; improving residents’ quality of life; and breathing life into a dormant downtown.
Individual projects include helping create a daytime resource center for the city’s homeless, developing a solid public-private partnership to speed development of Cecil Commerce Center and building consensus for a riverfront convention center.
About 200 leaders were invited to the speech at Snyder Memorial Church downtown, spokeswoman Misty Skipper said. The guest list is larger but similar to the one Peyton convened last summer when he announced controversial plans to raise the property tax rate.
Peyton said this address won’t launch a speaking tour similar to his “Fix It Now†campaign but rather detail what he’s trying to accomplish.
Peyton says he’s found “the more we engage the community, the more effective we are.â€
Mike Hightower, a close Peyton ally who ran the mayor’s two campaigns, said the only way to help ensure that projects and ideas last into another administration is to build community consensus behind them.
“He’s sort of laying the groundwork for when we come out of these financial challenges,†Hightower said.
Some of the highlights of Peyton’s speech will include:
• Building on the city’s longstanding partnership with the military and channeling lobbying efforts toward returning a carrier to Mayport Naval Station.
• Inking a deal with a Texas firm that will put money into getting Cecil sites ready for development and tap its relationships with industry leaders to bring businesses to the former Navy base.
• Beginning discussions about building a convention center on land that’s now home to the Duval County Courthouse. The property is next to the Hyatt, Jacksonville’s largest hotel, and would become available once the new courthouse is built.
Discussions should begin, so there’s support behind one site and plan once financing is worked out in years to come.
“We don’t have the money to do it, clearly, but we have time to build consensus,†Peyton said.
Work will start this month on $2.7 million in improvements to Laura Street, with a goal of creating a vibrant, walkable corridor downtown. But that work won’t create the jump-start needed if nothing’s done with the vacant buildings lining the street, most notably the historic Barnett Bank building and Laura Street Trio.
Peyton said Tuesday he’ll be “chief salesman†on those buildings, looking for buyers to match up with those signature buildings.
The city is likely facing another multimillion-dollar budget shortfall, and the mayor’s speech comes just months after the City Council approved a 9 percent property tax increase.
But Peyton said the city must continue to improve and not get bogged down by an anti-government crowd that is against most capital projects.
“Let’s not allow this economy to let that segment call the shots,†Peyton said.
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-01-19/story/peyton_to_focus_much_of_final_months_on_economic_development_downtown
This is the opportunity for the hot dog cart instead of being on the Main St. bridge it needs to be operated out of a container on the 680' Public Pier next to Berkman.
Does anyone remember Fred Kent? He was the keynote speaker at the Jacksonville Beaches Business Convention Visitors Bureau when they made the name change to Visit Jacksonville. The main thrust of his speech to create activity and vibrancy was to have 10 things to do. So imagine 10 containers on the pier. The anchor container should be a blue CROWLEY container. Blueprint for Prosperity for everyone who participates. 10 different businesses.
Yesterday after Finance I met with Councilman Gaffney Dist.7 this is in his district and he is receptive to this immediate creation of jobs. A hot dog container should be a given and we can only ask Mayor Peyton if he would support this.
On Friday I met with a representative with Suddath and they are on board with not only donating one container but all 10 if necessary. That is stepping up to the plate. Also met with Nancy Rubin from Jaxport and they can also participate in some role.
Should this be a focus of Downtown? I'd say yes.
Peyton has started to say the right things. Let's get the convention center "shovel ready" so if Hyatt or another developer wants in we just say go.
The Suddath family and company have been stepping up to plate for three generations, always quietly and effectively. Really good folk.
Finally he is now talking about relocating the Convention Center to the riverfront. This to me is the most interesting part of the story.
Thank God!
Agree that putting a stake in the ground on convention center begins to focus the conversation and the movement toward a new site. Two pieces in today's speech that were not in T-U story, but are equally exciting are (1) the Mayor's focus on growing our biomedical presence...a great job engine for Jacksonville and Springfield (Shands/UF) and (2) an effort to create low-cost housing in small, vacant downtown buildings for use by artists and others looking to reduce their housing spend. This may be a short-term way to get more people living downtown. Mayor is pulling from his sister's experience in NYC's SoHo and Chelsea.
As Art Shad so elequently stated regarding downtown, SPEND, SPEND, SPEND!!!!!
It never ceases to amaze me with all the negative comments this story received on the Jacksonville.com site. It's depressing that we are in the minority of people that would like to see Downtown flourish.
mtraininjax...........I agree! Having some sort of plan would be nice and I hate the shotgun approach to anything! It seems somewhat strange to me that this is taking place now...........after all how long has Johnny had to do something with downtown and the surrounding area? All of a sudden.......here we go? What about all of the money that this is going to take? It's amazing to me, the City is in the hole financially, but we magically have money available now?
Why not build the convention center on the shipyards property? Make it a very cool looking, sail-inspired, jutting into the river, with surrounding retail, entertainment and office.
He mentioned the current courthouse position - if you're going to attract people, blow up the parking lost and build the thing right on the river there, or put in a park, right next to that housing development on the water.
^ Because the Hyatt connects to the old courthouse site and you can walk to the landing.
I was on jacksonville.com a lot in the last few months, but that changed when I stumbled upon MJ. I know all about the angry torch-carrying lynchmob of commenters they have, and that one guy with the Dr. Phil picture hates more stuff than Grouchy Smurf.
I'm very new to the concept of caring enough about downtown that I want to start getting involved. As such, I'm somewhat behind in what all is going on down there, and I know very little about Mayor Peyton except that it seems like the people are on a whole, VERY disappointed in him, and that BRT stuff scares the crap out of me. So, while I remain HOPEFUL that he's finally seen the light, I maintain a somewhat untrusting attitude. For some reason, I don't trust politicians. Weird....
But a bigger convention center, near the Hyatt and the Landing makes perfect sense, which in turn ups its competitive bad-assity, and therefore brings in more convention-goers.
Quote from: stephendare on January 20, 2010, 10:30:31 AM
Its mostly that the times union commenters are generally a group of retired jackasses who think that the country officially went to hell in 1968 and recently discovered that the internet cant walk away from the family reunion table with excuses about needing to get back home for pressing appointments.
Its really a small group of commenters, maybe about 200. And they are mostly mean. On any issue.
The comments really catch fire whenever someone manages to kill any member of any minority.
If you think the comments are depressing regarding downtown, then you should catch them on those days. :P
Applies to their self-loathing bile toward the hometown football team too...
Since it hasn't been brought up yet, I'm also very encouraged at the comments on the Trio and the Barnett even if the mayor is a bit late to the party on that issue. Seeing the Trio buildings decay every time I come to town has always made me wistfully recall when Matt Carlucci said their restoration would be his #1 priority if he were to take office.
Quote from: fsujax on January 20, 2010, 08:23:16 AM
Finally he is now talking about relocating the Convention Center to the riverfront. This to me is the most interesting part of the story.
Getter out and getter done Johnny! Before a flying monkey lands a train station all over LaVilla! ;D
OCKLAWAHA
This is by far the best proposal Peyton has had in his entire term. I couldn't believe what I was reading. I mean a REAL convention center, in the RIGHT location, with a revamped Laura Street INCLUDING the Barnett and Laura trio. Not to mention getting out of neutral on Cecil Field, and developing a genuine STRATEGY for economic development.
I applaud this and look forward to hearing more about it. I hope the business community buys into it and the next mayor picks up Peyton's plan and runs with it.
Also, if the Convention center is moving, does that now mean the transportation Center will be re-worked?
The MJ board should be popping champagne. For thre first time, in years, I actually have some HOPE for DT. Of course, words have to be backed up with ACTION, even if the construction can't start soon.
Hooray (for the promise, at least)!
Commence bombarding all involved agencies with sustained positive reinforcement.
Well John Boy has paid plenty of lip service to lot's of people, just now getting around to the people who put him in office though.........guess better late than not at all! Lip service is real cheap.........show me some plans, show me some vision...........show me the money to do it!
Does anyone else have the feeling Mayor Peyton is one of our many new members on metrojax? All but the Cecil development have been front page stories in the past few months. I'm excited about these proposals.... but come on!! Next thing you know he's going to sponsor a showing of Hedwig at Florida Theatre.
Quote from: stephendare on January 20, 2010, 02:00:33 PM
Quote from: Captain Zissou on January 20, 2010, 01:38:37 PM
Does anyone else have the feeling Mayor Peyton is one of our many new members on metrojax? All but the Cecil development have been front page stories in the past few months. I'm excited about these proposals.... but come on!! Next thing you know he's going to sponsor a showing of Hedwig at Florida Theatre.
Funny you should mention hedwig, zissou.
And why is that?
Just imagine being able to redesign the entire JRTC based upon the City finally now openly talking about relocating the convention center. Oh the possibilities are endless for the Terminal and surronding Lavilla blocks!
fsujax, having that opportunity would be nice!
I wonder if the moving of the Convention Center actually became a reality, would that cause more businesses to sprout up around the Bay Street area. Nothing against the Landing, but not everyone wants to eat at the eateries that are at the Landing. I'd love to see a diner open up downtown. Specifically one that would be open late.
I believe a convention center in that location would cause that entire area to boom. Bay Street, Hyatt, Omni, the Florida Theater and the Landing would all be better because of it.
I think the convention center at the courthouse spot would help at least the western portion of the Shipyards site. I'm sure there would be a hotel that would pop up. I also think for a block or two going north you would see a number of retail and service oriented businesses open up.
A multi-level convention center with a three story atrium fronted by a glass wall that looks out onto the river and the riverwalk; that's something that could be marketed! Walk to the Landing, walk to your hotel. Take the river ferry to an upper end restaurant on the South Bank.
Ride the Skyway Express to the......oops!
Ride the Skyway to Mortons or the Charthouse!
Quote from: fsujax on January 20, 2010, 04:25:18 PM
Ride the Skyway to Mortons or the Charthouse!
Not from a convention center located at the site of the current courthouse!
Here is the speech. I would be thrilled if half of this comes to fruition.
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-01-20/story/read_the_speech_mayor_john_peytons_vision_for_jacksonville
Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton is speaking this afternoon at Snyder Memorial Church downtown to lay out a road map for his final 18 months in office. The Mayor's Office has just released a copy of the speech to the Times-Union. It is reprinted here in its entirety. Look for complete coverage later this evening on jacksonville.com and in Thursday's Times-Union.
FOUNDATION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RECOVERY
Mayor John Peyton
Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010
Good afternoon. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to meet here at what is arguably one of our city’s most beautiful and poignant landmarks â€" Snyder Memorial Church.
I see a number of council members here and I am grateful for your presence. It is your partnership with the mayor’s office and the people of this community that makes great things happen in our city.
Between these stone walls there is more than a century of stories about a city that consistently rises above adversity to forge a greater path for its future. That’s what Jacksonville is known for and this church is a tribute to that fortitude in so many ways.
You know the story of the Great Fire well. The original church, founded in 1870, was destroyed in 1901, but rebuilt a year later by the parishioners and other members of our community. Today, it is a tribute to the craftsmen that rebuilt Jacksonville and a testimonial to the determination and focus of the people of Jacksonville.
Sixty years later, it was the people of this church â€" a traditionally white church â€" who helped usher in a new Jacksonville and a new attitude toward community stewardship. When groups of young black men were attacked in the park, this church served as a place of refuge. They took a stand against great injustices and brought Jacksonville out of some of its darkest days.
That’s what community leaders do. They challenge us to overcome. They help determine the path toward a better way. And they guide and support us in the execution of that vision.
But, enough about history. We don’t have a fire-torn city to rebuild. But as the current generation of community leaders, we do have a city, hampered by a difficult economy. We have a city that must continue the momentum that has brought us this far. Each of us has the power to affect real change in our community. And without commitment from each of us, Jacksonville cannot move forward. I have a limited amount of time left in office, and a monumental task list to ensure we maximize every moment we have left to serve this community.
The circumstances are challenging. The economists are touting the end of the recession. But from where I sit, it’s difficult to believe. Our unemployment rate hovers around 11 percent and our foreclosures are still among the highest in the nation.
As mayor, I can’t sit idly by. It is my job to help lay the foundation for Jacksonville’s strong post-recession recovery, by creating new job opportunities and a stronger financial foundation, improving our city’s quality of life and ensuring the safety of our citizens. By overcoming our obstacles and exploiting our opportunities we can position Jacksonville for a strong post-recession recovery â€" more quickly than the peer cities we compare ourselves to and compete with.
Economic Successes
I know there are a number of current and former JEDC officials here, and I appreciate the diligence with which you pursue great economic opportunities and job creation in our city. I also see the leadership of our chamber here. We have the finest chamber in the country and we could not have a better marketing arm for our city.
Over the past 6½ years, we’ve made great strides in the area of economic development, thanks to the solid foundation we have in place.
I am heartened by recent reports that Jacksonville added back more than 2,000 jobs in the 4th quarter of last year. While our job growth has defied gravity, we must do more.
We will succeed by continuing to “play to our strengths†and focusing on areas where we have unique assets and a proven track record.
Medical Community
First, we must leverage our robust medical and bioscience community to climb out of this recession. One in every six employees in Duval County work in the healthcare sector, with a total economic impact of more than $23 billion. With the combination of the University of Florida’s medical school presence, world-class medical research and quality patient care, Jacksonville is and will continue to be a hub for medical and health professionals. We must continue to invest in this industry.
We must recognize how unique Jacksonville is with the UF College of Medicine so closely linked with Shands. We are home to the nation’s fourth largest regional medical school campus and every medical student at Florida rotates through our Shands campus.
I believe we can grow this presence, and I know what a powerful economic engine this will be. One only needs to look to Birmingham where the UAB medical school campus sprawls across 87 downtown blocks.
We can do that here, but it will require investment. And I am committed to doing what is necessary to become one of the nation’s leading centers for biomedical science.
In Spring 2011 we will add a $40 million VA clinic to the Shands Campus. And I was pleased to be in Washington recently with Congresswoman Brown as we worked out the final details. We must play to our strengths of being a leader in this sector.
Military
Second, we will grow our military presence. Today, we are the proud home of the third largest Navy population in the country. With more than 75,000 direct jobs and 76,400 indirect jobs, it remains our largest employer and I am proud to be the mayor of a city that so many patriots call home.
This is the closest thing we have to a recession-proof business. And when a nuclear carrier is home ported in Mayport, Jacksonville will be home to nearly 10 percent of the Navy’s workforce â€" more than when Cecil Field was at its peak.
This is good news for our shipbuilders, our craftsmen and the hundreds of small businesses that rely on our military population in Jacksonville. I know this is our congressional delegation’s #1 priority. I deeply appreciate the work they do every day to bring a carrier back to Jacksonville.
In fact, last week I met with Adm. Jim Stavridis and had a chance to talk with him about Jacksonville’s distinction as the #1 requested duty station in the United States Navy and our desire to welcome even more sailors and their families to the First Coast.
Given the strategic importance of diversifying the fleet along the East Coast and the apparent instability in the Caribbean basin, I am confident that next month’s Quadrennial Defense Review will be favorable for Mayport, and reinforce the Navy’s desire to locate a carrier here.
Jaguars
Third, we are going to leverage Jacksonville’s passion for sports to help sustain our economy and keep Jacksonville on the map. From the Super Bowl and the Jaguars’
games to the annual Florida-Georgia matchup, the Gator Bowl and weekend afternoons at Suns’ baseball games, no one does sports better than we do â€" this is a strength.
We have phenomenal sports facilities. The arena, ball park and football stadium are superb venues with great proximity to downtown. On any given Jaguars Sunday, it takes more than 2,500 people to run the concession stands, park cars and ensure the safety of the fans.
Put simply, sports and the Jaguars support jobs in our city, and remind viewers across the country what a great place Jacksonville is to live and work. We’re not going to lose those jobs. And we’re not going to lose our team.
You have heard about the recent effort to reenergize our Jaguars fan base. We all know that losing an NFL franchise could devastate our recovery efforts and set Jacksonville back decades. Since 1995, no other entity has done more for Jacksonville in terms of economic development, national exposure and community pride.
That’s why last year I convened a group of business leaders â€" many whom are here today â€" to discuss the long-term viability of the NFL in Jacksonville.
From that discussion grew the revived Touchdown Jacksonville organization. Touchdown Jacksonville is now running a community-wide campaign to support our team. Touchdown Jacksonville hosted TEALgate that sold out the bowl and avoided a black-out of the only nationally-televised home game.
To date, ticket sales are vastly outpacing that of last year’s. When you leave here today I need you to visit www.MyTeamTeal.com and learn how you can help with the effort.
Cecil Field
Continuing to play to our strengths, we’re going to create new jobs at Cecil Commerce Center. The runways, hangars and office space make it appealing to the many aerospace and manufacturing tenants who’ve already committed to making Cecil Commerce Center their home.
At a time when manufacturing jobs are scarce, Jacksonville should be proud of the progress we’ve made. When international companies like Saft are choosing to do business in Jacksonville â€" above other locations in the world â€" it bodes well for Cecil Commerce Center and Jacksonville’s strong economic recovery.
Building on those successes with the help of a master developer and public/private partnership will help unlock Cecil’s full potential. We currently have more than 2,200 employees and 27 tenants operating at Cecil Commerce Center. But with more than 4,500 acres available for development by the city and 6,000 acres available by the JAA, we have a significant amount of capacity to do much more. Developments of this size do not happen overnight.
Deerwood Park, a park that I am intimately familiar with in my family business, took more than 25 years for development â€" and involved only 1,000 acres. We have significantly more land at Cecil. And the land is more problematic. It will require significant fill and infrastructure to become a pad-ready development.
Cecil will need industry expertise and capital dollars to become a successful commerce center. For that reason, the city must engage a master developer for the site.
We are currently negotiating with Hillwood, a Texas-based development company that will provide the capital resources and expertise necessary for large-scale industrial development. Hillwood, a Perot company, is consistently ranked among the top developers in the country with a number of brand-name clients such as Coca-Cola, UPS and AT&T.
I am confident that, a master developer with that kind of experience can help Cecil realize its full potential for creating jobs and expanding the tax base. I plan to present a formal proposal to the JEDC involving the city and Hillwood that utilizes their talents and capital to accelerate the development of this important site.
Port
Speaking of playing to our strengths, thanks to our Port Authority, Jacksonville is poised to become a leader in international trade in the post-Panamax era. It is clear that these opportunities are the most viable way to expand our local economy. Just last Friday the city, the port and private logistics companies met together to begin developing the latest public policy strategies related to securing federal dollars for dredging, highway projects/rail projects to improve connectivity at the port.
In addition, the state has already recognized that our seaport is unique among Florida’s 14 ports. I look forward to working with our state delegation to leverage this distinction into more state dollars for Jacksonville. These capital projects will position the
port for long-term growth in the post-Panamax era and help solidify Jacksonville’s reputation as “America’s Logistics Center.â€
While the growth of our port is important to the health of our local economy, it should not come at the expense of our river and other natural resources. The port, the regulatory authorities, our environmental community and my office share in that common goal and understand the importance a healthy river. We are committed to keeping that balance in mind and continuing to move forward as a top tier import and export city.
River Quality
Equally important in positioning Jacksonville for a post-recession recovery, is improving the quality of life for residents. No doubt, communities with better sustainability efforts, more green spaces, clean water ways, responsible growth and funded infrastructure will be the communities that perform better economically. For this reason, water quality issues, conservation and access measures will continue to be a major focus. The St. Johns River’s health contributes directly to our community’s economic viability â€" especially the development of downtown.
In order to provide the best improvement in water quality â€" while also protecting our precious water supply â€" the city is focused on a multi-faceted approach that includes removal of failing septic tanks, reduction in fertilizer use, adopting Florida-friendly landscaping principals and conserving water.
In addition, we’ve received more than $7.8 million from the federal government to create and fund a comprehensive sustainability plan for the city. This will include retrofitting buildings, job training and education initiatives.
Since the creation of the River Accord, we’ve made conservation and protection of our natural resources a top priority. As a city, we’ve made great strides toward sustainability and decreased consumption. We are replacing the old fleet with more fuel-efficient vehicles, improving water conservation methods at city facilities and parks, retrofitting old buildings with energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly standards and better managing our waste by utilizing recycling services. Last year we hired the city’s first Sustainability Officer who monitors our efforts and recommends new policies for implementation.
Since the creation of a dedicated funding source for stormwater treatment, we’ve collected more than $37 million to fund maintenance of 44,000 inlets, 1,000 miles of stormwater pipes, 6,000 miles of ditches, 134 city ponds and 8 pump stations.
It has also funded the construction of $8.5 million in city-wide drainage system rehabilitation projects. While I know this was a difficult issue for our community and our city council, the stewardship of those funds will make a difference for our river, and future generations will be indebted to those who helped create it.
River Access - Downtown & Beyond
During the next 18 months we will invest more than $30 million to develop miles of trails, boat docks, fishing piers, water taxi landings and improved access at various parks and preserves throughout the county. We look for Hogan’s Creek master plan to be complete next month.
We love this river. We want to be able to enjoy this natural resource and do all we can to leave it better than we found it. And there is a nexus between doing what is right for the river and doing what is best for downtown.
Earlier this month, with broad council support, we filed legislation to fund Southbank Riverwalk repairs, Friendship Fountain restoration and Metropolitan Park redevelopment. Not only will these improvements spur future private investment. It will also put citizens back to work, while taking advantage of a record low bidding climate.
Building on successes like the Riverside Arts Market, the Northbank Riverwalk and other public spaces will draw people to our downtown.
Since its grand opening in April 2009, the market has become one of Jacksonville’s most popular weekend family outings, hosting around 15,000 visitors per week. We’d like to continue that success and provide weekend boaters access to the market with the construction of floating docks. We are in the permitting process now and expect them to be in place by August.
Over the past several years we’ve seen a boom in residential housing on the Southbank. These properties represent more than $166 million in private investments and more than 800 residents. With the increase of residents, we also have 10,000 employees who work in the area and enjoy amenities like the Riverwalk and Friendship Park.
It is critical that we replace the old, degraded Southbank Riverwalk structure with a more permanent and durable walking path with new railing, landscaping and lighting. We expect to begin construction this summer.
We will also restore what was once a beautiful, iconic fountain with new pumps and lighting. We will break up some of the concrete that surrounds the fountain and create a lawn for family picnics and other gatherings and create connectivity to the Southbank Riverwalk. You should see construction begin in the spring.
Continued…
…..Currently there are few public spaces in the urban core where visitors can enjoy direct access to the St. Johns River. Metropolitan Park has a lot of potential, but needs to be redeveloped. This will not only open up our riverfront, but will provide another destination venue for the 2.5 million visitors who attend events every year.
The entire 30-acres of Metro Park will be redeveloped in phases, with $8.2 million supporting an enhanced children’s play area, removal of fencing barriers and the creation of a 4-acre lawn. You should expect to see an RFP for design in the coming months with a construction start date in early 2011.
Vibrant Downtown
As we create better access to our river, we can leverage this asset for a more vibrant downtown. Water and park view real estate can be one of the biggest contributors to our tax base. But we must manage our public spaces better. Better public space on our river can create a more vibrant downtown by attracting residents and visitors alike.
Each year more than 13 million people come to downtown to enjoy a symphony concert, attend a sporting event, attend one of our houses of worship or visit one of our art museums.
No other part of town draws that level of traffic. But, how do we build on that? How do we make Jacksonville’s downtown not only a good place to work, but a great place to live? In the next 18 months, there are 5 things I will do to prepare for the re-development of downtown:
Bringing People Downtown
First, we have to make downtown an attractive place to be for new residents and visitors. Not just when there is a Jaguars game, or a Jazz Festival or an Art Walk.
Our goal is to have 10,000 residents living downtown. We have three beautiful residential towers on the Southbank that need to be filled and unique urban apartments in the Carling and 11 East.
But less expensive residential development is a key element in creating a critical mass of downtown residents. And I’m focused on a short-term solution that draws on successes I’ve seen recently in New York.
The creative class often leads revitalization efforts â€" particularly in urban environments.
Let me tell you about my sister. She’s an artist. She used to work for a small gallery in SoHo â€" then the only affordable place for artists to set up shop. Soon after, retail followed and SoHo became one of New York’s most sought-after communities. They moved to Chelsea and, again, retail has begun to follow.
We can do the same thing here. It may not be on that large a scale, but it can have the same impact. Downtown could be our city’s next burgeoning neighborhood.
Today, landlords are working with artists to offer low- to no-rent spaces, hoping the traffic these galleries generate will help create long-term value. At Art Walk earlier this month, I spoke with some of those artists who said they want to live downtown. They want a place to display their art. They want a neighborhood that is both affordable and fosters that kind of environment.
That’s why on January 26, I have called together a team of restoration and retro-fit experts and downtown property owners to discuss adaptation of building and related codes that would allow for low-cost retrofitting of vacant buildings for housing purposes.
We must compete with price. Creating less expensive housing options for a diverse artist community, or the downtown office worker, or the suburbanite who wants to save money and eliminate his commute could bring life back to our downtown streets.
Downtown is already home to 56,000 workers and some of our city’s largest employers including Baptist Healthcare, Aetna, AT&T and CSX. Any downtown development plan must take into account the corporate business presence we’ve already established. Retaining those companies and continuing to attract new businesses â€" like Purdue, Dalton Agency and Chamblins â€" will hasten growth in the urban core.
We must also have a candid conversation about our convention center. For years we’ve debated the size, the potential expansion and other site locations for our convention center. With more options becoming available, it’s time to change the nature of that discussion.
In the 25 years since it opened, we’ve learned what the experts told us from the beginning. Convention centers do not work without a flagship hotel, a nearby entertainment district and a large exhibit space. Every year our convention center loses potential customers because our convention space doesn’t meet any of those three must-haves.
Successful convention centers are buttressed by 1,000-room hotels. The good news is we have one of those, it’s just not located next to our convention center. More good news, space next to the 1,000-room hotel on the river will become available with the completion of the new courthouse.
That is where our convention center should be â€" next to a large hotel showcasing our greatest natural asset with connectivity to the entertainment district along Bay Street. Imagine conventioneers enjoying our riverfront, bringing life to our streets and creating a demand for more places to dine and shop downtown.
Mayor Jake Godbold was right to insist we renovate this iconic structure and name it after one of Jacksonville’s great business leaders. We must be flexible, however, for how we get the highest and best use of this facility. Our forefathers may have gotten it right the first time by unknowingly developing the first phase of a multi-model transportation hub. By moving the bus station off of Pearl Street, bringing Amtrak back into downtown and tying in the Skyway and future light and high-speed rail, that space can again be used as a regional transportation center.
Walkable Streets
As we focus on brining more residents and visitors to our urban core, we must have more walkable streets. Think about some of the cities that have turned the corner in revitalizing downtown districts: Greenville, Nashville, Ashville, Charlotte, Chattanooga. The common denominator is walkability. You walk around great cities; you don’t drive.
Last year the city invested more than $3.7 million in the redevelopment of Bay Street. We widened the sidewalks, created a better traffic flow, and greened up the space.
This area is quickly becoming downtown’s entertainment district. The businesses along Bay Street are relative pioneers in downtown’s redevelopment story.
Later this year, we’ll begin a $3 million construction project on Laura Street that will be a pedestrian-friendly corridor between Hemming Plaza and the Jacksonville Landing. I deeply appreciate the city council’s support of these projects and I believe that the Bay and Laura Street corridors are the beginning of a more walkable community.
Smart Real Estate Deals
We must take advantage of the current real estate market. As the market has declined, so have real estate prices in our downtown. Five years ago, the Barnett Building and Laura Street Trio was purchased for $11 million. Today, the asking price is about half that.
As we begin the improvements along Laura Street, it’s imperative that we explore adaptive reuse and historic preservation of the old Barnett Bank building and the Laura Trio. As mayor, I will be the chief marketer for those buildings, working hard to find a private development partner to take advantage of these great, historic buildings.
Making Downtown More Appealing
We must make downtown a more friendly and inviting place to be. As we continue to make downtown the destination location, we also want to address the perception, by some, that the riverfront is just a hangout for panhandlers and our homeless community. Because our homeless resources are focused mostly on meal and beds, many have no place to go during the daylight hours.
Over the next 18 months, working with partners, we will open a daily resource center. This center will provide daytime services such as laundry facilities, bathrooms, job training, healthcare and referrals. This will also help reduce the burden on Hemming Plaza and the Main Library. Located at the Sulzbacher Center, the success of this effort will rest on the coordination between our major homeless providers and others in the non-profit community. I am confident that this will improve the district for downtown residents and visitors alike.
Reduce Capacity
Lastly, we need to manage smartly the land available for development in our community, in favor of reuse. We have the third highest vacancy rate in the nation. This
is not the time to add inventory. The JEA property on the Southbank and the Shipyards on the Northbank must be land-banked or preserved to favor infill development and reuse.
It is good business practice for the tax payer to encourage downtown development. With our population scheduled to double in the next 30 years, it makes sense to encourage development in the urban core â€" a place designed for density. When we build in the suburbs, we have to build roadways, drainage systems and other expensive infrastructure. Downtown has that infrastructure. We just have to complete the infill development.
Public Safety
Earlier I talked about the importance of community leaders coming together to help overcome great obstacles. Violent crime continues to be one of our greatest challenges. But never have we seen the high levels of collaboration and support brought on by our desire to reduce violent crime.
Jacksonville is boldly embracing prevention and intervention as important elements of a comprehensive crime fighting initiative. We are receiving national attention for our approach and attracting partners such as Teach For America, KIPP and the Gates Foundation. We are becoming the model for a comprehensive, citizen-driven approach to reducing violent crime.
In the two years that The Jacksonville Journey has been operational, we’ve secured more than $43 million in funding and seen progress on many fronts. According to the Sheriff’s Office, we had 16 fewer murders in 2009 than the year before. That’s nearly a 14 percent reduction. While the numbers are preliminary, one less murder in our community is a good thing. In addition, out of school suspension rates have dropped by 71 percent. That is an astonishing number. It shows us what can happen when we shine the light on broken practices.
The Jacksonville Journey oversight committee is asking the tough questions, holding programs accountable and recommending changes when needed. Nothing about this process has been easy or quick. But we’re on the right path for building a safer and more prosperous community.
Closing
As you can see there is a lot to be done in a short amount of time. These are not proposals. They are not ideas for further study. These are deliverables. Deliverables that I am holding myself to, my staff to and community leaders like you to.
Over the holidays, I had some time to reflect on our past six years in office. We’ve accomplished a lot given the often challenging circumstances we’ve faced, even overcoming tight budgets. We have an obligation to succeed and pave the way for future progress, regardless of the given reality.
As leaders, it’s up to us to draw on our strengths and do our very best to push forward during even the most difficult times. That’s one of the reasons we’ve focused on pension reform.
We are currently at the negotiating table with the unions, with a plan that is critical to our city’s financial solvency. I will be discussing those issues in the days ahead. We continue to be challenged with reductions in revenue and increases in employee-related expenses.
Budget cycles in the near term promise to be challenging but we must not use these economic conditions as an excuse to defund this government or hinder our progress.
We have too many things going for us to slow down. We have a strong and diversified economy. We have the most enviable form of government in the country. We are well positioned for growth and prosperity here in the Sunbelt. We have the largest park system in America. We are good stewards of our environment. We have an effective, collaborative not-for-profit sector. We have a visual arts community. We have an amazing military presence that compliments our city. We have a network of logistical advantages that make us more competitive
We live and work in a great place, but we have more work to do. We have obstacles to overcome and opportunities to exploit. That is why I have a sense of urgency these last 18 months. I have set a course and I encourage you to join me as we work to prepare our city for a strong recovery and bright future.
Thank you!
Quote from: CS Foltz on January 20, 2010, 01:20:18 PM
Lip service is real cheap.........show me some plans, show me some vision...........show me the money to do it!
just not using your tax dollars, right CS?
QuoteQuote from Mayor John Peyton:
Mayor Jake Godbold was right to insist we renovate this iconic structure and name it after one of Jacksonville’s great business leaders. We must be flexible, however, for how we get the highest and best use of this facility. Our forefathers may have gotten it right the first time by unknowingly developing the first phase of a multi-model transportation hub. By moving the bus station off of Pearl Street, bringing Amtrak back into downtown and tying in the Skyway and future light and high-speed rail, that space can again be used as a regional transportation center.
Walkable Streets
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/79/276305353_a751996cb9.jpg)
Okay, so I'm easy, but I'm not cheap! ;D
Speaking for 1/5Th of the MJ board, I stand ready, willing and able to help us attain greatness in mass transit and transportation. An offer of loving benevolence for the greatest city on earth...
Adam? You know where to find me!
I love the "...moving the bus station off of Pearl Street, bringing Amtrak back into downtown and tying in the Skyway and future light and high-speed rail..." statement, I couldn't find the hair brained, BRT plan anywhere in it.
OCKLAWAHA
Good God.
It's as if he's bought in to every damn thing MJ & us urbanites have ever wished for.
Is miraculous too strong of word?
I'll make the same pledge. Let us know what we can do.
As I was reading the speech I kept rubbing my eyes and thinking to myself "Did I just read that from OUR Mayor". If you read between the lines, it appears that he finally get's it and now wants to do something about it. I just hope he has to ability to make some things happen.
My favorite part of the speech:
QuoteWe must take advantage of the current real estate market. As the market has declined, so have real estate prices in our downtown. Five years ago, the Barnett Building and Laura Street Trio was purchased for $11 million. Today, the asking price is about half that.
As we begin the improvements along Laura Street, it’s imperative that we explore adaptive reuse and historic preservation of the old Barnett Bank building and the Laura Trio. As mayor, I will be the chief marketer for those buildings, working hard to find a private development partner to take advantage of these great, historic buildings
Same old,same old.
All he said was that we gonna spend next 18 months TALKING about what could be,just to please people with something.
NOTHING will happen and if it does it won't be what anyone wants.
Peyton is just trying to make himself look good before he leaves office...you know just in case he runs for president of USA.
This whole society is run by two monopolies(Reps and Dems.) who work for wealthy not you.
And for wealthy its not in interest to have true urban lifestyle or universal healthcare and therefore you will never get that.
If you want universal healthcare,learn Swedish and move there,if you want to experience urban lifestyle,save money and take vacation in any european country like Peyton did.
If you want suburban lifestyle,just stay here.
Those are rules so dont try to get too creative and hopeful.
P.S.
Did you guys forgot about Peyton's 10 year plan around Main st bridge,hot dog cart etc.
How did that go?
It's amazing that politicians can sell same crap all over again to general public and everyone is happy to buy.
Well Bostech we do have communities in the great USA with vibrant urban lifestyles. As for Peyton and the city of Jax. I wouldn't get too excited.
^^ Bostech, to be fair, he has NEVER even proposed THIS to the public. The Main St Bridge/Hot Dog Cart idea died of it's own weight. AT least the right THINGS are being discussed and planned. ANd there is about $25 mm of work that is about to start.
Sure, I wish this had happened 6 years ago, but at least we are pulling in the RIGHT DIRECTION instead of the wrong one.
January 20 2009 might be the date things started to turn around Downtown.
Gentlemen...........talk is cheap and label me a dissenter if you wish, but talk is cheap Lip service cost's nothing to any politician and I have been heart broke before................when I see something start to happen then I will believe it but not until! Johnny has a really bad habit of talking out both sides of his mouth at the same time so color me silly and dress me in a tutu but I want some hard core proof! These are things that were obvious 8 years ago or longer and just now we start to address problems that we have known about all along? I also noticed that there was no mention of funding all of this or did I miss that part?
If anyone read the TU today, you will see that Godbold's take on the speech is the same old same old with Peyton, big on promises, problematic on delivering. Why now? Why with 18 months left?
The only way for Peyton to end credible is to show the public each and every month the progress being made on these initiatives in a VERY PUBLIC MANNER. Far too long he hides behind the desk, he needs to re-emerge into the public, albeit with a step stool, he needs to be seen as the mayor of Jacksonville.
I love that we have a mix of hopeful and skeptical here. For me if he wasn't saying anything and is now saying what we want to hear we should support that without being naive. So go get'em Mr. Mayor.
I hope the mayor does what he says. Our downtown has potential if some of the good ol' boys will loosen the reigns on what they own and what can be done with it. One thing that would help grow optimism is if the mayor had the guts to be specific in his plan and not recite tired rhetoric. I'm not a believer in this mayor but I am hopeful.
Jacksonville business leaders applaud Peyton’s plans
The clock’s ticking, money’s tight, but there’s plenty of work that can and must be done in the next 18 months, Mayor John Peyton told a packed house of business and civic leaders Wednesday.
Many in the standing-room only crowd at Snyder Memorial Church said afterward they’re encouraged by Peyton’s enthusiasm and plans to position Jacksonville to take advantage of opportunities when the economy turns.
“He’s lit a very important fuse,†said Bob Rhodes, a retired St. Joe Co. executive and former chairman of the city’s now-defunct Downtown Development Authority.
Before he leaves office in June 2011, Peyton aims to focus on creating jobs, revitalizing a dormant downtown and bolstering efforts to clean up the St. Johns River and improve public access.
“These are not proposals. These are not ideas for further study,†Peyton said. “These are deliverables.â€
The mayor said he will hold himself, his staff and those in attendance accountable for at least getting the foundation laid for his goals â€" including turning Cecil Commerce Center into a job-development gold mine and working to get artists into affordable housing downtown.
Former mayor Jake Godbold said Peyton’s strength has always been laying out ideas. If there’s a weakness, Godbold said after the speech, it’s turning plans into reality.
“He’s got to sit his staff down, tell them he’s got 18 months and they need to pull the trigger,†Godbold said. “They need to get it done.â€
Peyton emphasized downtown in the 107-year-old church on Laura Street, a focal point of the city’s push to rebuild its urban center. The mayor will convene a group of building-restoration experts next week to look at how vacant office buildings downtown can be converted into needed housing.
Peyton also stressed the need to discuss a riverfront convention center once the Duval County Courthouse moves in 2012.
The Prime Osborn Convention Center isn’t adjacent to a large hotel, isn’t close to an entertainment district and is too small, Peyton said.
All three factors cost the city convention business every year, said John Reyes, president of Visit Jacksonville, the city’s tourist-development arm.
Projects that are already funded, unlike the convention center, are going to be an easier sell to the City Council, council Vice President Jack Webb said.
Webb is in line to lead the council next year through another multimillion-dollar budget shortfall, but says he’s encouraged by Peyton’s plans to move forward on vital projects.
“Sometimes you’ve got to spend money to make money,†Webb said.
Peyton’s goals are ambitious, business and civic leaders said, but no one is expecting a complete turnaround in a year and a half.
“I think he can plant the seed,†developer Carlton Jones said. “That’s the key: Plant the seed.â€
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-01-20/story/jacksonville_business_leaders_applaud_peyton%E2%80%99s_plans
typical, short-sided responses by the T-U posters in the "comments" section
Yeah, i have gotten to the point where I do not even read those posters comments.
I agree that Peyton is mostly talk, but usually what he says isn't even that good. At least this time he's saying the right things.
If he could get the trio sold to a credible developer, get some plans rolling for a riverfront convention center, re-do the plans for the transit center, and make nice with Toney Sleiman before the end of his term, I'd be fairly pleased.
Quote from: Adam Hollingsworth on January 20, 2010, 09:28:55 AM
Agree that putting a stake in the ground on convention center begins to focus the conversation and the movement toward a new site. Two pieces in today's speech that were not in T-U story, but are equally exciting are (1) the Mayor's focus on growing our biomedical presence...a great job engine for Jacksonville and Springfield (Shands/UF) and (2) an effort to create low-cost housing in small, vacant downtown buildings for use by artists and others looking to reduce their housing spend. This may be a short-term way to get more people living downtown. Mayor is pulling from his sister's experience in NYC's SoHo and Chelsea.
Adam....you and the Mayor deserve a lot of credit....having just read the entire speech, I am truly excited!
Quote from: fsu813 on January 21, 2010, 09:39:21 AM
typical, short-sided responses by the T-U posters in the "comments" section
I wouldn't even waste my time.
Speaking of downtown buildings for artists' use, any news on Noli Novak's presence in Jacksonville lately?
This is very good news for Jacksonville. Any city that wants to be top tier needs a vibrant Downtown and Urban Core. I say better late than never.
better late than never as the saying goes
Quoteyou and the Mayor deserve a lot of credit....having just read the entire speech, I am truly excited!
Are you running for office?
You have to live in fantasyland if you think Peyton and his staff can do anything to turn Jacksonville into a biomedical presence. If anything is done, it will be done by Shands, not the Mayor's office. That is a BIG IF, as they still were not compensated by either the STATE or CITY for all the losses they have for indigent care. This is not charity, its still a business.
Last I checked, the mayor was doing a great job at lobbying folks and builders to come down and check out the half empty buildings for artists, yet there was $0 available for this pipe dream.
So just as the mayor started in 2003, he has the same going for him with 18 months remaining, lots of hope and optomism, but little to show for it.
mtrain...I'm just keeping an open mind...and was very impressed with what the Mayor said...no it is true that actions speak louder than words.
in almost every regard, the private sector is what will make things happen...but the City can lead the way!
mtraininjax............I agree! The Mayor is talking once again, but as of yet nothing to show for it! The only good point is, he is discussing downtown now..........too bad it was not at the start of his Administration!
Positive action does not always require money or at least not large sums of it. Artwalk, RAM & FRAM are examples of that. Providing a bully pulpit and advocacy does matter. No one was actively pursuing the artists residence issue. Now the city is doing so. Ideally, the PRIVATE sector will spend the money and the city will not need to. That would be the ideal even if the city had the moeny to spend.
I wish this would have occurred seven years ago too, but that is water under the bridge. At least now we don't have to wait 18 months before these issues get addressed by a new mayor. Hopefully, the new mayor will pick up where Peyton leaves off. And there is time for that very question to be an issue in the campaign as well.
BTW, I have been as critical of Peyton over the years as just about anyone, but nothing is gained by needless negative, the glass is half-empty thinking. There is enough of that already.
vicupstate...........you do have a point! I am just so accustomed to pointing out our Administrations short comings it has become force of habit! I can change that, I just hope Johnny can finally produce something other than idea's and Fee's and taxes!
Quote from: fsujax on January 21, 2010, 09:40:09 AM
Yeah, i have gotten to the point where I do not even read those posters comments.
I jumped on and fired a broadside... Rather then bitch, why not all of us post on the TU and show Larry some "Readership" support. BTW, Larry is VERY pro rail and streetcar, so I for one, would love to see him stick around!OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: comncense on January 20, 2010, 03:47:48 PM
I wonder if the moving of the Convention Center actually became a reality, would that cause more businesses to sprout up around the Bay Street area. Nothing against the Landing, but not everyone wants to eat at the eateries that are at the Landing. I'd love to see a diner open up downtown. Specifically one that would be open late.
With all the Stupid Waffle House jokes you hear about Jax, I am suprised the Landing does not have onelol