LaVilla's Two Million Dollar Homeless Camp
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-1700-p1030430.JPG)
Four years after $2 million in incentives were approved for its construction, the Sax Seafood Bar Grill in LaVilla sits unfinished and occupied by the homeless.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/517
maybe Boomtown could have looked at occupying this site!
I wonder if Jax Casual Dining has decided to abandon this project. If Sax can't, hopefully someone can.
Did Chris H buy this place?lol
This is part of Mayor Peyton's legacy........
Isn't that the truth....it's a real shame that this didn't finish and open...I was looking forward to having another place in the area.
I don't think Peyton can take the blame for this one. Jax Casual Dining was selected as the finalist for this restaurant concept back in 2002. Peyton took office in 2003.
Please tell me Chris H doesn't already own this one.. if not, who does? Looks likea fairly cheap fix up if some other club or restaurant takes over.
yeah, as if the two million went anywhere but in someone's pockets. Sort of like the grant money for the "hospital" restoration down the street that disappeared, what another couple hundred thousand for that?
business as usual in old Jax eh? can I get one of those grants/awards/consulting gigs???
Just another "whose minding the store" in the COJ. I wonder who wrote the contracts up on this one? Mr. Mullaney maybe? Does anybody Know?
Quote from: thelakelander on July 30, 2007, 08:47:17 PM
I don't think Peyton can take the blame for this one. Jax Casual Dining was selected as the finalist for this restaurant concept back in 2002. Peyton took office in 2003.
Amen to that - I'm never shy on blaming the guy when he does screw up. I give the blue ribbon on this one to Reggie Fullwood - he was the one that pushed the project.
Btw, whatever happened to him? He's dropped off the planet.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 21, 2007, 02:36:52 PM
Btw, whatever happened to him? He's dropped off the planet.
Well, he thought that after being elected in district 9, he would go to the state house, and run against Audrey Gibson. Well, he seems to forget that she not only had a ton of name recognition, she was also fairly popular. Thus, he ended up doing his best impression of Mike Tyson fighting Buster Douglas.
Update.... http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/021408/bus_246935506.shtml
Another day in the life of the COJ. ::)
QuoteFullwood said he remains convinced the site is well-placed for a restaurant, and the city will eventually recover what was spent on the construction loan. He said the next restaurant probably needs to be part of a national or regional chain so it has built-in name recognition to attract diners.
Dear God - does the idea of connectivity occur to anyone here? How is it possible that we can be so bad at urban development
It must be depressing working for the city.
Quote from: Steve on February 14, 2008, 11:06:37 PM
QuoteFullwood said he remains convinced the site is well-placed for a restaurant, and the city will eventually recover what was spent on the construction loan. He said the next restaurant probably needs to be part of a national or regional chain so it has built-in name recognition to attract diners.
Dear God - does the idea of connectivity occur to anyone here? How is it possible that we can be so bad at urban development
I'm still trying to figure out how the DRC could approve a suburban building at that location. Seriously, as far as urban land planning goes, its one of the worst to rise in LaVilla since the city leveled the entire neighborhood in the 90s. Right across the street, two buildings are right up against the street corner, giving the intersection an urban street edge. Then this trash goes up with a surface parking lot on the corner and the building set back over 60' from the corner's sidewalks.
QuoteThen this trash goes up with a surface parking lot on the corner and the building set back over 60' from the corner's sidewalks.
But Lakelander, why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel??Ocklawaha
Quote from: Ocklawaha on February 15, 2008, 08:28:32 AM
QuoteThen this trash goes up with a surface parking lot on the corner and the building set back over 60' from the corner's sidewalks.
But Lakelander, why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel??
Ocklawaha
Lake I couldn't agree with you more. Suburban development right in the middle of Downtown, what a shame!
Quote from: Lunican on February 14, 2008, 11:23:04 PM
It must be depressing working for the city.
Why would it be? You're surrounded by friends.
Quote from: thelakelander on February 14, 2008, 11:56:43 PM
Quote from: Steve on February 14, 2008, 11:06:37 PM
QuoteFullwood said he remains convinced the site is well-placed for a restaurant, and the city will eventually recover what was spent on the construction loan. He said the next restaurant probably needs to be part of a national or regional chain so it has built-in name recognition to attract diners.
Dear God - does the idea of connectivity occur to anyone here? How is it possible that we can be so bad at urban development
I'm still trying to figure out how the DRC could approve a suburban building at that location. Seriously, as far as urban land planning goes, its one of the worst to rise in LaVilla since the city leveled the entire neighborhood in the 90s. Right across the street, two buildings are right up against the street corner, giving the intersection an urban street edge. Then this trash goes up with a surface parking lot on the corner and the building set back over 60' from the corner's sidewalks.
Sad but true.
Quote from: copperfiend on February 15, 2008, 10:25:11 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on February 14, 2008, 11:56:43 PM
Quote from: Steve on February 14, 2008, 11:06:37 PM
QuoteFullwood said he remains convinced the site is well-placed for a restaurant, and the city will eventually recover what was spent on the construction loan. He said the next restaurant probably needs to be part of a national or regional chain so it has built-in name recognition to attract diners.
Dear God - does the idea of connectivity occur to anyone here? How is it possible that we can be so bad at urban development
I'm still trying to figure out how the DRC could approve a suburban building at that location. Seriously, as far as urban land planning goes, its one of the worst to rise in LaVilla since the city leveled the entire neighborhood in the 90s. Right across the street, two buildings are right up against the street corner, giving the intersection an urban street edge. Then this trash goes up with a surface parking lot on the corner and the building set back over 60' from the corner's sidewalks.
Sad but true.
Hey, come on now. It worked in Suburbia, it'll work in downtown. An Applebeesesque building isn't threatening to the masses of tourists getting off of I-95 in search of eats. Plus, after they eat their 2,500 calorie double cheeseburger and fries, they can wobble over to the Ritz Theatre and La Villa Museum for some culture...
Changing developers is a great sign this little project has dragged on for long enough.
SO,,,,,this new building... never used ... houses homeless people , and now is sitting and deteriorating.....In a mostly VACANT area of town :) Brilliant!
This thread is over two years old. Has anything changed since then, or is this (ugly) building still sitting there rotting away amidst a forest of weeds?
Quote from: stephendare on February 17, 2008, 11:38:49 AM
This site would have been brilliant for the restaurant.
The truth is, the Department of Planning was on an active crusade against the project.
I personally sat in the CPAC meeting (for the newbies, CPACs are kind of like regional neighborhood leadership groups that the city consults with to make decisions and spread policy) while Brad Thoburn's representative came in to enlist everyone at the meeting to oppose the opening of the restaurant by cancelling it's right to sell alcohol.
He painted a lurid picture of drunks and whores hanging out across the street from La Villa School of the Arts.
Doug Vanderlaan and I just kept exchanging glances. Finally we spoke up against this kind of interference much to the distress of the do goody gogglebox from Planning.
What kind of logic is that? Having lived in Riverside, I neglected to notice all of the drunks and whores marching straight from European Street to West Riverside Elementary to raise hell...
FYI...with $2 million actually spent on housing the homeless you get 100 people off the streets and in supportive housing for 2 years.
What other use could this building possibly serve in the future? Is it going to be one of those that sit until its beaten to pieces, then demolished ? Great 2 million Investment.
Quote from: Timkin on July 20, 2010, 05:03:08 PM
What other use could this building possibly serve in the future? Is it going to be one of those that sit until its beaten to pieces, then demolished ? Great 2 million Investment.
If the city is going to blow money like this, why don't they use it to maybe subsidize small business to open in vacant storefront spaces downtown? When I say subsidize, I really mean cover rent and utilities for, say, 6 months. Maybe even a year. Request regular updates, sales info, etc to determine the viability of the business and whether it makes sense to continue subsidizing it beyond the 6 month period. After 6 months, they can gradually wean the business off of the subsidy by reducing it by 20% a month.
Maybe that would help solve part of the downtown problem (the perception that "there's nothing to do downtown"). Then quit enforcing parking meters and run a marketing campaign. "Downtown... It's Not Just For Bums and Jags Game Parking Anymore!"
Of course I know 98% of Jacksonville taxpayers will never, ever support such a plan. But I can dream.
Quote from: stephendare on February 17, 2008, 11:38:49 AM
This site would have been brilliant for the restaurant.
The truth is, the Department of Planning was on an active crusade against the project.
Personally, I think the restuarant still would have died. After years of demolitions in the area, it's pretty isolated and there aren't enough events at the Ritz to create any real synergy in that spot without additional projects being a part of the scene. My guess is it would have closed just like the LaVilla Grill restaurant that was across the street a couple of years ago.
even with all the auto traffic that passes by?
remember that the restaurant was developed on a suburban model with abundant surface parkinh
The one-way traffic (you completely miss the site driving west) didn't help the restaurant across the street. They would have been better off developing a McDonald's or Wendy's than coming in with a new concept based off of TGI Friday's.
This was a dumb investment. It lacked any thought. It should be leveled down before anything of real architectural value in Springfield is knocked down.
What would be a wise alternative for the location, assuming a restaurant would not work there. ? Convenience Store/ Gas Station Conversion?
I think a bar or nightclub could do well in that location.
^^ Ian, I bet if you developed a proposal that cost COJ little or no money to get something going there it would be taken seriously.
ANOTHER Nightclub? cmon.. Can we get outside that box?
^^ If it can be successful, why not?
It should be a daytime homeless shelter :o
It already is that.:) I'm saying we already have a number of clubs / bars.. seems like we could be more creative with the space.. I was more kidding than serious about a gas-station. I doubt the location will support a diner/restaurant.
In hindsight we would have been better off to leave it a vacant lot, or the building that was once on the site, than to put this rather unsightly new building there , only to get the same treatment all old vacant buildings get. Vandalism and graffiti.