Metro Jacksonville

Jacksonville by Neighborhood => Downtown => Topic started by: Brick on August 17, 2007, 04:59:49 PM

Title: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: Brick on August 17, 2007, 04:59:49 PM
With all the different issues facing the Urban Core, perhaps it is time for a fresh look at downtown as a whole... Previous plans have garnered bits and pieces of the master programs, but later lost momentum and support, leaving Jacksonville with a somewhat fractured and aimless urban landscape.

Is a whole new Master Plan that looks at real current conditions warranted?  And if so, what should the priorities be? How should future development, transportation, environment, economic models, etc. look?

What say you all?
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: copperfiend on August 17, 2007, 05:02:56 PM
Quote from: Brick on August 17, 2007, 04:59:49 PM

What say you all?
Start a task force to look into it???
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: thelakelander on August 17, 2007, 05:18:25 PM
Starting over from scratch is what we've done time and time again over a couple of decades.  Take out the "Downtown Seam" (a mall like park between Main & Ocean, from the riverfront to State/Union) and the existing Downtown Master Plan makes a lot of sense.  It just needs to be implemented and fully enforced.  Everything else, like JTA's transit planning, the convention center and courthouse or potential trolley routes should be based off of it.
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: tufsu1 on August 17, 2007, 05:43:57 PM
the current Master Plan is just fine...its actually really good.

http://www.coj.net/Departments/Jacksonville+Economic+Development+Commission/Downtown+Development/Downtown+Maste.htm

and Lake...I'm pretty sure the "seam" park is not in the plan...please correct me if I'm wrong.
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: thelakelander on August 17, 2007, 05:51:43 PM
I agree the current plan is fine, it just needs to be followed.

Quoteand Lake...I'm pretty sure the "seam" park is not in the plan...please correct me if I'm wrong.

check out page 68 of the Transportation Element section.  Didn't understand what it was until Jack Diamond personally explained it at a meeting a few months ago with Paul Crawford and Adam Hollingsworth.

http://www.coj.net/NR/rdonlyres/erldau2uovcfqbzoqz7ksh6emwetuddsqeesdaiw26xo5uqcipwvb22wfllzp5r22r555ha4cfiijlxqkrhnygglypb/transportation.pdf
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: Ocklawaha on August 17, 2007, 08:30:20 PM
The Downtown Seam is still on the plan, check the map under Transportation Plans. That's some messed up idea, wonder if they plan a "zipper" to go with it?  

Ocklawaha
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: tufsu1 on August 17, 2007, 08:37:09 PM
interesting...I never saw that before....but take some solace in the fact that much of that transportation element was scrapped....the initial assumptions in setting up the TCEA were so wrong that the study was redone recently
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: tufsu1 on August 17, 2007, 08:40:47 PM
its also odd that the "seam" is not mentioned at all in the open space section
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: Captain Zissou on August 18, 2007, 10:40:13 AM
The suggestions for skyway extentions on page 68 of the transportation section are right on the money in my opinion.
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: thelakelander on August 18, 2007, 11:12:44 AM
I wonder if JTA even attempted to read and follow these guidelines before diving in so deep with the idea of running a busway down Adams?
Title: Re: Time for a "New" Downtown Master Plan?
Post by: Jason on August 20, 2007, 08:45:44 AM
Everything I've read in the current plan is spot on.  And as Lake said, without enforcement the master plan is nothing more than a suggestion.