Recent posts

#41

Downtown / Re: Downtown Development Updat...

Last post by Jankelope - May 19, 2026, 12:22:19 PM

it is kind of crazy to me because Gateway, although probably really great at what they do...is just what a normal developer should be doing.

When a developer ACTUALLY wants to build something in order to make money, they move heaven and earth to make it happen on time, or even ahead of schedule. And we have such a shortage of that kind of developer.

I am so grateful for their "get up and go" which has "got up and went" for many of our other developers.

#42

Downtown / Re: Downtown Development Updat...

Last post by fsu813 - May 19, 2026, 12:12:06 PM

Good news for a big one:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2026/05/19/pearl-square-update-may-2026.html

Demo expected on the Gateway Jax Publix site next month.

Timely follow through is the antidote to pessimism and cynicism. Bravo.

#43

Downtown / Re: Downtown Development Updat...

Last post by fsu813 - May 19, 2026, 12:09:52 PM

Any idea why DVI randomly decided to cancel Sip and Stroll through September? Feels like a popular event that always draws good foot traffic for local businesses. The DIA pushed through open container regulations for it. We finally have the riverfront parks open. Perfect time of year with schools out and daylight until 8:00 pm. Very hard to build momentum with start and stop on these things.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/may/14/downtown-vision-incs-sip-stroll-event-to-go-on-summer-break/

They've done this the past 2 years as well. Severe weather + extreme heat made it difficult to continue in the summer months and turnout wasn't always great so they decided to focus on fall, winter, and spring when the weather is more cooperative

I feel like some of the design firms that have created our public spaces still think of shade as secondary or optional. Shade is pretty much *required* for any outdoor public space to be easily used 33% of the year.

I feel like that number is creeping up to 40%

I was understating it, lol.

#44

Downtown / Re: Downtown Development Updat...

Last post by Steve - May 19, 2026, 12:08:00 PM

Good news for a big one:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2026/05/19/pearl-square-update-may-2026.html

Demo expected on the Gateway Jax Publix site next month.

#45

Transportation, Mass Transit & Infrastructure / Re: Is U2C serious? Help me ma...

Last post by Charles Hunter - May 19, 2026, 11:25:18 AM

<snip>
If this plays out as expected, JTA needs to replace its senior management and its rubber stamping board members and get some truly thoughtful, insightful, educated, open minded, ego-less replacements who are devoted to performing their fiduciary responsibilities to the citizens of the City.

You could easily fill the JTA Board with people meeting those qualifications from MetroJacksonville.

#46

Downtown / Re: Downtown Development Updat...

Last post by Jankelope - May 19, 2026, 10:39:42 AM

Any idea why DVI randomly decided to cancel Sip and Stroll through September? Feels like a popular event that always draws good foot traffic for local businesses. The DIA pushed through open container regulations for it. We finally have the riverfront parks open. Perfect time of year with schools out and daylight until 8:00 pm. Very hard to build momentum with start and stop on these things.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/may/14/downtown-vision-incs-sip-stroll-event-to-go-on-summer-break/

They've done this the past 2 years as well. Severe weather + extreme heat made it difficult to continue in the summer months and turnout wasn't always great so they decided to focus on fall, winter, and spring when the weather is more cooperative

I feel like some of the design firms that have created our public spaces still think of shade as secondary or optional. Shade is pretty much *required* for any outdoor public space to be easily used 33% of the year.

I feel like that number is creeping up to 40%

#47

Politics / Re: Jacksonville Elections 202...

Last post by Jankelope - May 19, 2026, 10:34:44 AM

How does he feel about the Epstein Files? That is the litmus test now for if you're intellectually consistent. Now that there is a "there" there a lot of people don't want to touch it.

#48

Downtown / Re: Friendship Fountain Restau...

Last post by Jankelope - May 19, 2026, 10:30:11 AM

We need to be spending $100 million annually in our general fund to subsidize, incentivize, match funds, and dramatically increase the amount of affordable, workforce, and 80/20 developments in every single city council district (including the rich ones).

The uncomfortable truth is that many people, including working class people, have been convinced that housing that is "affordable" means negative things for them in terms of crime, homelessness, and people they don't want around them.

It is a cultural rot that we must overcome. Having an affordable place to live is the beginning of reducing crime, building community trust, and having vibrant neighborhoods. 

#49

Transportation, Mass Transit & Infrastructure / Re: Is U2C serious? Help me ma...

Last post by Jax_Developer - May 19, 2026, 07:10:27 AM

JaxUSA is unfortunently poorly equipped & poorly managed. For them to 'back' Holon really proves the lack of expertise & leadership needed in town on top of the failures of JTA.

I love Aristocles comment. When you laundry list the things that have been floated here, it makes you scratch your head. Just like Otto.. somehow this obscure company (not the military, or the dozens of small aircraft manufactures) has ground breaking technology that will change the game with "laminar flow"...

I just imagine all of the labor hours spent on the U2C, completely outside of JTA. Elected officials, JaxUSA, unqualified consultants...

#50

Transportation, Mass Transit & Infrastructure / Re: Is U2C serious? Help me ma...

Last post by marcuscnelson - May 19, 2026, 01:25:23 AM

It's very hard to buy the idea that JTA's present leadership is all of a sudden going to take a good faith look at doing rail transit now, after a decade of chasing their self-driving dream.

I don't blame Peluso for being passionate (that's certainly necessary to pursing better transit), but if we're not prepared to take a serious look at the potential trade offs of how exactly we might try to build it (especially on what mode is actually most appropriate or achievable for where and how we want to get people around) and the willingness of everyone to pay for it, we're really at risk of just wasting everyone's time.

So much of the question going forward is about trust, and whether JTA deserves that and the benefit of the doubt in what they claim to intend to do as a mass transit agency.