Recent posts

#71

Downtown / Re: DIA wants the Landing to s...

Last post by vicupstate - February 04, 2026, 04:13:58 PM

Thanks, Lake.

I did not see any units on Realtor.com, are these rental units only?

#72

Science and Technology / Re: Wordle?

Last post by Charles Hunter - February 04, 2026, 10:59:09 AM

Wordle 1,691 - 5/6

Connections 969 - no errors, Purple leftovers
- did a lot of pondering before the 1st (Y) and then 2nd (G) lines

Spangram - no hints, Spangram #3
- another 'thinker' - took forever to get the last word (upper left corner)

Pips
Easy 0:31
Mediume 1:03

#73

Downtown / Re: " Right Buyer Never Came" ...

Last post by thelakelander - February 04, 2026, 10:51:03 AM

^Yes, we have them. I will look into updating and re-running many of them.

The blue menu bar at the top of this page will get you into most of them. For example, here are the MJ articles published between 2006 and 2016 under the neighborhoods category:

https://www.metrojacksonville.com/neighborhoods

#74

Downtown / Re: DIA wants the Landing to s...

Last post by thelakelander - February 04, 2026, 10:34:01 AM

How is the 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' park doing?  Is it being visited by homeless as well or is it empty a lot of the time or s it filled often and by non-homeless residents?

It is maintained better than the typical Jacksonville public space. I tend to keep an eye on it since its in LaVilla and linked to a number of neighborhood revitalization initiatives going on at the moment. duPont has a group that tries to program the park with events. Outside of special event time, people attracted to Salvation Army's services across the street to visit the space. In recent months, its been cool to see the vision begin to come together with the development of the adjacent townhouses and Emerald Trail. Its an area of LaVilla that's coming back to life. Once the townhouses are complete, my guess is the park will become a destination for homeowners walking their dogs, trail users and people experiencing cultural heritage sites in Jacksonville. Here are a few pictures that I've taken over the last few months.












This is one of my favorite vision to implementation pictures. We don't want concentrated poverty and affordable housing in the neighborhood, because to have an economic base and to support the retail people would like to see, we'll need people with disposable income living there too. There's also an eye towards maintaining and strengthening LaVilla's cultural heritage and historic demographics. By having a market rate produce like Johnson Commons in the neighborhood, it is drawing a concentration of group of people that is much more aligned with LaVilla's historic ethnic diversity than most suburban areas of the city.

Love that the guy on the third floor balcony is looking at me like "who is the weird guy taking random pictures in my neighborhood," not knowing any idea of where we were at with this neighborhood five to ten years ago.

#75

Downtown / Re: DIA wants the Landing to s...

Last post by fsu813 - February 04, 2026, 08:40:15 AM

Just walked through JWJ Park. Sad to see how it's pretty much devolved back into a spot where the bums* play cards and everyone else avoids. The park staff appears to be down to just one guy (Randy, who is awesome), the public art and fountains have largely been removed, the kids play area has been decommissioned, and the movable furniture (aside from the card tables) no longer seems to be put out.

*Before I worked down here, I would have been aghast at classifying the park's homeless population as "bums." But when you see the same able-bodied and able-minded individuals (of all backgrounds, to be clear) loitering in the park all day, every day, for years, smoking weed and leaving trash everywhere, I don't really what other word to use.

Clearly not budget to prioritize every public space at once, particularly in a city so opposed to anything that even resembles taxation, but I remain fully convinced that JWJP is every bit as important as Riverfront Plaza, and even more important than the other riverfront parks. Would love to see any master plan that ever does come to fruition treat this spot as our proper, central town square, with flexible uses, regular programming, and permanent amenities. It's such an important epicenter for everything going on between the Gateway development and the riverfront.

Make JWJ Park into Bryant Park (NYC) for an easy, successful resolution. A complex checker board of uses (the current proposal) isn't needed, sometimes the simple/classic/more affordable design is the best.

#76

Downtown / Re: " Right Buyer Never Came" ...

Last post by jcjohnpaint - February 04, 2026, 07:36:51 AM

So many great articles from MJ too. Would love to revisit.

#77

Science and Technology / Re: Wordle?

Last post by jaxlongtimer - February 03, 2026, 11:56:37 PM

Wordle 1,690 4/6

Connections - solved with one mistake, backed into purple

Strands - solved with no hints, Spangram on 5.  Thought this was one of the tougher Strands in awhile but maybe it was just me  .

Pips #170 Easy
0:33
Pips #170 Medium
2:20
Pips #170 Hard
4:01

Daily Quordle 1471 - Total = 26
6️⃣8️⃣
5️⃣7️⃣
m-w.com/games/quordle/

#78

Downtown / Re: " Right Buyer Never Came" ...

Last post by Jones518 - February 03, 2026, 10:32:09 PM

Yes please re-run them.

#79

Downtown / Re: Downtown Development Updat...

Last post by heights unknown - February 03, 2026, 08:28:11 PM

Boutique Hotel...The Ambassador; gotta come downtown and stay there sometimes. I have history in the old Ambassador. Any word on what they will do with the Basement? It was a bar and liquor store back in the day.

#80

Downtown / Re: DIA wants the Landing to s...

Last post by vicupstate - February 03, 2026, 03:39:36 PM

How is the 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' park doing?  Is it being visited by homeless as well or is it empty a lot of the time or s it filled often and by non-homeless residents?