The Beginning of the End for Regency and Arlington.

[duvaldude08]

I stay in the Arlington area (On University around the corner from Justina) and I will admit that area is horrible. But there seems to be some changes happening. Alot of those apartments in my area (including mine) are half empty. People are moving out, and no ones moving in. I think this is a prime opportunity for Arlington to get cleaned up and attract some decent residents. I am also moving my self to the baymeadows area because of the crime in the area. All you here is fighting, arguing and gun shoots at night and I am at my wit's end.

As far as the mall, it saddens me to see what is happening. I practically grew up in there and have some very fond memories. As far as the so called "thug element" and "feeling safe". "feeling safe" is just that. A feeling. You can go anywhere and be robbed, raped, etc. It can happen at The Avenues, SJTC, RCMP, etc. Crime is everywhere. You can not run from it.

[duvaldude08]

Many parts of Jacksonville are becoming bad and crime-ridden. Why the sudden focus on Arlington-Regency? Personal opinion....stop with all the Section 8 housing. It destroys neighborhoods (I live in one and can personally attest to its property value drops)...

I agree. I hate to, but I do. Section 8 housing has spread like a virus. Im getting ready to move in two weeks and I ask the apartments, " Do you accept section 8" and they told me no. That was my green light to move! LOL

[finehoe]

Why is it that the planners are the hardest ones to convince that their sprawl based planning is destroying the fabric of the communities they serve?

"If a man's paycheck depends on his not understanding something, you can rely upon his not understanding it."
-Upton Sinclair

[tufsu1]

I agree. I hate to, but I do. Section 8 housing has spread like a virus. Im getting ready to move in two weeks and I ask the apartments, " Do you accept section 8" and they told me no. That was my green light to move! LOL

hopefully you'll never need assistance

[duvaldude08]

I agree. I hate to, but I do. Section 8 housing has spread like a virus. Im getting ready to move in two weeks and I ask the apartments, " Do you accept section 8" and they told me no. That was my green light to move! LOL

hopefully you'll never need assistance

Im not buy any means talking down on anyone who NEEDS assistance. Heck my sister works two jobs and two kids and still needs assistance. However, we all know the system is broken. A lot of people on assistance are just lazy and they take advantage of the system. And Im sorry, but the places have stayed that accept section 8 have been been ghetto and very dangerous. (where I stay at now accepts section 8 so I know first hand).

[stjr]

"If a man's paycheck depends on his not understanding something, you can rely upon his not understanding it."
-Upton Sinclair

Great quote, finehoe.  Nowhere is this more apparent than in Jacksonville, Florida!

[heights unknown]

This just in. Simon Properites Just made a public offer to aquire regency mall.

http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2010/02/15/daily7.html

So what does this mean for Regency? The possibility that it will possibly remain a mall and they will do upgrades and improvements to make it work?

"HU"

[zendragon65]

I would like to make a comment on a recent post with the following quotes:
1:   "The housing prices in that area have always been affordable if not downright cheap in areas (see Arlington Rd./Cesery Blvd.) which attracts those with limited income." 
Does this include teachers, since they are definitely a population with a limited income?  Firemen and women and law enforcements officials are also on the "limited income" list.  Does this mean to say that we are among the undesirables who choose to live in a nice neighborhood in Arlington because we have "limited income"

2.  "those that just need a cheap place to stay".  There are a ton of these in Southside, as well as many other neighborhoods in this "city".
3.  There are very few neighborhoods with HOAs which makes it a prime place for those who don't want to keep up the appearance of their homes or who prefer to work on their vehicles in their front lawn. " 
I personally abhor HOA's...they do nothing for the area except make it more expensive to live there.  "Undesirables" are more attracted to these places often because they represent an area with a bigger loot to take, and how many HOA's have 24 hour security patrol?   Rentals have also become very common in HOA neighborhoods since the economic decline, so "deeded community" means nothing anymore.
Someone who does not live in Arlington should not make comments which may offend the residents there who do care.  I agree, the area needs some revitalizing, and the mall area may well be one.  I hate going to the SJTC mainly because there is no place to park and it is sweltering in the summer.  I would much rather shop and frequent local small businesses than chains. 
I like the plan described, but agree it must happen realistically.  Perhaps Springfield is a good plan that can help Arlington:  there are so many unique areas here and local businesses that have the most excellent service and wares, there just needs to be a few more of them and some rejuvenation.  Also, people have to stop thinking the grass is greener at the beach...there isn't any grass and most hard working people like teachers and law enforcement can't afford it anyway. 

D

[ChriswUfGator]

Just an observation that I'm pretty shocked the mall owner hasn't already started the process of paying out the remaining tenants and redeveloping the property into some other use. It is doomed to fail as a mall, given the Town Center mall that opened up a couple miles away and took all of Regency's business. I would also observe that had Regency Centers had any real vision at any time during the 2000s, they would have already have redeveloped the Regency Square mall site into what the Town Center mall is now, since it was obvious from visiting other cities that outdoor "town-like" malls were what was becoming popular with shoppers. Had they done that, which really didn't take much foresight, they would be enjoying a boom. Money wouldn't have been an issue in the mid 2000s either, if you had a pulse you could borrow money. It's too late now, though, since one already opened up right down the street and the market is already saturated.

Business dynamics change, and you either change with them or you're done. Regency is done, as a mall anyway.

[duvaldude08]

I agree. Its time to for them to redevelop or they will not last. Its impressive that they held on this long, but if they dont keep up with the times, it will be doomed. And I would HATE to see our oldest mall close for good. I hope they do something soon.

[Jaxson]

We have come full circle, haven't we?  During downtown's salad days, people schlepped back and forth between their cars and a plethora of stores, restaurants and other establishments.  When the enclosed shopping mall arrived, folks were enamored of the idea of a one stop shopping experience where they can pop by a mall and run a myriad of errands without much exposure to the elements.  Now, we are building 'Town Centers' that give suburbanites the same experience of shopping downtown, but in a Disney's Main Street U.S.A. kind of way.  Now, it's all the rage to replicate downtown in a sterile environment while the real downtown continues to rot.  Crazy, is it not?

[duvaldude08]

We have come full circle, haven't we?  During downtown's salad days, people schlepped back and forth between their cars and a plethora of stores, restaurants and other establishments.  When the enclosed shopping mall arrived, folks were enamored of the idea of a one stop shopping experience where they can pop by a mall and run a myriad of errands without much exposure to the elements.  Now, we are building 'Town Centers' that give suburbanites the same experience of shopping downtown, but in a Disney's Main Street U.S.A. kind of way.  Now, it's all the rage to replicate downtown in a sterile environment while the real downtown continues to rot.  Crazy, is it not?

VERY crazy

[thelakelander]

The developer probably hasn't done anything because they are broke and a large scale redevelopment at that site would be a huge financial risk in this market.

[north miami]

I would say that now is the time to start collecting photos of the nice houses and beautiful areas of Arlington so that the next generation of restorationists have something to work with.

[simms3]

Just an observation that I'm pretty shocked the mall owner hasn't already started the process of paying out the remaining tenants and redeveloping the property into some other use. It is doomed to fail as a mall, given the Town Center mall that opened up a couple miles away and took all of Regency's business. I would also observe that had Regency Centers had any real vision at any time during the 2000s, they would have already have redeveloped the Regency Square mall site into what the Town Center mall is now, since it was obvious from visiting other cities that outdoor "town-like" malls were what was becoming popular with shoppers. Had they done that, which really didn't take much foresight, they would be enjoying a boom. Money wouldn't have been an issue in the mid 2000s either, if you had a pulse you could borrow money. It's too late now, though, since one already opened up right down the street and the market is already saturated.

Business dynamics change, and you either change with them or you're done. Regency is done, as a mall anyway.

Regency Centers does not own or manage Regency Square Mall.  I believe it is a General Growth property, but I would have to wait until tomorrow to get the specifics.  I wouldn't be surprised to see GGP or any owner "abandon" it and have it go back to the original lender.  It could be a great redevelopment, but the demographics aren't there and no lender would even come close to touching that property.  You doubtfully could go to non-traditional sources, but they are rare in markets like Jacksonville.  There is most likely no hope for a while.  The area in general is in major decline, and there is little hope or ability for the city to even step in.  In a more positively dynamic market like Denver or Nashville, then maybe something could be done in more short term. (and these two markets have been tested numerous times on old mall redevelopments)

And just as a side, Regency Centers almost exclusively owns community/neighborhood centers with grocery anchors, mostly Publix or Kroger or other market dominant grocers (HEB, Giant Eagle, Safeway, Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, etc).  Regency Mall has history with Regency Centers, more aptly Hap Stein, way back when, but Regency Centers is a completely different company now with shareholders and national exposure.