Is Downtown Going Down the Tubes?

[Steve]

It's really difficult to "revive" downtown when everyone is "moving to Nocatee".

True, but every city has these mega master planned communities.  There is enough places to live to go around (maybe too many, given the real estate market).  If downtown is desirable to the average person, they will come.  There are a lot of things to do with this, but remember - the suburbs are cyclical (Arlington was once the sought after neighborhood).

[JeffreyS]

The real estate market will keep any fast change from happening downtown people just can't sell their houses and move right now.  We can attract renters now and use that as a base for businesses and activity to attract actual home owners in the future.

What will it take to have some lights installed downtown?  Downtown just will never seem safe in the dark.

[Steve]

The real estate market will keep any fast change from happening downtown people just can't sell their houses and move right now.  We can attract renters now and use that as a base for businesses and activity to attract actual home owners in the future.

I completely agree - remember, the goal of an Apartment tower is to get people in the units, while a condo developer could sell all of their units to out of town investors, and nobody would care.

What will it take to have some lights installed downtown?  Downtown just will never seem safe in the dark.

I also agree - while I don't feel unsafe, dimly lit streets give that impression to casual visitors.  Unfortunately, we've standarized the light fixtures downtown on those expensive historic fixtures that just shoot light out, not down.  In the core of downtown, it's not a problem because the buildings bounce the light all around, and make it work (walk down Monroe next to the library; it's pretty bright)  Here's an easy fix:

- Take all of those fixtures that are located in parking lots (i.e. the lot on Forsyth owned by the city), and on the riverwalks, and replace them with simple fixtures that shine light down.  They do no good if there is no building there to bounce light off of).

- Take the replacement fixtures and install them on the highly traffic'ed corridors downtown.  We've done some of the North-South Streets, but there are a couple of really dark east-west streets (Forsyth & Adams immediately come to mind).

[second_pancake]

It's really difficult to "revive" downtown when everyone is "moving to Nocatee".

True, but every city has these mega master planned communities.  There is enough places to live to go around (maybe too many, given the real estate market).  If downtown is desirable to the average person, they will come.  There are a lot of things to do with this, but remember - the suburbs are cyclical (Arlington was once the sought after neighborhood).

That was meant as a joke to Collard who mentioned in another thread that "everyone is selling their homes to move to Nocatee."  Tounge-in-cheek.

[David]

Tony, you might be right on one level. There was a lot of little no-name clubs that played nothing but raver music, and had no beer and wine and stayed open till 4am. But a lot of long standing institutions went by the wayside too. Club 5 was forced to install a very expensive fire system, and even then was only allowed half of its previous capacity, Milk Bar was forced to consolidate with the Paradome, which became 618. Motolounge, which was a swing bar, was shut down, there was another one over on Hendrix that was a ska/swing bar that was shut down because a christian book store moved in next door. Dash Riprocks at the beach and on university were shut down, I dont remember why The Edge shut down but it did around that same time.

I remember hearing a good number of them were fire marshal crack downs, and the cost to get legal was far beyond what the vast majority of them could afford.

Yes, Stephenc, many people have ties to churches, but few churches in town are as prolific in having their hand in everything as the FBC.

I wish them no ill-will, I just wish they would let things happen downtown organically, rather than forcing everything to be in line with their values.

Imagine if we had the Milkbar, Motolounge, and 618 all still on Adams St along with BG, London Bridge, and Bay St TC.

Ah yes! I remember all of those, unfortunately I was about 19 or 20 when most of them closed down. I really miss old wave night at the milkbar and chilling at the motolounge. Is 618 still kartuche*sp*? That place dropped off my radar long ago..

[gatorback]

homeless is derogative can we call it permanent shelter challenged?  Been there once thank god for a friend.

[JeffreyS]

I don't think there is a well lit portion of downtown.  I have gone out in cities mostly St. Louis and it is bright.  lighting sets the mood.

[raheem942]

well in miam they dont have this problem they have people that patrole the streets and make any one sleeping in public get up in go to a shelter or move on....we need a program like that to keep the homeless out of downttown and make it a westside problem.......they gotta go some were right?

[gatorback]

northside near the power plant.  give them an all day access to that beach what is it little talobot island?

[sheclown]

well in miam they dont have this problem they have people that patrole the streets and make any one sleeping in public get up in go to a shelter or move on....we need a program like that to keep the homeless out of downttown and make it a westside problem.......they gotta go some were right?

of course allowing people to get into the shelter after 6pm would probably make that more possible.

If you run across a situation and you think the person maybe homeless and needs help, you can call the Hope Team Outreach of Sulzbacher.  This organization will do all they can to care for the person.  #394-8092. 

[gatorback]

no Stephen the 6 pm rule put you in either the I need a place to crash camp, or the I want to party till the bar closes then crash for free camp.