Northbank vs Southbank

[Coolyfett]

Do you consider them two different districts? Should they be considered different districts, similar to an uptown, midtown or downtown area. I know both are considered Downtown, sometimes people do refer to them separatly. Whats your take on it?

[Charles Hunter]

Different.

[thelakelander]

Different.  They are two totally different animals with their own set of issues that don't always align with one another.

[simms3]

I have mentioned the word Southbank to a life long native once before and he didn't even know what I was referring to.  He repeated "Southbank?"  It was a shocker/sad that he was clueless.  Same guy who thinks the Shipyards should have 0 public/park space and that Springfield extends past MLK.  He laughed at the word Durkeeville and considers Beaver Street downtown.  I don't even think he gets these notions from the media, but we certainly have an uphill battle educating some people on their friggin hometown!

[Coolyfett]

Different.  They are two totally different animals with their own set of issues that don't always align with one another.

So you say they are two different districts. The names Northbank & Southbank are not used often to determine which is which. Northbank Jacksonville should be the actual name for downtown then?

[Coolyfett]

I have mentioned the word Southbank to a life long native once before and he didn't even know what I was referring to.  He repeated "Southbank?"  It was a shocker/sad that he was clueless.  Same guy who thinks the Shipyards should have 0 public/park space and that Springfield extends past MLK.  He laughed at the word Durkeeville and considers Beaver Street downtown.  I don't even think he gets these notions from the media, but we certainly have an uphill battle educating some people on their friggin hometown!

Dude u aint lieing! I dont think many know the terms Northbank & Southbank, its kinda like Midtown & Downtown here in Atlanta. Springfield ends at 12th Street, but you have to ask Lake or Dare for the official limits. So when we are always talking about having a better downtown, truth is we want a better Northbank?? Many events dont happen on Southbank,....Reason I brought it is because on wiki its specified as two different districts, I thought all of it was technically downtown Jax.

[Ocklawaha]

Different.  They are two totally different animals with their own set of issues that don't always align with one another.

Considering South Jacksonville was an independent city which absorbed the former communities of Oklahoma and San Marco, I'd say Very Different. I often wonder if we would have been better off with the two Jacksonville's.

Since I was a puppy (right after the last pterodactyl died) we called EVERYTHING east and south of the St. Johns River "The Southside." Southside was a very broad name that included everything from Arlington to Mandarin. No confusion at all about Saint Nicholas, San Succi, San Jose, San Marco etc...  Just smaller divisions and additions within The Southside. Likewise the first time I heard the terms Northbank and Southbank it automatically took my thoughts to the Downtown, the ONLY PLACE in the entire city where everyone can readily access either river bank.

So Northbank (or Southbank) is just another sub-division of Downtown and only a bit broader then LaVilla, Fairfield, Brooklyn etc... all of which are within the historic urban core. So someone could live in LaVilla, Northbank, Downtown Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, USA, Earth, 3Rd inner planet from the Sun (a G4 Star), 8kpc from the center the Orion Arm of the Milky Way galaxy, In the Virgo Supercluster.

Guess that pretty well nails it.




OCKLAWAHA

[heights unknown]

To me they are synonomous, one and the same referring to downtown and the urban core.  Now when you get to San Marco, then you're out of the South Bank which is right up on San Marco.

"HU"

[Ocklawaha]

To me they are synonomous, one and the same referring to downtown and the urban core.  Now when you get to San Marco, then you're out of the South Bank which is right up on San Marco.

"HU"

Same Galaxy!


OCKLAWAHA 

[Coolyfett]

Different.  They are two totally different animals with their own set of issues that don't always align with one another.

Considering South Jacksonville was an independent city which absorbed the former communities of Oklahoma and San Marco, I'd say Very Different. I often wonder if we would have been better off with the two Jacksonville's.

Since I was a puppy (right after the last pterodactyl died) we called EVERYTHING east and south of the St. Johns River "The Southside." Southside was a very broad name that included everything from Arlington to Mandarin. No confusion at all about Saint Nicholas, San Succi, San Jose, San Marco etc...  Just smaller divisions and additions within The Southside. Likewise the first time I heard the terms Northbank and Southbank it automatically took my thoughts to the Downtown, the ONLY PLACE in the entire city where everyone can readily access either river bank.

So Northbank (or Southbank) is just another sub-division of Downtown and only a bit broader then LaVilla, Fairfield, Brooklyn etc... all of which are within the historic urban core. So someone could live in LaVilla, Northbank, Downtown Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, USA, Earth, 3Rd inner planet from the Sun (a G4 Star), 8kpc from the center the Orion Arm of the Milky Way galaxy, In the Virgo Supercluster.

Guess that pretty well nails it.




OCKLAWAHA

Lol. you consider LaVilla the Northbank?? LaVille has no access to the river, basically land locked.

[heights unknown]

However, if skyscrapers or dense development of any kind starts to grow around and within LaVilla, especially in a business and commerce sense, then you might want to view LaVilla as a part of downtown, but not the Northbank; just as you would not count San Marco as a part of downtown, however, San Marco is a much different animal and you really can't count it as a part of downtown even though it sits right up on the Southbank.

"HU"

[Captain Zissou]

I have had the same problem as Simms.  I consider both areas a part of downtown, but different entities themselves.  Most people give me blank stares when I tell them I live on the "Southbank", so I elaborate by saying "downtown, but on the south side of the river".  They're response is almost always "Oh, so you live in San Marco. Got it"

I consider I-95 to be the divider between San Marco and the Southbank.  Hendricks and Kings Ave kind of connect the two, but otherwise they are completely different.  Same with the Northbank and Southbank.  The Northbank is a city subsidized attempt at a downtown, while the Southbank is a thriving dense office park. 

[Jason]

I'm with you Cap.  To me, downtown encompasses anything south of State/Union, East of I95, West of the river, and North of I95 on the southbank.

That said, there are still different sections of "downtown" and they are:
- The Northbank (the central CBD)
- The Southbank (the area on the south side of the river above I95)
- The Cathedral District
- Brooklyn
- LaVilla
- The Sports District


I think the average person should understand that if I tell them I'm going "Downtown" that I will be in one of those districts.  Everything else is a standalone section of town (i.e. Springfield, San Marco, Riverside, etc.).

[duvaldude08]

Personally, I consider them all in one. I work Prudential, and I consider this downtown. I think that the northbank/southbank thing comes about because our downtown is split in half by the river. If it was not, we would have one massive downtown. So because of the St johns, there is northbank downtown and southbank downtown... Thats in my mind anyways. LOL

[Garden guy]

Idea....i had a dream about a month ago of a foot bridge connecting the south with the north bank. A cool place for people to walk and hang out and it connects the two sides making  the whole area more accessable to more people..isn't there an architecture program at the new Florida college??...wouldn't it be cool?