Five Drastic Steps To Revive Downtown Jacksonville

[Metro Jacksonville]

Five Drastic Steps To Revive Downtown Jacksonville



Desperate times call for desperate measures. While there is no single silver bullet project that will solve all of downtown's ills, here are five major initiatives worth considering.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-nov-five-drastic-steps-to-revive-downtown-jacksonville

[CS Foltz]

All of this makes more than just plain common sense! For a number of years, we have had white papers and visions put down on paper and to this point, the only things that have made money are the consulting firms that deal with what ifs! Property taxes were just raised, for the second year in a row, and the so-called "Revenue Neutral" aspect really is another weight on the backs of the taxpaying public! So maybe, just maybe, since what we have done to this point is not working, could it be time to think outside of the box? Maybe!

[tufsu1]

great article and great list!

[dougskiles]

What buildings downtown does the city have to give away?  The old city hall annex, I suppose, and the existing courthouse once the new courthouse is finished?  Any others?

The property tax concept for new development seems like a good one - but how do you treat businesses who have invested in property downtown already?  Would they have their tax rates frozen, too?  I think we have to look at ways to retain existing businesses as well as attract new ones.

[thelakelander]

I'll have to look at the Philly model in more detail, but I believe it applied to more than just new business and construction. I know for a fact, residential, adaptive reuse and renovation counted as well.  None of these steps will work 100% on their own but when combined, they deliver strong positive results.

[comncense]

*sigh* I wish Jacksonville could get it together. I would like to think that there's a possibility that things could change once new leadership gets into office but sometimes that almost seems like believing in fairy tales...

[vicupstate]

Tax abatement districts usually freeze taxable VALUES (not necessarily RATES) at the current level.  Then, any new construction or added value from any renovations are not taxed.  The existing companies would benefit from not paying taxes an any expansion or renovation they did. PLUS, they would gain new customers from the newcomers moving in.  Thirdly, they would benefit from not paying increased taxes on the new appreciation in their property, that would result from increased vibracy/marketablity that the changes made in the area.   

[vicupstate]

The city doesn't own a lot of BUILDINGS downtown (other than those already mentioned), but it DOES own a lot of LAND.

[Jerry Moran]

Last year I asked the JEDC to pursue extending Enterprise Zone Employment Credits from only 2 years to a longer period, or even indefinitely.  The Credit enables businesses that are located in the Zone to reduce their monthly sales tax remittances by up to 30% of gross payoll for employees that live in the Enterprise Zone.  

For example, if a qualified worker is paid $2000 a month, the employer can deduct $600 from what it has to pay to the State in sales tax collections for that month.  Not exactly welfare, the credit helps businesses in depressed areas hire and retain local residents, and that lays a foundation for making or revitalizing a community. 

JEDC took no effective action on my behalf.

[fieldafm]

Last year I asked the JEDC to pursue extending Enterprise Zone Employment Credits from only 2 years to a longer period, or even indefinitely.  The Credit enables businesses that are located in the Zone to reduce their monthly sales tax remittances by up to 30% of gross payoll for employees that live in the Enterprise Zone.  

For example, if a qualified worker is paid $2000 a month, the employer can deduct $600 from what it has to pay to the State in sales tax collections for that month.  Not exactly welfare, the credit helps businesses in depressed areas hire and retain local residents, and that lays a foundation for making or revitalizing a community. 

JEDC took no effective action on my behalf.

I was actually just doing some research over the last week about a potential medical research economic enterprise zone... and the problem is the 24 month rule is state-mandated, so JEDC really doesnt have much say in the matter.  I agree with you though.

[Noone]

Use the River. Its empty. This morning I was watching WJCT 4 and Richard Nunn, Bruce Hamilton, Stacy Spanos and they are always with the tower cam panning our Downtown and this happens morning, noon, and night.

Its gut renching to watch when there is nothing happening on our waterway. Just watch for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Who will be the city council member or Mayor that is going to immediately change that with legislation?

Its an election year. If they say no then I wouldn't vote for them.

If Annie Lyltle can be land locked then our St. Johns River our American Heritage River can be WATER locked within our Downtown Jacksonville Overlay Zoning District.

It happened with Shipyards/Landmar. It was just dumb luck that we have gotten it back.

[Jerry Moran]

I was actually just doing some research over the last week about a potential medical research economic enterprise zone... and the problem is the 24 month rule is state-mandated, so JEDC really doesnt have much say in the matter.  I agree with you though.

It's the JEDC's job to lobby the State.  It could have been done.  I checked Audrey Gibson's list of bills she sponsored.  Nothing there about the Enterprise Zone.

[spuwho]

Great steps indeed. Unfortunately they require the cooperative actions of several agencies, some of which get their mandates from places outside of Duval County. Different funding types, different political structures, differing mandates, all intersect across our central core.

No more consultants, no more studies. The impacted entities need to come together and sort the business at hand.

Everyone knows what we have to do, no one wants to provide leadership in what we need to do.

The time for throwing ideas (or consultant studies) against the wall and see what sticks is over.

[thelakelander]

^This all sounds like something a new mayor could be a major player in helping turn things around.

[floridatrop]

In Lakeland we used the State of Florida's Community Contribution Tax Incentive Program to provide an incentive for Burdines and JCPenney to donate their property to our agency (CRA).  It provided a 50% tax credit against the companies' Florida corporate income tax.  That State program has been amended since that time and now provides a much smaller incentive and so would not likely be attractive to the donors.

Regardless, it does require a number of programs, incentives and improvements in order to bring about revitalization.