Ron Littlepage: Looking for ways to reinvigorate downtown Jacksonville

[thelakelander]

Ron Littlepage's Blog

Not long ago, on one of those bitterly cold mornings when the wind blew directly and uninterrupted from the North Pole, I took a walking tour of downtown. I was joined by Terry Lorince, executive director of Downtown Vision Inc., the public/private partnership assigned the task of building and maintaining “a healthy and vibrant downtown community” and promoting “downtown as an exciting place to live, work, play and visit.” Lorince, shivering as much as I was, didn’t have to point out the obvious: The traditional downtown core isn’t exactly full of life.

The cold could explain the empty streets on that day, but the same lack of activity is too often the case.
These are some of the sad facts presented by Downtown Vision: Employment in downtown is dropping, and the core has one of the highest central business district office vacancy rates in the country at 23.5 percent. More than 50 percent of the core downtown is either parking lots, garages, vacant buildings or buildings less than 25 percent occupied.

Downtown accounted for 13.5 percent of the city’s property tax base 20 years ago. Today, it’s at 3.2 percent.
The last major office tower built in the downtown core was in 1990, the longest period without a major commercial construction project since the end of World War II.

Reversing these trends is critical because a successful downtown is key to a city’s success. But what to do?
Lorince and Downtown Vision believe that to move downtown forward, the focus has to be on the core.
In the last 10 years, more than $1.1 billion of development has taken place in downtown, but the bulk of it has been in the far-flung outer edges.

The theory is that by bringing the core back to life, success can begin spreading to other parts of downtown.
Ways to do that include making the core pedestrian friendly; cleaning it up; enforcing city codes; improving landscaping; providing adequate greenways; and ensuring public safety by increasing the police presence, not only during the work day but also at nights and on weekends, which means more than just parking police cruisers on the sidewalks around Hemming Plaza. It also would help if some of the business leaders who promote the importance of downtown would move their offices to the core. There is space available. Another key is to program more activities in the core.

The First Wednesday Art Walk and the Off the Grid Galleries have shown people will come downtown. The city needs to create more activities like these. Look at what the Riverside Arts Market has brought to the area under the Fuller Warren Bridge. The Northbank Riverwalk is one of downtown’s greatest assets. Create something that would have a similar impact on the riverwalk in the downtown core.

There are those who disagree with Downtown Vision’s approach to revitalizing downtown. It’s important to have the discussion now as mayoral and City Council candidates campaign on what their visions for Jacksonville are.
One question will be whether to build a new convention center and, if so, where â€" in the downtown core or on the outer edge?

With a developing entertainment district along Bay Street, I think an argument can be made that if we are going to put more big money into a capital project, the downtown core is the best site.
Even on a cold day, with more people on the streets and in the buildings, downtown would have a warmer feel.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/400601/ron-littlepage/2011-01-29/looking-ways-reinvigorate-downtown-jacksonville

[thelakelander]

The theory is that by bringing the core back to life, success can begin spreading to other parts of downtown.

Ways to do that include making the core pedestrian friendly; cleaning it up; enforcing city codes; improving landscaping; providing adequate greenways; and ensuring public safety by increasing the police presence, not only during the work day but also at nights and on weekends, which means more than just parking police cruisers on the sidewalks around Hemming Plaza. It also would help if some of the business leaders who promote the importance of downtown would move their offices to the core. There is space available. Another key is to program more activities in the core.

There are those who disagree with Downtown Vision’s approach to revitalizing downtown. It’s important to have the discussion now as mayoral and City Council candidates campaign on what their visions for Jacksonville are. One question will be whether to build a new convention center and, if so, where â€" in the downtown core or on the outer edge?

I guess, I'm one who agrees with focusing on the core but disagrees with many of the ideas suggested here.  Pedestrian scale connectivity at street level is a vital component to any successful downtown.  The easiest thing we can do to start facilitating that connectivity is to modify policy and "strongly" encourage or property owners and existing businesses to better integrate their establishments with the street.

Here are a couple of exampes:

Example 1: Java Junction


Java Junction is a small coffee bar inside of the lobby of BOA along Laura Street.


Here's what Java Junction's space looks like from Laura Street, a corridor we're pumping $2 million into to make it more pedestrian friendly.


How difficult would it be to allow them to put some seating umbrellas or signage up to indicate to the outside world that there's actually a businesses on this prime block of the Northbank core?


Example 2:FBC Cafeteria


Stretching nearly a block, this may be downtown's largest eatery.


From the street, it appears to be a warehouse.


How difficult would it be to replace the glass block with transparent windows, add some awnings and maybe an entrance off of Laura Street?

This scene is repeated on almost every block in the Northbank that has an open business in it.  While I've participated in some heated debates regarding the need for a new convention center (I support that idea), I do believe public money will stretch much further and get us better results by simply exposing the retail (we already have) to the street.  

Focusing on stuff like more streetscapes, landscaping, pressure washing, etc. is a waste in terms of stimulating foot traffic and vibrancy.  The focus should be on pedestrian scale connectivity, which involves both foot traffic synergy in the heart of DT and transit connectivity to the surrounding urban core neighborhoods (immedietly brings in the residential population that DT doesn't and won't have for years to come).

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-nov-creating-downtown-vibrancy-by-exposing-secret-retail

[Garden guy]

Hey Ron...when are you moving downtown...never?...thought so...with the convervative leadership of this city...our downtown probably will never come back...or not in our lifetimes...sorry but the truth hurts...I'd like to know one city that's as conservative as ours that's been brought back by the conservatives....i can guess that there are'nt any...rightwing conservatives don't have in thier brains to do something like this..i may involve a bar or two...maybe we could tax the hell out of that church down there...that'd bring some cash back...they should have been paying all these years anyways...the infrastructure it take for them just to be there cost this city about 2 million a year...i wonder if they'll pay that for us?....

[tufsu1]

Hey Ron...when are you moving downtown...never?...thought so...with the convervative leadership of this city...our downtown probably will never come back...or not in our lifetimes...sorry but the truth hurts...I'd like to know one city that's as conservative as ours that's been brought back by the conservatives....i can guess that there are'nt any...rightwing conservatives don't have in thier brains to do something like this..i may involve a bar or two...maybe we could tax the hell out of that church down there...that'd bring some cash back...they should have been paying all these years anyways...the infrastructure it take for them just to be there cost this city about 2 million a year...i wonder if they'll pay that for us?....

so wait...now you're nattacking Ron Littlepage...pretty sure he's liberal?

as for conservative cities...in general terms, I agree with you....but there are several on the upswing...Phoenix, Dallas, Charlotte, and Salt Lake City come to mind.

[Noone]

I wonder where Ron thinks we should be discussing or debating DVI policy ideas?

What happened to my post? I've been to DVI board meetings.

They don't really allow that, you know.  Their plans are simply released and then they start lobbying for them.  There isnt a public forum to have them discussed that isnt tightly controlled and or immediately ignored.

Except this one of course.

It would be nice to have a little dialogue with the DVI board, actually.

[Noone]

What happened to my post?
I've been to DVI board meetings.

[thelakelander]

Don't know. You must have accidentally hit something that erased it. When I first got started on the forums, it used to happen to me quite often.

[futurejax]

Hey Ron...when are you moving downtown...never?...thought so...with the convervative leadership of this city...our downtown probably will never come back...or not in our lifetimes...sorry but the truth hurts...I'd like to know one city that's as conservative as ours that's been brought back by the conservatives....i can guess that there are'nt any...rightwing conservatives don't have in thier brains to do something like this..i may involve a bar or two...maybe we could tax the hell out of that church down there...that'd bring some cash back...they should have been paying all these years anyways...the infrastructure it take for them just to be there cost this city about 2 million a year...i wonder if they'll pay that for us?....

Giuliani was a disaster in NYC 

[futurejax]

Hey Ron...when are you moving downtown...never?...thought so...with the convervative leadership of this city...our downtown probably will never come back...or not in our lifetimes...sorry but the truth hurts...I'd like to know one city that's as conservative as ours that's been brought back by the conservatives....i can guess that there are'nt any...rightwing conservatives don't have in thier brains to do something like this..i may involve a bar or two...maybe we could tax the hell out of that church down there...that'd bring some cash back...they should have been paying all these years anyways...the infrastructure it take for them just to be there cost this city about 2 million a year...i wonder if they'll pay that for us?....

so wait...now you're nattacking Ron Littlepage...pretty sure he's liberal?

as for conservative cities...in general terms, I agree with you....but there are several on the upswing...Phoenix, Dallas, Charlotte, and Salt Lake City come to mind.

San Diego is not exactly liberal either, or Indianapolis, Orlando...I'm sure the list can go on the further one researches. Why do I not think the majority of problems in Jacksonville's downtown core are simply the result  of social conservatives ruining this would be "party town"?  If it were only that easy, great; expose them and find the better alternatives anywhere. (And I say this as no social conservative)  

[Noone]

Don't know. You must have accidentally hit something that erased it. When I first got started on the forums, it used to happen to me quite often.

Lake I was attempting to tie in your connectivity with the streets and the simultaneous connectivity with the River Downtown. Basically "Use The River."

Stephen, I've never debated Downtown Vision but Terry and the board when I would be there were very gracious with there time to allow me to share a concern that I felt wasn't only applicable to Downtown but the community as a whole.

Most recent 2010-604- City regaining control of the failed Shipyards/Landmar property and the omission of the Promised 680'Downtown Public Pier from the 2007 Downtown Action Plan.

2010-675- USS Adams and the one Finance amendment that provides the language for a future city council or Mayoral taxpayer bailout.

2010-856 the most recent transient vendor ban and why somebody on the city council needs to attach an amendment that would exempt the Waterways of the St. Johns River our American Heritage River especially in our Downtown Jacksonville Overlay Zoning District-2003-627.

Whatever happens moving forward in our Downtown will require legislation.

[Bativac]

Signage. Signage. Signage.

Signs will clue people in to the fact that there are actual BUSINESSES downtown. The city ordinance may not be 100% to blame - I've heard some building owners don't like their properties plastered with signage - but cumon. You want around downtown and it looks like an office park. Get some attractive signs on the sides of these buildings - "Oh, there's a CAFE here!" "Look - this building has a restaurant on the top floor!"

Getting people downtown won't do any good if they don't know where to go when they get there. Spend no city money. Stop enforcing the sign ordinance. Make it go away. Allow businesses to advertise themselves.

Also, stop parking enforcement. At least until downtown becomes a place people are willing to risk a parking ticket to come visit.

[urbanlibertarian]

Signage. Signage. Signage.

Signs will clue people in to the fact that there are actual BUSINESSES downtown. The city ordinance may not be 100% to blame - I've heard some building owners don't like their properties plastered with signage - but cumon. You want around downtown and it looks like an office park. Get some attractive signs on the sides of these buildings - "Oh, there's a CAFE here!" "Look - this building has a restaurant on the top floor!"

Getting people downtown won't do any good if they don't know where to go when they get there. Spend no city money. Stop enforcing the sign ordinance. Make it go away. Allow businesses to advertise themselves.

Also, stop parking enforcement. At least until downtown becomes a place people are willing to risk a parking ticket to come visit.

Sounds good to me.

[futurejax]

Signage. Signage. Signage.

Signs will clue people in to the fact that there are actual BUSINESSES downtown. The city ordinance may not be 100% to blame - I've heard some building owners don't like their properties plastered with signage - but cumon. You want around downtown and it looks like an office park. Get some attractive signs on the sides of these buildings - "Oh, there's a CAFE here!" "Look - this building has a restaurant on the top floor!"

Getting people downtown won't do any good if they don't know where to go when they get there. Spend no city money. Stop enforcing the sign ordinance. Make it go away. Allow businesses to advertise themselves.

Also, stop parking enforcement. At least until downtown becomes a place people are willing to risk a parking ticket to come visit.

+100K, and doesn't cost a dime

[Noone]

+1

[Jumpinjack]

I for one applaud Ron for talking about downtown needs. Some of the ideas presented seemed to be the standard supply ones from DVI. But there are others as Lake has pointed out that are simply good marketing principles any business should know about. 

DVI could also press landlords of vacant properties to fix up their buildings and offer lower rents to small business and non-profits who are spunky people willing to be in an urban space. Sure they don't pay big bucks, but something is better than vacant. Plus, they eat lunch, spend money shopping and populate downtown.