Downtown Jacksonville Ranks Last For Job Growth

[Metro Jacksonville]

Downtown Jacksonville Ranks Last For Job Growth



According to a recently released report focusing on downtown Louisville, KY, downtown Jacksonville ranked dead last in job growth amongst similar-sized peer cities during the last decade.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2011-apr-downtown-jacksonville-ranks-last-for-job-growth

[peestandingup]

Aww, Louisville. Right around my old stomping ground.

This was about 10 years ago, but while I was living & traveling around those parts, I would have never guessed that downtown cores in Louisville, Knoxville, even Lexington, etc would be so much more vibrant & have so much more going for them than someplace like Jacksonville FL.

My how things can change.

[dougskiles]

Those stats would be even worse if they extended to 2011.  The study went from 2002 to 2009.

If we could solve one problem in downtown in the next 4 years, top on my list to consider would be the number of homeless.  Time and time again, I hear from most people, the reason they don't go downtown is because of the homeless population.  We must be a mecca for homeless.  With all of the programs that we have for feeding them and providing shelter at night, is it doing anything to reduce the population?  I would guess those programs have had the exact opposite effect.  Time for a little tough love, IMO.

[Jdog]

Vaporizing before our eyes.  Stunning statistics. 

I'd like to see the candidates acknowledge and respond. 

[Garden guy]

Those stats would be even worse if they extended to 2011.  The study went from 2002 to 2009.

If we could solve one problem in downtown in the next 4 years, top on my list to consider would be the number of homeless.  Time and time again, I hear from most people, the reason they don't go downtown is because of the homeless population.  We must be a mecca for homeless.  With all of the programs that we have for feeding them and providing shelter at night, is it doing anything to reduce the population?  I would guess those programs have had the exact opposite effect.  Time for a little tough love, IMO.

Our homeless have no place to go...that's why they call it homeless..

[jcjohnpaint]

First off I don't think the homeless population is an issue...all cities have prob the same amount of homeless wondering around/  we just don't have anyone else downtown in the mix.  I was really shocked to see the numbers for Charlotte.  I really thought they were doing much better and I was also surprised to see how well Birmingham is doing all considering. 

[jcjohnpaint]

Oh and Jacksonville should be ashamed of itself!

[jcjohnpaint]

Vaporizing before our eyes.  Stunning statistics. 

I'd like to see the candidates acknowledge and respond. 

Well knowing how stubborn Mike Hogan is it would probably make him say "see all the more reason to leave downtown."  These numbers will only get worse under his rein

[Jdog]

Vaporizing before our eyes.  Stunning statistics. 

I'd like to see the candidates acknowledge and respond. 

Well knowing how stubborn Mike Hogan is it would probably make him say "see all the more reason to leave downtown."  These numbers will only get worse under his rein

I agree.  Perhaps a well-written, incisive letter to the TU can catch the top spot on the TU letters to editor page.  The quicker the better. 

[Gonzo]

Our homeless have no place to go...that's why they call it homeless..

That's not exactly true. While I agree that the homeless may be underserved, I also want to point out that many of these people (not all) have chosen this lifestyle rather than been forced into it. Time and time again I see a guy lining up at the shelter for dinner who looks absolutely capable of doing some job. I good number of these folks don't want to work. They don't want to have to purchase their own meals. They don't want to pay for an apartment. They don't want to contributing members of society. Hell, McDonalds had a hiring spree this week.

In countries like Singapore, in order to get public assistance you MUST work to get it. Even if it is picking up trash -- there's a reason Singapore is one of the cleanest places in the world. And  you know what? Singapore's unemployment rate is something crazy like 2%.

The entitlement mentality has to go. Instead of handing out free food and lodging, the downtown shelters should require "guests" to prove they did some meaningful work that day. Perhaps a system where the person seeking food and shelter is given a voucher after completing a specififed amount of work cleaning parks or streets. For a good number of the people who use the shelters we are providing a disservice. We let the get a freee ride that just perpetuats the entitlement mentality. Make a person provide a meaningful service in order to recieve aid and, in my opinion, everybody wins.

[thelakelander]

Vaporizing before our eyes.  Stunning statistics.  

I'd like to see the candidates acknowledge and respond.  

Well knowing how stubborn Mike Hogan is it would probably make him say "see all the more reason to leave downtown."  These numbers will only get worse under his rein

There is a flip side.  I'd challenge anyone to find one major american city that hasn't made investing in their downtown/core a priority over the last 20 years, succeeding economically.  It's already well proven that sprawl is unsustainable.  Even poster child sprawlers like Phoenix, Atlanta and San Jose have and continue to invest heavily in their urban core environments.  Anyone who downplays the economic importance a downtown on a city locally will be a trend setter if they pull it off or a fool (given the success numbers the other way) if they don't.

[Garden guy]

Our homeless have no place to go...that's why they call it homeless..

That's not exactly true. While I agree that the homeless may be underserved, I also want to point out that many of these people (not all) have chosen this lifestyle rather than been forced into it. Time and time again I see a guy lining up at the shelter for dinner who looks absolutely capable of doing some job. I good number of these folks don't want to work. They don't want to have to purchase their own meals. They don't want to pay for an apartment. They don't want to contributing members of society. Hell, McDonalds had a hiring spree this week.

In countries like Singapore, in order to get public assistance you MUST work to get it. Even if it is picking up trash -- there's a reason Singapore is one of the cleanest places in the world. And  you know what? Singapore's unemployment rate is something crazy like 2%.

The entitlement mentality has to go. Instead of handing out free food and lodging, the downtown shelters should require "guests" to prove they did some meaningful work that day. Perhaps a system where the person seeking food and shelter is given a voucher after completing a specififed amount of work cleaning parks or streets. For a good number of the people who use the shelters we are providing a disservice. We let the get a freee ride that just perpetuats the entitlement mentality. Make a person provide a meaningful service in order to recieve aid and, in my opinion, everybody wins.

Dude...it's quit obvious that you are completely out of touch with the real world...many many of these people us to be your neighbors and lost everything due to our countries downturn...you bettr hope that one day you  don't need help...you may get your return of your own pathetic attitude toward others.

[Jdog]

Vaporizing before our eyes.  Stunning statistics.  

I'd like to see the candidates acknowledge and respond.  

Well knowing how stubborn Mike Hogan is it would probably make him say "see all the more reason to leave downtown."  These numbers will only get worse under his rein

There is a flip side.  I'd challenge anyone to find one major american city that hasn't made investing in their downtown/core a priority over the last 20 years, succeeding economically.  It's already well proven that sprawl is unsustainable.  Even poster child sprawlers like Phoenix, Atlanta and San Jose have and continue to invest heavily in their urban core environments.  Anyone who downplays the economic importance a downtown on a city locally will be a trend setter if they pull it off or a fool (given the success numbers the other way) if they don't.

Are you keeping up with the state legislature?  See the Orlando Sentinel's article today: "Florida House Rolls Back Most Controls on Urban Sprawl."   

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/legislature/os-urban-sprawl-florida-house-20110421,0,1865936.story

[vicupstate]

Very interesting.

27k for Jax does seem more appropriate than the 50-60K that DVI use to quote, albeit the geography covered by the different numbers may differ as well.

As far as jcjohnpaint's comment on Charlotte, you have to realize that banking has been hit very, very hard in this downturn (considering they created the downturn), and that as a huge banking center, those jobs are overwhelmingly concentrated in Downtown Charlotte. Given that, and the numbers posted by other cities, a 10 percent loss is not that bad.

[vicupstate]

I would like to point out that the two cities that actually GAINED jobs, Indianapolis and Louisville are BOTH consolidated.  [Omaha basically flat-lined]

How can that be??

Furthermore, the two cities with the MOST jobs in their Downtown, Inidianapolis and Nashville, are again, BOTH consolidated.


Pretty strong evidence that consolidation does NOT kill prosperity and job growth Downtown in favor of the suburbs.  Quite the opposite, in fact.