JTA making progress on transportation center

[tufsu1]

actually Baltimore now has over 1.2 million square feet...with 300,000 sq ft. of exhibit hall space.

The original facility opened in 1979 w/ around 425,000 square feet (115,000 sq ft exhibit space)....they did an expansion called Festival Hall in the 1980's...this was torn down for the major expansion and renovation that occurred in 1997.

[danem]

I think around the time there's actually have a new convention center open, there will be hotel rooms aplenty by then!

I used to work for an organization that put on conventions. Number one thing they would look for was the attractiveness of the location, and after that the facility. Jacksonville should keep working on both, for sure.

Also...eventually some sort of public transit from the airport. That would be sweet...

[BigGuy219]

I think around the time there's actually have a new convention center open, there will be hotel rooms aplenty by then!

I used to work for an organization that put on conventions. Number one thing they would look for was the attractiveness of the location, and after that the facility. Jacksonville should keep working on both, for sure.

Also...eventually some sort of public transit from the airport. That would be sweet...

This won't be popular, but I think the convention center should be up by the airport. Lot of room for development. It's a safe, vibrant area. Plenty of hotels and new shopping center.

[copperfiend]

I think around the time there's actually have a new convention center open, there will be hotel rooms aplenty by then!

I used to work for an organization that put on conventions. Number one thing they would look for was the attractiveness of the location, and after that the facility. Jacksonville should keep working on both, for sure.

Also...eventually some sort of public transit from the airport. That would be sweet...

This won't be popular, but I think the convention center should be up by the airport. Lot of room for development. It's a safe, vibrant area. Plenty of hotels and new shopping center.

Build it across from the RCMP. Convention attendees could walk across the street and the acres of parking and go to Wal Mart, Olive Garden or Panda Express. Oh, the possibilities.

[BigGuy219]

I think around the time there's actually have a new convention center open, there will be hotel rooms aplenty by then!

I used to work for an organization that put on conventions. Number one thing they would look for was the attractiveness of the location, and after that the facility. Jacksonville should keep working on both, for sure.

Also...eventually some sort of public transit from the airport. That would be sweet...

This won't be popular, but I think the convention center should be up by the airport. Lot of room for development. It's a safe, vibrant area. Plenty of hotels and new shopping center.

Build it across from the RCMP. Convention attendees could walk across the street and the acres of parking and go to Wal Mart, Olive Garden or Panda Express. Oh, the possibilities.

Yes. Yes.

Oh if only I could live in the RCMP.

[urbanlibertarian]

danem wrote:

Number one thing they would look for was the attractiveness of the location, and after that the facility.

You guys really think that the airport area is an attractive location?  More attractive than the DT riverfront?

In my opinion we can do without a convention center.

[danem]

danem wrote:

Number one thing they would look for was the attractiveness of the location, and after that the facility.

You guys really think that the airport area is an attractive location?  More attractive than the DT riverfront?

In my opinion we can do without a convention center.

I don't think it should be up by the airport. I say put that theme park discussed in another thread by the airport!  

Jax could probably do without a convention center right now, but in super long term I think it would do well to have one in the future. It's going to take a while anyways. Plan for one now and let downtown develop around where it will end up.

(I've worked a conference at a brand new location where there was nothing to do around it yet. Attendees were pissed. )

[Ocklawaha]

after looking at it more closely, I believe the best location for Greyhound is between Forsyth and Houston....it provides convenient access to and from I-95 NB and SB and is across the street from the Skyway....there are 2 blocks there...one could be used by Greyhound and the other by JTA for local buses at some point.

I think the best place would be between Forsyth and Bay @ Lee. It could face the public plaza at the skyway station and have access to the highway.

The trouble with the JTA/FDOT plan is they basically want to build a different station for every mode, hell when the streetcar is built they'll be wanting a piece of property for that too...

We've one shot at getting this right IE: ALL TRANSPORTATION UNDER ONE ROOF! We just can't stand by with Peytons buddies push on some real estate site up on Adams Street. It's WRONG Johnny!

Since Amtrak and the Skyway are by necessity split off from the main building there is no reason why there can't be a pedestrian tunnel or tunnel extension from the Skyway to the main terminal concourse area complete with stairs, escalator and elevator at the Skyway end of it. It could ramp down from the concourse just like the ramps at the other end used to do to get to the trains.

Meanwhile all bus ticket agencies, rail ticket agencies, commuter rail, streetcar, Skyway and motor coach lines would use the same main building. This should provide the critical mass to support the wanted services such as a good restaurant, a food court, shopping etc. If they don't price it out of range, hell old Ock might just open a railroad gift shop there (why not, I grew up there!)

Let's not allow the good ole boys to ruin this for us while counting their profit.

Why would any three business men, one from Yuma AZ, one from Manhattan NY, and the other from Telluride CO for example want to go to Jacksonville so they can see:

1. An Airport
2. A Freeway Hotel
3. A Walmart
4. A Hollywood Theater
5. A Lowes


BUT, the guy from Yuma might be dazzled by our river and it's bridges, and real ships, water everywhere, a Riverwalk, Museum of Modern Arts, and of course The Skyway. Yuma has sand too he thought, but it's different, it's heated to 142 degrees f...IN THE SHADE, but here he could take off his shoes and walk in it.   

The big city boy is stunned that he rented a car and that he can driver EVERYWHERE...even better, he can PARK EVERYWHERE, that the beach isn't lined with spent hypodermic needles and condoms, palm trees are cool, the new fountain is as good as any in the Big Apple and even in the cooler weather he didn't mind the over spray. Lastly, the day before he left he took an evening ride on the streetcar, New York City doesn't have one anymore, he ate at Park and King, he watched a fiery sunset, slowed down and took a deep breath of coffee scented air, and realized it was for the first time in his life... SOLD!

The Guy from Telluride is dazzled, he too is in love with us, he doesn't need his fur coat, IT ISN'T SNOWING!, with a sense of history he loves the MOSH, the Maritime Museum, and he heard some old hippie and his Indie sidekick spin a story of an ancient Indian burial ground under the Acosta Bridge...hell I heard that he even rode the Skyway down Bay to the Stadium to watch Tebow play for his Broncos. 

All three will be back come next winter, and they'll have their families with them this time... THAT'S why it should be built in the core of the city. Orlando can get away with a Convention Center in B.F.E. but we can't, we don't sell mice, only a laid back, big city, urban lifestyle that many from large cities and small have never experienced. 




OCKLAWAHA

[RWNeal]

Orlando can get away with a Convention Center in B.F.E. but we can't, we don't sell mice, only a laid back, big city, urban lifestyle that many from large cities and small have never experienced. 

[/b]


OCKLAWAHA

Actually Orlando doesn't get away with it from everyone. The American Library Association had their annual conference there a couple of years ago and many of the attendees were constantly bitching about having nothing to do within walking distance - most of them came down without cars and couldn't easily get around beyond the Convention Center/hotels area on I-Drive. The restaurants and bars in the hotels didn't do anything for most of them.

[iMarvin]

after looking at it more closely, I believe the best location for Greyhound is between Forsyth and Houston....it provides convenient access to and from I-95 NB and SB and is across the street from the Skyway....there are 2 blocks there...one could be used by Greyhound and the other by JTA for local buses at some point.

I think the best place would be between Forsyth and Bay @ Lee. It could face the public plaza at the skyway station and have access to the highway.

The trouble with the JTA/FDOT plan is they basically want to build a different station for every mode, hell when the streetcar is built they'll be wanting a piece of property for that too...

We've one shot at getting this right IE: ALL TRANSPORTATION UNDER ONE ROOF! We just can't stand by with Peytons buddies push on some real estate site up on Adams Street. It's WRONG Johnny!

Since Amtrak and the Skyway are by necessity split off from the main building there is no reason why there can't be a pedestrian tunnel or tunnel extension from the Skyway to the main terminal concourse area complete with stairs, escalator and elevator at the Skyway end of it. It could ramp down from the concourse just like the ramps at the other end used to do to get to the trains.

Meanwhile all bus ticket agencies, rail ticket agencies, commuter rail, streetcar, Skyway and motor coach lines would use the same main building. This should provide the critical mass to support the wanted services such as a good restaurant, a food court, shopping etc. If they don't price it out of range, hell old Ock might just open a railroad gift shop there (why not, I grew up there!)

Let's not allow the good ole boys to ruin this for us while counting their profit.




OCKLAWAHA

I like this idea. Personally, I wouldn't feel that safe walking through a tunnel. It's just a phobia of mine. I really like the main concourse idea with every service in it. That'll make it look busy.

[jcjohnpaint]

after looking at it more closely, I believe the best location for Greyhound is between Forsyth and Houston....it provides convenient access to and from I-95 NB and SB and is across the street from the Skyway....there are 2 blocks there...one could be used by Greyhound and the other by JTA for local buses at some point.

I think the best place would be between Forsyth and Bay @ Lee. It could face the public plaza at the skyway station and have access to the highway.

The trouble with the JTA/FDOT plan is they basically want to build a different station for every mode, hell when the streetcar is built they'll be wanting a piece of property for that too...

We've one shot at getting this right IE: ALL TRANSPORTATION UNDER ONE ROOF! We just can't stand by with Peytons buddies push on some real estate site up on Adams Street. It's WRONG Johnny!

Since Amtrak and the Skyway are by necessity split off from the main building there is no reason why there can't be a pedestrian tunnel or tunnel extension from the Skyway to the main terminal concourse area complete with stairs, escalator and elevator at the Skyway end of it. It could ramp down from the concourse just like the ramps at the other end used to do to get to the trains.

Meanwhile all bus ticket agencies, rail ticket agencies, commuter rail, streetcar, Skyway and motor coach lines would use the same main building. This should provide the critical mass to support the wanted services such as a good restaurant, a food court, shopping etc. If they don't price it out of range, hell old Ock might just open a railroad gift shop there (why not, I grew up there!)

Let's not allow the good ole boys to ruin this for us while counting their profit.

Why would any three business men, one from Yuma AZ, one from Manhattan NY, and the other from Telluride CO for example want to go to Jacksonville so they can see:

1. An Airport
2. A Freeway Hotel
3. A Walmart
4. A Hollywood Theater
5. A Lowes


BUT, the guy from Yuma might be dazzled by our river and it's bridges, and real ships, water everywhere, a Riverwalk, Museum of Modern Arts, and of course The Skyway. Yuma has sand too he thought, but it's different, it's heated to 142 degrees f...IN THE SHADE, but here he could take off his shoes and walk in it.   

The big city boy is stunned that he rented a car and that he can driver EVERYWHERE...even better, he can PARK EVERYWHERE, that the beach isn't lined with spent hypodermic needles and condoms, palm trees are cool, the new fountain is as good as any in the Big Apple and even in the cooler weather he didn't mind the over spray. Lastly, the day before he left he took an evening ride on the streetcar, New York City doesn't have one anymore, he ate at Park and King, he watched a fiery sunset, slowed down and took a deep breath of coffee scented air, and realized it was for the first time in his life... SOLD!

The Guy from Telluride is dazzled, he too is in love with us, he doesn't need his fur coat, IT ISN'T SNOWING!, with a sense of history he loves the MOSH, the Maritime Museum, and he heard some old hippie and his Indie sidekick spin a story of an ancient Indian burial ground under the Acosta Bridge...hell I heard that he even rode the Skyway down Bay to the Stadium to watch Tebow play for his Broncos. 

All three will be back come next winter, and they'll have their families with them this time... THAT'S why it should be built in the core of the city. Orlando can get away with a Convention Center in B.F.E. but we can't, we don't sell mice, only a laid back, big city, urban lifestyle that many from large cities and small have never experienced. 




OCKLAWAHA

I really like this idea and don't care much for this transportation campus.  We should have a transportation building or one structure (such as an international airport).

[Ocklawaha]

I like this idea. Personally, I wouldn't feel that safe walking through a tunnel. It's just a phobia of mine. I really like the main concourse idea with every service in it. That'll make it look busy.

Right now there is a main concourse directly behind the 1919 station which runs from Bay Street 'doors' all the way south to the end of the building, facing north in the concourse the station itself is to your right, 'the box' of the convention center is on your left, everything in that center space lobby is actually a concourse. At one time it was more like a roofed patio as there was no walls on the south or west of said concourse, a giant many ton green wrought iron fence ran down the center of it north to south, and the big white bumpers sat numbered at the end of each track.

The other concourse runs east and west all along the north side of the convention center 'box' and almost due west of the ticket windows in the main station, this concourse saved with the 'box' mostly removed with nothing between it and the railroad tracks. That big nothing space that we call a convention center 'box' would become the main bus terminal. The east-west concourse would be a great all weather passage for people going to a intercity bus or out the west end of it to a JTA bus.

The Tunnels are still there, at the south end of the concourse at the doors they drop down a long ramp and go under EVERYTHING south of the building all the way to Mc Coy's Creek. In today's airports they would be more like 'the gates' areas, big and roomy with lots of exits. ('the gates' is no doubt a name that dates to those big fence gates at most depots.) The tunnels were NOTHING like the tiny things seen recently on a local TV show.
I would think any tunnel under Bay Street would be more of the same going underground only long enough to get under the street safely.

OCKLAWAHA

[duvaldude08]

Orlando can get away with a Convention Center in B.F.E. but we can't, we don't sell mice, only a laid back, big city, urban lifestyle that many from large cities and small have never experienced. 

[/b]


OCKLAWAHA

Actually Orlando doesn't get away with it from everyone. The American Library Association had their annual conference there a couple of years ago and many of the attendees were constantly bitching about having nothing to do within walking distance - most of them came down without cars and couldn't easily get around beyond the Convention Center/hotels area on I-Drive. The restaurants and bars in the hotels didn't do anything for most of them.

I agree. There convention center looks amazing and there are plentyof adjacent hotels, but thats about it. Aside from a variety of fast food resturants and a hand full of tourist attractions. I-drive was a terriable place for the convention center to start with. ENTIRELY to congested.

[Ocklawaha]

I really like this idea and don't care much for this transportation campus.  We should have a transportation building or one structure (such as an international airport).

It amazes me that so many of our readers get the TRANSPORTATION CENTER=ONE STATION OR A ONE STOP SHOP, and JTA nor FDOT seem to have a clue. Any idiot should be able to stop buses or trains all over LaVilla, but getting them all into one place will require thought of at least a Jurassic era level.

OCKLAWAHA

[iMarvin]

I like this idea. Personally, I wouldn't feel that safe walking through a tunnel. It's just a phobia of mine. I really like the main concourse idea with every service in it. That'll make it look busy.

Right now there is a main concourse directly behind the 1919 station which runs from Bay Street 'doors' all the way south to the end of the building, facing north in the concourse the station itself is to your right, 'the box' of the convention center is on your left, everything in that center space lobby is actually a concourse. At one time it was more like a roofed patio as there was no walls on the south or west of said concourse, a giant many ton green wrought iron fence ran down the center of it north to south, and the big white bumpers sat numbered at the end of each track.

The other concourse runs east and west all along the north side of the convention center 'box' and almost due west of the ticket windows in the main station, this concourse saved with the 'box' mostly removed with nothing between it and the railroad tracks. That big nothing space that we call a convention center 'box' would become the main bus terminal. The east-west concourse would be a great all weather passage for people going to a intercity bus or out the west end of it to a JTA bus.

The Tunnels are still there, at the south end of the concourse at the doors they drop down a long ramp and go under EVERYTHING south of the building all the way to Mc Coy's Creek. In today's airports they would be more like 'the gates' areas, big and roomy with lots of exits. ('the gates' is no doubt a name that dates to those big fence gates at most depots.) The tunnels were NOTHING like the tiny things seen recently on a local TV show.
I would think any tunnel under Bay Street would be more of the same going underground only long enough to get under the street safely.

OCKLAWAHA

I guess I would be okay walking through a tuneel if it was big and roomy. I really do think that the convention center should be torn down. It's just in the way.