MOVIE THEATER DOWNTOWN JAX!?!?!

[duvaldude08]

A movie theater was also part of the Bay Street Station project. If that project can be resurrected, it may work. It cant be a stand alone theater though. If its included in a cluster with other things (dining, retail, etc) It could work.

[duvaldude08]

There used to be plenty of old movie theatre buildings that could have been used for single screen operations, but they were either all torn down or allowed to crumble.. too bad. Even a single screen theatre that shows limited first run movies  would have been something.

The only theatres left is the Florida Theatre and The Ritz Theatre. And the Ritz is extremely small on the inside.

[duvaldude08]

Mayor Brown suggested seeing a movie theater downtown, i personally love that idea...it brings plenty downtown, it also entertains downtown residents. but where do you think would be the perfect spot to place it. i think that it should be along the skyway and have its own station.

I think the Florida Theatre should be operated as a theatre. Lease it to a movie operator, maybe throw in some incentives. Also, while you're at it, that was the former headquarters for the Florida Theatres, Inc. chain, there is 7 stories of offices in that building that are completely vacant. It would be nice to see the City come up with some use for that dead space, preferably something arts-oriented that would draw more people downtown. Dumping it on the general office space market wouldn't work, the vacancy rates downtown are already astronomical and that would only make it worse. But letting it sit vacant isn't contributing anything either. You'd have to come up with a creative solution, but it can be done.

So that's my suggestion on how to build a theatre without spending a dime. Probably would even pay for itself.

Chris, the Florida theatre actually have plans to renovate some of the floors for art-oriented functions. I also think one floor is being turned into a smaller theatre. stephen can speak more to that. I cant remember the specifics.

[urbanlibertarian]

Mayor Brown suggested seeing a movie theater downtown, i personally love that idea...it brings plenty downtown, it also entertains downtown residents. but where do you think would be the perfect spot to place it. i think that it should be along the skyway and have its own station.

I think the Florida Theatre should be operated as a theatre. Lease it to a movie operator, maybe throw in some incentives. Also, while you're at it, that was the former headquarters for the Florida Theatres, Inc. chain, there is 7 stories of offices in that building that are completely vacant. It would be nice to see the City come up with some use for that dead space, preferably something arts-oriented that would draw more people downtown. Dumping it on the general office space market wouldn't work, the vacancy rates downtown are already astronomical and that would only make it worse. But letting it sit vacant isn't contributing anything either. You'd have to come up with a creative solution, but it can be done.

So that's my suggestion on how to build a theatre without spending a dime. Probably would even pay for itself.

Chris, the Florida theatre actually have plans to renovate some of the floors for art-oriented functions. I also think one floor is being turned into a smaller theatre. stephen can speak more to that. I cant remember the specifics.

See this thread:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=11577.0

[MusicMan]

Yes.

1. Put an IMAX 3-D three screen theater at far end of The Shipyards, across from Maxwell House. (2 hours)

2. Build a Kraft Foods/Maxwell House Cafe serving sandwiches, coffee, tea.......... next door. (1 hour)

3. Offer a tour of the Maxwell House facility. (1 hour)

5.  A RiverKeeper/JU joint venture : St Johns River Nature Center and Kayak Center. (2-4 hours)

6. 3 cool retired Navy Ships: Destroyer, submarine plus a  rotating display.  (2-4 hours)

All of this adds up to an incredibly fun day (or two) for a family that chooses to spend the day downtown. Follow up
with a Jags game or a special event at the baseball stadium or Arena and we are suddenly the coolest city in Florida.

   
For the record: This is my proposal for what to do with The Shipyards.

[Debbie Thompson]

Back in the day, the Florida Theatre and Center Theatre were first run.  Ditto the San Marco.  Mega-plexes with lots of choices and acres of free parking is what killed them. 

That said, the wonderful old Florida Theatre with it's big screen is a great place to see a movie.  Provide free parking and some first run movies, market the experience of an incredible theater, and see what happens. 

[peestandingup]

Yeah, way bigger fish to fry. Sounds like more of the same line of thinking, trying to bring the suburbs downtown. Sound familiar?? They'll build a replica of the exact same stuff you can get anywhere outside of town, won't provide any parking & then wonder why no one is coming.

Can any of the city leaders think of downtown as an actual downtown anymore??

[Ralph W]

Here's a theater already downtown.

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jun-planetarium-grows-a-new-set-of-next-gen-projectors

Good place to show the new movie, "Cowboys and Aliens"?

[Debbie Thompson]

Cool idea, Ralph W.  An early show and then go up and view the night sky.  :-)

[ProjectMaximus]

A movie theater was also part of the Bay Street Station project. If that project can be resurrected, it may work. It cant be a stand alone theater though. If its included in a cluster with other things (dining, retail, etc) It could work.

Yes, where are we on that project? And the Haydon Burns library? With the Laura Trio, there's a chance to keep growing organically. My buddy and his fiancee plan to move downtown if/when his work (Everbank) moves downtown.

Yeah, way bigger fish to fry. Sounds like more of the same line of thinking, trying to bring the suburbs downtown. Sound familiar?? They'll build a replica of the exact same stuff you can get anywhere outside of town, won't provide any parking & then wonder why no one is coming.

Can any of the city leaders think of downtown as an actual downtown anymore??

I don't think a movie theatre is "suburban."

[ProjectMaximus]

According to wikipedia, the haydon burns project would possibly include a 4-screen movie theatre.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haydon_Burns_Library

[peestandingup]

Yeah, way bigger fish to fry. Sounds like more of the same line of thinking, trying to bring the suburbs downtown. Sound familiar?? They'll build a replica of the exact same stuff you can get anywhere outside of town, won't provide any parking & then wonder why no one is coming.

Can any of the city leaders think of downtown as an actual downtown anymore??

I don't think a movie theatre is "suburban."

Giant multiplexes certainly are. He sounded pretty vague, but seeing that we already have a couple smaller theaters downtown, I assume that's what he's talking about.

But who knows. We're prob all just posting for nothing since he just kinda said it in passing. I'd hope he'd try to fix all the stuff that's really broken about downtown first (and there's a shit-ton of it) than worrying about where to plop a multiplex. We got those already in spades.

Not saying you couldn't do that in town, you most def could (if it were done something like the Regal in Chinatown DC). Meaning it would have to blend in with the current architecture, not look ridiculous & not go huge. But I would hope that would come later after some major restructuring instead of the "build it & they will come" half-assed attitude they've seemed to have done the last couple decades around here concerning downtown.

[Tacachale]

I don't assume he's talking about a huge megaplex. But at any rate, there aren't really any full time theaters dowtown. The ones that are there don't screen regularly; as far as that goes they're not in the league of even small theaters like the 5 Points or San Marco Theaters.

Additionally, iirc there are no theaters in any of the old city neighborhoods that have more than one screen. And "more than one screen" doesn't imply "huge megaplex". Not so long ago we had a number of neighborhood movie theaters with between 3 and 10 screens, and many other cities still do. Currently the movie options for people in these neighborhoods are limited to (a) the 5 Points and San Marco Theaters, (b) going a fair distance to go to the movies, and (c) not going.

[thelakelander]

The true question would be if there is a market for a theater in DT?  I doubt there is a market for another megaplex in this city right now.  So whatever it is would have to serve a niche, be combined within some other product or given a continuous flowing boat load of public money to keep it afloat.  This is something better left for the market to handle, imo.

[Jaxson]

I have to agree with thelakelander.  I am afraid for the theaters in Five Points and San Marco if a multiplex were to open in downtown Jacksonville.  We need to have more density before we even think of opening such a theater.  When downtown has more life, it would be a great idea.  But not now.