Is downtown fading?

[thelakelander]

If entertaining a guest, make sure to dine at a waterfront restaurant on a weekend evening.  The atmosphere is lively enough that you won't easily notice the negatives.

[Anti redneck]

If entertaining a guest, make sure to dine at a waterfront restaurant on a weekend evening.  The atmosphere is lively enough that you won't easily notice the negatives.

Ok, but what if it is just visitors without anyone to show them around, but staying at the Hyatt? What would they think? Remember the reaction Eagles/Patriots fans got during the Super Bowl?

[Noone]

Noone, like I told you at CPAC, I want to kayak or canoe with you too.  Send me a PM.  Let's set something up in the next few weeks. 

Debbie, I can't wait. We'll Make It Happen. It will be fun. We'll do Hogans Creek. River Cleanup Celebration this weekend. So it will be cleaner.

What an Epoch opportunity to share with you an opportunity to reclaim access to our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a Federal Initiative.

I can't wait to hear all the exciting things that are going on in Springfield.

When we are on the water we will be able to tell everyone because of legislation.....

We are Downtown and why you aren't.

[thelakelander]

If entertaining a guest, make sure to dine at a waterfront restaurant on a weekend evening.  The atmosphere is lively enough that you won't easily notice the negatives.

Ok, but what if it is just visitors without anyone to show them around, but staying at the Hyatt? What would they think? Remember the reaction Eagles/Patriots fans got during the Super Bowl?

Yes.  But that reaction had more to do with Jacksonville being a smaller city hosting the Super Bowl in general than the Landing itself.  With that said, I know the Landing has its problems.  In fact, most of the old Rouse festival marketplaces do.

[Debbie Thompson]

I think the City blew it for Super Bowl, but then we didn't really have a lot to work with downtown, either.  I worked downtown when the city hosted the Super Bowl.  I worked a block from The Landing, and you would not even have known the crowds were there.  The city set up one corridor of tents from the stadium to The Landing, and they were full of expensive junk and food vendors.  Temporary stores sprang up to sell overpriced t-shirts and hats.  Everyone who came was pretty much funnelled along the river, unless they went to one of the temporary titty bars.  Nothing was made available to them outside that line of tents.  I looked for, but did not find, information about other things to do.  Maybe I wasn't looking in the right place, but I don't know that a casual visitor would not have found info available along that venue.

Working downtown, I thought the Super Bowl would be so exciting.  That venue depressed me instead. 

[fsujax]

On another note I noticed yesterday build out has started for the 7-11 at the corner of Forsyth and Julia.

[tufsu1]

If entertaining a guest, make sure to dine at a waterfront restaurant on a weekend evening.  The atmosphere is lively enough that you won't easily notice the negatives.

Ok, but what if it is just visitors without anyone to show them around, but staying at the Hyatt? What would they think?

Tons of them do it every year....and you know what...many of them say things like "what a beautiful river and skyline" "why aren't there more people walking around" and "don't Jax. residents see the jewel they have here".

I was in charge of a conference a few years back that was at the Hyatt for 700 urban planners from around the state....many shared these thoughts.

[urbanlibertarian]

I live DT and I go to Chicago Pizza when I want a sports bar.  The outdoor bar at Koja is a great place to watch the sunset.  Fionn McCool's is great.  The Landing has absolutely improved since Sleiman took it over.  I can't really blame him for not sinking more money in it without owning the land underneath it.

[Debbie Thompson]

Or having the parking that was promised when it was built.  :-)

[Anti redneck]

Or having the parking that was promised when it was built.  :-)

That is definitely something I would keep on the city about. Granted, they're a bunch of liars and will never put in any parking.

[Tacachale]

Or having the parking that was promised when it was built.  :-)

That is definitely something I would keep on the city about. Granted, they're a bunch of liars and will never put in any parking.

Not really. The city nearly settled the deal last year in a way that would have been to Sleiman's favor. It was killed when Sleiman pushed through a bill that would have bilked the city out of substantially more than what the city's obligation was.

In addition, the city set aside money from the Laura St facade grants for the Landing, and Sleiman has put together an impressive plan for the improvements. However it won't be done without the parking issue being resolved, and that's on Sleiman this round.

[Debbie Thompson]

I did not know that.  Somehow I missed that, and I thought I was up to speed.  I knew it was almost settled last year.  Didn't know Sleiman was the one who messed it up.  What was he thinking?  Now I have to go back and read what I missed.  :-)

[Tacachale]

^The city's actual obligation to the Landing at this point is about $3.5 million toward a parking garage, upon its completion, plus a parking validation program. However, they were about to settle a deal that would have given Sleiman $3.5 million and a validation program without having to build a garage. In the end, Sleiman pushed a bill that would have given him another $1.9 million toward short term parking subsidies. This little addition is what caused Peyton to veto the deal.

I'm not anti-Sleiman. But the city doesn't deserve all the blame in this situation. This round, the issue was Sleiman trying to get much more out of the deal than the actual obligation.

[jerry cornwell]

Good luck on moving forward for residential occupation and recreation on DT. There are some excellent establishments DT for now.
  The dominance of First Baptist Church, several indignant service facilities, centralized location for our local government, and easily accessible natural resources for pleasure are all great features in their own right.
  For me personally, the excitement is in Riverside. The most walkable, bike-able neighborhood with young establishments opening weekly, with the most affordability in Florida for young adults means...
Riverside and J(action)ville is happening!

[Ocklawaha]

I think your mention of 'the dominance of FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH' might actually be right on target. Is there another institution in downtown that regularly pumps 10,000 people into the core 2 or 3 times a week, year round? Consider that First Baptist and a host of other churches in the core virtually guarantee 'population'. This population in true southern tradition leaves the church looking for restaurants, recreation and retail.

If MJ, our resident priest and FBC friends could organize a business - DT 'roundtable,' we might be the catalyst for some amazing change. What if the ENTIRE church community in the core announced Sunday, Wednesday, and other days as visit downtown days. What if the ENTIRE food, and entertainment businesses planned for and invited the crowds in? Rather then seeing these churches as obstacles, better to embrace them and have them embrace downtown.

I think MJ could set this up.