So what's your vision of what Jacksonville could be?

[Anti redneck]

I'll throw in some ideas. I really can't speak to how such things should be done, but I can speak to what I think end results should be.

Jacksonville could have stronger, safer neighborhoods and more of a sense of a community despite it's unique and wide-spreading geography. While diverse in its many areas, Jacksonville could be a source of pride for its residents no matter what area they live in or what type of lifestyle the prefer. Urbanites and suburbanites alike could take pride in where they live. There could be centers of community in areas far from downtown, such as Mandarin, Baymeadows, Town Center, Arlington, etc etc. These centers would be parks, ampitheaters, a square--something simple or not so simple, but it would be there and be something that if you lived in that area, the drive or the train ride is not too far.

Transportation within Jacksonville could serve a common outcome: choices and utility. With choices, there is mass transit where appropriate, and with utility, people are getting where they need to go without five lanes of aggravation or taking two hours to go 5 miles. With these two things, Jacksonville could grow in a more healthy way.

Jacksonville could be a destination for businesses of all sizes. The current hi-rises downtown could be filled with small and midsize businesses, even without the help of the big players. But not only downtown...even the southside offices could be a place where there exist many businesses, many JOBS, and not just 7 Eleven jobs.

Jacksonville could have its own identity and it's own culture, both based on history and based on the history that is being made right now. This identity would be well known nationwide, not because we have some kind of "draw" or gimmick, but because we have a community that works.

Again, not even going to get into what's possible or how it should be done. That's just what I think.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't that been the mindset of Jacksonville for the past 4 or 5 decades?

[danem]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't that been the mindset of Jacksonville for the past 4 or 5 decades?

I can't really speak to that, but since I am describing something that doesn't exist, obviously the implementation has failed or some folks in charge have had a different vision and have been trying to implement that.

Maybe I'm being too general? I mean, I read on here that one plan for downtown was to have raised sidewalks so people could walk over the traffic. Or for Riverside Ave to be expanded to six lanes. And then there's the one individual who occasionally posts on here and on the Times Union site that we should bulldoze the entire downtown and replace it with a Town Center clone. I suppose those who think these things think they are accomplishing the same things!

The bottom line of most of what I was saying is that there are a couple neighborhoods who seem to have some sort of order and good function for those who live there, and others who just put crap everywhere and expect is to live in the middle of it and drive to it. I drive through many areas and I'm just like...ewww. My vision is no more "eww"...or a lot less. Hope that clarifies.

[Anti redneck]

^ Hmmm.... raised sidewalks downtown doesn't seem like a bad idea. How could Riverside Ave. be expanded into 6 lanes? Doesn't look like there's enough room. I never heard the idea of bulldoze downtown and replace it with a town center clone, but whoever thinks that is an idiot. Adding a town center in downtown? I'm all for that. But make it its own town center with a different atmosphere. What's the only way to bring Jacksonville residents to an area of town? Build the biggest, latest thing. Look at the track record. What do you mean by "throwing crap in a neighborhood for people to live in the middle of it and drive to it"?

[JFman00]

Here's one man's opinion (not mine) of what Jax could be

Some say, Jacksonville is a diamond that wants to remain coal. What would it be like if Jacksonville were a city that didn't hate itself... led by people who acknowledged its achievements?

http://www.news4jax.com/news/What-if-Jacksonville-suddenly-woke-up/-/475880/10023068/-/ovgpsiz/-/index.html

[Anti redneck]

Here's one man's opinion (not mine) of what Jax could be

Some say, Jacksonville is a diamond that wants to remain coal. What would it be like if Jacksonville were a city that didn't hate itself... led by people who acknowledged its achievements?

http://www.news4jax.com/news/What-if-Jacksonville-suddenly-woke-up/-/475880/10023068/-/ovgpsiz/-/index.html

I remember reading that a while back. Some of those things were pretty good that is not too late to bring out. Is it a possibility that the people who lead this city in the past drove it into the ground because they just hated Jacksonville? I do wish they'd do something today.

On another note, a piano bar dedicated to Ray Charles in the heart of downtown would be really awesome.