Retail-less parking garage proposed for Downtown

[vicupstate]

I agree with everyone on here that it is a bad design.  I don't think a garage-only structure even with street retail should be allowed.  Such a prime space needs an office or hotel/residential component of it's own.

As an FYI to the article, the Spring St Garage in Greenville has it's other 'bookend' under construction now.  It is an apartment building with street level retail.

http://www.100east.net/index.html
 
     

[simms3]

That Greenville garage is really nice and fitting to the area.

[JFman00]

I've joked with friends that Jacksonville's tagline should be something like "Jacksonville: Come Marvel At Our Parking Structures" or "Jacksonville: Paving Over History One Parking Lot at a Time". Sad to find out that it's not too far from the truth.

[copperfiend]

I've joked with friends that Jacksonville's tagline should be something like "Jacksonville: Come Marvel At Our Parking Structures" or "Jacksonville: Paving Over History One Parking Lot at a Time". Sad to find out that it's not too far from the truth.

Sadly, it's not that far off.

[Ralph W]

All too many of these multi-level parking structures present a uniform "HEY, here I am, a garage" facade on all sides, with no regard for the ambiance of the area or the general fit.

For a change, I would recommend that the prominent side of a garage be a multi-story multi-use facade of retail with office space above, backed by said garage, with entrances/exits to the rear (or side, but not the front), effectively hiding the fact that this is a potentially ugly but necessary structure. Provision could be made for secure access from the garage to the tenant spaces while the public takes the elevator or stairs to the ground level exiting to the main drag and the amenities of the area. This would also ensure that everybody renting, owning or using the built out spaces would have a front row seat to the good side and not be overlooking the alley or parking lots.

[Captain Zissou]

I am still not convinced that dedicated parking spaces in a garage across the street will really work well for the landing. It is still a suburban style shopping center, so I don't know that an urban style parking solution will suffice. I'm not saying throw down a surface lot. Opening up the landing to water street and Laura would do more than any parking solution, in my opinion.  If you make it into a more urban style development, people will be more urban minded when parking and walking. All these garages are bandaids that delay our addressing the more serious problem.

[fsquid]

at least make it free on the weekends.

[Dapperdan]

If they pass this design, I will have lost all respect for this current adminsitration. It is one embarrasment after another.

[Tacachale]

How is the city even considering this if it doesn't resolve the parking obligation to the Landing? How are we even considering variances that don't do anything to improve the environment downtown? This is so disappointing.

[CityLife]

Simms, it appears the partners of this "development" are from Atlanta. Surely they wouldn't propose something so poor in Downtown/Midtown Atl. They must think we're a bunch of yokels if they expect our city to actually pay them 3.5 million for something so poor. Perhaps they just assume that we like poorly designed buildings after seeing how much we paid for the monstrosity that is the new courthouse.

I think this proposal may be an attempt to lower expectations for the development and make a second or third proposal look much better. They have know DDRB will pick this apart and tell them to fix it. This way when they come back for round two it will look much better in comparison to the original. Or maybe I'm giving them too much credit.

[avonjax]

Here we go again. HORRIBLE idea.

[Kay]

Great point Riverside Planner.  If a project is getting city money, it should go above and beyond the standard requirements instead of below them.

I think you mean JeffreyS 

Seriously I will contact every member of the city council and the Mayor and I expect the same from everyone here. Do they really expect the tax payer to pony up 3.5mil so they can give us less.  Pay them to be detrimental to our city no way.  Be pissed about this people.

It doesn't go to City Council to my knowledge but to the Downtown review board.  That is who you need to inundate and show up at the hearings.

[Jaimen]

BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[copperfiend]

Simms, it appears the partners of this "development" are from Atlanta. Surely they wouldn't propose something so poor in Downtown/Midtown Atl. They must think we're a bunch of yokels if they expect our city to actually pay them 3.5 million for something so poor. Perhaps they just assume that we like poorly designed buildings after seeing how much we paid for the monstrosity that is the new courthouse.

I was going to say, maybe they drove around a core. It's not like high standards have been set.

[JeffreyS]

Great point Riverside Planner.  If a project is getting city money, it should go above and beyond the standard requirements instead of below them.

I think you mean JeffreyS 

Seriously I will contact every member of the city council and the Mayor and I expect the same from everyone here. Do they really expect the tax payer to pony up 3.5mil so they can give us less.  Pay them to be detrimental to our city no way.  Be pissed about this people.

It doesn't go to City Council to my knowledge but to the Downtown review board.  That is who you need to inundate and show up at the hearings.

Will do thanks. I will say I have already received responses from my City Council email's this morning about looking at the details of the project.