Landing turns 25 years old

[blizz01]

I miss the shooting gallery.....

[CityLife]

MacCool's coming to the Landing was huge. Before my city days, I lived at the beach and its got (or used to have) a good rep out there. I know we spent a lot less time at Lynch's when it opened.  Having that brand recognition definitely helps The Landing.

If Sleiman could somehow pull another MacCool's type place or two, I think the Landing would really turn into an entertainment destination for people that don't normally hang out downtown. I know its a lame brand, but a Salt Life Food Shack would be great there. Like it or not, its a locally cultivated brand and a name many people around the state/south associate with Jax. I love the decor in there and think the food is solid. They are opening locations in Stuart and Coral Springs, so you know they are doing well and looking to expand.

I'm a Dos Gatos/BG type guy and don't hang out at the Landing all that much (not that there is anything wrong with it), but I think there's definitely some potential there. Especially if Sleiman could ever get popular local places like Cruisers, Mojo, Salt Life, etc. Heck put Angie's Subs in somewhere and I'm there 3 days a week.  Screw Fuddruckers...give us Cruisers. If they can open at San Jose and University, surely they can make it work at The Landing.

Definitely time to re-think the food court though. I shared my thoughts at The Landing design charrette a few years ago, but would be interested to see what others think.

[Ocklawaha]

The whole place reeks of stale pee and truck stop matinenance...

...Where the hell are the bulldozers?

...Who's hoarding the infamous Jacksonville dynamite?

We finally have a building complex that needs that good old Jacksonville treatment and now EVERYONE wants to turn preservationist.

This place needs the mother of all reconstruction.

[finehoe]

LOL @ Ock

[thelakelander]

After 25 years, Flamer's calls it quits....

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/423471/gary-mills/2012-08-27/after-25-years-jacksonville-landing-eatery-closes

Down from an original lineup of 18, there are only three restaurants left in the food court: Calvin’s Cajun Express, Sakkio Japan, and Great Wraps.

[Dapperdan]

I have no idea if this is the economy of if Sleighman's rents are too high. Is the food court idea stale and outdated? There needs to be places people can drop in for a quick bite, but that place wreaks of 80's mall, and not in a good way.

[thelakelander]

It's outdated and there are better options for a quick meal in downtown.  However, to be honest, that space shouldn't be a food court.  More revenue would be generated if it became a sit down restaurant or two, overlooking the river.  I always like Sleiman's idea of doing just that and shifting the food court eateries to the ground level, overlooking the green space that used to be were the Jackson statue was located.

[Tacachale]

It's outdated and there are better options for a quick meal in downtown.  However, to be honest, that space shouldn't be a food court.  More revenue would be generated if it became a sit down restaurant or two, overlooking the river.  I always like Sleiman's idea of doing just that and shifting the food court eateries to the ground level, overlooking the green space that used to be were the Jackson statue was located.

Yeah, that design is pretty solid.

[tufsu1]

FYI...Flamers had closed many of their other branches before the Landing store...the one in the Avenues Mall food court closed over a year ago

[Bosco]

My wife & I visited the landing last night (Friday). It was the first time we've been there on a night in a long time that was not related to some holiday or football game. I parked on the street nearby and was immediately accosted by a panhandler. As we walked over to the landing we saw homeless people in every direction. They actually outnumbered the pedestrians who did not appear to be homeless. Upon arrival at the landing, they had live bands and entertainment, which were all pretty good! (BTW I did not realize there still were people doing Elvis impersonations). The landing was fairly busy, but the crowd was very rough looking. Looked like a trashy redneck get-together is the nicest way I can say it. Many more homeless types scattered throughout. Restaurant experience was disappointing for many reasons (ex. I had to ask for napkins for my wife & I four times). Not a great date night experience nor very appealing to bring the whole family. As I stood in the courtyard I wondered what an out of town visitor might think. It made me sad to realize it would just reinforce the negative perceptions many have of Jacksonville. As we left we were treated to two individuals fighting on the street and again asked for change. The landing has a beautiful, central location in downtown. It is truly a shame that it has decayed into it's current state. Needless to say we won't be returning soon.

[Pinky]

My wife & I visited the landing last night (Friday). It was the first time we've been there on a night in a long time that was not related to some holiday or football game. I parked on the street nearby and was immediately accosted by a panhandler. As we walked over to the landing we saw homeless people in every direction. They actually outnumbered the pedestrians who did not appear to be homeless. Upon arrival at the landing, they had live bands and entertainment, which were all pretty good! (BTW I did not realize there still were people doing Elvis impersonations). The landing was fairly busy, but the crowd was very rough looking. Looked like a trashy redneck get-together is the nicest way I can say it. Many more homeless types scattered throughout. Restaurant experience was disappointing for many reasons (ex. I had to ask for napkins for my wife & I four times). Not a great date night experience nor very appealing to bring the whole family. As I stood in the courtyard I wondered what an out of town visitor might think. It made me sad to realize it would just reinforce the negative perceptions many have of Jacksonville. As we left we were treated to two individuals fighting on the street and again asked for change. The landing has a beautiful, central location in downtown. It is truly a shame that it has decayed into it's current state. Needless to say we won't be returning soon.

I agree with you Bosco- The Landing is run down and shabby, the decor is dated and depressing, and the whole place seems poorly managed.  It's sad that so many visitors likely form negative opinions of our city based on that dump.

I live downtown and think that dealing with the homeless people, especially the aggressive panhandlers, should be one of the biggest priorities if we want people to return to the city.  I'm a fairly menacing looking person (shaved head, covered in tattoos, muscular), my demeanor is definitely not "warm and inviting", and yet I'm routinely accosted by bums downtown; I can only imagine that it's much worse for women, or the elderly, or anyone who presents an "easier target". Indeed, my 83 year old dad had a really bad experience leaving my loft a few weeks ago; if I hadn't needed to run out to my car for something, enabling me to run the guy off, I'm fairly sure that he would have been robbed.

When I tell people I live downtown, the homeless issue is cited more than anything else as a reason why others stay away.  More than parking, more than the lack of shopping or places to eat, more than the hassle of living in an urban environment; it's the homeless that keep "suburbanites" away, and will continue to do so. 

[Noone]

We need another Pub Crawl!!!

[Tacachale]

My wife & I visited the landing last night (Friday). It was the first time we've been there on a night in a long time that was not related to some holiday or football game. I parked on the street nearby and was immediately accosted by a panhandler. As we walked over to the landing we saw homeless people in every direction. They actually outnumbered the pedestrians who did not appear to be homeless. Upon arrival at the landing, they had live bands and entertainment, which were all pretty good! (BTW I did not realize there still were people doing Elvis impersonations). The landing was fairly busy, but the crowd was very rough looking. Looked like a trashy redneck get-together is the nicest way I can say it. Many more homeless types scattered throughout. Restaurant experience was disappointing for many reasons (ex. I had to ask for napkins for my wife & I four times). Not a great date night experience nor very appealing to bring the whole family. As I stood in the courtyard I wondered what an out of town visitor might think. It made me sad to realize it would just reinforce the negative perceptions many have of Jacksonville. As we left we were treated to two individuals fighting on the street and again asked for change. The landing has a beautiful, central location in downtown. It is truly a shame that it has decayed into it's current state. Needless to say we won't be returning soon.

I agree with you Bosco- The Landing is run down and shabby, the decor is dated and depressing, and the whole place seems poorly managed.  It's sad that so many visitors likely form negative opinions of our city based on that dump.

I live downtown and think that dealing with the homeless people, especially the aggressive panhandlers, should be one of the biggest priorities if we want people to return to the city.  I'm a fairly menacing looking person (shaved head, covered in tattoos, muscular), my demeanor is definitely not "warm and inviting", and yet I'm routinely accosted by bums downtown; I can only imagine that it's much worse for women, or the elderly, or anyone who presents an "easier target". Indeed, my 83 year old dad had a really bad experience leaving my loft a few weeks ago; if I hadn't needed to run out to my car for something, enabling me to run the guy off, I'm fairly sure that he would have been robbed.

When I tell people I live downtown, the homeless issue is cited more than anything else as a reason why others stay away.  More than parking, more than the lack of shopping or places to eat, more than the hassle of living in an urban environment; it's the homeless that keep "suburbanites" away, and will continue to do so.

I'd say yes, it's a problem, but less so than some of our other problems. There are other cities with much worse homeless problems who have more vibrant downtowns than we do. Quod vide Orlando. They have a substantially worse downtown homeless issue than we do, on top of a much more suburbanized, Disneyfied metro area, but they have a more vibrant downtown. If they can pull it off, there's absolutely no reason we can't.

We need another Pub Crawl!!!

A'int that the truth!

[thelakelander]

We need another Pub Crawl!!!

A'int that the truth!

^We're working on that right now.

[dougskiles]

I'm a fairly menacing looking person (shaved head, covered in tattoos, muscular), my demeanor is definitely not "warm and inviting", and yet I'm routinely accosted by bums downtown;

I am the opposite of what you describe (clean cut, usually well-dressed, smiling and very approachable).

I walk through Hemming Plaza just about every day, starting my trip from the Skyway station and then walking either to the Ed Ball building, City Hall or JEA.

Every Saturday morning I run through downtown and the riverwalk.

I can't remember the last time I was panhandled.  Seriously.

One friend who works at the Ed Ball building (Public Works) tells me he is constantly panhandled in Hemming Park.  And I believe all of the stories I read here.  It is a mystery to me why some people are approached and others are not.

I am very comfortable around the people in the park and often try to make eye contact with them first and smile, say hello, or anything to be polite.  They usually just smile back, rarely do they ask for anything.