Why are the beaches sort of...run down...a bit?

[rjp2008]

Maybe this is only a matter of perspective, but I'm wondering why the beaches isn't a bigger tourist draw, why many houses (right near the beach!) are looking run-down, unmaintained. The hangout areas seem more college student oriented than catering to upscale working young adult.

Did something happen at the beaches preventing it from really taking off? It seems like two extremes - a super exclusive, beautiful but boring Ponte Vedra area to the south, and then a rougher, unkempt do whatever area to the north. What happened to the middle of these extremes?

[David]

Jax Beach was in worse shape decades ago from what I've heard. The RITZ used to be a rough biker bar, there were shacks all along first street where the condos are at now. But I know what you're saying.

I lived in the heart of Jax Beach for 6 months and I drove into downtown/riverside almost every night.  I quickly realized I never wanted to live far from downtown ever again after that whole deal. Aesthetically, Jax Beach needs some help, so many  down-trodden stripmalls and aging developments.

But as far as night life, restaurants and happenings, bike/pedestrian friendliness they've definitely got the connectivity going on. And the residents have the same fierce sense of community that a lot of us do over here. As for what you're saying about the upscale factor, I do believe they're trying for that angle now. On one website they said they want to be "the south beach of north florida" So it's coming it's just taking it's time like everything else in this town.

[copperfiend]

I completely disagree. What do you call the area with Joe's, Sneakers and Campeche Bay? Go there on a Saturday night and you will see a fairly large amount of upper middle class people. There is a new Chicago Pizza, The Atlantic, Finn McCools. Publix is building a new store just off Beach and 3rd. And don't forget the plaza that has Bonefish and Roy's.

[thebrokenforum]

The Beaches have a little of everything. Depending on the time of the year the crowds change. There's a large number of people fiercely opposed to developing the area into something like South Beach. In fact,. I think there's a height restriction on high rises now...if any other ones were to be built. Personally I think that kind of sucks.

However, the crowds at the beaches this summer have been massive. If it did develop into something like South Beach it would be kind of crazy. Then you have PVB. Love it there but they are severely opposed to anything even resembling Jax Beach. They've fought hard to keep it that way for a long, long time. It's hilarious (to me at least) that the only drive thru joint in all of PVB is McDonald's and it will stay that way until Hell freezes over. The signage committee in PVB runs things with an iron fist. They are, for lack of a better term, "sign nazis", hence the reason you don't see anything close to the actual road - It's all kept pushed back and with quiet, non-intrusive lighting and signage. 

[thelakelander]

The Beaches have a little of everything. Depending on the time of the year the crowds change. There's a large number of people fiercely opposed to developing the area into something like South Beach. In fact,. I think there's a height restriction on high rises now...if any other ones were to be built. Personally I think that kind of sucks.

Its kind of funny because most of South Beach is actually low rise.  The building setbacks are just smaller.  So the 35ft height limit actually increases Jax Beach's chances of resembling a South Beach type atmosphere because developers will have consume most of their plots of land to squeeze enough square footage on them to make a feasible project.









http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/729/118/

[thebrokenforum]

Good point. Cool pics too. I guess I mean more of the neon glitz and crowds that dwell there. The recent pics in the TU of the beaches here (with massive crowds) reminded me a lot of Miami.

[Basstacular]

I was born and raised in Jax. Beach and currently have a condo at the beach.  My condo is a modest 2/2 on 15th right in SW Jax. Beach and what some might consider run down beach housing I think carries a bit of beach charm.  I absolutely love the fact that Jax. Beach has not turned into a tourist trap and could not agree more about the sense of pride lifetime residents, such as myself maintain.  I could not ask for a better nightlife with clean, maintained, well staffed and secured and above all fun places to go out.  With that said, I will be splitting time living in a studio DT once complete and love our DT lifestyle.  It will be my utopia living both DT and the beach on what ever night I like.

[rjp2008]

Thanks for all the responses so far, very interesting.

I think going for a SoBe style area wouldn't be good - (the actual beaches there are terrible anyway!). The peaceful quality and quiet of Jax beach is appealing.

[David]

I was born and raised in Jax. Beach and currently have a condo at the beach.  My condo is a modest 2/2 on 15th right in SW Jax. Beach and what some might consider run down beach housing I think carries a bit of beach charm.  I absolutely love the fact that Jax. Beach has not turned into a tourist trap and could not agree more about the sense of pride lifetime residents, such as myself maintain.  I could not ask for a better nightlife with clean, maintained, well staffed and secured and above all fun places to go out.  With that said, I will be splitting time living in a studio DT once complete and love our DT lifestyle.  It will be my utopia living both DT and the beach on what ever night I like.

That's pretty much what i've always wanted to do too, have a place in both locations. I liked living out at the beach, it's just i'm from this side of town so my life is over here, I wound up spending alot of gas bouncing back and forth, never got into the "don't cross the ditch" mentality out there. If I could have it my way, I'd put the beaches & riverside/downtown right next to each other. Both areas have a unique feel to them that you don't get elsewhere in the city.  I'll definetely be out there tomorrow riding my beachcruiser around celebrating the 4th!

[thebrokenforum]

never got into the "dont' cross the ditch" mentality

Lol. I heard this a lot when I first moved here and was like, "huh?"

[vicupstate]

I was born and raised in Jax. Beach and currently have a condo at the beach.  My condo is a modest 2/2 on 15th right in SW Jax. Beach and what some might consider run down beach housing I think carries a bit of beach charm.  I absolutely love the fact that Jax. Beach has not turned into a tourist trap and could not agree more about the sense of pride lifetime residents, such as myself maintain.  I could not ask for a better nightlife with clean, maintained, well staffed and secured and above all fun places to go out.  With that said, I will be splitting time living in a studio DT once complete and love our DT lifestyle.  It will be my utopia living both DT and the beach on what ever night I like.

Well said.  When I first saw Atlantic/Neptune/Jax Beaches for the first time in the mid '90's, I was pleasantly surprised by how different and not sanitized/yuppified it was.  

A 2 Br rental within 4-5 blocks of the beach was very reasonable. For the most part it was clean enough but still economical enough for the average person to actual live there.  Nothing fancy, but well-kept enough.  A certain amount of 'grit' is appealling in my opinion.  

Along the SC coast the beaches range from wealthy Ponte Vedra-like enclaves like Hilton Head, to 'arrogantly shabby' Pawley's Island to Jax Beach-like rental/mom and pop hotel stretches in Myrtle Beach.  

I was amazed to find the same variety just within Duval County (with PV tacked on) alone.   Just as much variety in 40 miles as SC had in 280.  It blew my mind.        

[David]

never got into the "dont' cross the ditch" mentality

Lol. I heard this a lot when I first moved here and was like, "huh?"

Yea it's that magical waterway that seperates townies from....what do we call beach people anyway, beachies?

Some of the old school Riversiders treat the St. Johns the same way. "I don't want to cross the river tonight, i'll turn into a pumpkin" 

I just can't get behind that way of thinking, that's why we have bridges!!!