Riverside YMCA Plans to be Released Friday

[dougskiles]

Agreed.

DDRB is a DESIGN review board.  They are not charged with "how do I get others to accept a substandard design so that the company I work for gets their project approved".  They are not charged with "how do I help the project to become more economically feasible by relaxing the design standards".

[Dog Walker]

The Y folks did mention that they were open to proposals for development along Riverside Ave.  It would make sense for them to long-term-lease or sell a strip there for retail development.  With the complex being built directly across the street this might just work for them.

[tufsu1]

The properties along riverside are difficult because they are long and linear....and folks want to be near the river.

Not that this concept would work for the Y,but my idea would be two buildings with parking in between

[rjr120]

I like the idea of the new Y being on the Riverwalk and a rental apartment high-rise with an incorporated parking garage and retail fronting Riverside Ave.  The garage, of course, would have to provide parking for residents, retail customers, and the Y.

Since that idea might be a bit far fetched, then maybe they could consider this.  They build the new building as planned on the track closer to the river and work out a temporary arrangement to use the lot next to them for parking.  Then they can postpone the administrative move while they build an extension to the new building were the old building is.  This extension would a parking garage (I'm thinking ground and sub level) with some type of interaction on Riverside Ave and the new administrative offices on top.

[ubben]

River Fit Gym in the Landing has no Jesus paintings hanging on the wall and no ridiculous bibles on podiums in the middle of the gym floor. Feeling insecure much, YMCA? And oh yeah, it costs a whole lot less to be a member. Better view too.

[Ralph W]

River Fit Gym in the Landing has no Jesus paintings hanging on the wall and no ridiculous bibles on podiums in the middle of the gym floor. Feeling insecure much, YMCA? And oh yeah, it costs a whole lot less to be a member. Better view too.

An apples to oranges comparison, don't you think?

http://www.ymca.net/

[fsquid]

River Fit Gym in the Landing has no Jesus paintings hanging on the wall and no ridiculous bibles on podiums in the middle of the gym floor. Feeling insecure much, YMCA? And oh yeah, it costs a whole lot less to be a member. Better view too.

So don't go there.  Jesus

[Captain Zissou]

The properties along riverside are difficult because they are long and linear....and folks want to be near the river.

Not that this concept would work for the Y,but my idea would be two buildings with parking in between

The Everbank building is behind the dupont trust, but employees have an uninterupted view of the river because the first few floors are parking.  Riverside Ave is probably 20-25 feet higher than the riverwalk, so a building with any height to it put at the street would be able to see over any 3 story 40 foot building on the water anyway.  Street level retail doesn't need windows in the rear and a residential or commercial building usually would have utilities, a lobby, or parking on the first floor which wouldn't need river views.   

[funwithteeth]

River Fit Gym in the Landing has no Jesus paintings hanging on the wall and no ridiculous bibles on podiums in the middle of the gym floor. Feeling insecure much, YMCA? And oh yeah, it costs a whole lot less to be a member. Better view too.

This is some weird animosity. I'm both a member of the Y and an atheist. They could have life-sized marble statues of Christ on the cross for all I care; as long as I don't have staff members proselytizing at me at every turn, I'm content.

The only valid criticism you have is the cost. I get a discount through my job; I pay $30 a month for access to every Y in the city. If it weren't for that, I'd sign up for somewhere else. (And, honestly, I'm close to signing up with somewhere else, anyway. I may join Snap Fitness once they get their Oak Street location up and running. I've already experienced two price hikes at the Y since joining nearly four years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if another one comes along to help pay for the new building.)

[JaxNative68]

A while back I considered joining the Y, but was turned off by the membership fees being based on your annual income.  It didn't seem fair that I had to pay $35+ more than someone else for the same membership and use of the same facility ammenities.  Were they actually going to ask for a copy of my W-2 for proof of what they were going to charge me?  Do they still continue with this practice?

[funwithteeth]

They do. That I get the bargain I do is due to my place of employment partnering with the Y. If it weren't for that, I'd be paying a lot more for my membership. Not that I'd be a member if I had to pay more. $30 a month is a bargain considering the access it gives me, but only once or twice a month do I trek out to a location that isn't the Riverside one, as why would I go to that trouble when I have one right in my neighborhood? The only reason I didn't join Snap when I moved to Riverside is the Margaret location is far too small.

[Charles Hunter]

There is precedent for a Y to sell off part of their land.  In Arlington, they sold the riverfront to a residential developer (just before the res. market tanked).  Not sure what they did with the money, because, from driving by, it doesn't look like there's any new facilities.

So, maybe they will sell, or lease, the Riverside Avenue frontage to a developer?

[MEGATRON]

There is precedent for a Y to sell off part of their land.  In Arlington, they sold the riverfront to a residential developer (just before the res. market tanked).  Not sure what they did with the money, because, from driving by, it doesn't look like there's any new facilities.

So, maybe they will sell, or lease, the Riverside Avenue frontage to a developer?

I have little doubt that the Y would love to do that, if it can find someone interested in the property.  I think that's at least a few years away seeing as how the frontage at teh Haskell property has gone undeveloped at the retail in the Everbank building is empty.

[PeeJayEss]

Lol, Welcome to Jacksonville.  We're still learning the importance of pedestrian scale design.  Hopefully, the layout will be improved once they start working with DDRB or DIA.

I see you added "hopefully" the layout will be improved.

Let's be serious....do we have a reason to be hopeful? What's the likely outcome? Something tells me when an organization like the Y spends thousands on plans for a $21 million dollar renovation, they're not going to want to spend more $$ to change what they already see as a good design.

There is always hope:

http://www.youtube.com/v/1ix03iJm3Bw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1ix03iJm3Bw

[If_I_Loved_you]

The one reason I left the "Y" several years ago I didn't like the group shower's. I hope they have changed this since I left back in the 1980's. I look forward to this new building and if I'm still in this town by then I will join!