Wayfaring Signage Proposed for Baptist Medical Center

[Metro Jacksonville]

Wayfaring Signage Proposed for Baptist Medical Center



In a continuing effort to upgrade and invest in its facilities, Baptist Medical Center is proposing to install wayfaring signage in and around its rapidly growing Southbank campus.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2012-nov-wayfaring-signage-proposed-for-baptist-medical-center

[dougskiles]

Signs look great ... parking lot is still a pedestrian dead zone.

This is the missing link between the Southbank and San Marco, and would be a great place for a mixed use development along San Marco Blvd.  Retail/commercial on the ground floor with workforce housing on the upper floors.  New parking garages would be built along the east side of Palm Avenue.

The hospital staff and long term visitors would keep those units full.  And, the Community Redevelopment Area requires a percentage of affordable housing by state law - something the DIA will have to contend with in coming years.

[thelakelander]

I wonder whatever happened to this 2008 proposal for a portion of that parking lot?









http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-dec-baptist-medical-office-building-renderings

[dougskiles]

^Probably went swirling into the abyss of urban dreams like all of the others.

I didn't know about that plan and will ask around.  I mentioned recently to a certain high ranking Baptist Foundation leader than we feel the hospital is turning their back to the neighborhood - much like the Landing has been accused of doing to Downtown.

There is so much that can be done at the Baptist/Aetna/Prudential campus relative to future commuter rail and Skyway access.  When JTA conducted the San Marco TOD workshop, this was one of the priority areas identified.  I feel that it should be DIA's main focus for the Southbank - how to better connect these large employers with Downtown, San Marco and provide a housing component.

[thelakelander]

I agree. I've always thought the easy thing to do with the skyway in that area is to provide a skywalk over the Acosta and FEC to directly tie into Baptist and Aetna.

[fsujax]

I just hope they don't ever go the way of FSCJ or Shands and start fencing off their property. I know that they are intersted in the commuter rail/Skyway connection at the San Marco Station. Many of their employess actually use the Skyway to access their jobs there.

[JUGrad]

The offices that were supposed to be built on that lot are probably the ones that are now located inside the Aetna Bldg. which is why Baptist has their name on the East/West facade of the building.  Baptist also opened their Age Well Center inside the Aetna Building as well. 

I work in the Aetna Building and let me tell you, that area is the biggest cluster f**k in the afternoon.  The cops are on Palm Avenue stopping traffice so that Baptist Employees can exit from the garage.  What they don't realize is when they're doing this (especially between 430-530pm), the Aetna Garage is backed up all the way to the top because NOTHING is moving.... God forbid a train decides to come through to add to the madness!  And now they added an entrance to/exit from that surface lot onto Palm Avenue???  It's no wonder the proposed condo that was supposed to go up next to the Aetna Bldg failed.  Who in their right mind would spend that much money to live amongst that mess!! 

There... I'm done venting. 

[Jason]

The cut-through in the surface lot should help traffic circulation a lot.

[JUGrad]

The cut-through in the surface lot should help traffic circulation a lot.

Respectfully disagree.  Palm Avenue is already congested enough during rush times to have another lot empty into it... 

[JaxJerry]

Actually, while wayfaring is a term that does involve travel,  a closer reading of the hospital sign reveals the language to be wayfinding, like in "you are here...."

[thelakelander]

Thanks for the catch JaxJerry!

[acme54321]

The cut-through in the surface lot should help traffic circulation a lot.

Respectfully disagree.  Palm Avenue is already congested enough during rush times to have another lot empty into it... 

I believe he was referring to the cut through road they are going to build in the middle of that lot... between Palm and San Marco Blvd.

[Jason]

^ Right, should allow better connectivity throughout the block and also provide built-in infrastructure for future development.

[thelakelander]

I agree.  It basically splits a super block, which should help disperse traffic somewhat, improving overall circulation.  As Jason also states, furthermore it lays the foundation for infill future development that won't permanently sever various multimodal connectivity opportunities.

[JUGrad]

I agree.  It basically splits a super block, which should help disperse traffic somewhat, improving overall circulation.  As Jason also states, furthermore it lays the foundation for infill future development that won't permanently sever various multimodal connectivity opportunities.

It's a one way road; you can't enter the lot from Palm Ave; So, the congestion that already exists on Palm Avenue during rush hour that is fed from all of the Baptist Garages, the Aetna Garage, Prudential Drive cannot be diverted through that road.  All the road does is provide another way for people to get from San Marco Blvd onto Palm Avenue.