Walkable Districts: Edison Avenue

[jaxeeyore]

Many of these old buildings could be refurbished into retail businesses or entertainment venues along the same lines as Five-Points or San Marco Square.  Once established, residential re-development would follow. It could be successful if the city would partner with a group of investors who are willing to put up the capitol. 

[Tacachale]

Many of these old buildings could be refurbished into retail businesses or entertainment venues along the same lines as Five-Points or San Marco Square.  Once established, residential re-development would follow. It could be successful if the city would partner with a group of investors who are willing to put up the capitol. 

Interesting comment from the new user who claimed the private 220 Riverside project was doomed to failure.

[JayBird]

Many of these old buildings could be refurbished into retail businesses or entertainment venues along the same lines as Five-Points or San Marco Square.  Once established, residential re-development would follow. It could be successful if the city would partner with a group of investors who are willing to put up the capitol. 

Interesting comment from the new user who claimed the private 220 Riverside project was doomed to failure.

... 

[peestandingup]

^Which makes no sense, because in these older areas the infrastructure is already in place - even if the neighborhood doesnt look so good on the surface.

And thats why they don't care. If you haven't noticed, Jacksonville has been stuck in the past (on the suburban development teet) for quite a while. Its an industry they can't seem to shake off, even though the markets are telling them to.

You don't get to be the biggest city land wise by making great choices.

[Tacachale]

^Which makes no sense, because in these older areas the infrastructure is already in place - even if the neighborhood doesnt look so good on the surface.

And thats why they don't care. If you haven't noticed, Jacksonville has been stuck in the past (on the suburban development teet) for quite a while. Its an industry they can't seem to shake off, even though the markets are telling them to.

You don't get to be the biggest city land wise by making great choices.

We're the "biggest city land wise" because the city consolidated with the county. The county boundaries have little to do with the actual built environment, which is certainly not the biggest or most sprawling.

[peestandingup]

^Which makes no sense, because in these older areas the infrastructure is already in place - even if the neighborhood doesnt look so good on the surface.

And thats why they don't care. If you haven't noticed, Jacksonville has been stuck in the past (on the suburban development teet) for quite a while. Its an industry they can't seem to shake off, even though the markets are telling them to.

You don't get to be the biggest city land wise by making great choices.

We're the "biggest city land wise" because the city consolidated with the county. The county boundaries have little to do with the actual built environment, which is certainly not the biggest or most sprawling.

We're not the only city who's done that. Its very common in fact. And have you been out to the westside in a while?? I live out here in this god forsaken area (near Herlong Airport) so I see it every day. They're not building that outer beltway for nothing. It's some weird miss mash of rural, then sub divisions galore, then rural, then strip malls, then Wal-Marts, then gaggles of more sub divisions, etc.

Regardless I can assure you, its a "built environment" & not cow pastures. And that kinda thing goes on FAR further out west than I am. We'll be gobbling up Baldwin before you know it. It's pretty ridiculous.

[Tacachale]

^Which makes no sense, because in these older areas the infrastructure is already in place - even if the neighborhood doesnt look so good on the surface.

And thats why they don't care. If you haven't noticed, Jacksonville has been stuck in the past (on the suburban development teet) for quite a while. Its an industry they can't seem to shake off, even though the markets are telling them to.

You don't get to be the biggest city land wise by making great choices.

We're the "biggest city land wise" because the city consolidated with the county. The county boundaries have little to do with the actual built environment, which is certainly not the biggest or most sprawling.

We're not the only city who's done that. Its very common in fact. And have you been out to the westside in a while?? I live out here in this god forsaken area (near Herlong Airport) so I see it every day. They're not building that outer beltway for nothing. It's some weird miss mash of rural, then sub divisions galore, then rural, then strip malls, then Wal-Marts, then gaggles of more sub divisions, etc.

Regardless I can assure you, its a "built environment" & not cow pastures. And that kinda thing goes on FAR further out west than I am. We'll be gobbling up Baldwin before you know it. It's pretty ridiculous.

I've been everywhere, man, locally at least. Yes the built environment includes a lot of sprawl, and yes its a major institutional problem. However it's not particularly connected to the boundaries of Duval County (which is what makes us the "largest city land wise"), and we hardly have the largest built environment or the worst sprawl, even in this state.

[JayBird]

Agree with Tac, def not the worst of either in this state.  And its amazing how much land is still very "rural" in the westside and northside of the city.  One may even argue that if commuter rail came to Jax it would encourage more sprawl in areas of Green Cove, JIA and Yulee.  But I tend not to rely too much on that 'largest land area' title because it means nothing.  In the US the true largest land area is Sitka, Alaska last time they annexed more empty land and someone had told me that largest county in Florida is Collier (do not quote me on that) but will never be a metropolis.  Why?  Because it is all Everglades!  So I don't think land area can really tell anything about sprawl ... unless it is density figures (i.e. people per square mile)

[peestandingup]

I'm aware of all that. Again, I see the unconnected mish mash of rural/sub divisions/strip malls every day. A comment was made that it didn't make sense to not concentrate on these already developed walkable areas in the core. My point was that that's clearly not this city's bag & it has little interest in that. The interest is, however, still in these (mostly) undeveloped areas. Like I said, they're not building giant outer beltways for nothing. They're counting on this type of uncontrolled, unnecessary growth. Even though they can barely keep up with what they have now. It'll wreck them in the end.

I didn't say anything about the outer rims of Duval being super developed. That was the point. Its there, it is being developed (sub divisions, gas stations, Super Wal-Marts, etc). Even the very outer rim has that stuff (although some is unfinished). No one is arguing that the westside/northside its worse than some other "more developed" sprawling suburbs. Just that its there, it is part of Jacksonville/Duval, it IS huge, and that it is under the spotlight. All the while huge chunks of the core sit & rot.

[wafflez]

it's also important to recognize dr. and mrs. kerr of the edison avenue veterinary hospital when talking about both edison ave and north riverside. i know they've both worked hard to do what they could to help keep edison ave alive. their vet clinic has been there for a long long time, like other businesses in the area. i found them by accident and am so glad that i have. walking into the clinic is like stepping back into time, it's a real delight when i had to take my dog there. mrs. kerr also fought hard to bring the animal care & protective services building to the area, which she obviously did successfully. they also participate in north riverside community group (whose name escapes me at this moment) and have a real passion for the area. i also know that dr. kerr has recently had some health issues and i urge everyone to keep him in your thoughts, losing him and his low-cost vet clinic will be a real blow to jacksonville and the potential of the north riverside area.

[Adam W]

it's also important to recognize dr. and mrs. kerr of the edison avenue veterinary hospital when talking about both edison ave and north riverside. i know they've both worked hard to do what they could to help keep edison ave alive. their vet clinic has been there for a long long time, like other businesses in the area. i found them by accident and am so glad that i have. walking into the clinic is like stepping back into time, it's a real delight when i had to take my dog there. mrs. kerr also fought hard to bring the animal care & protective services building to the area, which she obviously did successfully. they also participate in north riverside community group (whose name escapes me at this moment) and have a real passion for the area. i also know that dr. kerr has recently had some health issues and i urge everyone to keep him in your thoughts, losing him and his low-cost vet clinic will be a real blow to jacksonville and the potential of the north riverside area.

The Kerr's referred to in my earlier post! I went to high school with their son, Daniel. I had never been to Lackawanna until Daniel took me over to his house one day after school. I'm sad to hear his father isn't well. They've been in that neighborhood for a really long time.