A skatepark..built by the skaters..funded by the skateboarder-1901 diy skatespot

[1901DIYSKATESPOT]

Hello everyone, my name is Broc Litton and I have a progressive thought for this progressive city.  I want to build a small skatepark in the the urban core, built by skaters and funded by the skaters of Jacksonville through fundraisers. I'm hoping to be granted a piece of public land that is invaluable to the city....(under a bridge ideally, unsellable land.) Cities such as Portland, San Diego, Seattle, San Pedro, Philadelphia, and St. Louis already have established skater funded and built parks.  I have been looking at the lot of land under 1-10 at the intersection Myrtle Avenue and Dennis Street. Also the lot of land where the Springfield Community Garden once stood on the corner of 1st and Main. Below is a small example of what other cities have been able to do, fully skater built and skate funded. Please offer some opinions on what I can do to make this possible in our growing city of Jacksonville.------Broc Litton

Marginal Way Skatepark in Seattle, a very inspiring 2 minute video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbI1SQCECPo

Brooklyn Street Skatespot in Portland https://www.facebook.com/brooklynstreetskatespot?ref=ts&fref=ts

CULTURE-CULTURE-CULTURE 

[thelakelander]

Sounds cool.  As a word of advice, most of the sites under bridges fall within the maintenance of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) instead of the City of Jacksonville.  It may be helpful to meet with the organizers of RAM because they would have had to go through the process of getting FDOT approval for that event. Also, the property on Main Street in Springfield, where the community garden used to be) is privately owned.

[Noone]

Very Cool. Imagine the venue under the Acosta and tying it in to the Northbank Riverwalk. Downtown a Destination and not a pass through. Welcome to the forum.

[InnerCityPressure]

Imagine the venue under the Acosta and tying it in to the Northbank Riverwalk.

I was thinking the same.  Something closer to downtown would be great.  I immediately thought of the prime location of the skate park on the Southbank here in London.  It's a great (and legal) canvas for street artists, too.  Countless tourists spectate and grab a bite from nearby food trucks.  I could see it working in Jax for sure.

[1901DIYSKATESPOT]

I have been looking recently at the area by the tunnel on Myrtle Ave N that segregates Downtown from Riverside. The property about 200 feet down Harper Street once you turn off of Myrtle Ave N.  The property is also accessible from Dennis St. 

This area of Jax is very forgotten and run down.  We the skateboarders would love to come in and clean the area up, and then go on to build a skatepark together as a community.(essentially a concrete art piece)

http://goo.gl/maps/4NEVc

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-mar-jacksonvilles-dennis-street-warehouse-district

My question is...what can I do or whom should I get in contact with to get this going?

[Pinky]

Awesome idea.

Tony Allegretti is a good start.  He's currently the Director Of Downtown Engagement for the Jax Chamber, helped to develop the Riverside Arts Market as well as Art Walk, is really well-connected politically AND is a skater himself.  Heck of a nice guy too. 

I have been looking recently at the area by the tunnel on Myrtle Ave N that segregates Downtown from Riverside. The property about 200 feet down Harper Street once you turn off of Myrtle Ave N.  The property is also accessible from Dennis St. 

This area of Jax is very forgotten and run down.  We the skateboarders would love to come in and clean the area up, and then go on to build a skatepark together as a community.(essentially a concrete art piece)

http://goo.gl/maps/4NEVc

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-mar-jacksonvilles-dennis-street-warehouse-district

My question is...what can I do or whom should I get in contact with to get this going?

[JFman00]

Excellent TED talk on do it yourself urbanism, in this case grassroots projects (not always officially sanctioned at first) in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2012-nov-go-oakcliff-how-citizen-activists-can-remake-a-city

[thelakelander]

The lot under I-95, near the intersection of Myrtle and Dennis, is owned by FDOT. You'd need their approval to do anything under the highway.

[DDC]

I have been looking recently at the area by the tunnel on Myrtle Ave N that segregates Downtown from Riverside. The property about 200 feet down Harper Street once you turn off of Myrtle Ave N.  The property is also accessible from Dennis St. 

This area of Jax is very forgotten and run down.  We the skateboarders would love to come in and clean the area up, and then go on to build a skatepark together as a community.(essentially a concrete art piece)

http://goo.gl/maps/4NEVc

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-mar-jacksonvilles-dennis-street-warehouse-district

My question is...what can I do or whom should I get in contact with to get this going?

Jacksonville BMX has a contract with the COJ that may be similar to what you are working for. The track is located in Ray Green Park, but is maintained by a Parent/Rider Association. I am a past Track Director but I am afraid I have been gone long enough that I don't know any of the administration there.

This is their Facebook page.  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jacksonville-BMX/184123683676?fref=ts
Send them a message and perhaps they can tell you who they deal with at the COJ

Looks like most of the under the bridge stuff is going to be FDOT, but in the event you find a city property, perhaps they can help.

[Tacachale]

Awesome idea.

Tony Allegretti is a good start.  He's currently the Director Of Downtown Engagement for the Jax Chamber, helped to develop the Riverside Arts Market as well as Art Walk, is really well-connected politically AND is a skater himself.  Heck of a nice guy too. 

I have been looking recently at the area by the tunnel on Myrtle Ave N that segregates Downtown from Riverside. The property about 200 feet down Harper Street once you turn off of Myrtle Ave N.  The property is also accessible from Dennis St. 

This area of Jax is very forgotten and run down.  We the skateboarders would love to come in and clean the area up, and then go on to build a skatepark together as a community.(essentially a concrete art piece)

http://goo.gl/maps/4NEVc

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-mar-jacksonvilles-dennis-street-warehouse-district

My question is...what can I do or whom should I get in contact with to get this going?

Tony Allegretti would be a good contact. He'd definitely know what all you'd need to do to work with the city and FDOT.

[InnerCityPressure]

FYI - Tony.Allegretti@myjaxchamber.com

Others here definitely have personal contact info, but this is a start.

[Roger904]

Love the idea - this would have made a great One Spark pitch!

[Overstreet]

The lot under I-95, near the intersection of Myrtle and Dennis, is owned by FDOT. You'd need their approval to do anything under the highway.

Lake I don't think they are listening and comprehending.

The FDOT will be a big buzz kill if their plans include any thing encroaching on the bridge, any retention ponds underneath,  their access, etc. 

[InnerCityPressure]

I don't think they are listening and comprehending.

Did Lake say there is a good chance that it would not get approved?  I didn't think he was insinuating anything.  Maybe my comprehension does need some work.

[Tacachale]

It would be a hard sell to get FDOT to get on board with this, though nothing is impossible. RAM worked out and has paid huge dividends.