Slate.com- Jacksonville, FL is the most average place in America

[Cheshire Cat]

2. Pizza - this is a pizza city. There is some great fucking pie here in JAX.  I can get a pie as good in JAX as you can get at Lombardi's in NYC. 

What are you high? Jacksonville has okay pizza compared to most states but it is not even close to NY Pizza. Other than that, welcome to the Forum.

Beyond the argument over pizza and beer, what is missed by many people including the one who authored the piece at the beginning of this thread is the reality that Jacksonville is blessed with many innovative, creative and exceptional people.  That truth often gets overlooked or lost when anyone, including those who live here make shallow judgments about who and what we are. There is magic in Jacksonville and one only needs to open their eyes to see past mediocre and directly at the exciting things happening here driven by innovators, artists and many fine citizens.

[Shine]

Failing to see the truth in this article is not going to build a positive future.  When I came to Jacksonville 26 years ago, this town was certainly a “late bloomer.”  But being behind meant it could catch up using all the knowledge and foresight of the successes and errors of other urbanized modern cities.  What did we do?  One strip mall after the next.  Making Jacksonville one of the highest per-capital strip mall cities in America. Coupled with a commercial landscape code that would be well suited for the desert southwest, lets ride Beach or Atlantic Blvd into town and try to find something “pretty” in that mix.      Understated traffic studies and under assessed impact fees â€" top 10 for most dangerous roads â€" both the list for pedestrians and drivers.  Latest move, cut mobility fees so we can have more 7-11s.  A lot of what Jacksonville could have been has been lost.  Every day is another step closer to “Generica.”   Jax Beach is a good case study of better practice â€" from skank to swank â€" it’s a hell of a turnaround story.  Even Ponte Vedra, with meaningful architectural controls (beach access is another issue) shows the impact of planning on eventual community value.  Philosophically, Down Town is getting it right in that it is no longer an “anything goes” planning process.  If 25 year ago, we treated Jacksonville growth with the care we currenlyt show for DT, we would not have many of the problems we currently have.  You have to admit where you are â€" define where you want to go.  Be willing to make sacrifices to get there.  If your goals are smply “jobs” and “low cost housing,” you are setting your standards no higher than a 3rd world country.And the truth is, when you talk about urban problems with leadership, you inevitably hear: “we if you think it’s bad here, consider how bad it is in (insert favorite urban hell-hole city here).  So, its not even about being “average” â€" it becomes the race to stay out of last place.  Have we talked murder rates yet?  Got first place on that one.

[tufsu1]

not sure that's a fair assessment....Jax. is still a wonderful place and the envy of many communities