Redevelopment Strategies: "Niching"

[stjr]

I agree that the Jacksonville Farmers Market is a good example.  I often feel like I am in the midst of a main street or center square in a town full of produce!  Not made clear is that there are farmers, wholesalers, and retailers who trade amongst each other to complete the interconnectivity of those present.  So, not only do competing vendors share customers, they share suppliers.   It's the classic 1 + 1 = 3.

New York has other clusters such as Broadway for theater, the Diamond district for jewelery, Fifth Avenue for upscale shopping, Madison Avenue for advertising, Avenue of the Americas for corporate offices, etc.  Washington DC has an unusual cluster, Embassy Row.

Whole cities have been large scale industry clusters such as Hartford for insurance, Detroit for autos, Akron for rubber, Milwaukee for beer, Hollywood for film studios, Orlando for theme parks, Las Vegas for casinos, Houston for oil companies, Paris for fashion and art, Atlanta for logistics, Norfolk for the Navy, Silicon Valley for computer technology, Research Triangle for drug companies, High Point, NC, for furniture, country music in Nashville, capitols for government, etc.

Another example, though perhaps a little less obvious, is the clustering of car dealers.  Most dealers in town are clustered around the Avenues, Orange Park, Atlantic Blvd, and Cassatt.  And, even where a few stray, they have a mini cluster such as Key Buick, Nolan Cadillac, and North Florida Lincoln Mercury on Southside Blvd. 

Many times you will see clustering of services for boaters around marinas such as Lakeshore Blvd.

It the old days, gas stations would cluster, with one each on all four corners of an intersection.  Restaurants in a mall food court would be another example.  Apartment complexes often pop up in proximity to each other as well.

Well... its apparent this concept is practiced with success frequently.  Maybe, zoning laws should be designed to encourage it more.

[fsujax]

In order for the Landing to become more vibrant it has got to be opened up to the street! I really wish Tony would try and do this even if the City will not sell him the land underneath.

[heights unknown]

Well let's see; the niche downtown, that is, to draw people downtown could be many, such as:

1) Weekly (weekend?) classic car show
2) Weekly or weekend Farmer's Market (already have this)
3) Weekly or weekend open air national entertainment act and/or festival
4) Weekly or weekend job fair (convention center?)
5) Weekly or weekend arts/culture festival/fair (already have?)
6) Weekly or weekend outside antique shows
7) Weekly or weekend regular or upscale flea markets

And there's many more "niches" you could add to this for downtown; but just think of the other niches that could be employed for almost each area or neighborhood of Jacksonville to keep our residents and tourists busy if our City Leaders would just get to work, earn thier pay, and ignite these niches for the respective areas; it's not hard to do, however, in these tough economic times money would be a huge problem, that is, finding the funds to support such niches once they are employed and underway.

Heights Unknown

[Fallen Buckeye]

I agree that the Jacksonville Farmers Market is a good example.  I often feel like I am in the midst of a main street or center square in a town full of produce!  Not made clear is that there are farmers, wholesalers, and retailers who trade amongst each other to complete the interconnectivity of those present.  So, not only do competing vendors share customers, they share suppliers.   It's the classic 1 + 1 = 3.

New York has other clusters such as Broadway for theater, the Diamond district for jewelery, Fifth Avenue for upscale shopping, Madison Avenue for advertising, Avenue of the Americas for corporate offices, etc.  Washington DC has an unusual cluster, Embassy Row.

Whole cities have been large scale industry clusters such as Hartford for insurance, Detroit for autos, Akron for rubber, Milwaukee for beer, Hollywood for film studios, Orlando for theme parks, Las Vegas for casinos, Houston for oil companies, Paris for fashion and art, Atlanta for logistics, Norfolk for the Navy, Silicon Valley for computer technology, Research Triangle for drug companies, High Point, NC, for furniture, country music in Nashville, capitols for government, etc.

Another example, though perhaps a little less obvious, is the clustering of car dealers.  Most dealers in town are clustered around the Avenues, Orange Park, Atlantic Blvd, and Cassatt.  And, even where a few stray, they have a mini cluster such as Key Buick, Nolan Cadillac, and North Florida Lincoln Mercury on Southside Blvd. 

Many times you will see clustering of services for boaters around marinas such as Lakeshore Blvd.

It the old days, gas stations would cluster, with one each on all four corners of an intersection.  Restaurants in a mall food court would be another example.  Apartment complexes often pop up in proximity to each other as well.

Well... its apparent this concept is practiced with success frequently.  Maybe, zoning laws should be designed to encourage it more.

I think there are lots of opportunities for clustering and niching, but it comes down to an areas ability to sell itself as the destination for theater (like in NYC's theater district) or blues music (like Beale St. in Memphis) or whatever. That means getting media outlets involved in branding an area and chambers of commerce and neighborhood groups and so on.

Having a common unifying thread throughout an area besides function is important too. For example, a common architecture sets Victorian Village in Columbus apart from other neighborhoods. Even little touches like unique street signs and lighting help set an area apart and lets anyone traveling through know that there is something different about this part of town. In the historic districts of my hometown streets are all paved in brick for example and homes and businesses must follow certain codes when making improvements to keep the historic feel.

Good signage also goes a long way.

Portland Chinatown: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ChinatownGatePortland.jpg#file

San Diego Gaslamp Quarter: http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/gallery/8602038_XMnx6#567311626_A2Fvb-A-LB

Columbus Arena District: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-1891-p1010182.JPG

[sheclown]

Don't you suppose that franchising has been the death of niching?  I mean, why travel to a different "Red Lobster?"  Springfield, and other struggling neighborhoods, have the advantage of moms & pops, of unique places to explore. 

The Landing is nothing more than another mall with a food court...what's the point? 

[thelakelander]

I don't believe that niching has died.  Its still alive and kicking.  Outside of the government district around Hemming, we just haven't taken advantage of it in downtown.

[iloveionia]

Lake, the first time I ever saw this done with intent was in the Los Angeles-Long Beach metroplex. Somewhere in East Long Beach a guy bought out a really big old tourist court motel. very conceivable hobby shop he could find.



OCKLAWAHA

Ock, do you know exactly where you remember this to be?  Or do you remember the name? I am racking my brain and can not see this space.  Maybe it no longer exists?  Many in Springfield have voiced opinion of how absolutely COOL it would be to take Dancy Terrace/Redell Court and run with this niche idea.  I can totally see mom and pop art and specialty shops in those bungalows.  Dancy has such potential. 

Los Angeles has several niche areas similiar to NYC, just more spread out.  They have an AMAZING Farmer's Market.  http://www.farmersmarketla.com/ 

Olvera Street has a niche feel as well.  http://www.olvera-street.com/html/olvera_street.html 

In Long Beach, there is a several block spread of Retro Shops that is popular, again following the niche idea.  http://4thstreetlongbeach.com/ 

[sheclown]

Sheclown, franchising is the exact opposite of niching.  

Niching is a concept about interdependent similar natured businesses and people.  Comparing it to franchising is like comparing fish to formica.

I figured as much.  What I guess I'm trying to say is that our current mentality, in general, is to prefer franchises over independents. 

That, I suggested, is the death of niching. 

[DavidWilliams]

"Avondale is for the socially and politically affluent".


I have been wondering for years (since the old Dockside days) why I never felt comfortable in that neighborhood. :-)

Got to give them credit on architechure though. Those are nice homes.  My wife keeps looking over there now to buy.

[DavidWilliams]

Please ignore my previous spelling of architecture   

[ProjectMaximus]

Interesting republishing from 4 years ago! I wasn't even living back in Jax back then.

I see a lot of truth in this article, albeit a tad bit presumptive. But look at what's happened to downtown...definitely an entertainment district, driven primarily by the "hipster" demographic imo. Same with Post and King.

Whatever happened to that Chinese billionaire investor who wanted to create a Chinatown near the sports district? I assume he came to his senses. If I had those resources, I'd do it...but only cause of personal interest in the city, not because of any business/financial upside. And I'd probably wait another 15 years; Jax is simply not ready for that yet.

[InnerCityPressure]

I got all the way to the comment about "soon to open Uptown Market" before I realized how old this story was.  Thought-provoking for sure.

[ProjectMaximus]

Thanks Max.  What part did you find presumptuous?

Basically the generalization of which niche communities have driven the success of San Marco and Avondale and the implication that this is the only thing standing in the way of similar successes in Springfield, Murray Hill and St Nicholas, when there are certainly a handful of factors conspiring against the same levels of growth and development in those neighborhoods.

But I did not intend to detract from the overall effectiveness of the message in any way. Certainly a concept that merits plenty of discussion and corresponding action.