Construction at old Pizza Palace Spot

[mandy6488]

I couldn't find a thread on this, maybe because I have medicine head..but I just noticed the parking area had been completely bulldozed and is all dirt. Any idea what's going on there? Or is it related to the project across the street?

Also, the property that's being built on Stockton over near Gilmore? I thought at first it might be a house but I swore I saw a sign that said commercial.

Anyway, I'm just curious and figured y'all might know whats up. =)

[JaxNole]

The old Pizza Palace will become a 7-Eleven. http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=539686

The property at Stockton and Ernest/Gilmore will be the new office for Dr. Ravi Patel (Eagle Eye Care) who is currently close to the bend on Riverside Ave. by Memorial Park.

[funwithteeth]

Last I read they were unable to get approval to turn this new 7-Eleven into a gas station. Has that changed? I hope so. That's an awful lot of space for just a convenience store.

[Dog Walker]

They will not have gas pumps.  I don't even think they applied to have them.

The owner of the Shell station on the diagonal corner is talking about tearing down the current station and rebuilding on the edge of the sidewalk with the pumps in back.  He has a number of the new Dailey's around town and is going to make this into one as well.  Maybe a cafe on the second floor.  That plan would make a huge improvement in the streetscape at that intersection.

5 Points Merchants' Association and RAP are looking at revising all of the intersections in the area especially that one to make them more pedestrian and bicycle friendly.  That intersection was designed when Post and College Streets were one way and part of US 17.  When the light breaks and the lights go to four-way flashing red, the traffic actually flows through there more smoothly than when the lights are working.  I don't think the timing of the lights has changed since those two streets went two way.

[Charles Hunter]

Any chance of real round-about at Five Points?

[Dog Walker]

Any chance of real round-about at Five Points?

That's being studied by the two consultants hired by 5 Points Merchants Assn and RAP but it looks like there isn't enough room to meet the engineering standards for a classic roundabout.  It would really be the ideal solution in my opinion, but there are standards that have to be met to allow big vehicles like fire trucks and semi's to get through.

There are going to be a couple of "town hall meetings" sometime in Sept or Oct. for the public to look at the consultants' alternatives for each intersection and street crossing and have input.  Nobody knows the streets and crossing better than the people who use them.

They are actually looking at a roundabout as a possible solution for the intersection of Post and Margaret where the new 7-11 is going in.

[fieldafm]

I don't think the timing of the lights has changed since those two streets went two way.

The timing of the lights vs the distance to travel around the bend at St Johns and Herschel is one of the many reasons a roundabout is needed there. 


Stop for pedestrians signs and wayfaring signs that more clearly identify right of way for drivers are very simple and cost effective solutions in Five Points. 

[tufsu1]

Any chance of real round-about at Five Points?

Steve Tocknell is studying this

[mandy6488]

The old Pizza Palace will become a 7-Eleven. http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=539686

The property at Stockton and Ernest/Gilmore will be the new office for Dr. Ravi Patel (Eagle Eye Care) who is currently close to the bend on Riverside Ave. by Memorial Park.

Nice! Thanks for the info. =)

[Dog Walker]

Stop for pedestrians signs and wayfaring signs that more clearly identify right of way for drivers are very simple and cost effective solutions in Five Points. 

Those are among the solutions being considered for sure.  It is possible that they can be covered out of the maintenance budget in Public Works and can be done quickly.  Signs and paint are relatively inexpensive.  Things like a roundabout will take capital improvements money.

[fsujax]

Roundabout is fine just don't remove the blinking light, it seems historical and I like it!

[Dog Walker]

Everyone involved has pledged to chain themselves to the beacon to prevent it from being taken away.  A couple of the plans might require it to be moved to the exact center of the intersection.  It is offset from Margaret and Lomax right now.

It is THE symbol of 5 Points and will not vanish.

[If_I_Loved_you]

My wish would be that people driving down Park Street would remember to follow the traffic rules? There isn't a STOP SIGN at Margaret and they have the right away. So why do so many drivers stop? Slow down is fine & stop if you're turning onto Margaret or Lomax. But if your still going towards Park st keep moving!!!

[PeeJayEss]

This area would be much improved if the Shell got a new look. That's a very underutilized space. Same with the parking lot for Sunray. That doesn't get much use (like 2-3 cars might use it during a sold out show, and they might not have actually been at the movie). I don't imagine they could do something with that parking lot without running into minimum parking spaces issues, but that space and the Shell station could really tie 5 points into Riverside Park so much more effectively. Might even get people to start noticing the prime business real estate to the northwest of the park.

[Dog Walker]

The owners of that Shell station and Mike Shad (5 Points Theater Building) are trying to work out sharing driveways and moving the Shell station building to the sidewalks on the Post and Margaret Street sides and putting the pumps in the back.

The current building and driveways/parking lot are really ugly and a change like that would be great for the looks of the area.  Hope it works out.

Wish Slieman across Margaret St. from there had shown as much imagination in the rebuild of 5 Points Village.  Missed opportunity.