new residential downtown

[ronchamblin]

Thanks for the additional info, Tacachale.  I continue to think about the bookstore/salon/bar idea.  I think it would fit well downtown, and would certainly be the only one of its kind in the area.   

FYI, we continue to clean out the building, and will soon have a contractor remove the asbestos/carpet ($1,800 for about 400 sq. ft.).  Next step is to perform some light ceiling, floor, wall demo.  Then the architect will continue on the drawings he started about a year ago. 

Once we get the drawings complete, and the usual approvals, the general contractor can begin work.  Somewhere along the line, I will have to obtain a loan to finish all three floors.

But .... yes ..... I like the idea you submitted.  Although a restaurant would be an option, your idea seems much more interesting.  I intend to add supply and drain plumbing, and electrical, to accommodate a restaurant, just in case someone wants to open one down the road.

There will be evening hours or course, both in the book/bar/salon, and the bookstore.  Now if we could get something in the Magnificat space that would open in the evenings, we would have the beginnings of an active "evening" strip on Laura. Jerry's La Cena is already open evenings.  And if anything comes of the Snyder across the street, so that it might open in the evenings, we might finally begin to enliven the core on that block.  Once this block is started up a little, perhaps some new businesses will open in the Elk's Building.

The Barnett building, which is rumored to be in the works, via the hard work by Steve Atkins (sp?), has great potential on the ground floor.  It looks like the entire lower floor can be opened up to lease a few spaces to small businesses, both on Laura and on Adams.

I might attempt to email this Atkins fellow, and let him know that I wish to offer any support and ideas possible from my limited assets, which unfortunately does not include money at this time.  I don't know what is going on with the trio and the Barnett building.  Perhaps I can at least help him oppose those who oppose him on the project, if there are any.  In any case, if he is able to complete the projects, it will provide a big push down the road to revitalizing downtown.     

     

[jaxjaguar]

Just a heads up Ron, there will be a salon / mani / pedi place opening on the first floor of City Place next to Avocado's in the coming weeks.

[ronchamblin]

Just a heads up Ron, there will be a salon / mani / pedi place opening on the first floor of City Place next to Avocado's in the coming weeks.

Different kind.  I refer to the salon .... as in a gathering place..... for the express purpose of meeting and talking.  And of course, we will have books and tables/chairs..... beer, wine, and espresso/coffee.  Can't wait. 

[billy]

Could you also have periodic small events, on an intimate scale, such as readings, lectures and musical performances?

[ronchamblin]

Could you also have periodic small events, on an intimate scale, such as readings, lectures and musical performances?

Absolutely.  I envision having all types of night gatherings.  The layout would be such that we could open up the middle area when the event required a performer (music etc) or lecturer.   

But yes..... good musical performances -- solo guitarists etc.  Lectures or talks on interesting subjects.  Discussions ..... debates ...... Who knows, we might even settle the question, once and for all, as to whether or not any gods actually exist - and if they do, which one is the best. 

The place would be designed so as to be an interesting and pleasant third place hangout .... a meeting place .... a place to have a beer or an espresso .... a place to explore books and ideas .... a place to meet and fall in love .... a place to fall out of love. 

What of a name?  How about "The Core" ? .... no, sounds too ....  How about "The North Bank" .... no, doesn't sound right.  How about "Meslier's" ?  (after Jean Meslier (1664-1729), a French Catholic Priest, who wrote "Testament", which was published after his death.  Perhaps pronounced something like MAHLIAY ?? 

Also, i'm thinking that, in the rear, we could have a micro-brewery on one side, and a coffee roasting operation on the other -- with a bakery setup in the middle.  I made my own beer in the sixties, and I will only say that it spoiled me, as I could not enjoy the "store" beer during the years I was brewing.

In any case, I am seriously settling on the idea of the bookstore/bar/salon, which was offered by Tacachale.  I don't know who he or she is, but I will offer to him or her some free beer, espresso, and/or pastries for a couple of weeks -- when we open up.  If he or she desires to remain "Tacachale the Anonymous", a motorcycle helmet with a smoked shield could be worn inside the place while consuming whatever he or she desires.  Or ... a simple paper bag over the head would do.       

Although some of the other suggestions seem quite good, I will leave those to any others who might soon open up in the DT core.     

     

[billy]

How about calling it:

Random Thought

The Dystopian Dugout

Cerebral Pleasures

Thinkin' and Drinkin'

The DT's

The Crucible

Moulin Ron

Arby's

Delirium

[ronchamblin]

The Crucible .....

sounds interesting billy

....

[southsider1015]

The Crucible .....

sounds interesting billy

....

Remove the"the".  Call it Crucible.

Similar to Facebook

[billy]

I'll trade you the naming rights for a pastry to be determined.
The Arthur Miller estate may want one as well.

I agree with southsider1015.

[ronchamblin]

Agreed on the pastry ... and we can throw in a beer to two .... or espresso.

.... Crucible  .... the Crucible ..... Crucible Salon ...... Crucible Cafe & Books   ..... Crucible Salon & Books ......

I'm thinking of a name that might describe the place .....which might not be necessary of course, once people in the area know what it is.

From the dictionary:

cru·ci·ble noun \ˈkrü-sə-bəl\

: a pot in which metals or other substances are heated to a very high temperature or melted

: a difficult test or challenge

: a place or situation that forces people to change or make difficult decisions

I occasionally compare discussions around a table, with those on a forum such as MJ.  Each seem to have advantages and disadvantages.  For example, face-to-face discussions can be dominated by someone with a loud voice and a persistent wish to be heard, even if their words seldom make good sense.  However, face-to-face allows one to exercise the ability to speak quickly, from the mind of the moment.  And the face-to-face discussion allows more accurate communication, as the emotions are conveyed by the countenance, and the movement of the hands.

The forum however, allows more time to think about what one wishes to say...... to avoid outbursts of emotion which might show in a face-to-face.

Lastly .... the face-to-face, as a consequence of having too many present lacking self control, can turn to semi-chaos, and therefore little gain on a subject.

There are more aspects to compare, but I have taxes to do. 

 

[billy]

Chautauqua?

[ronchamblin]

A customer/friend visited this afternoon.  We sat at a table in the cafe.  I asked him for feedback about the idea of the cafe/salon/bar/bookstore for the 225 Laura Bldg.

He immediately asked if I had been to Riverside lately .... Park ... King ....Stockton.  I said that I've been, and that it was really developing. He said that I should put my energy and assets into that area, because the DT core is simply not the place to be.

I acknowledged that it would be easier to have a business in the expanding area of Riverside/Avondale, but that it would be ...... well, too easy, that we must begin, at some point, the process of growth in the city core.

I acknowledged that it seems difficult in the DT core because of the huge buildings having ground level granite and concrete faces on the sidewalks.  How could any small business engage this kind of environment?  We need to conserve and have more of the small spaces that are more suited to the small businesses.  I suggested that if the Barnett building is ever "opened" on the ground floor, there would be many opportunities for small businesses to open on Laura and Adams.

He immediately offered the problem of parking downtown.  I acknowledged the problem, but said that is why we must do something about a better transit system to and from the outlying areas so that people could travel to and from the DT core with convenience .... adding that the project would be expensive, but it would preclude the necessity of having parking lots all over .... and effective mass transit would solve the "parking problem".

When the time is right, as things progress, it might be wise to open the ground floors of selected large buildings to allow spaces for small businesses.  Parks, even small, one block in size, add variety and ambience to a DT.  Perhaps one or two of the former demolished building locations can be turned into parks.  A park would certainly be better than building a multi-level parking garage. 

In fact, if we ever develop a decent transit system connecting the DT to the outlying areas, we might consider demolishing one or two of the existing multi-level parking garages, and replacing them with parks.  There is nothing uglier than a multi-level parking garage.  We might need some DT ..... but we don't need a huge number of these concrete beasts.   

[Scrub Palmetto]

Has a post-WWII free-standing parking garage ever been demo'd in Jax? I'm drawing a blank. Would be a nice sight someday. Although there are plenty of surface lots to replace first, at much lower costs.

[Tacachale]

Ron, we have indeed met, I'll PM you. I'm definitely not anonymous, but I always appreciate free beer any time, any place, especially if it's as cool a place as this is certain to be. I'm glad you like the idea.

Here are my name suggestions:

The James Weldon Salon (& Books)
Salon Chamblin
Café Laudonnière
Nahiabo Salon (the Timucua word for "knowledge")
The Publick Sphere, a similar concept to the "salon"
Church (so people can say "I'm going to Church" when they pop out for a drink)
Chamblin's Downtown, just to throw people off

I also agree that "Crucible" without "The" is a pretty tight name.

[edjax]

How about The Hemming Way.   The drinking and books would be for Ernest Hemingway and the extra 'm' in the name for Hemming Plaza.