New guy here!

[CIVIL101]

Hello everyone! I have been following the posts on here for years and I finally decided to register. I have lived in Jacksonville my whole life and recently moved out here to Lafayette to get married!   But I never stop telling people out here about Jville and how awesome Florida is compared to Louisiana(its an easy win conversation). Also this site is one of the reasons I am going to UL for civil engineering and looking into urban planning.
And with that I can't wait to see the further progress in Downtown Jax and the surrounding areas!

[Noone]

Welcome Aboard.

[IrvAdams]

Hello everyone! I have been following the posts on here for years and I finally decided to register. I have lived in Jacksonville my whole life and recently moved out here to Lafayette to get married!   But I never stop telling people out here about Jville and how awesome Florida is compared to Louisiana(its an easy win conversation). Also this site is one of the reasons I am going to UL for civil engineering and looking into urban planning.
And with that I can't wait to see the further progress in Downtown Jax and the surrounding areas!

Welcome. That's a great choice for a major. Cities will be redesigned greatly over the next few decades.

[JayBird]

Welcome to the boards and look forward to seeing a fresh perspective on Jax

[jcjohnpaint]

Wonderful to meet you!

[Tacachale]

Welcome to the forum.

[stephenross]

OMG!!  I hope you can begin to help me....a native...that just had to leave jacksonville, for it's lack of progress.  I can't begin to describe the "yearning" I've ALWAYS had to come back home...but to what?

I went to the greatest public schools...great teachers.  Left Jacksonville to accept jobs in other cities (because the jobs just weren't there)...but when I came home to visit, I witnessed a LETHARGY unlike anything in my travels to Miami, NY, Trenton, Dallas.

I returned home (in 1983) to visit my Dad, who was undergoing gall bladder surgery/aftercare....and had a little extra time on my hands.  I drove down through Murray Hill, Avondale, Riverside, Ortega....and all I saw....block after block...was streets filled with parked cars, UNKEMPT lawns & public parks.  Debris floating in the wind.  Street Lights out....so I thought I saw enough.  Off to the beach.  SAME THING!!

I left wondering:  Had a Nuclear Bomb exploded...without the flash?  Was EVERYBODY on Pot?

I haven't returned...because...what am I to return to?

Years ago, my Family and many others referred to it as "OLD MONEY"  i;e; Families that owned all the property, and controlled all the votes, so CHANGE had to go through them.  Made sense to me;  moreover, more sense...NOT TO RETURN...to my beloved home.

Your thoughts?  I don't want to start a thread here, until I hear some other opinions.

This is MY OPINION;  I welcome yours.

Stephen Ross
Marietta, GA

[jcjohnpaint]

I'd say come back and help change things.

[johnnyliar]

1983 was a long time ago.

[Adam White]

OMG!!  I hope you can begin to help me....a native...that just had to leave jacksonville, for it's lack of progress.  I can't begin to describe the "yearning" I've ALWAYS had to come back home...but to what?

I went to the greatest public schools...great teachers.  Left Jacksonville to accept jobs in other cities (because the jobs just weren't there)...but when I came home to visit, I witnessed a LETHARGY unlike anything in my travels to Miami, NY, Trenton, Dallas.

I returned home (in 1983) to visit my Dad, who was undergoing gall bladder surgery/aftercare....and had a little extra time on my hands.  I drove down through Murray Hill, Avondale, Riverside, Ortega....and all I saw....block after block...was streets filled with parked cars, UNKEMPT lawns & public parks.  Debris floating in the wind.  Street Lights out....so I thought I saw enough.  Off to the beach.  SAME THING!!

I left wondering:  Had a Nuclear Bomb exploded...without the flash?  Was EVERYBODY on Pot?

I haven't returned...because...what am I to return to?

Years ago, my Family and many others referred to it as "OLD MONEY"  i;e; Families that owned all the property, and controlled all the votes, so CHANGE had to go through them.  Made sense to me;  moreover, more sense...NOT TO RETURN...to my beloved home.

Your thoughts?  I don't want to start a thread here, until I hear some other opinions.

This is MY OPINION;  I welcome yours.

Stephen Ross
Marietta, GA

If the last time you were in Riverside and Avondale was 1983, then I'd suggest you come take another look. It has really changed since the 1980s. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it has come a long way.

[martt12]

Welcome!!! I am studying Architecture in both substainable Residential & Urban Design areas. I'm fairly new as well. I'm from South GA (close to JAX). Jacksonville has always been a second home to me. It will be nice to have your feedback on some forums.  Hopefully, you can come back to add something fresh to Jax.

[CCMjax]

Hello everyone! I have been following the posts on here for years and I finally decided to register. I have lived in Jacksonville my whole life and recently moved out here to Lafayette to get married!   But I never stop telling people out here about Jville and how awesome Florida is compared to Louisiana(its an easy win conversation). Also this site is one of the reasons I am going to UL for civil engineering and looking into urban planning.
And with that I can't wait to see the further progress in Downtown Jax and the surrounding areas!

Welcome.  Good choice of major(s).  There will be many opportunities for you, especially with the CE degree.  I studied both civil engineering and urban planning and am now a practicing engineer so if you would like any advice just send me a PM.

[CCMjax]

OMG!!  I hope you can begin to help me....a native...that just had to leave jacksonville, for it's lack of progress.  I can't begin to describe the "yearning" I've ALWAYS had to come back home...but to what?

I went to the greatest public schools...great teachers.  Left Jacksonville to accept jobs in other cities (because the jobs just weren't there)...but when I came home to visit, I witnessed a LETHARGY unlike anything in my travels to Miami, NY, Trenton, Dallas.

I returned home (in 1983) to visit my Dad, who was undergoing gall bladder surgery/aftercare....and had a little extra time on my hands.  I drove down through Murray Hill, Avondale, Riverside, Ortega....and all I saw....block after block...was streets filled with parked cars, UNKEMPT lawns & public parks.  Debris floating in the wind.  Street Lights out....so I thought I saw enough.  Off to the beach.  SAME THING!!

I left wondering:  Had a Nuclear Bomb exploded...without the flash?  Was EVERYBODY on Pot?

I haven't returned...because...what am I to return to?

Years ago, my Family and many others referred to it as "OLD MONEY"  i;e; Families that owned all the property, and controlled all the votes, so CHANGE had to go through them.  Made sense to me;  moreover, more sense...NOT TO RETURN...to my beloved home.

Your thoughts?  I don't want to start a thread here, until I hear some other opinions.

This is MY OPINION;  I welcome yours.

Stephen Ross
Marietta, GA

Wow, it's not that bad dude.  That was a long time ago.  I moved here almost 3 years ago and it's not that bad.  Riverside, Avondale and San Marco are hoppin' now with good momentum.  Murray Hill is also coming along as Riverside/Avondale gets more expensive.  Springfield is slooooooowly improving with people fixing up houses on just about every block but for some reason there is still very little activity on the largely vacant Main Street which is sad.  The Beaches are improving as well, I was just out there this last weekend and I think it has done well just in the last 3 years.  Things are still relatively inexpensive in Jax compared to other larger cities so that is a plus.

[Bella]

Wow. I was just in Coco beach and it sounds like you just described there.  Unfortunately, sometimes I feel people who leave Jacksonville to find something better are looking in the wrong places and don't know where everything is.  There was nothing in Alaska yet most of us found "action and adventure".  It is mostly in the person. Some people can live in the most lively places and they are miserable.  I have lived in Seattle and hated it but I lived in Europe and thrived.  It is all in the person, their preferences and their drive to obtain their personal ideal.  I'm sure it's here you may just have to look harder than those of us who have found it already.   It's here....I hope you find it.  . 

[Snaketoz]

Stephen, We've had a very wet summer, so the debris is wet and not floating in the wind.  I just returned to Jacksonville and I'm very happy I did.  Not only am I close to family and old friends, I really think Jacksonville is improving.  To me, the Northside has changed the most and for the better.  Come on back and help make a difference.  Support music, the arts, local restaurants, and pick-up some debris- even if it isn't yours.  If we can run a bunch of rednecks out of town, all the better.