The Jacksonville Landing's Redevelopment Plan

[thelakelander]

Harbor Place in Baltimore has undergone a renovation and redesign since my previous visit in 2009 as well.  This time around, the interior was updated, a food court was relocated and a two-level Ripley's Believe It or Not takes up a good chunk of former retail space.

Ripley's Believe it or Not! lease at Harborplace finalized

Ripley's Believe It or Not! has finalized plans to open an "odditorium" museum at the Inner Harbor by June.

The attraction, which will feature more than 500 "oddities," a mirror maze and a 3-D movie theater, will take up two levels of the Light Street Pavilion at Harborplace and include an attention-grabbing facade showing a sea serpent named Chessie wrapped around the entrance on the upper level.

Ripley's, an Orlando, Fla.-based entertainment company, toned down the appearance of the green, fanged sea monster from a proposal last fall that city officials considered too overpowering for the harbor.

Ripley's spokesman Tom O'Brien said he could not disclose anything about planned exhibits save that the centerpiece will be worth well over $1 million.

"This will be the most expensive item in any Ripley's worldwide," O'Brien said.


Harborplace owner General Growth Properties, which announced the finalized lease with Ripley's on Tuesday, said the attraction will be part of a new lineup of tenants to open in time for the summer tourist season, boosting occupancy of both waterfront pavilions to 95 percent.

Other previously announced changes include the addition of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., the first restaurant chain based on a movie; McCormick World of Flavors, a store showcasing the Baltimore-based spice maker's brand; a new food court with a Subway, Chicken Now and China Max; the return of Johnny Rockets restaurant; and a renovated, expanded J. Paul's restaurant.

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-bz-ripleys-harborplace-20120228,0,4542808.story#ixzz3BbCerkHQ

[thelakelander]

I think the problem with these festival marketplaces in their current incarnations is that they do not address what truly connects community together anymore, and that is communication.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that communication tech and social media are a new metric that most urban planners don't even realize is a part of the new environment that they should be planning for and embedding---as important as electrical and plumbing grids.

The festival marketplace concept failed as far back as the late 1980s and early 1990s.  I'm not sure what planners have to do with their failure.

[vicupstate]

Festival Marketplaces can and do work, but in a very limited number of cases. A higher level of tourism than JAX has, seems to be a prerequisite for success. Same thing with pedestrian malls, there are a few that work (Lincoln Road in SOBE) but they are likewise few and far between.

The Landing site needs to be an anchor for DT but it can't and shouldn't be the 'whole enchilada'.  Hemming needs to be an anchor too, which would create a natural flow of people between the two.  East Bay St./Shipyards site would be another anchor.     

[Ocklawaha]

Redevelop the Landing?  Okay, just replace the current leaseholder, Tony Sleiman, who has a proven record of failure. The Landing was busy and popular until he took over.
Open up Laura Street to the River?  Yes. 
Street on the river?  I hope not.
Palm trees? This isn't Palm Beach; plant live oaks.

Where is the inspiring architecture?  Where is the focus on pedestrians and river?  Why is there a proposed marina with finger piers 90 degrees to the swift current?

I believe we are in the 'same book,' but perhaps different pages. Anyway I think I'm casually qualified to answer the question of the marina concept.' My family owned the marina next to Daytona Beach Chris-Craft in my misspent teen years. (DON'T LET YOUR KIDS GROW UP ON THE DAB BOARDWALK!  )

While not impossible, the idea presents huge expenses and maintenance headaches for both the owner of the landing as well as the city. Scour is the bane of railroad and highway bridges everywhere, the fact is the Matthews could be in serious trouble as the scour issue has not been addressed fully... anyone remember the Bridge of The Lions rebuild? Anyway scour can be demonstrated by placing a stick in the sand near the surf and pouring water so that it runs past the stick, give it a few seconds and the stick falls over.

The curve in the river, the narrow channel, and the sweep of the same against the north bank is undermining the entire north bank seawall and parking areas near the Hyatt. No doubt everything from the Fuller Warren to about the Shipyards on that side are experiencing the scouring of sand away from the bulkheads, piers and pilings. Building ANY lite bridge like structure on the north side is going to present some expensive and potential weakness problems.

[finehoe]

the project will be Miami's Eiffel Tower

[MusicMan]

That is an Eye Full.

[KenFSU]

the project will be Miami's Eiffel Tower

The Miami Tie Clip®.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I don't think the images or the references that pop into my head when seeing this are safe for public comment or viewing.   

All I can say is that whomever designed it had something else on their mind.....

[KenFSU]

Guys, I commissioned some sketches (i.e. copied and pasted in Windows Paint) of the before and after changes to our city skyline that would result from the proposed redevelopment plan. Results are below, and they ain't pretty.

Before:


After:


Before:


After:


Before:


After:

[Ocklawaha]

Certainly not all of these are 'THE LANDING' but they all certainly share successful elements.


Little Rock, River Market, AR
Little Rock's River Market is a haven for great food, talented Arkansas artists, unique shopping and swingin' Arkansas live music.


The Grove and Farmers Market, Los Angeles.
Don't think of it as a mall. Think of it as a lovely street crafted to evoke Parisian promenades. From your favorite boutiques and restaurants to choreographed fountains, free live concerts in the park and the historic Farmers Market, you'll enjoy an experience like no other in Los Angeles. Book an outdoor table at a restaurant after you've seen the musical fountain show or taken a trolley ride.


Memphis Main Street Mall, TN
Get Down with Beale Street Landing Grand Opening, Sesame Street Live, South Main Trolley Night, and more! From the Orpheum Theater to Central Station, South Main is a mosaic of Memphis originals, History, Art, Architecture, Architecture, Culture, Shops, Food, Characters and Innovation.


Portland 5Th Street Mall, OR
If you are looking for a mall to walk through on a rainy day in the cultural district then look no further, you found it. Several levels, variety of stores, small food court area, several entrances, and you can jump on the light-rail for easy access.


Rendering, Little Rock, AR, 'Creative Corridor Project,' The Mann on Main development, the K Lofts, a new hotel, CRJW's move to the Fulk Building, Orbea's North American headquarters and the Tech Park. All are projects finished, currently taking place, or planned for Main Street. Opening with the new heritage streetcar extension, Coming this summer in the Arkansas Building with The Rep, Arkansas Ballet, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, in addition to a little art and food. It's exactly what Priest said is needed to make the area thrive.


Rendering, Sugar House Streetcar, Salt Lake City, UT.
As currently contemplated, the plaza would provide public open space in the heart of Sugar House, but also would act as a venue for activities such as a farmers market, arts festival and concerts.


Streetcars are back in Tampa, supporting continued growth in downtown, Channelside and Ybor City. The TECO Line Streetcar System is a 2.7-mile line serving the dining and entertainment destinations.


Next up, we have, perhaps, the first large-scale modern US greenfield development proposed with a streetcar. The plans for Restoration in Edgewater, Florida — approved by the municipality September 24 — include a 3- to 4-mile internal streetcar line estimated to cost about $10 million per mile. That's much less than cities typically spend for a streetcar system, because the plan avoids many of the street closure and reconstruction costs associated with placing transit on an existing urban street, says Eliza Harris, project manager with Canin Associates in Orlando.

With 8,500 planned housing units, Restoration is close in size to Celebration in Orlando. It's one of the biggest new urban projects ever approved, and certainly the biggest post-recession TND (traditional neighborhood development) planned to date. Planning for Restoration began prior to the housing crash, Harris notes, so it could be considered a holdover from another


Jacksonville... Any Questions?

(Sorry about all of those damn REAL streetcars, they just keep popping up in just about every successful place I found).

[KenFSU]

Final bone of contention for the afternoon:

Why the rush?

You could argue that the Landing, as it currently exists, potentially has its best shot at success ever in the coming years. Look at what's (potentially) going on around it. To the west, you have a massive amount of development taking place in Brooklyn, bringing hundreds of new residents to the area. The Laura Street Trio and Barnett National Bank buildings will bring a Courtyard Marriott, high-end restaurant, a two-story sports bar, apartments, office space, and additional parking right beside the Landing. Friends of Hemming Park have plans to turn Hemming back into a safe, populated area with year-round programming. The Bostwick Building has been purchased with the intent of turning it into a restaurant. Everbank is bringing 400 more workers downtown, and when construction is completed at the old library, another 200 will follow. There are rumors that an Atlanta developer is interested in completing Berkman 2. To the east, Shad Khan will be presenting his plans for the Shipyards sooner than later, which Mark Lamping recently stated include bringing the USS Adams downtown as a Naval museum. Intuition is looking to make a splash next door, per Stephen, and Maxwell House just announced an expansion of their own. The Armada have discussed a soccer specific stadium in the coming years, and the mayor has announced renovations and enhancements to Metro Park and the northbank Riverwalk.

Dead center to all of this development is the Jacksonville Landing.

Why can't a portion of that $11.8 million in city money earmarked to remove 120,000 square feet of restaurant and retail and hastily convert the Landing to residential apartments instead go to giving the Landing a nice little facelift, opening up the middle to Laura Street, and buying another 5-10 years to see how these other projects pan out?

[tpot]

What will probably happen......they will demolish The Landing and something will happen with financing etc before the new structure gets built and JAX ends up with yet another vacant lot.......

[finehoe]

What will probably happen......they will demolish The Landing and something will happen with financing etc before the new structure gets built and JAX ends up with yet another vacant lot.......

Now where have I heard this before...?

If history is any guide, what is most likely to happen is that the current Landing structures will be demolished to make way for the new development, but then something will happen and the result will be that the empty land will just sit there for at least a decade.

[jaxjaguar]

Well on the bright-side at least it was a parking lot before it was the Landing! We'd being going back in the direction of Jacksonville's glory days!

[Anti redneck]

What will probably happen......they will demolish The Landing and something will happen with financing etc before the new structure gets built and JAX ends up with yet another vacant lot.......

Now where have I heard this before...?

If history is any guide, what is most likely to happen is that the current Landing structures will be demolished to make way for the new development, but then something will happen and the result will be that the empty land will just sit there for at least a decade.

You mean like those condos that sit along the river unfinished because of the parking garage that supposedly collapsed? Yes I still think there's a conspiracy behind that, as well as the courthouse.