Jax Downtown Apartment

[thelakelander]

It seems like the local neighborhood school situation would keep most middle and upper middle class people with kids out of Springfield (and most of North & North West Jacksonville) unless they got them into a magnet school or were willing/able to pay for private school.

Schools are a major issue for me. We've gone the magnet school route (unwilling to pay for private school) but that requires a reverse commute in many cases, which somewhat defeats the purpose of living in the urban core.  If Jax wants to really open up the flood gates to redeveloping it's core neighborhoods, addressing the public education situation will be critical to luring and keeping young families long term.

[Bill Hoff]

The one thing I'd have to ask, though, is are there really a lot of young people in Springfield?  Seems like the pioneers that move there are generally family, older gay couple, or young military couple perhaps on the verge of having kids.  I'm recalling this from all the interviews that MJ/some other site used to do years ago of the "new faces of Springfield" and I just don't remember singles in their 20s/30s, nor do I recall where all the apartments are (seemed like it was all single family homes?).

"A lot" is a relative term. I counted in my Facebook friends list, and have 196 friends in SPR in their 20's or 30's. I know more people than most, but still, for one guy that's a lot. SPR is a big mix of demographics, so their seems to a lot of everything.

Regarding apartments, reasonably priced apartments go fast, as do single family rental homes. There's a dearth of available rentals in SPR. To my knowledge, there's at least 4 multi-family projects going on now, and a 5th (nice new construction apartments on Boulevard) is working out their design details now.

[thelakelander]

^Nice. I also know a lot of young people living in Springfield. I think the nation's real estate bust a few years back has created an opportunity for young people to invest in the neighborhood that wasn't present a decade ago.

[AbelH]

Personally, I think early-40's is quite young. Maybe that's just me.

[tufsu1]

Personally, I think early-40's is quite young. Maybe that's just me.

+1000

[simms3]

Personally, I think early-40's is quite young. Maybe that's just me.

I agree.  Many of my friends and acquaintances in their 40s are still single/dating, rent, and may even have roommates.  These are not people in Jax.  I don't have 35+ year old friends in Jax, and I don't see much cross-age mingling amongst my peers there.  In Jax, most of my friends are already married, many with kids, and most of them are younger than 30 still (heck I had friends get married and have kids right out of college!).  40s isn't not-young, but it's simply not "young" in Jax.  If you want to prolong your younger years, you're just going to be totally out of place partying like that and doing "young people things" like that in a city like Jax.  More at home on the W Coast or NYC.  Helps to be gay.

Just my opinion and experience.

[Adam White]

Personally, I think early-40's is quite young. Maybe that's just me.

I love you.

[Gunnar]

Personally, I think early-40's is quite young. Maybe that's just me.

also +1000 :-)

Simms: In the area, the  35+ age group is also often divorced with kids almost out of the house again.

[Bridges]

^Nice. I also know a lot of young people living in Springfield. I think the nation's real estate bust a few years back has created an opportunity for young people to invest in the neighborhood that wasn't present a decade ago.

That was my situation.  Moved back to Jax in 2006 and looked in Springfield.  $300k-400k+ homes.  How was I ever going to be able to move in there?  Then the market crashed and the houses dropped to where they should have been. 

[simms3]

Personally, I think early-40's is quite young. Maybe that's just me.

also +1000 :-)

Simms: In the area, the  35+ age group is also often divorced with kids almost out of the house again.

On fleek.  Hilarious AF.  Couldn't help myself there.  But yea that's so true.  And a little sad too.

[Know Growth]

  If everyone waits for full revitalization, avoiding sacrificing the great conveniences one desires, then the journey to full vibrancy is only delayed.

Ron,I so admire your passion and commitment-I've been awaiting the realization of potential for decades. To the original post,I concur,consider Riverside/Avondale. I thoroughly enjoyed my apartment in Avondale.