Downtown Gamechanger

[NativeDigs]

This would never happen (at least not in the current layout of downtown)

An Apple Store - I don't think everyone in the city wants to go to TC to go to the store and that place is always packed. An Apple Store would easily feed additional retail, food, and entertainment in the encompassing area.


Pipe dreams....

[PeeJayEss]

What? There's one Apple store in town, in basically the geographic center, clustered with other retail in the newest shopping center the town has. Downtown would be like maybe the 20th location they would put an Apple Store in downtown. Orange Park, Mandarin, the Beaches, heck even San Marco and Riverside/Avondale would get Apple stores before downtown. This might be more pie-in-the-sky than the aquarium, and it certainly wouldn't be a game changer.

I can't tell if you're joking.

[Captain Zissou]

I thought this was CCMJax trolling with another $3 Million study post.

In what way would this "Change the game" for downtown?

[CCMjax]

I thought this was CCMJax trolling with another $3 Million study post.

In what way would this "Change the game" for downtown?

Ha, good one!  Nope, not in trolling mood today and no I don't think the folks over at Apple are really interested in sparking a revitalization effort with one of their stores.  They will go where the market already is.

[ProjectMaximus]

If there were only one Apple Store and it was downtown, I could see it being a mini game changer. They do have quite a large captive audience that would be funneled to one location. Obviously Apple has little incentive to do that though.

[tufsu1]

We have an "apple" store downtown...in fact we have at least two.  Apple a Day in the Landing and Candy Apple Cafe at Sweet Pete's

All kidding aside, Sweet Pete's has been far more of a game changer than an Apple store would ever be.  Every weekend, families from the suburbs with their young children are coming into a largely unexplored area of the core. 

[thelakelander]

It would be like putting a Walmart in downtown. It would pull in its select group of loyal followers. However, I seriously doubt it would be a "game changer", in terms of creating some type of vibrant walkable setting. A series of moves like it would be a negative "game changer" for Apple stock holders though!

[camarocane]

How about a university on the vacant parcels in LaVilla? Maybe a satellite of SCAD?  Force freshmen to live on campus and WAMMO 1000+ residents overnight...

[hiddentrack]

Apple knows how to draw shoppers, and they've apparently been getting some special deals from mall operators for that reason. When it comes time to expand (the current location is just a little cramped there on the weekends!), I'd guess Simon will move them somewhere else in SJTC.

It'd be interesting to see if Apple alone could draw other retail downtown, but they seem to open their stores in established retail areas. It'll be a while before downtown gets that way.

[Tacachale]

Apple knows how to draw shoppers, and they've apparently been getting some special deals from mall operators for that reason. When it comes time to expand (the current location is just a little cramped there on the weekends!), I'd guess Simon will move them somewhere else in SJTC.

It'd be interesting to see if Apple alone could draw other retail downtown, but they seem to open their stores in established retail areas. It'll be a while before downtown gets that way.

They already need to either expand, or open a second one. It's ridiculous how long it can take to do basic things there. It seems even to surprise Apple technical support.

[RattlerGator]

How about a university on the vacant parcels in LaVilla? Maybe a satellite of SCAD?  Force freshmen to live on campus and WAMMO 1000+ residents overnight...

I keep wondering why J.U. and Flagler can't figure out a way to collaborate on something downtown *if* they, either one, couldn't do it alone?

UNF ? ? ? Their Coggin College of Business ? ? ? A strong argument could probably be made that UNF should be seriously planning for a downtown campus to complement its current suburban campus.

We desperately need some kind of *real* university presence downtown.

[CCMjax]

How about a university on the vacant parcels in LaVilla? Maybe a satellite of SCAD?  Force freshmen to live on campus and WAMMO 1000+ residents overnight...

UNF and JU were interested in occupying parts of the Barnett, really a perfect spot for a satellite business or law campus.  I have been thinking a downtown campus for JU and UNF coupled with perhaps a satellite for UF or FSU would be great in DT.  UF Health already has a huge presence here, wonder if UF has ever thought of perhaps a part of their business or law school being downtown.  And where is FSU's presence?  Loads of cities around the country are getting these downtown satellite campuses, another thing to add to the list . . . get a university (not junior of community college) satellite campus of some sort downtown.

[heelsnjax]

How about a law school, possibly where the Construction trailers are on W. Adams, by State's Attorney's Office, Federal Courthouse and County Courthouse.

[thelakelander]

How much would be willing to give away to get another school (we do have FSCJ who wants to expand) downtown? Give away the house like Charlotte did a decade ago and it might not be so hard to pull off!

[spuwho]

I mentioned on a post awhile back that FBC could easily convert their downtown properties into a University level establishment of about 800 students. 

They laid off 200 support staff last year due to budgets and lack of use. I say bring the college kids in.