MOSH/River City Brewery/Friendship Park Site Possible Redevelopment

[FlaBoy]

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=547063

Interesting. I have always been in favor of them expanding the park aspect in the area especially with the improvement to Riverplace Blvd coming. It would make the Southbank a very nice place to live and work with some additional greenspace and a walkable environment around there.

[Steve]

MJ presented a mock-up for this site in 2006. Let me see if I can find.

[InnerCityPressure]

What would it take to get rid of River City Brewing's ridiculously long lease?

Would it be a "make them an offer they can't refuse" situation?

[Captain Zissou]

River City Brewing is not at all the best use for that site, but at the time I am sure the city was thrilled to have someone interested in the waterfront.  A ground lease for a stand alone restaurant doesn't make sense in the first place, but a 99 year term is absurd.  What percentage of restaurants stay relevant for even 25 years?  RCBC isn't very popular and the amount of space they occupy is far more than necessary. Some form of RCBC can exist on that site, but integrated into a much larger development.  Think Pussers in Ponte Vedra but as part of a more vertical development. 

[blizz01]

Bring back Harbormasters!  Bring back Crawdaddy's!

[Wacca Pilatka]

Bring back Harbormasters!  Bring back Crawdaddy's!

And the Lobster House and the Diamond Head!

[avonjax]

The existing restaurant and museum may not be the best use for the space but can't we find places that are blighted and/or empty to develop first? Why are there so many studies done for space that has something already on them? Let's face it, very rarely does anything happen when all these plans are presented.

[avonjax]

And let me add that I know this is city owned property but isn't the core loaded with spaces that need to be utilized? And what would you replace MOSH with? And where would you relocate MOSH? Would the plan be to rebuild a more modern version? I've learned a long time ago that most suburbanites won't step foot downtown or the Southbank unless there is an event. Just like with the idea of replacing the Landing they will not come for a park on the river. 

[Captain Zissou]

And let me add that I know this is city owned property but isn't the core loaded with spaces that need to be utilized? And what would you replace MOSH with? And where would you relocate MOSH? Would the plan be to rebuild a more modern version?

I agree that there are other areas to focus on first, but if money wasn't an issue I'd move MOSH to La Villa.  An expanded museum with an Imax, like what Charlotte has in their downtown, would be more of a draw.  Sally, The Ritz, MOSH, the Transit center (consolidated in the Optimus Prime Osborn with a transit museum component of course) and other cultural centers could be clustered and share a combined parking lot or structure, so that we aren't moving things downtown only to surround them with surface lots. Then the MOSH/RCBC site is free to be developed into a mid-rise mixed use structure surrounding a riverfront park with active & passive uses and restaurants with patios overlooking the river.

[Tacachale]

There's a lot more that can be done with this space even with the tenants there. A lot of it is pretty empty or underused. Low hanging fruit.

[vicupstate]

While it is glaringly obvious to anyone that the property is not at it's highest and best use, it is pointless to do this exercise now, as the city has tied it's own hands from doing anything DT.  Until that is no longer the case, this glorified 'study' will simply gather dust and become obsolete every day until that happens. 

Doing a major project on this site would likely be in direct competition with The District/Healthy Town as well.  Let that project get it's sea legs first.

[UNFurbanist]

I would say they really need to do something with that giant surface parking lot. Such a waste of space!

[FlaBoy]

Just expand the park and make it a greenspace!

[CCMjax]

Just expand the park and make it a greenspace!

Agreed, this is something downtown Jax has a serious shortage of.  A beautiful riverfront but not a whole lot of spaces to enjoy it.  People grossly underestimate the value of these green spaces in urban areas.

[Bativac]

Honestly, tearing down RCBC and putting in a park would be a far better use than the embarrassment of a restaurant that currently occupies the space. Plenty of other places in town for that early 1990s ambiance and decor, and fair-to-adequate food. As for MOSH, as a place to take the kids to play for a couple of hours and maybe see some cheesy animatronic dinosaurs, it's great! As a museum..................ugh.