Curry's Plan for the Landing Revealed

[Wacca Pilatka]

Do any pieces of Kids Kampus still exist?  E.g. are the kid-size versions of the downtown skyscrapers in storage someplace?

[Kerry]

Uggh!  That is all I have to say about this....for now.

[thelakelander]

Flaboy, I don't think they can be accurately compared. The Hillsborough River doesn't split DT Tampa. Tampa's layout and growth pattern is totally opposite of DT Jax's. The residential epicenter of DT Tampa is also on the other side of the Selmon. I'm not even sure I'd even compare the UT side of the river to the Southbank. It's an historic area that's seperate from the CBD.

When I mention Friendship Fountain and MOSH, the perspective I'm coming from is that there was already a park and museum there (the old convention center was turned into a park in the early 90s). The old museum was next to it and included a rooftop courtyard/park of its own. A new expanded museum was built and the entire space, including the park, was redesigned. What's there now was completed around 2010. They basically updated a dated musuem and underutilized park next too it. IMO, this would be applicable to MOSH being redone and better integrated with Friendship Fountain. What Jax is proposing at the Landing is to tear down Channelside or Harbour Place to turn it into a grass lawn. That, the expense associated with it and the clear pattern of lack of follow through with the last three DT green spaces built since 2000 should scare the bejesus out of every one.

[thelakelander]

Do any pieces of Kids Kampus still exist?  E.g. are the kid-size versions of the downtown skyscrapers in storage someplace?

Kids Kampus was fine. It used to be full of people. Even suburbanites. Now it's an underutilized lawn. What's with this city and non interactive lawns?

[FlaBoy]

Flaboy, I don't think they can be accurately compared. The Hillsborough River doesn't split DT Tampa. Tampa's layout and growth pattern is totally opposite of DT Jax's. The residential epicenter of DT Tampa is also on the other side of the Selmon. I'm not even sure I'd even compare the UT side of the river to the Southbank. It's an historic area that's seperate from the CBD.

When I mention Friendship Fountain and MOSH, the perspective I'm coming from is that there was already a park and museum there (the old convention center was turned into a park in the early 90s). The old museum was next to it and included a rooftop courtyard/park of its own. A new expanded museum was built and the entire space, including the park, was redesigned. What's there now was completed around 2010. They basically updated a dated musuem and underutilized park next too it. IMO, this would be applicable to MOSH being redone and better integrated with Friendship Fountain. What Jax is proposing at the Landing is to tear down Channelside or Harbour Place to turn it into a grass lawn. That, the expense associated with it and the clear pattern of lack of follow through with the last three DT green spaces built since 2000 should scare the bejesus out of every one.

I think that is what Vinik is proposing for half of Channelside right now too. He wants to tear it down and make green space along with a portion of the parking lot there.

[Wacca Pilatka]

Do any pieces of Kids Kampus still exist?  E.g. are the kid-size versions of the downtown skyscrapers in storage someplace?

Kids Kampus was fine. It used to be full of people. Even suburbanites. Now it's an underutilized lawn. What's with this city and non interactive lawns?

I agree - that's why I was asking whether anyone knew if any of its components still existed so it could be reactivated (at least in part, and possibly somewhere else)

[thelakelander]

We'll see how Vinik's project turns out. However isn't he spending his own money on the development around the arena? Here, we're talking about a public entity with a poor historical track record of vision and follow through like COJ.

[fieldafm]

Do any pieces of Kids Kampus still exist?  E.g. are the kid-size versions of the downtown skyscrapers in storage someplace?

Kids Kampus was fine. It used to be full of people. Even suburbanites. Now it's an underutilized lawn. What's with this city and non interactive lawns?

I agree - that's why I was asking whether anyone knew if any of its components still existed so it could be reactivated (at least in part, and possibly somewhere else)

No

There is talk of adding a playground to Friendship Fountain, but nothing concrete yet (excuse the pun).

What's frustrating is that a private group had approached SMG/COJ/MOSH about doing temporary, tactical urbanism-style improvements on the Times Union Center for Performing Arts Center's lawn and the MOSH property fronting Friendship Fountain.... and that particular group (who has a track record of success) had COJ and DIA turn its back on them (no City funds were requested, only access was needed.. and those projects would have actually been money makers for COJ/SMG/MOSH). Those projects would have already added activity to both of those spaces by now, but they sit empty so that the COJ overlords can come up with some big, expensive masterplan that they'll eventually abandon a few years later (as history suggests)... all while patting themselves on the back about how much is happening downtown (these areas are typically filled with bums on both weekdays and weekends... so kudos for that).

That same group also was ready to sign a lease to activate the empty space on the exterior of the Landing fronting Independent Dr/Hogan Street... but this ridiculous lawsuit by the City complicates that plan.

And no, I'm not bitter 


While on the subject of river activation... three years later and still waiting on the public art promised, conceptualized and priced out with an artist from UNF along the Northbank Riverwalk:  https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-says-it-should-have-been-more-sensitive-about-love-locks-wants-find-way-display-them

[fieldafm]

We'll see how Vinik's project turns out. However isn't he spending his own money on the development around the arena? Here, we're talking about a public entity with a poor historical track record of vision and follow through like COJ.

Yes. See: https://www.moderncities.com/article/2018-mar-tampas-waterfront-to-feature-shipping-container-park

[Wacca Pilatka]

^ Thanks for the answer, Mike.

The destruction of Kids Kampus is still totally inexplicable to me.

[Kerry]

Anyone remember the Simpsons episode where Springfield got so screwed up by Homer they packed up the whole town and moved it 5 miles down the road?  That is what Curry and Khan wants to do with downtown.

[Jagsdrew]

Update: I found a ground level rendering of the Park that is replacing the Landing, pretty incredible!!!..........

Breathtaking.

[Kerry]

I wasn't even worried about this plan becoming reality because Jax can't execute any plan...until you posted this picture.  Jax could pull THAT one off.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

That's a lot of fill dirt....

[thelakelander]

I wasn't even worried about this plan becoming reality because Jax can't execute any plan...until you posted this picture.  Jax could pull THAT one off.

We certainly could. That's what the Main Street Pocket Park looks like on weekends. It's the bottom of Hogans Creek too.