"Emerald necklace" plan

[jax_hwy_engineer]

JHE - is the six-lane section possible with the $25 million Phase 1 budget in the Draft CIP?
Also, since a PD&E has not been done, is the proposal to just cut off the bridge pilings, to avoid disturbing potentially (very) contaminated soil?

Unfortunately both those questions are above my paygrade or out of my technical field, I only do roadway design, not contract management/negotiation or structural work. I believe I read a preliminary structural recommendations list that mentioned NOT pulling the existing pilings for that reason, but I could be misremembering.

[Charles Hunter]

Could an Admin snip these Hart Ramp comments over to the Hart Ramp thread?

[KenFSU]

Design contest for McCoys's Creek:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/06/27/site-design-selected-for-mccoys-creek.html

[JaGoaT]

City of the future

[vicupstate]

In March, Groundwork announced it brought on Atlanta-Based PATH Foundation to come up with the master plan to connect 14 neighborhoods to the S-Line, Hogans Creek, McCoys Creek and the Northbank and Southbank riverwalks. A draft of that plan will be unveiled on July 24.

From the article

[Adam White]

Design contest for McCoys's Creek:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/06/27/site-design-selected-for-mccoys-creek.html

I know *someone* who will be very excited about the plans for a kayak launch.

[tufsu1]

In March, Groundwork announced it brought on Atlanta-Based PATH Foundation to come up with the master plan to connect 14 neighborhoods to the S-Line, Hogans Creek, McCoys Creek and the Northbank and Southbank riverwalks. A draft of that plan will be unveiled on July 24.

From the article

from what I understand, there is still much work to be done before the July 24 meeting

[KenFSU]

More details:

McCoys Creek part of Emerald Necklace could get nature-based makeover

Groundwork Jacksonville, a nonprofit whose mission is urban renewal by rejuvenating waterways, has come forward with a plan for a "natural channel" design that the group says will bring out McCoys Creek's beauty and also enhance flood control.

The concept picked up financial support this week from the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board when it approved up to $84,600 in city dollars for Groundwork to move forward with design.

"It would become more of a natural water body again," board member Michelle Tappouni said at the Monday meeting. "It's a very intriguing concept."

She pumped her fists in celebration when the board agreed to the funding, which Groundwork will supplement with $109,780 it is raising from other sources.

Mayor Lenny Curry is considering a plan for a large chunk of spending over a four-year period for McCoys Creek. At a June meeting of the Mayor's Budget Review Committee, a draft report for the city's next five-year capital improvement program showed $56 million over four years along McCoys Creek on activities such as raising bridges, restoring channels, creating greenways, building kayak launches, and in some cases, removing bridges and building a new pedestrian bridge across the creek.

The first year would authorize $10.65 million in the 2018-19 budget for McCoys projects. Curry will deliver his proposed budget to City Council on July 23.

"If you've spent time in natural forest streams, it's going to present a very familiar feel and viewscape that you would see in your typical Florida, mid-sized meandering stream's channels and floodplains," Kiefer said.

He said some parts of McCoys Creek don't have enough "stream power" for a meandering channel, so in those places, there could be ponds that would be linked by stream channels. In that respect, he said, McCoys Creek would be similar to the St. Johns River, another slow-moving waterway referred to as a river of lakes.

Kiefer said researchers have found that the kind of ponds envisioned for McCoys Creek can support snook and bass, which would make them fishing holes.

That is the kind of attraction that Groundwork Jacksonville, which is affiliated with a national organization, wants for McCoys Creek to reconnect it with neighborhoods. The meandering channels would be bordered by landscaped green space, kayak launches and walking trails.

Kiefer said McCoys Creek has the potential to draw people from across the region.

"I think this will be a magnet for the city," he said. "I really think it has the potential to be something fantastic."

Full story, potentially behind a paywall (I can never figure out what the Times-Union is doing with their subscription policy):
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/20180711/mccoys-creek-part-of-emerald-necklace-could-get-nature-based-makeover

[Steve]

1. NO ONE knows what the T-U is doing with their paywall.
2. I'd like to see the whole plan to understand the vision. Not that anything listed above sounds bad though.

[Downtown Osprey]

Say what you want about Jax's progress compared to other cities but this is something everyone should rally around and cheer for. I for one am super excited to see this project come to life.

[KenFSU]

Groundwork Jax awarded $250,000 federal grant for McCoys Creek rehab:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/11/23/groundwork-jacksonville-awarded-250-000-grant-for.html

[jax_hwy_engineer]

That's great news! I'll be excited to follow the development of this project as it becomes more realistic. Looks like it even includes the demo of the Times Union building, but I haven't heard many rumblings beyond seeing that on this proposal graphic.

[thelakelander]

Cool visionary graphics. If you read them closely, you'll see there's still a lot to be worked out from a technical standpoint. Basically, property acquisition in Brooklyn, freight access from closing McCoys Creek Boulevard limiting active heavy industrial site traffic to residential streets, demolishing the Times Union building, etc. Assuming these items can't be accomplished as dreamed, then there may be some modifications. With that said, congrats to Groundworks for winning the grant. That's an awesome accomplishment.

[Ken_FSU]

This guy:

Former Mayor John Delaney and urban planner Ennis Davis joined the board of Groundwork Jacksonville. Davis is senior planner with Alfred Benesch & Company. Delaney is a shareholder in the Rogers Towers law firm and specializes in government relations, land use, higher education and general civil litigation. He served as mayor from 1995-2003, then led the University of North Florida as president until retiring in May 2018.

Congrats man!

Two awesome gets for Groundwork Jacksonville.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/photo-gallery/people-on-the-move-sapienza-promoted-delaney-davis-to-groundwork-jacksonville

[thelakelander]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to the challenge of assisting in helping get a quality product quickly off the ground and into reality.