2017 State of Downtown Report

[KenFSU]

Yeah, it's delicious, but you start to feel guilty spending like $11-$20 a day for lunch at Bellwether, Olio, Cowford, Candy Apple, Indochine, Burrito Gallery, etc. Even Toss Green, you put any kind of protein on that salad, you're spending like $13.

The emperor bowl at Tossgreen is my go to lunch at 1:30 when the line dies down.  $9.09 for chicken, black beans, rice, pico de gallo, corn, peppers, cheese and sauce.  Delicious, filling, and no tip needed.  (Please see this Tossgreen and give me a sponsorship)

That's actually not bad.

ON IT next week.

[RatTownRyan]

Next week: 130 , line out the door.
Captain Zissou: DAMNITT!!!!!

[KenFSU]

Next week: 130 , line out the door.
Captain Zissou: DAMNITT!!!!!

And price for the Emperor Bowl has been raised to $13.

[MusicMan]

New special:

Peasants Bowl...everything above NO Chicken....$9.09

[JaxJersey-licious]

My favorite stats:

1) 96% occupancy for downtown residential.

2) Of the 5,000 residents living downtown, 86% are satisfied or very satisfied with downtown Jacksonville living.

3) Even better, of the 55,000 who come downtown for work, rather than by choice, nearly 80% of them either like or love working downtown.

These are the type of stats that drives development.

I'm super curious on how these polls of DT Jax stack up over the last ten years. Is this the typical cheerleading of those vested in downtown's success or is public opinion about downtown really turning a new optimistic corner that hasn't been seen in years? Either way its great to see this downtown excitement seems to have some momentum behind it finally. 

BTW I was talking to a friend who will be moving to the new VyStar HQ downtown. She is over the moon excited about it and can't wait to once and for all give the old headquarters on Blanding the bird. 

[Captain Zissou]

Next week: 130 , line out the door.
Captain Zissou: DAMNITT!!!!!

And price for the Emperor Bowl has been raised to $13.

Don't you put that evil on me!!

[remc86007]

I totally agree on the lack of late afternoon quick food options. Just yesterday our office worked through lunch time and had another meeting at 4:30. There are almost no cheap, healthy food options downtown after 3PM.


Having said that, I love working downtown. I wouldn't want to work anywhere else in the city, especially since I live one mile away in Springfield.

[JeffreyS]

7/11 grab n go

[Lostwave]

FYI a freakin' Starbucks downtown could help with that. They offer some excellent healthy choices for $7.00 or less.

Still cannot believe not one landlord downtown has not been able to bring in a Starbucks. Name another town our size without one SB in it's urban core.

The building I worked at in Seattle had 3 Starbucks.  Thats 3... in one friggin building.

[Charles Hunter]

The building I worked at in Seattle had 3 Starbucks.  Thats 3... in one friggin building.

Isn't that part of the zoning code in Seattle, one Starbucks per X number of employees - kinda like Jax requires parking spaces? 

[thelakelander]

FYI a freakin' Starbucks downtown could help with that. They offer some excellent healthy choices for $7.00 or less.

Still cannot believe not one landlord downtown has not been able to bring in a Starbucks. Name another town our size without one SB in it's urban core.

The building I worked at in Seattle had 3 Starbucks.  Thats 3... in one friggin building.

Around a decade ago, DT Jax had two. When I wrote this article in 2015, Tucson, Tulsa and Rochester were other large cities without a SB in their downtowns:

https://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-jun-americas-largest-cities-without-a-downtown-starbucks/page/

[Captain Zissou]

7/11 grab n go

Gross.

[exnewsman]

FYI a freakin' Starbucks downtown could help with that. They offer some excellent healthy choices for $7.00 or less.

Still cannot believe not one landlord downtown has not been able to bring in a Starbucks. Name another town our size without one SB in it's urban core.

The building I worked at in Seattle had 3 Starbucks.  Thats 3... in one friggin building.

I don't drink coffee.. and with that being said.. I don't think a Starbucks should be the measuring stick for a successful downtown. Perhaps it would be better to promote the coffee shops that are already here and operating. I'm sure they're good too.

The ability for businesses to put up more/better signage for downtown office buildings would certainly help.