Activating Downtown Vibrancy by Exposing Secret Retail

[thelakelander]

There won't be a Publix, Macy's or St. Johns Town Center opening up shop in downtown Jacksonville anytime soon. However, this does not mean that all is lost. Exposing and maximizing hidden retail and restaurants that already exist is an affordable placemaking solution that will enhance walkability, stimulate additional foot traffic, and create economic opportunity for additional businesses to thrive.

Full article: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/activating-downtown-vibrancy-by-exposing-secret-retail/

[jax_hwy_engineer]

Is there anything in place that is currently preventing street signage from being implemented? Opening up the storefronts would require a lot of investment and landscaping, sometimes even some light construction, but simply putting signs up on the facades would help a lot. Is the Enterprise Center Cafe still open? I'm always looking for cool downtown restaurants with a view. It's a challenge, though, even after looking for months I had no idea some of these spaces existed! It's frustrating not to know what's inside a building if there's more than simple offices...

[Wacca Pilatka]

I knew the Enterprise Center Café existed but had no idea it was above the lower floors of the building.

Years ago, the Tower Mall had a directory on the outside of the building - I wonder when it was removed?

[thelakelander]

Unfortunately, the Enterprise Center Cafe has closed along with a few other ground floor tenants in that building. They all took a hit when Wells Fargo moved. Same happened with the food court on the second floor of the Tower Mall when CSX moved out years ago. When that building landed EverBank, the food court was turned into a Nature's Table restaurant with a ton of seating. Today, most still probably don't know Nature's Table is in that building. Luckily for them, EverBank and Citizens Property Insurance moved thousands of workers into it in recent years.

[Jagsdrew]

Wish the signage ordinance was a little more relaxed in downtown to provide retailers a little more visibility.

[thelakelander]

Opening up the storefronts would require a lot of investment and landscaping, sometimes even some light construction, but simply putting signs up on the facades would help a lot.

Before - Early 2017 (coming soon)


Before - 2017 (under construction)


There are two good examples of storefront retrofits on Laura Street. TossGreen in the Suntrust/Vystar Tower is a great recent ground floor retrofit featuring its own entrance now.  Across the street, Wells Fargo did the same with their bank branch and ATM machine. You have to evaluate them on a case-by-case basis but in the process of landing a new tenant and building out that tenant's space, replacing a storefront window with a door should not be a major expense for a building like the Wells Fargo Center or Vystar Tower.

2018 - Now Open

https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/tossgreen-jacksonville-3

In the case of the TIAA Bank Center, BB&T, BOA, Enterprise Center, etc., other solutions like outdoor seating and individual business signage would be more applicable.

[KenFSU]

Great article that I can personally relate to.

No joke, I walked right by the Bank of America tower multiple times a week for three months on my way to get Urban Grind before someone told me that there was a location right there in the tower.

How was I supposed to know?

I also discovered Nature's Table and Confetti by mistake when I was on my way to grab lunch at Toss Green and it started to rain so I ducked inside the TIAA building.

[thelakelander]

^Wow that's insane! I worked in downtown for years and had no idea about the food court on the second floor of Tower Mall until Lunican told me since he used to work in the building. I found out about the others by simply walking into the remaining towers just to see what was inside.

I know we tend to focus more on the big flashy projects that will take years to come to fruition, but there has to be a way to invest in better integrating what we already have into the streetscape and exposing these businesses to public view.  One can only imagine what can be done for the amount of money it will take to subsidize a ferris wheel ultimately failing across the street from the jail.

When you look at Laura Street, with the Trio, Barnett and Hotel Indigo projects already in the works, if the base of BOA and the Wells Fargo Center could be addressed, we'd have a lively strip of pedestrian scale activity between the Landing and Hemming Park. That could be extended a few blocks north by taking the same approach with the library and FBC's hidden retail spaces, along with the reuse of Snyder Memorial and the JEA Tower's retail spaces.

[KenFSU]

^I'd be all for it, up to and including public subsidy.

Seems like a win-win too.

Surely these businesses would do better if people actually, you know, realized they existed.

Look at the line to get coffee in the BOA Urban Grind (what line?) vs. the line to get coffee in the morning at Chamblins (be prepared to wait).

Really hoping that Vagabond gets some prominent street-level exposure (and outdoor seating) at the Barnett.

[fieldafm]

No joke, I walked right by the Bank of America tower multiple times a week for three months on my way to get Urban Grind before someone told me that there was a location right there in the tower.

In addition to Urban Grind, Akel's Deli (which has IMO the best tabbouleh in town) and Momni Boutique (from Murray Hill) have 1st floor locations inside the BofA tower.

Removable outdoor seating and some attractive a-frame signs on their property along Laura Street would dramatically enhance the pedestrian interaction with that building. It is my understanding that the building owner is not interested in exploring that idea.

[fieldafm]

Opening up the storefronts would require a lot of investment and landscaping, sometimes even some light construction, but simply putting signs up on the facades would help a lot.

Before - Early 2017 (coming soon)


Before - 2017 (under construction)


There are two good examples of storefront retrofits on Laura Street. TossGreen in the Suntrust/Vystar Tower is a great recent ground floor retrofit featuring its own entrance now.  Across the street, Wells Fargo did the same with their bank branch and ATM machine. You have to evaluate them on a case-by-case basis but in the process of landing a new tenant and building out that tenant's space, replacing a storefront window with a door should not be a major expense for a building like the Wells Fargo Center or Vystar Tower.

2018 - Now Open

https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/tossgreen-jacksonville-3

In the case of the TIAA Bank Center, BB&T, BOA, Enterprise Center, etc., other solutions like outdoor seating and individual business signage would be more applicable.

Just to note, the original plan for Tossgreen was to also include a trellis with outdoor seating. The business owner ultimately did not want to spend the money to include that amenity. They also decided to close early (originally they were to be open through dinner service). With JU moving in evening classes in the building, Vystar having an evening shift in the building and two hotels going up next door... both those decisions are unfortunate, IMO.

BTW, I think that if you accept retail enhancement money from the DIA... then how you address the pedestrian scale environment and whether or not you are open in the evenings should be a critical deciding factor in the eligibility of those funds.

[thelakelander]

No joke, I walked right by the Bank of America tower multiple times a week for three months on my way to get Urban Grind before someone told me that there was a location right there in the tower.

In addition to Urban Grind, Akel's Deli (which has IMO the best tabbouleh in town) and Momni Boutique (from Murray Hill) have 1st floor locations inside the BofA tower.

Removable outdoor seating and some attractive a-frame signs on their property along Laura Street would dramatically enhance the pedestrian interaction with that building. It is my understanding that the building owner is not interested in exploring that idea.

Why? What's the reason the owner isn't interested? Also, does the property owner have better designed properties in other cities? I find in my line of work, one can turn a no into yes if the underlying reason behind the no is addressed.

[thelakelander]

BTW, I think that if you accept retail enhancement money from the DIA... then how you address the pedestrian scale environment and whether or not you are open in the evenings should be a critical deciding factor in the eligibility of those funds.

How the pedestrian environment is address should certainly be a critical deciding factor. Quite honestly, I'm surprised if it already isn't. Integration with the pedestrian environment should be a requirement. As for opening during the evenings, I think everything needs to be re-evaluated more holistically. There are certain corridors (like Laura, Forsyth, Hogan and Adams) that should be considered retail oriented streets. From that perspective, several of our current priorities and policies should be modified to work with the marketplace in facilitating rapid short term retail oriented growth. This would include how we're handing the Landing situation and how the ground level of buildings like BOA and Wells Fargo can be improved to fill in the gaps and stimulate more pedestrian scale synergy.

If the policies and redevelopment strategies are in sync, than it makes more sense to attempt to drive businesses receiving money to maintain evening hours. Assisted with the openings of the Barnett, Courtyard by Marriott, Hotel Indigo, Hyatt Place, VyStar's move, etc., for a fraction of what we're tossing out in incentives to Berkman II, you could quickly create a vibrant/image changing four block stretch of pedestrian centric activity between the Landing and Hemming Park within two years.

However, without some synergy and coordination of policies, event planning, etc., we'd simply end up with a few random places in random disconnected spots, open at night until they go out of business.

[Steve]

Just to note, the original plan for Tossgreen was to also include a trellis with outdoor seating. The business owner ultimately did not want to spend the money to include that amenity. They also decided to close early (originally they were to be open through dinner service). With JU moving in evening classes in the building, Vystar having an evening shift in the building and two hotels going up next door... both those decisions are unfortunate, IMO.

BTW, I think that if you accept retail enhancement money from the DIA... then how you address the pedestrian scale environment and whether or not you are open in the evenings should be a critical deciding factor in the eligibility of those funds.

At least the business hours are an easy fix. For the seating, can they just do that or does it have to be approved.

With regard to retail enhancement money, I completely agree on the pedestrian scale. Not sure if you can mandate being open in the evenings. I wouldn't want to lose the opportunity to improve a storefront because it was a place like First Watch as an example.

[fieldafm]

How the pedestrian environment is address should certainly be a critical deciding factor. Quite honestly, I'm surprised if it already isn't. Integration with the pedestrian environment should be a requirement.

The applicant is required to submit a site plan and include some graphic representation of the proposed interior and exterior of the retail storefront.... however design is not included on the scoring matrix which determines whether or not the business is awarded the grant.  Maybe the DIA feels that the DDRB process should theoretically flesh that pedestrian interaction out... but history suggests that the end product after DDRB doesn't necessarily result in an ideal pedestrian interaction experience.  I just think that if you are needing public money to open, that the standard should be a little higher than the bare minimum. Perhaps, though I'm just an idealist.

As for opening during the evenings, I think everything needs to be re-evaluated more holistically. There are certain corridors (like Laura, Forsyth, Hogan and Adams

I agree with you, and that's the thing. The original boundaries of the retail grant program was confined to Laura, Forsyth, Hogan and Adams Street (and also includes Bay Street). So, within that context... anyone receiving said funds should naturally be the type of business that doesn't close up shop at 2pm.  Until recently, you couldn't have proposed to open a men's suit shop in LaVilla (even though LaVilla is in DIA's overview) and get retail enhancement grant money (as LaVilla is not within the boundaries of the retail enhancement grant program).  The physical boundary of the program was designed to support retail users within that compact, walkable area... and not encourage one-off no man's land scenarios.

Unfortunately, maintaining evening hours were not required within the program.... and several businesses opened with assistance from DIA, that close up shop and do not contribute to downtown becoming an 18 hour neighborhood.

Last month, the DIA board made the curious decision last month to grant the owner of Tossgreen with retail enhancement funds to open a 2nd location in Brooklyn (where retail has no problem thriving).  In the past, they've steadfastly maintained that the program boundaries shouldn't have been expanded (and frankly, with good reason). It remains to be seen how this (what they say is a) one-off scenario changes things, but I firmly believe that this sets a very poor precedent for the future of the retail enhancement grant program.  Retail is so healthy in Brooklyn, that another inline retail center with national credit tenants will soon break ground in Q1 of 2019.