Renderings: Brooklyn's proposed FIS World Headquarters

[acme54321]

Curious.  If the Brooklyn apartment dwellers want to get to the Riverwalk, how far do they have to walk to get there presently?  It seems to me they have to go all the way to the area behind the fire station at the end of Forest.  Are there any other public access points between the Acosta and Fuller Warren bridges? 

The only possible additional access may be via the Times Union/McCoys Creek project depending on how they develop it.

Being hemmed in by I-95, the railroad, and the Park Street and Riverside Avenue viaducts, it looks like Brooklyn will ultimately be more of an isolated/ self contained community, not one with robust connectivity/interaction with adjacent Downtown or Riverside.  After subtracting the office buildings and the parking garages, it seems opportunities for residents will be somewhat limited.  Their only lifeline may be the Emerald Trail.

There is public Access at Jackson, Dora, du Pont PL, and Rosselle.  Plus you can cut through between Haskell and the TU building.

[Ken_FSU]

^The Morris T-U property feels like it's quietly growing more and more valuable by the day with all the new development in Brooklyn.

[ProjectMaximus]

Not sure it really matters as most of their time is probably spent at Unity Plaza, the Central Park of Jacksonville.

I see what you did there.

I was in town and walked Unity Plaza last week around 3p. I wasn't the only person....there was a guy on the other side of the pond walking a dog. Outdoor bathrooms were locked with a chain. Can't wait to see it next year after even more growth!

[Kerry]

They could walk down Jackson, between the YMCA and Haskell.

That is how I did it.  To the second point though - only 6 ways in/out of Brooklyn.

[Charles Hunter]

They could walk down Jackson, between the YMCA and Haskell.

That is how I did it.  To the second point though - only 6 ways in/out of Brooklyn.

I count 7, well maybe 6 and-a-half:
Riverside Ave at both ends (2)
Park Street at both ends  (2)
Forest Street
College Street
Myrtle Avenue (only a half because of low clearance)
Plus access to/from I-95 at Park and Forest

[Kerry]

I counted I-95 and Forrest as the same entrance since there is no where to go until those two meet - however, I forgot about College St.  Anyhow, I think the point was that Brooklyn is really cut off from the rest of the city because of the river, the railroad/McCoy Creek, and I-95.  So 6, 6.5, 7...doesn't really matter.  Although, the entire area of Mandarin area has less access than that to the rest of Jax.  If you live South of I-295 the only way north is I-95, St Augustine Rd, San Jose, Scott Mill Rd, Philips or 9B - a total of 6 ways.

[jaxlongtimer]

I counted I-95 and Forrest as the same entrance since there is no where to go until those two meet - however, I forgot about College St.  Anyhow, I think the point was that Brooklyn is really cut off from the rest of the city because of the river, the railroad/McCoy Creek, and I-95.  So 6, 6.5, 7...doesn't really matter.  Although, the entire area of Mandarin area has less access than that to the rest of Jax.  If you live South of I-295 the only way north is I-95, St Augustine Rd, San Jose, Scott Mill Rd, Philips or 9B - a total of 6 ways.

The main differences between Mandarin and Brooklyn are that the former is a suburban, not urban, community with a different set of lifestyle expectations (such as being auto-centric, not walkable) and that it is so much larger geographically than Brooklyn that it can functionally opereate as a "city" unto itself.  There is very little a resident of Mandarin can't accomplish within the world of Mandarin.  Not nearly so in Brooklyn (which has no schools, no hospital or doctors offices, only one grocery store, no pharmacy chain, no general stores like Walmart or Target... and so on).

[Ken_FSU]

110 years standing.

110 minutes to come down.

https://www.jacksonville.com/photogallery/LK/20200125/PHOTOGALLERY/125009996/PH/1

Net positive compared to other demos, but still would have been a cool building to repurpose if the move wasn't so cost prohibitive.

[I-10east]

^^^Fair take

[jaxlongtimer]

110 years standing.

110 minutes to come down.

https://www.jacksonville.com/photogallery/LK/20200125/PHOTOGALLERY/125009996/PH/1

Net positive compared to other demos, but still would have been a cool building to repurpose if the move wasn't so cost prohibitive.

Would have been nice and just pocket change to FIS if they had performed a community service and offered to subsidize/pay for moving the station to another site to make saving it feasible for someone with lesser resources.  Their top executives make into 8 figures a year and the company just paid $46+ billion for an acquisition so what would $500,000+/- be but a small decimal point to them.

Surprised the City couldn't get them to help out given the incentives and other support from the City they are getting to develop the site.  Missed opportunity and another example of a lack of visioning and leadership by the City to preserve our history and character.

FYI, of dozens of buildings, this was the very last pre-WWII building left on either side of Riverside Avenue between the Fuller Warren & Acosta Bridges.  Nothing left, even close, from an era that goes back to pre-1900.  The "oldest" buildings on that stretch today are the original Peninsular Life Building (1952 - now occupied by FIS), the Florida Times Union (1967) and the Florida Blue Tower (1950 to 1960's).

[thelakelander]

The buildings across the street at Riverside and Edison are the last two left. They're just covered in stucco.

[duvaltilidie]

I hate to be this guy. With all the buildings, historic or not, that could've been, should've been, etc.. how long until 'ole Lenners knocks down the shell of Public School Number Four? I'm well aware of the ownership of the building, the cleanup crew that takes care of the property, etc.. but is this just a matter of time? In this next decade?

[jaxlongtimer]

The buildings across the street at Riverside and Edison are the last two left. They're just covered in stucco.

Lake, welcome to the "party pooper" club.  Now we are even  .  I was working from my recollection and didn't recall these small buildings.  Thanks for the correction!

[thelakelander]

I hate to be this guy. With all the buildings, historic or not, that could've been, should've been, etc.. how long until 'ole Lenners knocks down the shell of Public School Number Four? I'm well aware of the ownership of the building, the cleanup crew that takes care of the property, etc.. but is this just a matter of time? In this next decade?

If it were owned by COJ, I'm sure it would have been mowed down by now.

[Kerry]

If COJ had owned the school it would have come down 10 years when 95/10 was rebuilt.