Boyer to be new DIA CEO

[jaxlongtimer]

Figured after 4 years it'd be worth bumping this up and looking back at how things have turned out.

Based on the comments made by posters at the beginning of this thread, it would appear not so great.  Whether held back by Curry or her own inadequacies, DIA has clearly been a disappointment to most based on what has, or hasn't changed in the urban core during her term.

Will be interesting to see if there is another side to her in working with Deegan.  Certainly can't be much less productive than the past few years.  I have some optimism with the arrival of Deegan because another key person working under Curry re: Downtown told me they were not happy working with others in the development of Downtown because the effort has been loaded with politicized direction and planning which is what Deegan has promised to redirect on.  I do remain concerned about interference from our partisans on the City Council though.

[Ken_FSU]

Simplest question is:

Is downtown better off, or worse off, than it was four years ago.

Next simplest question is:

What new projects in the CBD have been COMPLETED (not concepted) in the last four years.

Next simplest question:

What percentage of projects that the DIA has RFP'd or drafted incentives for have crossed the finish line?

Next simplest question:

Are incentive packages getting smaller (signaling an improving landscape) or getting bigger (indicating weaker confidence the private sector)?

Next simplest question:

Beyond locals with vested interest (the Jags, Vestcor, etc), are we seeing increased interest by outside developers?

Next simplest question:

Is the DIA a good champion for smart overall Downtown policy, including historic preservation, public transportation, homelessness, etc.

To me, the answer - across the board - is an unequivocal no.

The current DIA has been an utter embarrassment, flubbing numerous RFPs, renegotiating and extending nearly every development deal currently in play, getting almost NOTHING across the finish line, taking a limp-dick, cowardly approach to U2C, the Bay Street Clown Corridor, demolition of historic properties, inappropriate uses of property, horrifically botched downtown projects and timelines, etc.

You can say what you want about Curry, but there's just ZERO sense of accountability from the current DIA. I've yet to see them own up to a single mistake. It's always supply chain this. Capital stack that. For every. Single. Project.

Successful cities figure this shit out instead of making excuses.

Hate to keep coming back to it, but Friendship Park is an utter disgrace. In a competent city, people would be fired on the spot for taking away a riverfront park from the citizens for YEARS with no fucking plan to give it back. And it's just been years of gaslighting from all parties involved. Just like the shared use path.

Where's the communication from the DIA? It was supposed to reopen in 2021.

Boot em all and replace them with people who know what they're doing and who have a proven track record beyond being part of the same establishment that's failed downtown for 40 years.

Infuriating.

[Bativac]

Simplest question is:

Is downtown better off, or worse off, than it was four years ago.

Next simplest question is:

What new projects in the CBD have been COMPLETED (not concepted) in the last four years.

Next simplest question:

What percentage of projects that the DIA has RFP'd or drafted incentives for have crossed the finish line?

Next simplest question:

Are incentive packages getting smaller (signaling an improving landscape) or getting bigger (indicating weaker confidence the private sector)?

Next simplest question:

Beyond locals with vested interest (the Jags, Vestcor, etc), are we seeing increased interest by outside developers?

Next simplest question:

Is the DIA a good champion for smart overall Downtown policy, including historic preservation, public transportation, homelessness, etc.

To me, the answer - across the board - is an unequivocal no.

The current DIA has been an utter embarrassment, flubbing numerous RFPs, renegotiating and extending nearly every development deal currently in play, getting almost NOTHING across the finish line, taking a limp-dick, cowardly approach to U2C, the Bay Street Clown Corridor, demolition of historic properties, inappropriate uses of property, horrifically botched downtown projects and timelines, etc.

You can say what you want about Curry, but there's just ZERO sense of accountability from the current DIA. I've yet to see them own up to a single mistake. It's always supply chain this. Capital stack that. For every. Single. Project.

Successful cities figure this shit out instead of making excuses.

Hate to keep coming back to it, but Friendship Park is an utter disgrace. In a competent city, people would be fired on the spot for taking away a riverfront park from the citizens for YEARS with no fucking plan to give it back. And it's just been years of gaslighting from all parties involved. Just like the shared use path.

Where's the communication from the DIA? It was supposed to reopen in 2021.

Boot em all and replace them with people who know what they're doing and who have a proven track record beyond being part of the same establishment that's failed downtown for 40 years.

Infuriating.

Agreed wholeheartedly... every time I visit family back in Jax (which granted is only once a year) things seem to have either stagnated or gotten worse. DIA seems at best worthless and at worst an impediment.

[CityLife]

^I live in South Florida now and frequently get asked by people what is wrong with Downtown when I tell them I am originally from Jax. Everyone seems to have a story of the night they randomly stayed in Downtown Jax (for a concert, sporting event, etc) and it was totally dead with nothing to do. They are always completely mystified about it and genuinely curious how it can be like that. I then ask them, "well how much time do you have" and try to explain it the best I can.

All the people I've talked to love St. Augustine, but I have yet to meet one person that has a good opinion of Downtown Jax or had a good experience there. They all see the potential there and just don't understand it.

As I said earlier in the thread Boyer doesn't have the experience to lead an organization like the DIA without a strong deputy that does have experience in a similar organization. Sadly, she never brought anyone like that in. In fact (as I've pointed out over the years), every single employee in Boyer's DIA is doing their job for the first time in their career. I'm sure many of them (and Boyer) are smart and talented people, but experience goes a long way in such a complex environment.

I really think people in Jax just don't even realize just how bad downtown is because the average person doesn't travel around Florida much. And I'm not talking about the average, disengaged suburbanite, I'm talking about the people that live in the urban core and are leaders of the city. I was just in Sarasota for the first time in a couple years. Downtown Sarasota was already nice, but has lapped Jax several times in the past few years. Same for Orlando, Tampa, St. Pete, West Palm, Fort Lauderdale, and of course Miami.

Hey Chamber. Stop doing your yearly tour in Dubuque, Iowa or Louisville or wherever and go learn from all the other cities in Florida that are absolutely embarrassing Jax.

[Ken_FSU]

I really think people in Jax just don't even realize just how bad downtown is because the average person doesn't travel around Florida much. And I'm not talking about the average, disengaged suburbanite, I'm talking about the people that live in the urban core and are leaders of the city. I was just in Sarasota for the first time in a couple years. Downtown Sarasota was already nice, but has lapped Jax several times in the past few years. Same for Orlando, Tampa, St. Pete, West Palm, Fort Lauderdale, and of course Miami.

Hey Chamber. Stop doing your yearly tour in Dubuque, Iowa or Louisville or wherever and go learn from all the other cities in Florida that are absolutely embarrassing Jax.

I grew up in Fort Myers.

When I left to go to Florida State in 2000, downtown was desolate and mostly boarded up. The joke was that you could sleep in the streets downtown overnight without having to worry about a car running you over.

Shortly thereafter, they hired an expert to master plan the urban core, used that master plan as their true north, and gradually poked away it each year.

In less than 10 years, downtown Fort Myers was unrecognizable. Dozens of bars and restaurants. New hotels under construction. Urban Publix. Impossible to find parking on the weekends. People everywhere enjoying the urban core.

And I'd be SHOCKED if the entire thing cost more than what we've spent on demolitions and buy-outs.

Literally all they did was:
1) Hire an experienced expert to fully master plan Downtown Fort Myers
2) Stick to the master plan

https://fortmyers.floridaweekly.com/articles/that-moment-a-switch-flipped-and-downtown-fort-myers-became-cool/

[thelakelander]

Same goes for Lakeland, Pensacola, Gainesville, Winter Park, Winter Garden, Delray Beach, Hollywood, plus insert city here....

This stuff isn't rocket science and Jax has no one to blame but itself. Boyer or not, it won't who is in the position as long as you have those above them tinkering with the process and playing political winners and losers with downtown.

The best thing in years for downtown just took place a few months ago with Deegan winning the mayor's election. What was in place, simply wasn't working and more of the same would have only ended up with more millions spent and nothing to show for it. Now there's an opportunity to right the ship by clearing dead wood and systemic barriers that were in place.

[Steve]

Same goes for Lakeland, Pensacola, Gainesville, Winter Park, Winter Garden, Delray Beach, Hollywood, plus insert city here....

This stuff isn't rocket science and Jax has no one to blame but itself. Boyer or not, it won't who is in the position as long as you have those above them tinkering with the process and playing political winners and losers with downtown.

The best thing in years for downtown just took place a few months ago with Deegan winning the mayor's election. What was in place, simply wasn't working and more of the same would have only ended up with more millions spent and nothing to show for it. Now there's an opportunity to right the ship by clearing dead wood and systemic barriers that were in place.

Agreed. The DIA is only as strong as the leadership above the DIA.

[Captain Zissou]

I was just in Sarasota for the first time in a couple years. Downtown Sarasota was already nice, but has lapped Jax several times in the past few years. Same for Orlando, Tampa, St. Pete, West Palm, Fort Lauderdale, and of course Miami.

Hey Chamber. Stop doing your yearly tour in Dubuque, Iowa or Louisville or wherever and go learn from all the other cities in Florida that are absolutely embarrassing Jax.

My wife is from Bradenton and while their downtown is quite small, it punches well above its weight class in terms of activation.  They invested in their riverwalk and public spaces and have been slowly working to activate retail corridors a block at a time.  I have been surprised each time I've been there.

It seemed like, with Lori's proposal of the bay street nightlife district and the retail enhancement programs, that Jax was going to focus on making one stellar and complete block of businesses that would draw in the public.  Now we're back to "game changers" and mega projects.

[thelakelander]

With those programs, I don't think a single block or location was defined. Also, the most appropriate blocks still need work (i.e. Emerald Trail on Hogan Street, Two-way of Forsyth and Adams, activating the city hall annex and old courthouse sites on Bay, etc.). Infrastructure-wise, Laura Street has been ready since the decade old streetscape. However, we took a major step back by demolishing the Landing, eliminating the 30 businesses and steady stream of every day foot traffic they generated. Now, with most of these low hanging fruit, we're waiting for major public Infrastructure projects to start and be completed. Eventually, we'll get there but the path taken over the last 8 years has added another decade to the revitalization process. Deegan's budget is very critical. For a first time, in a long time, funding is being allocated to do public infrastructure enhancements throughout downtown that should have been taken care of years ago. So we're finally doing an early step that all of those more vibrant accomplished a generation ago. That's first making major public investments in themselves.