JWJ Park?

[Charles Hunter]

Just saw this in a Scenic Jax Facebook post.  This is TOMORROW (Wednesday, April 3)

James Weldon Johnson Park
  ·
This Wednesday join the Jacksonville Parks Department and James Weldon Johnson Park for another open house at the Main Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library to see and share the latest updates for the planned redesign of James Weldon Johnson Park.

[Zac T]

Just saw this in a Scenic Jax Facebook post.  This is TOMORROW (Wednesday, April 3)

James Weldon Johnson Park
  ·
This Wednesday join the Jacksonville Parks Department and James Weldon Johnson Park for another open house at the Main Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library to see and share the latest updates for the planned redesign of James Weldon Johnson Park.

Was anyone able to make it to this?

[thelakelander]

I wasn't able to make it. Other than this post, I didn't see any promotion. I look forward to hearing the opinion of someone who was able to attend.

[Charles Hunter]

Here's the Action News story - https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/duval-county/jacksonvilles-james-weldon-johnson-park-being-remodeled-after-47-years/UGPBJJVLEBGCLD73NYJSWFB6QM/

[Ken_FSU]

Below is the 60% Design Schematic that was presented at the meeting, with additional renderings available in the News4Jax gallery here: https://www.news4jax.com/community/2024/04/04/james-weldon-johnson-park-to-get-a-new-look-for-the-first-time-since-1977



I deeply admire the passion and hard work from the group working on this, while still strongly believing that the 9-square concept severely limits the flexibility and enforceability of the park. The design will obviously continue to evolve, it's ultimately the city's decision, and programming is a huge, vitally important, yet unknown aspect, but there's just a certain sense of gravitas missing from the renderings.

That feeling you get when you walk through Savannah's Squares. Or when you walk through a place like Bryant Park, or Memorial Park in Riverside.

What's presented is a beautiful park, no doubt. But this is our city's oldest, most hallowed public space.

There's also the question of value proposition.

As in, if you're a family looking to spend the afternoon in one of Jacksonville's downtown parks, what is JWJP's hook, as presented in the renderings? Riverfront Plaza has the water, the children's playground, and the cafe/restaurant. RiversEdge will be focused on health and exercise. Artist's Walk will feature the largest public skate park in the city. Friendship Park will have the massive fountain and, eventually, the children's pirate ship/splash zone. Shipyards West will have an artificial beach, recreational activities, and a food hall.

Based on the renderings, what is the it-factor that can only be experienced at JWJP? Are any of the individual nodes strong enough to act as a magnet, drawing people away from the riverfront and into the central city?

Broken record, but to me, that it-factor comes from maximizing flexibility, seasonal programming, and returning JWJP/Hemming/City Park to its rightful place as Jacksonville's central civic gathering spot. Not sure how you do that with a quarter of an acre surrounded by pocket biomes.

[thelakelander]

No public restrooms or food and beverage component?

[Charles Hunter]

"Pine Trees"?!?!  At least there are no Palm Trees
Only 3 (or so) Flowering Trees?
I see the key for "brise soleil walls" (which I had to look up*), but I don't see that symbol within the park.
Is the Water Garden located directly across the street from the main entrance to City Hall as a way to limit or control demonstrations at the front door?

Did other renderings at the meeting show seating - type, quantity, location?

* - Brise soleil, sometimes brise-soleil, is an architectural feature of a building that reduces heat gain within that building by deflecting sunlight. The system allows low-level sun to enter a building in the mornings, evenings and during winter but cuts out direct light during summer. Wikipedia

[jaxlongtimer]

Wonder if it would be feasible to close the sections of Duval and Monroe streets bypassing the park?  Would enlarge the park but also enhance its pedestrian ambiance given it isn't all that big of an area to begin with.  Monroe already is an impaired pathway with the courthouse and Duval is heavily confined in front of City Hall so wouldn't think it would disrupt vehicle flow that much.  Could save the street paving for food trucks or event kiosks/tents too.

[fsu813]

No public restrooms or food and beverage component?

There are restrooms are at the Skyway stop, plan is to make those public. And I believe some part of the park is supposed to be food truck compatible.

Feels like it's trying to be too many things in too small of a space.

As others have said, just shamelessly rip off Bryant Park and call it a day.

This is one rendering I hope doesn't come to fruition, as is.

[thelakelander]

Hopefully, no one is taking food truck talk seriously, as a form of activation or improvement. Those can be pulled up on the street now. The place (downtown in general) really needs every day economic activity. Hopefully, they can get those Skyway stop restrooms open now, as opposed to waiting for a few million to upgrade the park.

[Ken_FSU]

For years, I was the "vagrancy is an exaggerated problem downtown" guy.

There had always been transient folk downtown, but I was never personally approached and they just seemed to mind their own business.

I've mentioned it over the last six months or so, but there's just something different and unhinged in the air lately. Feels like a crapshoot sometimes as to whether or not you're going to have your life threatened when walking through the park or by the main library, particularly in the early morning or early evening. Same thing on Hogan Street.

Very few police to be seen, people constantly screaming at each other and passersby, just feels like we're on the verge of something tragic happening.

There's so little vibrancy on the streets these days that the whole vibe can come across Walking Dead-ish, like the CBD has been abandoned to the vagrants. Guitar dude singing to the clouds. Sidewalk lady sprawled out unconscious. Fentanyl guy staggering down Duval Street into traffic. Racist catcalls flying in every direction, toward every group.

An unpoliceable passive park with limited flexibility, no permanent economic activity, and a million hiding spots is going to be like pouring gasoline onto the fire. There's just no universe where this new design concept - which does almost nothing to attempt to draw the outside community in - isn't overtaken by vagrants almost immediately.

I continue to strongly believe that the best way to combat this issue and return JWJ Park to its rightful spot as our city's key civic space is to design a park that is lively, active, flexible, regularly programmed, has fixed restaurant/retail/restroom features, is easily policeable via clear sightlines, is built with revenue-generation in mind, and has some form of light physical barriers to allow opening and closing of the park and to keep those who break the rules out.

The site is truly ground zero if we want to turn downtown around, but it feels like an afterthought to the riverfront parks that exist largely in isolation.

Truly on the verge of another 50-year mistake with this one.

How does this new design drive revenue? How does it foster a sense of security for patrons? What's there's to do 365 days a year if someone decides to drop in? What makes it unique from any other park in the city? How do you keep proven bad actors out?

This space should be puling in thousands of people a week and catalyzing surrounding business and development.

I just don't see anything in the new design that does this.

[CG7]

I was thinking the same thing Ken. I don't work or live in downtown. I do however live and work very close to downtown and frequent regularly (although definitely less than a few years ago). I looked over this plan and there is not one thing in the plan that would make me want to visit, I can't imagine how it would draw someone that is an infrequent visitor.

[Jax_Developer]

I'm sure my opinion is looked at negatively, but I do live downtown & there really isn't any lack of park or open space. There's a lack of safe urban space, and it makes many of this cities best assets unvisited. I'm critical of the large emphasis we have on new park spaces in downtown, when much of our downtown is literally vacant. I personally think most of it will be pointless. Even the Riverwalk struggles at times to remain safe.

[Ken_FSU]

I was thinking the same thing Ken. I don't work or live in downtown. I do however live and work very close to downtown and frequent regularly (although definitely less than a few years ago). I looked over this plan and there is not one thing in the plan that would make me want to visit, I can't imagine how it would draw someone that is an infrequent visitor.

Even though it's green, it's almost feels more like the failed plaza-style design (meant to be walked through or to serve as a quick break between places) than a destination park.

If you overlay the design on top of the existing space, you can really see how crowded and inflexible it all becomes in practice.



Isolating the "Great Lawn" demonstrates just how little of the park will be available for events or programming.

I'm sure my opinion is looked at negatively, but I do live downtown & there really isn't any lack of park or open space. There's a lack of safe urban space, and it makes many of this cities best assets unvisited. I'm critical of the large emphasis we have on new park spaces in downtown, when much of our downtown is literally vacant. I personally think most of it will be pointless. Even the Riverwalk struggles at times to remain safe.

What makes JWJ different though is that it's not surrounded by vacancy. In terms of surrounding context, it's easily the best location in the urban core in terms of building an active, vibrant park, with surrounding uses feeding into the park, and the park feeding into surrounding uses.

[Jax_Developer]

Right, but was it really worth the effort of closing & revamping this park when DT's issue are much more pressing than revitalizing park space? It's a waste of money, focus & effort that could be used elsewhere.