The Markets at Town Center

[Beloki]

I agree with avonjax and lakelander. The city should focus on density in downtown. Make it a great place to live. If the people are there the services (shops,restaurants etc) will follow. I come from Rotterdam, The Netherlands where they had the same problem. 18 years ago there were only offices in downtown Rotterdam and at night the downtown area was a ghost town. The city focused on density (lots of high rises, lots of different apartment styles) and the rest followed. I can truly say that now in 2008 they clearly succeeded in changing the downtown area and you don't have to leave downtown anymore for anything.. greats shops, restaurants, parks. musea etc. But to this day still the city will only allow high rises and still focuses on population density in the downtown area.

[aj_fresh]

Article in the TU...

http://jacksonville.com/business/2009-01-21/story/new_tenants_lined_up_for_markets_at_town_center

The Markets at Town Center, where several new stores will soon open, has become the younger sibling to the adjacent St. Johns Town Center.

Officials with both shopping centers acknowledge that customers pretty much view it as one shopping area, with most people assuming stores like Best Buy and Toys R Us are part of the St. Johns complex.

But those stores, along with Golf Galaxy, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Mattress Giant, make up the first stores in the Markets at Town Center, taking up about 125,000 square feet.

[Doctor_K]

Of course they view it as one shopping area.  It pretty much is.

[jandar]

Its just like in Orange Park. People call the Target/Toysrus/etc as the mall.

"I'm going to the mall, I need to stop by Toys R Us".

Kinda silly, but that is how it is.