Chicago Pizza coming to the Landing

[assorted]

seriously, they must have got that space for cheap!

[JaxNative68]

there really isn't that bad of a parking problem at the landing.  the real problem is that the residents of jacksonville are strip mall crazy and are accustom to having boat loads of free parking, so they feel that they shouldn't have to pay for parking when go to the landing.  maybe if the landing started a parking validation for the restaurant users, the parking would be such an issue.

[Captain Zissou]

Ruby Tues was located underneath where Gold's Gym is now. 1st floor, on the river and first location on the west side.

The dead zone.

I wouldn't call this a dead zone anymore.  Hooters, Cinco de Mayo, Gold's Gym and now Chicago Pizza? That seems like plenty of activity to me.  Granted, the past few times I have been to the Landing, it has been when a road race finished between the Landing and the TU center, so most of the activity was on this side. 

[thelakelander]

there really isn't that bad of a parking problem at the landing.  the real problem is that the residents of jacksonville are strip mall crazy and are accustom to having boat loads of free parking, so they feel that they shouldn't have to pay for parking when go to the landing.  maybe if the landing started a parking validation for the restaurant users, the parking would be such an issue.

The parking problem is associated with leasing to first tier commercial tenants.  Many chains require a certain number of parking spaces to be set aside before committing to that property or commercial site.  With less than 300 current dedicated parking spaces, this is the parking issue the Landing must overcome.  

[JaxNative68]

the are plenty of garages within a couple of blocks of the landing that could be utilized if only people would realize that it is not the end of the world to walk a couple of blocks rather than being able to park within 60 feet of the front door.  When at the landing, I have actually heard people complain about how far away the parking lot is and that they can't believe they have to pay to park there.  Wake up people and welcome to every other metropolitain city.  It's called get off your wallet (actually change purse, jax parking is very cheat) and get off you fat ass and use your feet a little bit.

[hanjin1]

i agree with "jax parking is very cheat"

[thelakelander]

Its not the people, its the national chains that require dedicated parking.  Jax has tons of garages, but they don't dedicate their spaces to the Landing.  Unless, you're NYC, San Francisco, etc. Cheesecake Factory (using them as an example) isn't coming if they don't have "x" amount of spaces set aside for their employees and patrons.  The same typically goes for chains like CVS, Best Buy, Office Depot, etc.  Having the necessary dedicated parking to land first tier chains is what the Landing's parking issue is about, since Sleiman wants to attract a few as anchors.  Not the attitude of the local population.

[JaxNative68]

cheat would mean our parking is expensive, lets change that word to cheap. 

[JaxNative68]

maybe sleiman needs to get off his wallet and approach these garages with the idea of leasing spaces from them, possibly even vallet style, so the lazy patrons don't have to walk.  I'm sure he could pass it along in the retail lease agreement.  Where there is a will, there is a way.  Maybe sleiman likes the tax write off for business loses when it comes to the landing.

[thelakelander]

Perhaps that is what the city can do to fulfill their 24 year old obligation for the additional 800 spots?  Unless the new garage is built, the closest one is the Daniel Building's, which was given to the Hyatt.

If the city would invest in a streetcar line, they could probably get away with setting aside a certain number at the Water Street garage, assuming streetcars could serve as the connector.

[JaxNative68]

that too would help, but I must admit that I have never seen the landing's parking lot at full capacity, unless an event was happening.

[thelakelander]

Land a decent anchor and that could change.  However, economic issues aside, the anchor typically wants dedicated parking in place before committing to open.  So unfortunately, its not about being at full capacity.  Its an issue that deals with sealing negotiations bring national chains to the center.

[vicupstate]

Anyone too cheap to pay for parking is probably too cheap to tip a valet.

[Steve]

^Potentially, however there are those folks who don't mind paying for parking, but get confused as to where they can park.  Let's face it - our signage sucks big time downtown, and coming from the Main St bridge, if you appreach the landing parking lot, and it's full, you've now completely comfused some people.

On site parking with validation is the best option.  Sneakers at the beach is now doing it on weekends ($10 to park, and get a $10 gift certificate valid for anything - including drinks - that must be used that day).  Not a bad deal.

[gmpalmer]

Of course we aren't going to pay for parking -- it's not normal behavior down here.  People keep trying to half-assedly build a downtown when there are few people in Jax who know how to live in & operate in a working downtown.  The businesses at the landing (or the landing owner) need to fork over some serious $$$ for a parking garage -- if it's right there and people know there's space, maybe they'll park there for money. 

And walking a few blocks in downtown jax != walking a few blocks in NYC.  NYC is full of interesting things to see and do -- hell, you can have a great and full few days just wandering around a block or two.  Jacksonville blocks might as well be ghost towns.  If they're full of people, they're full of crazy homeless people or the spare business person shuffling to their latest meeting.

Wanna fix Jax?  Knock down the empty buildings, shoot the homeless and crazy (or ship them to clay county), and build light rail & parking.  If we're not going to do this, we're just going to stay the same.