How Do Outsiders View Jacksonville? An Article in Florida Trend Gives A Tip

[heights unknown]

I think Jacksonville has come a long, long way.  When I went in the Navy in 1974, Jacksonville had no identity, none, no semblance of knowing who it was or where it wanted to go.  Don't forget now, I lived in Jacksonville as a kid from 1965 - 1968, so I remember pre-consolidated Jax, and Jax when many people thronged downtown to shop, eat, and play.

From 1974 to about 1990, Jax was ho hum, boring, and back then I had dreams of one day seeing an Atlanta type skyline in Jax; never happened.  Downtown was full of parking lots begging to be filled with developments.

From 1990 to 1995 things kind of were looking up.  A brand new number one skyscraper graced the skyline, the Barnett Building now known as Bank of America.  The talk was buzzing, once again, of a National Football League Franchise maybe coming to the City.  Though not many new developments or skyscrapers would be built outside of the Barnett Building, or BOA, Jax did land the football team, and many were hoping that this would help change the City's image and make it a first class/international type city.

From about 1995 to the present I have visited Jax several times since leaving that same year.  Each time I visited something had either changed or something new had been developed or built.  I have noticed noticeable progress in Jax's appearance not only downtown but throughout the whole city; i.e., streets are generally cleaner with pristine landscaping, the skyline still has room for change but is very distinctive and different or even better than the skylines of its peers, the people seem happier and more proud to be Jacksonvillians, there seems to be more things to visit and do than 1995, and relative to 1995, more people nationwide actually know who, what, or where Jacksonville Florida is.

I dream of moving back; but I can't just yet.  I want to move back NOW.  I want to be a part of that "something special" that I hope and know will soon happen to and within Jax that will propel the City back to its number one status and stature in Florida, and nationwide.  Florida's best kept secret is no longer a secret, more people know about Jax and prefer it over the other major Florida Cities despite those that haven't ever lived in Jax still tagging it as cowtown, hicksville, Smellieton.  I'm proud of what Jacksonville has become, but I am even prouder of what it can be, hopes to be, and soon will be.

Heights Unknown

[Keith-N-Jax]

I think Jax still has an identity problem. Downtown has improved some, but still has a long way to go. Still behind in where it should be. Most people still see cities like Tampa, Miami, and Ft.Laud as the real Florida.

[CS Foltz]

There is a problem here in Jacksonville. Its not a question of how outsiders view our City but how we as citizens view .....and we have a problem with an Administration that has no vision...no plan....and no business acumen. I seem to remember that the Honorable Mayor ran on a platform of "running the City like a business". So far I have not been impressed at all, if we are being run like a business then we would have declared Chapter 11 long ago. Until we clean up our own act and get our house in order who cares what other people think. What matters is what we think!