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Anonymous Donor Envisions Respite Along the "Best Little Bend on the River"
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An anonymous friend was visiting St. Vincent's one Saturday and watched as dozens of patients' family members came out of the hospital doors and went to Berg's Bistro. The friend watched as dozens of associates, nurses, and others came back and forth with "to go" boxes. Then one young woman left the hospital crying, catching the friend's attention. The young woman sat outside Berg's and looked out at our beautiful river. As the friend witnessed this, the desire was planted to make Berg's Bistro the "best little bend on the river" by improving the facilities, the landscaping and the front entrance, to reflect the excellence in medical care that we (St. Vincent's) offer. "I want this to be an escape and the best respite for our nurses, and other caregivers during their busy day."
We are thankful for the generosity of spirit that makes this project 100% donor funded.
We are thankful for the generosity of spirit that makes this project 100% donor funded.
This small project is a great example of how to better integrate the public realm with interior private sector uses already in operation. If this concept could be applied on a larger scale throughout urban Jacksonville, we may find that our city is already more lively than it appears.
Article by Ennis Davis
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buckethead
March 10, 2010, 09:17:47 AMIf people could walk from St Vincents to the Landing, they would.
On the beach, people walk (or ride a bike) for miles every day. Clearly there are private properties that could prohibit such a walkspace, but it is a thought.
JeffreyS
March 10, 2010, 10:03:30 AMExactly if the Modis building and Wachovia building's inside's were exposed to the street people would be amazed at the activity. I am sure the activity would build on itself.
Jason
March 10, 2010, 10:19:36 AMFantastic little project for St. Vincents. The views from the bistro are stunning!
Doctor_K
March 10, 2010, 10:43:30 AMWell, except for that parking deck between Main & Ocean...
fsu813
March 10, 2010, 10:51:20 AMSt. V, or the donor rather, is making a good space a great space. that's awesome.
i am curious as to who these nurses are that actually get lunch breaks....the ones I know are on thier feet for 13 hours straight!
RiversideLoki
March 10, 2010, 10:59:53 AMAs a frequent user of the riverwalk, I'd love to see an extension down to St. Vincents. But whoever mentioned the private property issue was dead on. Most of the land holders between St. V and the I-95 overpass would never let something like that go through voluntarily.
Good job St. Vincents!
JeffreyS
March 10, 2010, 11:01:52 AMi am curious as to who these nurses are that actually get lunch breaks....the ones I know are on thier feet for 13 hours straight!
Captain Zissou
March 10, 2010, 11:05:57 AMThis is a great project. St Vincents has done a lot to connect with the environment around them. Too bad the city has kept them so isolated from all of the other riverfront activity. If possible, I'd love to see the riverwalk go from St Vincents to the stadium. Or further.
I think one of the images was used for the first Baptist article, which is perfect. This is a great example of a private business embracing the public space around it. First Baptist should take notes.
fsu813
March 10, 2010, 11:10:37 AMi am curious as to who these nurses are that actually get lunch breaks....the ones I know are on thier feet for 13 hours straight!
i know, the ones i know don't even have time for that!
ubben
March 10, 2010, 01:55:49 PMAn extended Riverwalk would be great. We could walk, bike, jog for miles without dealing with cars and enjoy the beauty of the river and city. If private property owners block the Riverwalk on their property, why can't the city build the walk 50 or 100 feet off the shore but parallel to it, like a long boardwalk -- similar to the elevated walkway at the zoo-- but over water. That could be cool for short distances to circumvent difficult property owners.
Ocklawaha
March 10, 2010, 02:13:42 PMSo we allow the city to build a 20' x 1/4 mile pedestrian "Walk O'vr Water", follow the seawall where the land owners don't want to play. Doesn't the City have it's own Riparian rights? If so, what would stop the COJ from building on their side of the line, as long as the Riverkeeper was happy??
OCKLAWAHA
stjr
March 10, 2010, 02:31:35 PMI believe all the riparian rights to the river reside with the state of Florida, with one exception told to me by a friend. That is those lands abutting the river that were part of the original Spanish land grants predating Florida statehood, such lands which exist in Jacksonville. In fact, the example given to me is along Riverside Avenue. An interesting, but potentially, tricky subject.
The article below from Wikipedia seems to support this approach:
In the case of navigable waters, title goes to the average low water mark. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court defined this as the ""ordinary low water mark, unaffected by drought; that is, the height of the water at ordinary stages." Appeal of York Haven Water & Power Co., 212 Pa. 622, 62 A.97 (1905.) Land beyond the low water mark belongs to the state government in the case of the 13 original states. Lands between the high and low water marks are subject to the police powers of the states. (see United States v. Pennsylvania Salt Mfg. Co., 16 F.2d 476 (E.D. Pa., 1926)). In the case of the original 13 states, upon ratification of the United States Constitution, title to these lands did not change, it remained vested in the several states.
However, these titles became subject to the "Commerce Clause" of the Constitution which created an easement or "servitude" benefiting the federal government for the purpose of regulating commerce on navigable bodies of water. Borax Consolidated, Ltd. v. City of Los Angeles, 29 U.S. 10, 56 S. Ct. 23, 80 L.Ed 9 (1935).
As new lands were acquired by the United States, either by purchase or treaty, title to the beds of all navigable or tidal lakes, rivers, or their tributaries became vested in the United States, unless they had been validly conveyed into private ownership by the former sovereign. McKnight v. Brodell, 212 F.Supp 45. During the territorial period of these lands, the United States held these title "in trust" for the benefit of the future states which would be carved out of the territory. Hymes v. Grimes Company, 165 F. 2d 323. Each of the states were to come into the Union on an "equal footing" with the original thirteen states.
Under the equal footing doctrine, territorial states are vested with the same sovereign title rights to wetlands as the original thirteen states. Pollard v. Hagan, 44 U.S. 212, 3 How. 212, 11 L.Ed. 565 (1845). However, during the territorial period, the United States could convey certain of these lands under the limited circumstances of promoting commerce. Brewer Elliot Oil and Gas Co. v. U S., 260 U.S. 77, 43 S.Ct 60, 67 L.Ed. 140 (1922).
Any questions as to the ownership of these lands was resolved by Congress passing the Submerged Land Act, 43 U.S.C.A. 1301, which confirmed and quit-claimed title in various states to the beds of all navigable bodies of water. While this act conveyed navigable waters to the states, non-navigable waters outside the 13 colonies remained the property of the United States. Waters subject to the ebb and flow of the tides, but which are non-navigable passed to the states.
In the western United States, water rights are generally allocated under the principle of prior appropriation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riparian_water_rights
TPC
March 10, 2010, 03:15:35 PMWhen riding my bike from Avondale to 5 Points I usually detour just to ride the riverfront of St. Vincents. Glad it's getting the makeover.
uga_jax
March 10, 2010, 10:40:23 PMThey also updated the menu! Very Good! Too bad for Gibb's across the street from the hospital campus. The Berg's Bistro renovation is preventing them from having much business.
thekillingwax
March 10, 2010, 11:02:55 PMThey did revamp the menu but it basically consisted of adding a few things, taking a lot off and jacking the prices higher. It's a shame, when Berg's was closed for remodeling they kept the main cafeteria open and it has waaaay more selections like a fresh sandwich station, pizza and a hot bar. The riverfront area is beautiful but Berg's is really just a reduced function hospital cafeteria. They aren't hurting any of the places around there, you get a lot more for your money off campus, plus a lot of the local places like Gibb's deliver to St. V's. Employees don't even get a discount at the hospital.
mtraininjax
March 11, 2010, 02:02:49 AMI'd settle for baby steps and fixing the southbank river walk and fountain first. Let's see how the city does at FIXING problems before creating new ones with throwing out owner's rights on the river to extend the riverwalk.
How big of a hole is the city deficit again? Money in the budget for riverwalks, when we have 12% unemployment?