| River City Marketplace: A Year Later |
|
|
| Friday, 13 July 2007 | |
|
Now that River City Marketplace has been open for a full year, let's take a photo journey through North Jacksonville's largest shopping center. Today, River City Marketplace features twelve national big box anchors and over 850,000 square feet of retail space, with Best Buy, Gander Mountain, and a host of other shops coming soon. River City Marketplace July 2007 photo tour
For more information visit: www.ramcogershenson.com
July 2006 MetroJacksonville photo tour: |
July 13, 2007, 8:52 am
Re: River City Marketplace: A Year Later
Man, look at that beautiful surface parking lot!! Thousands of square feet of concrete with the occasional 2' square patch of grass. Now that is Urban progress right there. IT'S A STRIP MALL PEOPLE! UGH!
July 13, 2007, 9:02 am
River City Marketplace: A Year Later
Where is it? Does this mean the Northside, with some of the prettiest real estate in the City, ie: the hill's at old Imeson, has finally taken off in an upward mobile direction? If so, bravo to the corporations and investors that provide the shopping to support good residential development. In my book, all new development is like a new flower garden, "just add Light Rail" jump back and watch it bloom!
Ocklawaha
July 13, 2007, 9:19 am
Re: River City Marketplace: A Year Later
Its located at the corner of I-95 and Airport Road. Speaking of "rail" it borders the CSX rail line heading north to Fernandina Beach and would make for an ideal spot for a station stop, making the center and airport more accessible.
As for the urban layout aspect, as a city we can't even figure out what true urbanism is in the heart of the core. So it should be of no suprise that a strip center 10 miles out from the Northbank is suburban in nature.
July 13, 2007, 9:51 am
Re: River City Marketplace: A Year Later
Ok, I can understand the issues people have with surface lots in downtown because yeah, they are an eyesore; but I'm not exactly sure what the hang up is with it in SUBurban areas like River City Marketplace or the St. Johns Town Center. Where exactly would people park their cars?
I don't live on the northside, but I did work out at Imeson 5 years ago. Strip mall or not, I think this is a tremendous amenity for the people that live in the Northside. I only wish it was around when I was working out there. Business tend to follow each other and at the rate the Northside is going, I have a feeling that this is only the beginning.
July 13, 2007, 10:03 am
Re: River City Marketplace: A Year Later
It does not bother me at all that they have a huge surface parking lot. I don't think the Northside residents that finally have a movie theater, a Best Buy and other places they had to drive 30 minutes or more to go to mind the parking lot either. And it looks like there is plenty more places going up. Good for the Northside. We should be happy for those residents. It was a long time coming.
July 13, 2007, 11:28 am
Re: River City Marketplace: A Year Later
Parking is a necessity. However, things can be done to hide the parking such as placing the buildings along the street frontage and putting the parking in the rear to hide it, or tasteful garages could be built with small retail spaces on the ground floor saving more land for infill.
July 13, 2007, 11:46 am
Re: River City Marketplace: A Year Later
Parking garages are expensive. It would not make sense to have one at this particular development.
July 13, 2007, 1:03 pm
Re: River City Marketplace: A Year Later
I agree completely. The beauty of a surface lot is that a garage can be built over it (ex. the avenues mall parking garage) as the area starts to fill up. As for now, surface lot would be the most economical for the developer.
July 13, 2007, 4:36 pm
Re: River City Marketplace: A Year Later
Most of my family live on the Northside and they are very happy that River City Marketplace is there. But they and many other residents agree that it's pedestrian unfriendly. It is not a place to park the car and shop. It is a place to park your car in front of a business, shop, return to your car and most of the time leave. I know my view is unpopular, but the "sea" of asphalt is not appealing and does not encourage making RCM a place to spend some time shopping from store to store.
The argument that St Johns Town Center has similar parking is really a bad comparison. At least at St Johns you can park your car and walk around in the heart of the shopping area and, although there are cars parked on the street, it's not a "sea" of asphalt. Granted the parking around Target, Ross, Pier 1, etc is like RCM, but like RCM that part of SJTC is a drive to the door and promptly return to your car and leave.
You see few people walking around that section of SJTC. It's the same at RCM, no one walking the sidewalks.
I am thrilled for the NS to have RCM, but it could have been much, much better laid out.
A friend of mine said that the reason it was built the way it is, is because people on the Northside would not walk around anyway. Funny that all my friends and family who have lived on the NS for years have never hesitated to park their car and walk around SJTC.
Again for the people who read this and attack me for my "negative" post, I repeat I am very, very happy that RCM is there. It 's too bad that because the anchor store at this point is Wal-Mart, there is no hope for a better deptment store. Dillards, Macy's, Belk, etc will probably never open in a Wal-Mart anchored center. I'm just disappointed that RCM is not a destination that will keep most NS'ers from driving to SJTC or Avenues or Regency for a complete shopping experience.
July 13, 2007, 4:43 pm
Re: River City Marketplace: A Year Later
And Duke the only way a parking garage could be built at RCM, is between the strips of shops. And one parking garage like the one at Avenues would not solve the problem of walking on acres of asphalt to get the the other stores. RCM is basically about 6 strips centers with huge parking lots between them.
What are the benefits of having a MetroJacksonville.com account?
- Share your opinion by posting comments on stories that interest you.
- Stay up to date on all of the latest issues affecting your neighborhood.
- Create a network of friends working towards a better Jacksonville.
>> Register now <<