Town Center Construction

[copperfiend]

I have to find and pay for parking because the only mass transit is a bus system that doesn't even operate main lines 24 hours and has no idea what a light rail or commuter rail is

so you don't go downtown for nightlife because you have to pay to park?  Umm, street spots are free after 6pm and on weekends!

Maybe he was talking about the price gouging at the Landing lot.

[JayBird]

Umm ... perhaps I wasn't clear, I like Bay Street ... think its great ... but why park three blocks away with "free parking" where I have to walk past the poor guy sleeping on a building doorstep and two guys asking for money for the bus (which at 2am when bars and clubs are closing doesn't even run) when I can go to SJTC and park right in front of the bar, in a lighted lot with police patrolling constantly (they even have little golf carts now, which I think is funny but safer none the less).  Parking is not easy if you want to shop in SJTC during day ... and DT would definetely attract the crowds because it is centralized and no matter where you go in the country "downtown" always draws people ... just out of curiosity I guess if nothing else, but there is nothing DT that would make me go there.  Everything there is for people who work right there or live right there.  Which is nice for them, but no reason for me to go.  And yes, I know and love the commuter rail project they've talked about ... but its just talk.  It would be great if they could do it, but as of now ... it doesn't help anyone.  And being that it is at least 3 to 5 years down the road, that train has left the station. 

[fsquid]

booooo to that pun.

[JayBird]

booooo to that pun.

I cringed when writing it ... but seriously, it seems to me that the time for commuter rail is now because that will allow DT to grow and other areas around commuter rail stations to grow as well.  People don't go to SJTC because they want to ... they go because they have to.  If I could catch a train to go downtown do all my shopping and spend the day there, you bet I would be there and would have no problem taking family there.  Instead of now, when I go to Jags or Suns game, a show at Times Union or Veterans and then jump on the highway to go somewhere else for dinner or after party.  Its a shame to have a riverfront Downtown that most people only know by driving through it to get to their destination and then leave.  I am guilty of this too ... but it is all about convenience.

[comncense]

^ You lived in NYC and Jersey and the homeless people in downtown Jax freak you out?

I'm from NYC and the homeless population downtown don't bother me one bit. I have no problem just ignoring them as I pass by or if they even ask for something.

[tufsu1]

I cringed when writing it ... but seriously, it seems to me that the time for commuter rail is now because that will allow DT to grow and other areas around commuter rail stations to grow as well.

I agree...commuter rail should be the top regional transportation priority....but don't get disillusioned.....even if its implemented, it surely won't be running at 2am to take drunk people home from downtown.

[Captain Zissou]

Anyone have any info on the development behind Mitchell's Fish market.?  The way they are building that site seems so strange to me.   They have one area of a huge raised platform, what looks like the base of a parking structure, and then what looks like the plumbing hook ups for a bunch of units.  5000 town is coming along nicely.  It's nice to see some good ole' concrete construction for residential, and it's not even tilt up!!!  Haven't seen that in a while around here.  Too many stick built suburban complexes for me to take lately.

[Captain Zissou]

An article about some of the developments in the area, but not the one I was looking for: http://www.morgangroup.com/sites/default/files/construction-st-Johns-Town-Center.pdf

[fieldafm]

Anyone have any info on the development behind Mitchell's Fish market.?  The way they are building that site seems so strange to me.   They have one area of a huge raised platform, what looks like the base of a parking structure, and then what looks like the plumbing hook ups for a bunch of units.  5000 town is coming along nicely.  It's nice to see some good ole' concrete construction for residential, and it's not even tilt up!!!  Haven't seen that in a while around here.  Too many stick built suburban complexes for me to take lately.

There are three multi-family starts going up on the Town Center land.  That's one of them. 
There is also a restaurant that is being constructed on the Markets property (still no sidewalk to connect to)
And a rezoning application for traffic circulation was just approved for the PUD on the Costco site.  (was basically the best of three bad options, the street grid originally planned should have never have been discarded and a million curb cuts been allowed to be constructed with virtually no pedestrian connectivity)

[cline]

Anyone have any info on the development behind Mitchell's Fish market.?  The way they are building that site seems so strange to me.   They have one area of a huge raised platform, what looks like the base of a parking structure, and then what looks like the plumbing hook ups for a bunch of units.  5000 town is coming along nicely.  It's nice to see some good ole' concrete construction for residential, and it's not even tilt up!!!  Haven't seen that in a while around here.  Too many stick built suburban complexes for me to take lately.

There are three multi-family starts going up on the Town Center land.  That's one of them. 
There is also a restaurant that is being constructed on the Markets property (still no sidewalk to connect to)
And a rezoning application for traffic circulation was just approved for the PUD on the Costco site.  (was basically the best of three bad options, the street grid originally planned should have never have been discarded and a million curb cuts been allowed to be constructed with virtually no pedestrian connectivity)

Do you have the plans for the traffic circulation at Costco.  I'd like to see them.  I still think that entrance to Costco needs to be closed. 

[Captain Zissou]

So..... 5000 Town, which there is plenty of coverage about, the mystery property that is under construction that there is no real info about, and a third property?

Brio is the restaurant you are referencing here.

Thank goodness for the traffic circulation.  They seem to try a new traffic pattern every quarter, so maybe in 2 years we will have something good.

Also, they are building out a big box tenant in the Markets area with no signage or anything.  It will open up onto that avenue between Whiskey River and Suite.  This isn't typical of SJTC to not have signs and advertisements months out.  Any knowledge on the tenant?

[fsujax]

no traffic circulation plan is going to correct the mess around Costco.

[JUGrad]

Also, they are building out a big box tenant in the Markets area with no signage or anything.  It will open up onto that avenue between Whiskey River and Suite.  This isn't typical of SJTC to not have signs and advertisements months out.  Any knowledge on the tenant?

I believe that might be REI's spot.

[fieldafm]

Do you have the plans for the traffic circulation at Costco.  I'd like to see them.  I still think that entrance to Costco needs to be closed. 

Not on my computer.  The Planning Dept though has them, they had a public hearing on the matter. I agree with you, like I said it was the best of three horrible options.  This is where planning matters.  Allowing Town Center to become what it is now, with virtually every prudent planning component stepped over, is really ashame.  It could have been such a better product. 

Also, they are building out a big box tenant in the Markets area with no signage or anything.

That's a sporting goods store.

[wsansewjs]

I cringed when writing it ... but seriously, it seems to me that the time for commuter rail is now because that will allow DT to grow and other areas around commuter rail stations to grow as well.

I agree...commuter rail should be the top regional transportation priority....but don't get disillusioned.....even if its implemented, it surely won't be running at 2am to take drunk people home from downtown.

That defeats the whole purpose of public transportation. I get so SCARED that I might miss the last bus of the day, that I wouldn't be able to get home due to different situation, not getting shitfaced somewhere in downtown, but honest and legitimate reasons. Having a public transportation that runs 24 hours even in the wee hours, it would be a longer interval, brings peace and calm to my worries.

-Josh