Northside's Parkway Shops Nearing Completion

[FSBA]

A possible kick in the pants for the Regency area.  Nevertheless, this area should get another major economic boost with Shands moving forward on their project across the street.

People talk about The Avenues and the Towncenter being the death of Regency, but the opening and growth of RCMP is what did Regency in. Regency was still the primary retail area for most Northsiders prior to RCMP.

[Tacachale]

I have a couple of thoughts on this stuff. For one, yes, the local government sets the zoning, but developers and private citizens influence the government. It's not as if the city can just change all its zoning codes without backlash, and it's also not as if private citizens and companies aren't behind the current set up; changing everything in a fell swoop just isn't going to happen. Second, if developers can't get what they want in one municipality or county, they often go even further out to find a place that will let them do what they want. Thus in some cases restrictions can actually encourage further sprawl, which is what's happened in the St. Augustine area and much of St. Johns County, really. Third, Jacksonville isn't anywhere close to bankruptcy; we're in the financial state we're in largely because taxes are so low and our elected officials don't have the guts to raise them. We don't have a looming asteroid threatening to flatten us and force change; if we want change we have to do it because we want it.

In short, any change we seek needs to be practical or it will fail to happen, if not backfire entirely. It begins and ends with us.

[thelakelander]

Yes, I agree that all of this begins and ends with us.  Case in point, we elected Redman into office and let him run unopposed a few years back.  Can we really complain when he decides it's best to level Hemming Plaza or enact policy that is counterproductive to the revitalization of the downtown district he represents?  However, in terms of modifying the zoning code to allow for higher densities or reduced setbacks in certain areas, I seriously doubt you'll find much protest from the development community.  That type of stuff only leads to increased profits and higher returns for the average taxpayer.  That's a different animal from trying to enforce an urban development boundary on an already sprawled out county.  That ship sailed away from Duval County decades ago.

Also, I wouldn't be so quick to declare everything is peaches and cream financially.  We may be standing tall now but we're a quick Mike Tyson left hook to the chin from seeing the ring side ways. We may not be nearing bankruptcy today but we'll eventually approach that direction if everything continues "as is" on the same path.  The way I see it, we're setting ourselves up to encounter some real financial challenges when the chickens finally come home to roost in the form of maintaining and replacing our infrastructure and investments (schools, utility lines, pensions, road maintenance, etc.).  In the past, we've had the federal and state government to bear significant portions of various burdens.  With everyone so cash strapped now, that support will continue to decrease.

[I-10east]

Not to mention the TONS of derelict, dilapidated, and abandoned strip malls so much closer to "town". 

To me it's all about location, so I don't buy that right at this moment in 2013 putting a Dick Sporting Goods in some old place that have seen better days (DT, Gateway, Regency etc) and expecting it to have the same success as the Parkway Shops location. I understand that everyone wants to be resourceful, but bottomline location is very important; Growing & safe vs the downtrodden areas, not much of a decision.

[thelakelander]

Well they did open a Dick's in Orange Park Mall a few years back. That section of Blanding, while congested, has seen better days. However, unlike Regency, continuously updates Orange Park Mall's offerings.

[cityimrov]

That very first picture, is that what Mellow Mushroom is going to look like in Avondale? 

[I-10east]

Well they did open a Dick's in Orange Park Mall a few years back. That section of Blanding, while congested, has seen better days. However, unlike Regency, continuously updates Orange Park Mall's offerings.

The Orange Park Mall itself is doing pretty well; It's like night and day in direct comparison to Regency which has all of those empty spots where restaurants & stores should be inside. Did Chicken Now which was in Reg's food court even last 1/2 a year before they closed already? Hell, even the Landing has a better open-to-close food court ratio than Reg right now.

[I-10east]

People talk about The Avenues and the Towncenter being the death of Regency, but the opening and growth of RCMP is what did Regency in. Regency was still the primary retail area for most Northsiders prior to RCMP.

Good point. Many Northsiders religiously ventured out to Reg back in the day when the Northside had hardly anything but Gateway. I guess that's the gamble when the community (Arlington) has lack of support for it's nearby mall, which seemingly relied on another part of town which deserved a RCMP sized mall many years ago. So I see no 'blame game' for RCMP being built, that would be like blaming the internet for the decline of the newspaper, as people naturally move on to what's more better and convient.

[thelakelander]

My point with OPM is that it partially fares better because there has been continued investment in it. If i recall, OPM received some sort of makeover around the time of the Oakleaf Town Center coming online as well. Not the same can be said of Regency. Thus, OPM has been able to better handle it's market share, despite Oak leaf Town Center opening nearby, while Regency has seen more of a struggle with RCM. By the same token, Avenues was revamped around the time SJTC opened. The only odd ball that didn't invest in itself over the last decade was Regency.

[fsujax]

Now if only Costoco would build a store at the RCMP I would never have to go to SJTC again!

[I-10east]

Sorry for going off course a lil' but it's funny how some can call a single big box like Bass Pro Shops a 'destination trip' but the freaking SJTC with all kinds of upscale shopping, department stores, eateries. etc oh no, that's definitely not a worthy of a destination trip SMH.

[fsujax]

My only issue with the SJTC is the traffic flow and parking, especially in and around Costco. The design is terrible.

[fsquid]

My only issue with the SJTC is the traffic flow and parking, especially in and around Costco. The design is terrible.

yep, I try to avoid it if I can.  Luckily, the traffic around Total Wine isn't terrible.

[peestandingup]

Sorry for going off course a lil' but it's funny how some can call a single big box like Bass Pro Shops a 'destination trip' but the freaking SJTC with all kinds of upscale shopping, department stores, eateries. etc oh no, that's definitely not a worthy of a destination trip SMH.

Did someone actually say that, or is it the voices in your head again?

[I-10east]

^^^I've heard people say both statements on different accounts. I haven't been to BPS yet, and I'm not denying that it might be a 'destination trip' and I'm looking forward to the new one in SJC, but to say that SJTC is not a destination (like some said on that STJC thread N4J report a lil while back) like it's some broad statement concerning most is ridiculous, 'bad parking' or not.