Connect Eastside and Springfield?

[sheclown]

wow.  it sure makes a difference, doesn't it?

[thelakelander]

I like the greenway idea. Are there any numbers on the cost per mile of the durkeeville greenway?

Don't know about the S-Line but according to FDOT, a 12' wide multi-use path costs $199,638.66 (on average) per mile to construct.

You can use this link to get the generic cost estimates for a ton of road/sidewalk/bikeway conditions:

http://www2.dot.state.fl.us/SpecificationsEstimates/costpermile.aspx?PageAddr=lt;a%20hrefeq;qt;http://www.dot.state.fl.us/specificationsofficeqt;gt;Specifications%20and%20Estimateslt;/agt;%20gt;%20lt;a%20hrefeq;qt;http://www.dot.state.fl.us/specificationsoffice/Estimatesqt;gt;Estimateslt;/agt;%20gt;%20lt;a%20hrefeq;qt;http://www.dot.state.fl.us/specificationsoffice/Estimates/LREqt;gt;LRElt;/agt;%20gt;%20lt;a%20hrefeq;qt;http://www.dot.state.fl.us/specificationsoffice/Estimates/LRE/LaneMileCostqt;gt;LaneMileCostlt;/agt;


Also, Stephen, its basically the pink streetcar line in this picture Ock drew a few months back, from the warehouse district to DT.


During the Jim Crow era, rail lines were used as dividing lines between white and black neighborhoods.  From the looks of it, I'd expect this was the case in the Springfield/Eastside situation.  However, if the right-of-way is used as a shared public amenity between the two hoods, what served as a divider (and where the lowest property values were/are at), becomes a unifier and a shared amenity for both communities (along the length of their entire border, as opposed to a single street connection), thus bringing them closer together.

[stephendare]

If the eastside is old oakland then the old city maps show that the two neighborhoods were always separate.

That must have made the further segregation of the neighborhoods even easier.

It would be awesome to build the connections between the neighborhoods that should have always existed.

[urbanjacksonville]

Check out the 6-Point Community Initiative from Fresh Ministries as it relates to the Eastside:
http://www.freshministries.org/content/view/71/87/

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvaaK7CIvmo&feature=player_embedded

[stephendare]

After the Metrojacksonville meeting last night, I walked the intersection of 1st and Main, and I am convinced more than ever that this is one of the most under utilized vistas in the urban core.

Its hard to see because of the lack of lighting and the horrible, badly deployed black aluminum fencing (I know its an improvement over the much worse chain link but still---it doesnt look like piccadilly or Kensington of yore, it looks like white trash trying to keep up with the mcgillicudy's.)

But the area is simply pleading for open spaces, better landscaping and up lighting on the oaks of the balustrade and the buildings.

If we could get rid of all that junky fencing, do some creative landscaping, up light the JEA buildings, cut down the horrible shaggy cabbage palms, and then uplight the Oaks and Balustrade it would look exactly like a vista in San Francisco or Venice.  Some of the detail work is gingerbread and cake frosting, and the bearded oaks are simply stunning. 

In particular, the Masonic Lodge should be ashamed letting Bion Barnetts mansion go so spectacularly unlit at night. 

Also whose bright idea was it to encase the public Springfield Sculpture in a tomb of badly hung aluminum fencing?  Its horrible.

The round lift station is pleasant if unremarkable and has decent plantings.  Shame on the landowner for installing what looks to be a kennel pen on that corner.

Apparently he did it to prevent parkers from using the land at night while going to the pearl, but you would think he could have installed landscaping to serve the same purpose.

[Dan B]

I firmly doubt JEA wwill move the stuff on the SW corner (not sure about the fencing on the SE corner) because of homeland security issues. It falls under Homeland security because its a water supply, and has very strict rules about access.

For those not aware, there is a reservoir at the corner of 1st and Main. It is one of two on that JEA site, the second being on the raised area on the other side of Hogans Creek by the FSCJ parking lot.

Anyway, I agree, it would make it look a lot better, but your going to play hell getting it done.

[stephendare]

I assumed the same thing, Dan about the fence, but the property is so vast that they could move the fence dramatically back towards the building.

Standing at the corner, the natural eye would have unobstructed views of the gorgeous bethel baptist building, the balustrade, the Oaks as well as the not unhandsome architecture of the JEA waterworks building itself.

In two weeks of lighting and clearing that whole intersection could rapidly become one of the most beautiful areas of the county.

The layout of the land and the building lines and proportions, especially at night under the field of stars is lovely enough to be romantic.

[Dan B]

Im pretty sure that entire area is a reservoir.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Jacksonville,+Duval,+Florida&ll=30.336095,-81.655621&spn=0.001146,0.002411&t=h&z=19

[stephendare]

thats definitely the area.
Thanks for posting the mapview.  You can see how lovely that entire space would be if it the sight lines were simply cleaned up and the buildings and trees were uplit.!