Landing Millennials Into Downtown

[Metro Jacksonville]

Landing Millennials Into Downtown



Thoughts on reconstructing the Jacksonville Landing and how this can be used to attract millennials to Downtown and Jacksonville.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-apr-landing-millennials-into-downtown

[spuwho]

More residentials in downtown is good. Making downtown like Riverside? Not so good.

I understand the appeal the interview speaks to, but the city has already torn down a majority of the "character" buildings that would support that, therefore a new character will have to be developed from scratch.

[thelakelander]

It seems we need to push Downtown to become more, dare I say it, Riverside-esque. Riverside sits close to my heart not due to growing up in this side of town, but from the collection of people. Riverside always seemed to have a welcoming vibe to it along with an eclectic group of friendly individuals. It is filled with shops that thrive if it knows how to cater to its audience.

This does not sound as if the writer is talking about making DT like Riverside, in terms of architecture or built environment. Instead, it sounds like he's describing the what Riverside has and DT lacks........vibrancy. In that sense, yes, downtown does need a "welcoming vibe" to it as well as additional businesses "that thrive" and cater to "its audience".

I'd add that they also need some stronger connectivity, along with connectivity to other central neighborhoods, so they all can better feed off and complement each other.

[Bridges]

I'd add that they also need some stronger connectivity, along with connectivity to other central neighborhoods, so they call can better feed off and complement each other.

This is huge in my opinion.  Connecting San Marco, Springfield, and R/A and fostering QOL improvements in those neighborhoods would be the biggest boost to a long sustainable and active downtown. 

Also, I think we should guard against the "privatization" of the river.  The public needs to be able to have venues available on the river to spend time.  I know we have the northbank river walk, but the part down by Berkman now is unwelcoming.  A successful shipyards development will help, but if it is also only private residences on it, there still won't be much there for the public.

[mtraininjax]

Forget putting racing stripes on parking garages or buildings, what Jacksonville needs downtown is more residents, pure, plain and simple. Build complexes or use the spaces that exist for more spaces for youth, aka Barnett, if it comes to fruition, but you need more people downtown to have ANY and I mean ANY hope of new businesses from outside of Jacksonville coming to roost downtown.

All of downtown's woes could be cured with 10,000 more residents. EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM!

[ronchamblin]

Forget putting racing stripes on parking garages or buildings, what Jacksonville needs downtown is more residents, pure, plain and simple. Build complexes or use the spaces that exist for more spaces for youth, aka Barnett, if it comes to fruition, but you need more people downtown to have ANY and I mean ANY hope of new businesses from outside of Jacksonville coming to roost downtown.

All of downtown's woes could be cured with 10,000 more residents. EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM!

+1000

[mtraininjax]

Ron - I don't understand why it is sooooooooooooooooooooo incredibly hard for the owners of MJ and its readers to see that all that cures us is in numbers, plain old fashioned numbers. We need more downtown residents. We could use a One Spark event every month to help bring more people downtown. Art walk is not it, been around so long, even its legs are tired. We need bigger events downtown.

Shut down Laura Street from the Landing to Forsyth every other month, this will make Mr. Moran very happy, I am sure, but try some other streets too, get people to hold a street fair downtown and make it fun with beers, and clowns and things that parents, kids and families enjoy.

Its not rocket science to figure out what we need to do to make downtown a happening place. More darn people! Why should we be satisfied with one main downtown event for 4 days one month a year. I am not counting Mayor Alvin Brown's Jazz Festival, because, well that belongs to Mayor Brown, even though we, the taxpayers are paying for it.

[thelakelander]

Forget putting racing stripes on parking garages or buildings, what Jacksonville needs downtown is more residents, pure, plain and simple. Build complexes or use the spaces that exist for more spaces for youth, aka Barnett, if it comes to fruition, but you need more people downtown to have ANY and I mean ANY hope of new businesses from outside of Jacksonville coming to roost downtown.

All of downtown's woes could be cured with 10,000 more residents. EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM!

No one disagrees that adding residents won't help.  However, the reality is the Northbank will not have anywhere close to 10,000 residents by the end of the decade.  If we get to 5,000 before 2020, we should consider ourselves lucky.  Nevertheless, while working on that, it doesn't mean you ignore all the other things that help breed foot traffic and vibrancy as well.

[ronchamblin]

Correct mjjax.  Numbers .... in people ... as in residents first.  Then businesses to support the residents will follow, with the result of there being more people in the form of workers.  Result ... "buildings occupied" ... which is king in regards to sustained progress toward revitalization.   

And the events, as you've said, will introduce people to DT, allowing potential residents to become comfortable with the core, and therefore entertain moving to it.

Perhaps we are beginning, as a consequence of events like One Spark ... Art Walk .... the Jazz Festival ... Food Truck Rallies .... to see gradual movement .... as in momentum..... toward sustained growth of interest in the core, and growth in the DT population, both in temporary events and in permanent infill.  This momentum will increase further when Steve Atkins, my DT hero for the year, succeeds in "filling" the Barnett building with residents, workers, and students.

Yes .... I think we are seeing a real increase in core energy, where energy counts.  If we do not back off, we might just see this era as a beginning of faster progress down the rather difficult path leading to core revitalization.

[tufsu1]

Art walk is not it, been around so long, even its legs are tired. We need bigger events downtown.

actually overall attendance at Art Walk in 2013 was higher than ever

[ProjectMaximus]

All of downtown's woes could be cured with 10,000 more residents. EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM!

Sweet. Let us know once you've done that, mtrain. I'm excited to see it happen!

[JaxJersey-licious]

It's true the writing off of Downtown Jacksonville as a place for up and coming Millennials has many, many authors I want to bring up three things not often talked about that together create obstacles to DT growth unique to Jacksonville.

1) CONSOLIDATION  Nothing new with  CBD businesses bolting for the suburbs, but with a consolidated Duval County that exodus has been super-sonic fast. And although some have kept a presence DT, there expansion plans wanted nothing to do with it. With consolidation, not only were there no incentives for these businesses to stay or invest in the core, the powers-that-be practically helped them pack! The end results are that Jacksonville now has one of the most de-centralized job markets in the nation giving little incentive for anyone to live downtown.

2) CONNECTIVITY  Many downtowns face the typical barriers that hinder it's development: Suburban flight, severely reduced manufacturing base, interstates through neighborhoods, etc. but I'll add one that has (unintentionally) hurt DT Jax - The St Johns River. Yes, the mighty St. Johns that's supposed to be one of our greatest assets has over the years hurt DT because for many it has acted as an unofficial demarcation line for good Jax/bad Jax. Ask anyone who moved here in the 80's and 90's what they think of the Northbank compared to the Southbank. And notice how most of Duval's  development have been East and South of the river. True, these negative views are misperceptions, but that's part of the uphill climb of public opinion DT Jax has to deal with.

3) EXPERIENCE  I think this is the big elephant in the room when it comes to attracting people Downtown. Most people in the area have kept negative views of Downtown Jacksonville because a lot of them  don't know what it's like to live in any other way. Think of everyone who went on to college graduating from a regional high school over the last 40 years: What percentage of them got their undergraduate degrees at Georgia Tech, Tulane, SCAD, College of Charleston, or any other "urban" campus? If you spent years of your formative life appreciating close-by downtown amenities, not having to rely on your car, and having no major issues living next door to communities  good and bad, you'll  more likely consider downtown a viable living option - even  having lived through a university "bubble". This lack of that type of experience by young people is compounded by  Florida's university system's  scant options for this type of college life.

I'm glad to see the tide turning as far concerning opinions of downtown revitalization, but because of these and many other reasons, Downtown Jacksonville has a lot more setbacks undermining its ability to catch up.

[Jaxson]

Forget putting racing stripes on parking garages or buildings, what Jacksonville needs downtown is more residents, pure, plain and simple. Build complexes or use the spaces that exist for more spaces for youth, aka Barnett, if it comes to fruition, but you need more people downtown to have ANY and I mean ANY hope of new businesses from outside of Jacksonville coming to roost downtown.

All of downtown's woes could be cured with 10,000 more residents. EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM!

This is where I agree with you and I have to buy you a drink if we ever meet IRL!

[IrvAdams]

3) EXPERIENCE  I think this is the big elephant in the room when it comes to attracting people Downtown. Most people in the area have kept negative views of Downtown Jacksonville because a lot of them  don't know what it's like to live in any other way. Think of everyone who went on to college graduating from a regional high school over the last 40 years: What percentage of them got their undergraduate degrees at Georgia Tech, Tulane, SCAD, College of Charleston, or any other "urban" campus? If you spent years of your formative life appreciating close-by downtown amenities, not having to rely on your car, and having no major issues living next door to communities  good and bad, you'll  more likely consider downtown a viable living option - even  having lived through a university "bubble". This lack of that type of experience by young people is compounded by  Florida's university system's  scant options for this type of college life.

I'm glad to see the tide turning as far concerning opinions of downtown revitalization, but because of these and many other reasons, Downtown Jacksonville has a lot more setbacks undermining its ability to catch up.

I'm a local and this is spot on. All I ever knew was the automobile and the ever-spiraling suburban dream that has turned into a nightmare over the years. Bigger and farther distances, a lot of time spent in traffic. Suburban university education. Lack of mass transportation.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

Ron - I don't understand why it is sooooooooooooooooooooo incredibly hard for the owners of MJ and its readers to see that all that cures us is in numbers, plain old fashioned numbers. We need more downtown residents. We could use a One Spark event every month to help bring more people downtown. Art walk is not it, been around so long, even its legs are tired. We need bigger events downtown.

Shut down Laura Street from the Landing to Forsyth every other month, this will make Mr. Moran very happy, I am sure, but try some other streets too, get people to hold a street fair downtown and make it fun with beers, and clowns and things that parents, kids and families enjoy.

Its not rocket science to figure out what we need to do to make downtown a happening place. More darn people! Why should we be satisfied with one main downtown event for 4 days one month a year. I am not counting Mayor Alvin Brown's Jazz Festival, because, well that belongs to Mayor Brown, even though we, the taxpayers are paying for it.

Funny I saw this. I was just recently discussing how the city would benefit from a large scale event like one spark. Meaning aimed towards building ideas and furthering the community. I have actually even been looking for people to sit and discuss plans on what to do as well, but finding motivated people is proving to be quite the daunting task.