OMG!! How many of these articles of Jacksonville neglecting/abandoning/tearing down/setting on fire/making fun of these old magnificent structures can I take?! I'm screaming UNCLE!! 
On a serious note, I always thought many of those old buildings in La Villa would have made a great space for some traditional ethnic markets to set up in. It could have been quite successful since Jacksonville never really had a traditional immigrant center (with few exceptions) back in those days, the spaces would have been dirt cheap, had good access to I-95 but far enough away from most development that having something like a traditional butcher or fish monger shop wouldn't bother anyone. Might even get some significant residents moving in and be a vibrant community, who knows? Would be harder to do something like that there today with new construction and competing with the more established ethnic grocers now.
Can't wait to see what MetroJax pulls out next from it's bag of SadJAX 
It certainly is depressing reading these stories along side the ones trumpeting new public transportation developments and skyscrapers being built in south Florida and elsewhere. It seems like it has been quite a while since there has been any exciting news about things happening here. Sure, you had the Kahn-riverfront deal, but even that announcement was tempered with a lot of negative feedback about the viability and funding surrounding the project.
Oh, wait...I forgot about the imminent arrival of the BRT. Sunshine and rainbows are headed our way!
On a serious note, looking back through history, what were the main catalysts for some cities to flourish and become epicenters of commerce and culture while others languish? Is it strictly leadership? People with vision willing to take a chance? How much does geography factor into the mix? What has prevented Jacksonville from becoming Miami, or even Tampa or Orlando?
