Working Waterfronts: Jacksonville's Marina Mile

[Metro Jacksonville]

Working Waterfronts: Jacksonville's Marina Mile



The Ortega River is the recreational boating center of Northeast Florida. Along Lake Shore Boulevard and Lakeside Drive are several marinas, boat repair shops, yacht sales and similar marine oriented businesses forming a unique waterfront environment in urban Jacksonville which is known as "Marina Mile."  


Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jul-working-waterfronts-jacksonvilles-marina-mile

[simms3]

Ha my first job was working 2 summers at Sadler Point when I was 16 and 17.  My parents wanted to make sure I would go to college but I really didn't have any doubts about going.  It was fun, but 9 hours of pretty dang hard work in the hot sun left me too exhausted to party very hard after work.  Many of my friends worked at Lambs and it always seemed like they barely broke a sweat hehe.

Nice pics though.  If you live in Ortega or Newport RI (and have money to spare) you must have a Huckins , built right here and considered one of the East Coast's best boats.  History here:

http://www.huckinsyacht.com/company.php

[billy]

Spent a lot of my childhood at the old Grahams and Lambs.
Isn't the Seminole Canoe Club up the river?

[fonz]

Can you point me in the direction of your research concerning the location of Sadler Point being the former Gress Lumber Mill?  My grandmother was a Gress and my father and a few of his relatives owned the land where Roosevelt mall is located, selling it in the late 80's, early 90's.  I believe they leased the land to whomever ran the original mall.  I'm guessing there is a connection here.  Unfortunately my father and grandmother are no longer with us.

Coincidentally, my first job was as a dockhand at Lamb's Dry Storage, now Lakeshore Dry Storage.

[thelakelander]

Through the Jacksonville Public Library website (http://jpl.coj.net/res/db/news.html), you can search the Times-Union archives using Sadler Point Marina, Ortega River Bridge or Gress Lumber Mill as the keywords.  You'll need a library card to access the TU archives.

[stjr]

Lake Shore, across from much of Marina Mile, is a quaint, affordable, established close in working-class neighborhood with lots more potential in the future, especially if it gets "gentrified".  A waterfront park on Lake Shore east of Blanding and west of Roosevelt would do wonders for this area.

[simms3]

^^^ The area under the Roosevelt Bridge should be cleaned up in the same fashion as where the RAM is located.  We used to drink under that bridge in high school on dead nights (after being forced from FYC, TCC, Stockton Park, Seminole Park, list goes on damn we were heavy drinkers and this was the ultimate last resort spot) and the area was filled with shady people and bums, but many people fish off of the "pier" there already.  It would not be terribly difficult to clean up, but I bet there would have to be a good bit of environmental remediation.

[thelakelander]

^That's a pretty good idea simms3.  With the "pier" already there, its centralized location along Marina Mile and the amount of land underneath that bridge, that would be a pretty great public waterfront spot.

[BetsyC]

Lake Shore Area Preservation Society has adopted the old half bridge stretch of "highway." We had a great cleanup day there earlier this month and we hope to be able to raise the funds to start making it more user-friendly for the community. Check us out at www.lapsjax.org.

[stjr]

Lake Shore Area Preservation Society has adopted the old half bridge stretch of "highway." We had a great cleanup day there earlier this month and we hope to be able to raise the funds to start making it more user-friendly for the community. Check us out at www.lapsjax.org.

Betsy, read your site and it looks great.  We need more people like you in Jax communities everywhere.  Active neighborhood orgs are the grassroots to making our public officials more accountable.  Especially regarding parks, schools, zonings, transportation, etc.  If we had more of them, maybe many of the items we discuss here would have a different tone and outlook.  Keep up the good work!

P.S. I wonder if our downtown residents have ever considered a Downtown RESIDENTS Association or Downtown PRESERVATION Society?!

[Lunican]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ey1uYGyB7dI" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/ey1uYGyB7dI</a>

[CS Foltz]

stjr...........I concur! If government can not or will not do the job, then it is up to the community to band together and do what is required! We need to get back to our self help roots! Springfield has formed an organization, other than SPAR Council, and for good reasons!

[ricker]

As a volunteer in the area of the Marina Mile, we are excited to see what happens with city council and the seat for the mayor's office.
We humbly work so hard to keep our area clean while steadily improving the view.

As a native to Jax, growing up on "BIG" Fishweir Creek, my family is aware of the relatively few public access points along our precious American Heritage River.
Thanks MJ!
We must all band together and unite our voices toward a real paddlers and kayaker dream!

We have this unique inland calm location provided by the lay of the land and the talent on the shoreline to assist us in our endeavors!

I need any and all to PM me or email me if you wish to see the underside of the Ortega Bridge improved.

From what I can tell, Mr.Brooks Busey of Sadler and Ms.Cynthia Segraves of Pier17 would like to see the activity.

We don't need a floating dock like the beauty of RAM, when we don't currently have the hindrance of a seawall/bulkhead.
a "beach" slope similar to Seminole Park on McGirts in Ortega is what currently exists below the US17 bridge.
largely perfect.
Just need storage lockers, lighting, benches?

LAPS (lapsjax.org / lapsjax.blogspot.com) has adopted both the pier and Cassat Ave from Birkenhead to Astral.
Truly a dedicated group.
We've doubled business membership and just ask for advice on the best way to proceed in order to bring the basic enhancements we seek.

With the redevlopment of the Loop, Espeto, Sylvan, Commander site largely shelved (permanently?)
I would think the underside of the bridge would be a very low-cost updo?

please advise.

[Noone]

Ricker,
It sounds great. Not familiar with the area but if your looking to proceed there is a Jacksonville Waterways meeting Jan. 12 council chambers. There is an opportunity for Public comment and then to share your concerns on how this could move forward.

Is this District 14?  If it is, new council race for that district. Ask the candidates. Do you want to see it open for transient kayak, or canoe  vendors?

There is pending legislation 2010-856  a transient vendor ban of 1 mile of a similar business or service. If we are to maintain the American Heritage River Designation then the Waterways of the St. Johns River needs to be exempt from this legislation as is Downtown. Actually I don't support the legislation at all. The legislation is out there though and needs to addressed for the entire city of Jacksonville. Especially as it relates to the Waterway.

[Noone]

Whats the latest with Jacksonville's Marina Mile?