Riverside Avondale an American Top 10 Neighborhood

[Glenn VL]

Way to go Riverside! We went for the first time last week and it's just like a mini St. John's Town Center! I loved it!

[MusicMan]

Glenn, That was hysterical. Next time just stay put, we'll enjoy it for you.

[Steve]

Way to go Riverside! We went for the first time last week and it's just like a mini St. John's Town Center! I loved it!

Glad you loved the neighborhood, but if there is anything we are not, it is St Johns town center.  For one, the place is not on the st johns, nor at the center of town.  Second, their attempt at mixed use is a really poor attempt to copy neighborhoods of 100 years ago.  The fact that their stucco boxes will probably look like hell in 30 years notwithstanding , wr can and do actually walk to places.  Just ask the 20,000 people who live here

[Live_Oak]

Come on guys, Glenn is obviously being sarcastic.


I hope.

[Kay]

In my 26 years living here in Jax, I can't say I've ever felt a neighborhood that's more comfortable and "just right". Well deserved, Riverside/Avondale is a gem in this hell of sprawl. I love my neighbors and my neighborhood. If I never leave this city, this is the place I want to be. Go us!

Exactly--go us!  To all the residents and businesses past and present who worked on behalf of our neighborhood or simply live here, and to the visitors who appreciate its specialness.  Go us!  I love it.  The recognition is fabulous. 

[Coolyfett]

Congrats to RAP.  Neighborhoods like R-A are why I have NEVER understood the attitude to copy South Florida, that is so prevalent.  Miami/FTL do not and will not ever have a Riverside-Avondale.

Well deserved recognition.   Now if only Springfield could evolve to that same level of Preservation.

Isnt Jacksonville older than Miami?? What do you mean by copying? Miami is a nice city, do they have a Riverside?? Probably not, but still Im not understanding what you mean by this. Is this an urban core thing or a South Beach vs Jax Beach copying?

[AmyLynne]

Congrats to RAP.  Neighborhoods like R-A are why I have NEVER understood the attitude to copy South Florida, that is so prevalent.  Miami/FTL do not and will not ever have a Riverside-Avondale.

Well deserved recognition.   Now if only Springfield could evolve to that same level of Preservation.

Isnt Jacksonville older than Miami?? What do you mean by copying? Miami is a nice city, do they have a Riverside?? Probably not, but still Im not understanding what you mean by this. Is this an urban core thing or a South Beach vs Jax Beach copying?

I think he meant that people would like us to be more like South Florida...not that we copied them.

[Debbie Thompson]

AmyLynne, as a resident of Springfield, I'm with you. We are trying to evolve to that same level of Preservation.  We keep getting knocked down, but we keep come up fighting for it. :-) Springfield is an amazing neighborhood, with lots of fun things to do, fabulous homes, and terrific residents.  And yet the public perception among Jaxons about Springfield has not caught up with the reality.

Meantime, great news, Riverside/Avondale.  We hope to join you in the Top 10 very soon!

[Ron Mexico]

So proud to be resident here!  I sent that article and the one from the Financial Times to all of my friends in PVB, SJC and Orange-tucky! 

[north miami]

Congrats to RAP.  Neighborhoods like R-A are why I have NEVER understood the attitude to copy South Florida, that is so prevalent.  Miami/FTL do not and will not ever have a Riverside-Avondale.

Riverside Avondale emerged relatively slowly and by and large earlier than much of Miami which was litterally being created from scratch out of beach sand and swamp during roughly the same era.
My native North Miami was built for The Greatest Generation post WW11 expansion .......The Greatest Generation eventually fled due to seismic demographic shift.In this regard Miami was decades ahead of Jacksonville.

There is in fact a vestige of RAP type in Miami's Coconut Grove.The Grove adjoins Biscayne Bay- a setting worth noting because apparently adjacent water body is key to this particular place type.(And a key reason these neighborhoods can not be easily and effectively repeated).

Riverside Avondale is more reflective of New England or the midwest.
South Florida has generated many really cool enclaves reflective of...well, singular south Florida.
Fort Lauderdale/Broward County evolved in a similar role as Clay County to Duval would later.

Many newcomers to Jacksonville pass over RA in favor of places such as Ponte Vedra.

There are many- for some tastes too many similarities with evil south Florida in our region.What I see is we don't proclaim copy of Miami so much as sell against it.Like Clay & St.Johns with Duval.

Caution against comparing any sacred community with a perceived or bonafide lower common denominator.

Many "Best" places take strident efforts to remain under the radar so to speak.

[tayana42]

This is a cool place.

[finehoe]

Many "Best" places take strident efforts to remain under the radar so to speak.

And are wise to do so, if you ask me.

[Noone]

Congrats to RAP.  Neighborhoods like R-A are why I have NEVER understood the attitude to copy South Florida, that is so prevalent.  Miami/FTL do not and will not ever have a Riverside-Avondale.

Congratulations for the recognition.

NM, maybe you would know or anyone else might but is there a pocket pier (floating dock) waterfront Public Access street end in Riverside/Avondale that any resident could access by boat to our St. Johns River our American Heritage River.

Just asking and if there is one can you tell me where it is.



Riverside Avondale emerged relatively slowly and by and large earlier than much of Miami which was litterally being created from scratch out of beach sand and swamp during roughly the same era.
My native North Miami was built for The Greatest Generation post WW11 expansion .......The Greatest Generation eventually fled due to seismic demographic shift.In this regard Miami was decades ahead of Jacksonville.

There is in fact a vestige of RAP type in Miami's Coconut Grove.The Grove adjoins Biscayne Bay- a setting worth noting because apparently adjacent water body is key to this particular place type.(And a key reason these neighborhoods can not be easily and effectively repeated).

Riverside Avondale is more reflective of New England or the midwest.
South Florida has generated many really cool enclaves reflective of...well, singular south Florida.
Fort Lauderdale/Broward County evolved in a similar role as Clay County to Duval would later.

Many newcomers to Jacksonville pass over RA in favor of places such as Ponte Vedra.

There are many- for some tastes too many similarities with evil south Florida in our region.What I see is we don't proclaim copy of Miami so much as sell against it.Like Clay & St.Johns with Duval.

Caution against comparing any sacred community with a perceived or bonafide lower common denominator.

Many "Best" places take strident efforts to remain under the radar so to speak.

[Noone]

I just butchered that quote.

Is there a pocket pier (tiny floating dock) along the river in the boundries that are defined as Riverside/Avondale

Again congratulations to everyone for the award. 

[ubben]

It looks like they've started work on putting the eagle statues up in Memorial Park, finally. Construction crews are tearing down the corner balustrades near the Life statue. I'd upload the pics I took, but have no idea how on this site. Go check it out in person, I guess.