River City Marketplace: A Boom in North Jacksonville

[Metro Jacksonville]

River City Marketplace: A Boom in North Jacksonville



While the booming Southside continues to receive most local media coverage, North Jacksonville  has a rapidly growing commercial epicenter of its own. Today, Metro Jacksonville explores River City Marketplace and additional development underway around the popular shopping destination.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-apr-river-city-marketplace-a-boom-in-north-jacksonville

[I-10east]

Nice coverage of RCMP. It's looks like RCMP (not the outparcels) is pretty much topped off with any future SJTC-esque expansion. There's a forest buffer to the south towards the on-ramp, but it seems very highly unlikely that they'll expand on the ass-end backside of the Hollywood Movie Theater. The size is more than big enough anyway, esp with today's internet economy.   

[Noone]

The S-Line with the connectivity of a TOD and the real positive benefit being the extension into Nassau County will be the ticket in the creation of another sustainable organic spur of infill development.

[avonjax]

I think that is Moe's not Mellow Mushroom. At least that's what the sign says. But Mellow Mushroom will be in that general area.

[strider]

We started going to River City Lowes because it was only a minute or two further away (from Springfield) and never crowded. At first there were more employees than customers.  It was sort of like Cheers, everyone knew your name.  It has gotten much busier through the years of course, so it has been interesting watching how things progressed.

One thing I have seen is that not only is the development not walk-able, it isn't very driver friendly either. I have a tendency to cut around the back drive to avoid the confusion down the main drag.

[Dapperdan]

That is what I was thinking. Yeah you can get a commuter ride there, but what if the store you want to visit is on the other end of all that massive asphalt parking lot? And it is 95 outside. Good luck.

[mbwright]

yes, this is not walkable, especially when hot and rainy.  It's lots of fun at Christmas.  There is no way to park in one spot, and get to the whole mall.  No shuttle to move folks around.  I know that indoor malls are out of fashion, but these work better in southern california, and since land is much more expensive, they are better at maximizing the space, often 2 or more stories high.  Just like St Johns Town Center, sprawl.
I do think the proposed hospital at 92 beds will be too small to properly serve this side of town.

[urbanlibertarian]

I visit RCMP often as I have family in the area.  It's clear to me that demand for retail, dining and night life in this area exceeds supply and growth is pretty much guaranteed.

[RockStar]

In SoCal, they build parking structures and design outdoor malls with connectivity in mind. In Florida, we marvel at the vast tar landscape and watch people jockey for the spot closest to the door at their gym.

[thelakelander]

This is because our land use and zoning regulations drive a certain style of development pattern. RCM was built by a national development firm.  If they were required to lay the product out in a different manner, they probably would as long as the requests don't kill the project's feasibility.

[FSBA]

As a born and raised Northsider, RCMP was a Godsend. Not having to trek all the way to Regency or the Avenues to do most basic shopping or going to a movie was a huge step forward for the area.

I will agree though it is terribly laid out. Just trying to get from Wal-Mart to Ross or Bed, Bath, & Beyond is a nightmare.

As for the hospital, wasn't that part of the fight between Memorial and UF Health (Shands)? I thought it was supposed to be bigger before Memorial got its jimmies rustled over it.

[spuwho]

It's basically a string of strip malls folded into a box like pattern with a few variations for national big box anchors. The fact that you can't walk from one side to the other without getting run over is the proof.

I think its great for the northside overall. It's lousy for Regency because it has pretty much drained off their last audience.

Is it sustainable? Not really. Being by the airport is an asset and even closer to a potential commuter station nearby.

But all it will take is one developer purchasing the NE corner of the I-95/A1A intersection and building a Nassau Town Center in 5-10, perhaps 15 years and this center will begin its eventual decline and become the next Gateway Center.  Greater Jacksonville has lots of history to prove it.

[IrvAdams]

^^Perhaps, but isn't that just the natural progression of time? Gateway, for instance, did rule the area for 25 years or so. It's still not completely dead, they are trying to maintain its usefulness and purpose within the community.

[FSBA]

Gateway was for all intents and purposes dead a decade before the first shovel of dirt was moved for the RCMP. Even when Gateway had some life, past Dunn Ave the Northside was nothing but cow country and trailer parks. RCMP became viable because during the height of the real estate boom several subdivisions a year were being built along Eastport, Alta, New Berlin, and Pulaski.

[thelakelander]

Yeah, Gateway's life as a regional mall ended in 1992 when its remaining anchors, JCPenney and Service Merchandise, shut their stores down. RCMP has had a larger impact on Regency.