A weekend walk at the Jacksonville Landing site

[thelakelander]

A 90% vacant building with only Hooters as a tenant is an improvement over the current state and what it will be for the next several years (don't let anyone fool you, it will be like this for a few years if we're lucky, another decade if we're not). The most unfortunate part is that this was completely predictable and 100% avoidable with inclusive community engagement, planning, funding and implementation. While we've missed this opportunity, the main message at this point is to avoid making similar decisions in the future and to make a real financial commitment to work to activate the empty, unique spaces that we still have. As for the Landing site moving forward, it is what it is. Whatever the future plan will be, there needs to be a real, financially backed commitment to make it a first class space, sooner rather than later. Right now, we don't have that (sorry, market analysis and a few million by 2022 for some design, etc. is not a real commitment).

[Charles Hunter]

Now that the deed is done, perhaps it is time to think about recreating a 'natural' riverbank that can absorb some of the inevitable storm-surges to come. I think I recall some areas like this along the Tampa Riverwalk.

[Adam White]

Looking at those photos made me sad. It reminded me of how the Landing was basically the closest thing Jax had to a town square or whatever - a place where people would come together for civic functions, celebrations, etc.

[thelakelander]

Yeah, we have none right now. JWJ Park (formerly Hemming) would be the traditional one, but for it to function as such, we'll need to repopulate the blocks surrounding it.

[thelakelander]

^Still need a true commitment to fund. If the plan were to mostly raze and immediately rebuild new or turn into a world class interactive public space, I'd be fine because we'd have something that moves us closer to a vision of vibrancy, that we can enjoy as opposed to waiting for something to open when my future great grand kids are old enough to run for office.

But building or not, we're still in the same situation we were 20 years ago. Except our pockets are $25 million lighter and we killed off the foot traffic we did have. That part frustrates me more than anything.

[avonjax]

A 90% vacant building with only Hooters as a tenant is an improvement over the current state and what it will be for the next several years (don't let anyone fool you, it will be like this for a few years if we're lucky, another decade if we're not). The most unfortunate part is that this was completely predictable and 100% avoidable with inclusive community engagement, planning, funding and implementation. While we've missed this opportunity, the main message at this point is to avoid making similar decisions in the future and to make a real financial commitment to work to activate the empty, unique spaces that we still have. As for the Landing site moving forward, it is what it is. Whatever the future plan will be, there needs to be a real, financially backed commitment to make it a first class space, sooner rather than later. Right now, we don't have that (sorry, market analysis and a few million by 2022 for some design, etc. is not a real commitment).

I just want someone to tell me why Curry was so determined to tear the Landing down. It will NEVER make sense to me. Ever.

[sandyshoes]

Because he's a puppet. 

[Ken_FSU]

I just want someone to tell me why Curry was so determined to tear the Landing down. It will NEVER make sense to me. Ever.

I don't think it's a huge leap to suggest that the demolition of the Landing is the result of:

1) A political grudge stemming back to the 2015 mayoral election where Curry & Hughes accused Toney Sleiman of supporting and appearing in ads for Alvin Brown as payback for Brown offering up $12 million in incentives for the Landing. This is where we get that famous, now-ironic quote ("Throwing money, nearly $12 million, at special interests while kids are being gunned down in the street because of fewer cops is not simply outrageous it’s disgusting.")

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/6963-latest-alvin-brown-tv-ad-draws-scrutiny

2) A motive to eliminate it as competition for the Cordish development and to potentially enact a land swap with Met Park. Curry's strong-arming of Sleiman began almost immediately after his secretive trip with Shad Khan and Mark Lamping to visit Cordish developments in St. Louis, Kansas City, and Baltimore. And his "vision" for the new Landing was a giant lawn, that we now know the city made at least some inquiries about swapping for Met Park to open up development by the stadium.

[avonjax]

but he threw a fortune to demolish it. And millions more will be required to do anything to that wasteland. Curry will be historically one of our worst mayors if not THE worst. I hope this ruins his political career.

[avonjax]

There was so much potential. So many locals uses were possible. Some great restaurants could have reopened in the empty spaces. Now nothing. I went to almost every riverfront restaurant that was there and it was a great atmosphere even when the restaurant was just ok. Now nothing. I'm sure for years to come. This is the main act that ruined my enthusiasm for downtown. And at my age I doubt it will ever come back.

[Ken_FSU]

but he threw a fortune to demolish it.

He threw an even bigger fortune at the Courthouse site/Coastline to prepare it for a convention center.

Soon as Khan snapped his fingers, we dust off of an old DIA study and say, "Never mind, we're not ready for a convention center."

We literally spent $40 million to prep that site for a low-rise apartment complex.

[thelakelander]

^The rub there is that the firms that submitted responses spent hundreds of thousands of their own money doing so, only to have the rug pulled from under them. That's something that can potentially damage our credibility with the development community in the long run.

[thelakelander]

Taken to the woodshed. An additional $68k headed Sleiman's way....

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-seeking-final-settlement-with-jacksonville-landing-owner

[Ken_FSU]

Taken to the woodshed. An additional $68k headed Sleiman's way....

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-seeking-final-settlement-with-jacksonville-landing-owner

[heights unknown]

Taken to the woodshed. An additional $68k headed Sleiman's way....

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-seeking-final-settlement-with-jacksonville-landing-owner

Good. Wouldn't it be something if Sleiman came back and wanted to build something new on the property?