The DIA and Lori Boyer Are Doing a Phenomenal Job

[heights unknown]

The Downtown cheerleaders are so trapped in their own echo chamber, that I'm not sure they even have a grasp on reality.

Step 1: Execute your plans
Step 2: Brag

Here's my suggestion....

Step 1: Execute...

No bragging is necessary when the average person can see tower cranes and hear sounds of construction when walking on the street. There's no better marketing and sales pitch than seeing real life implementation and completion.

Best said my Friend, best said.

[Bativac]

I'm a Jax native, and I've been living on the Southbank and working in Downtown for the past four years. I am also in that "young professional" demographic that the DIA so desperately wants to attract to the Downtown area. I can honestly say, when my friends from Charlotte, Nashville, or Atlanta visit, I am embarrassed to take them Downtown. Even though there are some cool spots that I enjoy (Ruby Beach/Volstead/Estrella) my out-of-town friends, without fail, ask where is everyone? They say it is like a scene out of the Walking Dead (even with the Zombies!)

At this point, I've almost given up on showcasing Downtown, and we will just visit San Marco, Riverside, or Avondale. So no, I can't see how the DIA or Lori Boyer should be getting any applause or kudos for the state of downtown. I am hopeful that some of the projects in the pipeline become a reality, but this is the City of Renderings after all.

Fellow Jax native... bought a house 16 or 17 years ago right at the Hart Bridge because we thought Downtown was about to come up!! Finally left town almost a decade ago and am continually disappointed every time I return to visit famiy. Jax is doomed to be a city of unrealized potential.

[thelakelander]

I accepted downtown for what it was about 15 years ago. When I have guests in town, I do show them the area, but I'm also blunt and realistic about where things stand. At the same time, I also show off additional areas of the urban core and town, so that they can have a true understanding of Jax. Our culture, foods, environment, etc. is hard to compete with when you know how to experience the true identity of the region.

[Ken_FSU]

This is the type of nonsense I’d expect the DIA to take a firm stand against, even if means upsetting the DDRB or going outside of their swim lane.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2024/jan/16/amkin-applies-for-permit-to-build-10-million-downtown-parking-garage-addition/

10-story parking garage, directly adjacent to a Skyway station, with no ground floor retail.

Might not be their project, but if effects their efforts and investments nearby.

[heights unknown]

"The Garage Owner has plans for a new development;" yeah right. Why they wanna keep lying? Pie in the sky and Jax always believes these pathologicals.

[thelakelander]

Both, the DIA and DDRB basically gave their blessing on this garage project last year.

[heights unknown]

Both, the DIA and DDRB basically gave their blessing on this garage project last year.

Garbage project? Is that what you said? I was watching the Tampa Bay/Philly football game last night, and they kept showing downtown Tampa, tall gleaming lit up skyscrapers and Troy Aikman and his sidekick kept praising downtown Tampa and talking about how the downtown had really changed and turned around and was alive. I thought of Jacksonville, and all I could think of about our downtown was parking lots, dark skyscrapers (the few that we have), no people, hardly any nightlife or people out at night dining, partying in bars and nightclubs, etc. It really made me angry and ashamed of our leaders; yes, our leaders, it's certainly not downtown's fault in and of itself!

[WarDamJagFan]

Both, the DIA and DDRB basically gave their blessing on this garage project last year.

Garbage project? Is that what you said? I was watching the Tampa Bay/Philly football game last night, and they kept showing downtown Tampa, tall gleaming lit up skyscrapers and Troy Aikman and his sidekick kept praising downtown Tampa and talking about how the downtown had really changed and turned around and was alive. I thought of Jacksonville, and all I could think of about our downtown was parking lots, dark skyscrapers (the few that we have), no people, hardly any nightlife or people out at night dining, partying in bars and nightclubs, etc. It really made me angry and ashamed of our leaders; yes, our leaders, it's certainly not downtown's fault in and of itself!

Shhh. Don't tell Alex. The DIA has outside investors for the city! The DIA is working their tails off trying to make the shallow end of the pool deeper!

[Jax_Developer]

Amkin owns a significant % of downtown & almost nobody knows who they are. They have a track record of not caring what the DIA or DDRB have to say so... that's once again another example of council not giving enough authority to the DIA to intervene.

[Tacachale]

This is the type of nonsense I’d expect the DIA to take a firm stand against, even if means upsetting the DDRB or going outside of their swim lane.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2024/jan/16/amkin-applies-for-permit-to-build-10-million-downtown-parking-garage-addition/

10-story parking garage, directly adjacent to a Skyway station, with no ground floor retail.

Might not be their project, but if effects their efforts and investments nearby.

Horrible product of the type that hopefully wouldn’t be approved by the current roster of the DDRB moving forward.

[heights unknown]

Both, the DIA and DDRB basically gave their blessing on this garage project last year.

Garbage project? Is that what you said? I was watching the Tampa Bay/Philly football game last night, and they kept showing downtown Tampa, tall gleaming lit up skyscrapers and Troy Aikman and his sidekick kept praising downtown Tampa and talking about how the downtown had really changed and turned around and was alive. I thought of Jacksonville, and all I could think of about our downtown was parking lots, dark skyscrapers (the few that we have), no people, hardly any nightlife or people out at night dining, partying in bars and nightclubs, etc. It really made me angry and ashamed of our leaders; yes, our leaders, it's certainly not downtown's fault in and of itself!

Shhh. Don't tell Alex. The DIA has outside investors for the city! The DIA is working their tails off trying to make the shallow end of the pool deeper!

LOLOLOL.....DIA had better be careful; they don't have a very good track record of knowing how to swim. I would hate to see them dive into that so called deep end they've made and then drown!

[UrbanistInExile]

Frankly, I think the DIA would be better run by an urban designer in the mold of a Jeff Speck or Victor Dover. Someone who can cast a people-oriented vision for downtown and cut through the bullshit that frankly has been holding us back. One of Jacksonville's biggest problems is everything is run by engineers and attorneys, and hardly anyone is thinking about the quality of the places we are designing and building.

[CityLife]

Frankly, I think the DIA would be better run by an urban designer in the mold of a Jeff Speck or Victor Dover. Someone who can cast a people-oriented vision for downtown and cut through the bullshit that frankly has been holding us back. One of Jacksonville's biggest problems is everything is run by engineers and attorneys, and hardly anyone is thinking about the quality of the places we are designing and building.

Great post.  Though neither of those guys would take the job and people of that caliber aren't easy to find.

I almost posted this the other day, but one of the DIA's biggest weaknesses is that virtually everyone there is doing their job for the first time and most either previously worked at COJ or are somehow politically connected. The DIA can use some outside blood with fresh ideas, ideally from someone with experience doing projects all over the place. The Miami DDA Head of Planning previously worked at world class firm EDSA doing projects all over the world. The DIA doesn't have anyone of that caliber and it shows with the poorly designed projects the City has gotten.

I'm sure Boyer has a lot of strengths, but a major weakness is the fact that she has surrounded herself with nothing but people that are either in or close to her circle in Jacksonville. IMO, the DIA can/could be successful with Boyer as CEO, but only with a strong Deputy Director that has high level experience as an architect, landscape architect, land planner, or urban designer and ideally has also worked in the public sector. Sometimes leaders are afraid to surround themselves with someone they perceive as competition, as it makes them more disposable if there are problems. But that often leads to poor results.

The DIA needs an infusion of new talent and ideas. Imo, instead of hiring inside the Jacksonville family, they should be hiring a headhunter and going after talented people at Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, etc's downtown development agencies or from large development firms.

[thelakelander]

Just put a few of these experts on the boards with the caveat that they aren't willing to sell their soul in order to get city work or piss off potential clients, that propose projects that do more harm than help. The caveat part is the hardest part of this locally, IMO. But it can be achieved. Staff will also need some guidance and support. A good working board should be able to bring that to the table.

Those with the real experience are also more likely to take a board position than tie their life and personal pocketbooks to the ups and downs and craziness that comes with public funded positions.

[UrbanistInExile]

I wasn't suggesting hiring those guys specifically, but we need more outside talent for sure. This is the most backward place I've ever lived in from a design culture and urban design standpoint. It's like we are stuck in the 1960s-70s; we are Florida's frontier in urban placemaking, and hardly anyone in leadership or in control of the built environment here gets good, people-oriented design. And, the ones most vocal about the issues aren't designers (instead they are planners, policy people, nonprofit/citizen advocates) and they don't have the capability to bring it about.

Frankly, I think the DIA would be better run by an urban designer in the mold of a Jeff Speck or Victor Dover. Someone who can cast a people-oriented vision for downtown and cut through the bullshit that frankly has been holding us back. One of Jacksonville's biggest problems is everything is run by engineers and attorneys, and hardly anyone is thinking about the quality of the places we are designing and building.

Great post.  Though neither of those guys would take the job and people of that caliber aren't easy to find.

I almost posted this the other day, but one of the DIA's biggest weaknesses is that virtually everyone there is doing their job for the first time and most either previously worked at COJ or are somehow politically connected. The DIA can use some outside blood with fresh ideas, ideally from someone with experience doing projects all over the place. The Miami DDA Head of Planning previously worked at world class firm EDSA doing projects all over the world. The DIA doesn't have anyone of that caliber and it shows with the poorly designed projects the City has gotten.

I'm sure Boyer has a lot of strengths, but a major weakness is the fact that she has surrounded herself with nothing but people that are either in or close to her circle in Jacksonville. IMO, the DIA can/could be successful with Boyer as CEO, but only with a strong Deputy Director that has high level experience as an architect, landscape architect, land planner, or urban designer and ideally has also worked in the public sector. Sometimes leaders are afraid to surround themselves with someone they perceive as competition, as it makes them more disposable if there are problems. But that often leads to poor results.

The DIA needs an infusion of new talent and ideas. Imo, instead of hiring inside the Jacksonville family, they should be hiring a headhunter and going after talented people at Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, etc's downtown development agencies or from large development firms.