I came across a interesting article that mentions the history of Downtown Jax from the beginning when the shipyards and businesses were busy to now where there are still empty buildings from businesses leaving going back to the 1970's.
I wasnt born in Jax and neither my family, but ive lived here long enough to remember the days of Woolworth being downtown, I think on Laura, or Bay St. (cant remember) and they days Regency was busy.
Anyway, the article goes in depth to discuss why businesses cant thrive downtown and have chosen the areas of the Town Center, Oakleaf, River City, and Beaches when it comes to new development and redevelopment.
http://www.news4jax.com/community/metro-...wntown-jax
Extremely interesting. I hope going forward things can get fixed and back on this path. I think along with Khan, this can get done. It'll take some time, but it'll get there.
Downtown Jacksonville has been a subject in other threads a few times, and through the lines and whatnot I always got the impression that there's a certain element in the Jacksonville power structure that doesn't want Jax to grow and is fine with the city been a rest stop on I-95 on the way to Miami and Orlando.
That was great read. Thanks for sharing.
Quote:Downtown Jacksonville has been a subject in other threads a few times, and through the lines and whatnot I always got the impression that there's a certain element in the Jacksonville power structure that doesn't want Jax to grow and is fine with the city been a rest stop on I-95 on the way to Miami and Orlando.
There is. It's called First Baptist Church.
Quote:There is. It's called First Baptist Church.
Well, I wasn't going to name any names but.....
It's sad to think that at one time Jacksonville was THE city of Florida and now have been passed by Miami, Orlando, and Tampa.
Jacksonville seems to be the city of blown opportunities.
Education is a big part of the failure to keep up. Administration is bloated, inept, and wasteful.
Symbolic that their offices sit on the river.
Many of the educated leave as better jobs are elsewhere. Some markets are decent here, but not nearly enough.
I'd like for us to look to a city like Cincinnati to model. Growing, growing, growing.
But then, we'd need to add a few heavyweight anchors like Kroger and P&G. It's amazing the residual those kind of powerhouse companies do to elevate cities. What we have simply isn't enough, and many offices we do have are consolidating away from here, instead of to here.
Oh my goodness. This brought back memories of the toll booths on, if I remember correctly, the old Fuller Warren Bridge. My dad lived on the west side of town and on the weekends he had us we went to the beach and I remember going over a bridge with toll booths. I also remember when they were taken down and the City rejoiced. At least the people did.
Okay, I found a page on the
Jacksonville Historical Society website with pictures circa 1954. Man, all we wanted to do was get to the beach and 95 going over the bridge was backed up thanks to those darn things.
This is a picture of the booths being taken down in '89.
Quote:Education is a big part of the failure to keep up. Administration is bloated, inept, and wasteful.
Symbolic that their offices sit on the river.
Many of the educated leave as better jobs are elsewhere. Some markets are decent here, but not nearly enough.
I'd like for us to look to a city like Cincinnati to model. Growing, growing, growing.
But then, we'd need to add a few heavyweight anchors like Kroger and P&G. It's amazing the residual those kind of powerhouse companies do to elevate cities. What we have simply isn't enough, and many offices we do have are consolidating away from here, instead of to here.
It's definitely a thing where too many people with agendas had the influence to make or break things that shaped the city. Sadly it was more 'break' than 'make'.
I have always thought it absurd that the Duval County Jail is on waterfront property. And the courthouse, well the old one at least. Has the new one opened? I believe they were still building on it 5 or 6 years ago. The Landing is just a sad thing when not being used for holiday events and the NFL Draft party.
Hopefully Shad can shake things up and make things happen. I don't live there anymore but when I visit family I'd like to visit a place that is interesting.
Quote:It's sad to think that at one time Jacksonville was THE city of Florida and now have been passed by Miami, Orlando, and Tampa.
Not being facetious, but when was that and to whom?
I was vacationing for 15 years in Florida before I moved here in 1991 and Jacksonville was just the first city that you drove through, which was about the only distinguishing characteristic it had.
Quote:Not being facetious, but when was that and to whom?
I was vacationing for 15 years in Florida before I moved here in 1991 and Jacksonville was just the first city that you drove through, which was about the only distinguishing characteristic it had.
In the early 1900s. Jax and Tampa were the two main towns of Florida and Jax was seen as a major tourism spot for northerners. Not only that but Jacksonville was the film destination during the winter months went it was too cold to film up North.
Due to Hollywood taking off and anti-film sentiment, the film industry completely left Jax.
Jax started to really get passed by after WWII. Miami started its population boom and Orlando got Mickey Mouse.
Quote:Oh my goodness. This brought back memories of the toll booths on, if I remember correctly, the old Fuller Warren Bridge. My dad lived on the west side of town and on the weekends he had us we went to the beach and I remember going over a bridge with toll booths. I also remember when they were taken down and the City rejoiced. At least the people did.
Okay, I found a page on the <a class="bbc_url" href='http://www.jaxhistory.org/portfolio-items/toll-booths/'>Jacksonville Historical Society</a> website with pictures circa 1954. Man, all we wanted to do was get to the beach and 95 going over the bridge was backed up thanks to those darn things.
<a class="bbc_url" href='http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2012/06/18/buckman-toll-lanes-first-in-202.html#i1'>This</a> is a picture of the booths being taken down in '89.
Yep. That was the bridge. It still gets backed up even without the toll booths.
I refuse to give them 13 clicks to make it through an article, but I am assuming FBC wasnt mentioned as a top 2 reason. FBC has always been the problem and always will be.
Quote:I refuse to give them 13 clicks to make it through an article, but I am assuming FBC wasnt mentioned as a top 2 reason. FBC has always been the problem and always will be.
Not directly, no. But for those in the know it was implied pretty strongly in a roundabout way IMO.
Dang, it just occurred to me I know the guy who wrote that article. That's a face and name I'd hoped to never encounter again in my life.
Quote:I refuse to give them 13 clicks to make it through an article, but I am assuming FBC wasnt mentioned as a top 2 reason. FBC has always been the problem and always will be.
Not explicitly but here the header for one of the reasons
Quote:4. Conducting a moral crusade against nightlife and entertainment in the 1970s (Thanks Fitzhugh Powell and the rest of the old guard).
I don't know who Fitzhugh Powell is but I suspect you do.
Quote:Dang, it just occurred to me I know the guy who wrote that article. That's a face and name I'd hoped to never encounter again in my life.
Issues with him, huh? Lol
Quote:I refuse to give them 13 clicks to make it through an article, but I am assuming FBC wasnt mentioned as a top 2 reason. FBC has always been the problem and always will be.
With me, you get one click.
I'm not that informed on these things, but my impression is that certain people wanted Jacksonville to be another Savannah or St. Augustine. But it isn't, never will be, and as far as I know never was.
Quote:Issues with him, huh? Lol
That's putting it mildly. And not in the way you would think.