Which city has the most beautiful skyline in Florida? (Jacksonville: skyscrapers, luxury)

[PitBullMommie1206]

Originally Posted by backtofla

even though this is in the florida florum, i think that charlotte has a nice looking skyline. combine that with rolling hills in the outskirts, and a very clean and new downtown

also if you go on greenville, sc forum, check out the thread with the random photos of downtown greenville. it has a waterfall running through downtown, it is unbelievable. i think it is nicer than all the ones mentioned above imo.

Yeah, Charlotte does have a pretty skyline, so does many, many other cities. You are right, this is a Florida thread, and the whole reason I started this thread was because in my opinion, some of the Florida skylines are some of the most beautiful skylines, and they don't get nearly enough credit. In fact, most of them hardly ever get any credit at all. Personally, the amount of large buildings is not what makes a cities skyline beautiful. I think the uniqueness of the buildings, the colors, the bridges, etc are what really make a skyline beautiful. I also absolutely love cities that are on the water, it's gorgeous when the skyline reflects off of the water, especially at night. To me, cities that have too many large buildings or skyscrapers almost look cluttered or over crowded. I'm not saying that Charlotte looks like that, like I said, Charlotte has a beautiful skyline. I like a lot of the NC skylines, I like NC overall pretty well. I lived in Greensboro for a little while and I loved it there. I like Florida more than NC though and that's why I moved back after only 5 months! But it is gorgeous there. Anyway, back to the reason I started this thread, I don't feel like people really look at the Florida skylines, it seems to me like people just write them off because they don't have the most skyscrapers. It's not like these are tiny cities or anything either. I mean, Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida, it's the 3rd largest city on the east coast, after NYC and Philly, and it's the largest city landmass wise in the US. Miami, Tampa, St. Pete and Orlando are all large cities as well. No they aren't over flowing with skyscrapers, but there are many things about them that make them beautiful.

[Floridabound09]

Ok, I will have to admit, I have never saw a Florida skyline that I didn't like!!!

[PitBullMommie1206]

Originally Posted by pirate girl

Honestly I wasn't being sarcastic. A colleague of mine who was born and raised in Jax told me that. His family has been there for hundreds of years. I called him again tonight and he swears that the bridges were painted different colors due to illiteracy- even read me a passage from a book about Jacksonville history he has.

By no way did I mean to imply that Jax is an uneducated city at all. But I do believe that 20-30 years ago it probably was. The book said that when the bridges were originally built they were color coded because many residents could not read signs.

Haha! I have never heard that, and like your friend, I was born and raised in Jacksonville and much of my family has been in Jacksonville for their whole lives. If that was why they did it, that's pretty interesting. More interesting than just making them different colors for the hell of it! lol! Hey, at least we got some gorgeous bridges out of it! I would love to know what book your friend is reading this in? Like I said, there are only three bridges that are any color other than gray, and there are 7 main bridges in Jacksonville. It doesn't make much sense to say that they were color coding the bridges because back when they were being built people couldn't read, the first bridge in Jacksonville that was built, downtown, was the Acosta bridge, which isn't any color. It does have purple neon lights running along it that make the bridge look purple at night, but those were added when the bridge was rebuilt in 1991. The Main Street bridge was the second bridge built in Jacksonville, downtown, and it's the bright blue bridge, my favorite bridge! That bridge is actually painted blue and it lights up very bright blue at night. Now, the Main Street bridge is actually called the John T. Alsop, Jr. bridge, but it has just always been called the Main Street bridge, even the street signs call it that. Then there's the Mathews bridge and the Hart bridge, which are the only other bridges that are painted. The Mathews bridge was built first, if I'm not mistaken and it's a brownish gray color. Then the Hart bridge is a greenish color. There's also the Dames Point, Fuller Warren and Buckman bridges, but they aren't painted. I couldn't find anything on why the colorful bridges are colorful, but I am really curious now! lol! I would love to know where I could find some info on this. Do you think your friend knows of a website that has this info?

Oh, and I didn't take your post in a bad way, it was just hard for me to believe that a city would paint their bridges simply because people couldn't read the street signs. I had also said that the last thing I think of when I think of Jacksonville is an uneducated city, but I guess it was very possible back when the bridges were built. I mean, the Acosta bridge was originally opened in 1921, the Main Street bridge opened in 1941, the Mathews was opened in 1955, etc, so I'm sure that quite a few people were illiterate then. Or at least many more people than today. I'm going to ask my grandmother tomorrow morning and see what she says. I'm really curious now! lol!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by PitBullMommie1206

I have never heard that? lol! And I don't know of an orange bridge in Jax either? If there is an orange bridge in Jax I'm going to feel pretty stupid! I was born and raised in Jax and have lived there pretty much all of my life. Right now we don't live in Jax, we live about 45-60 minutes south of Jax, but hopefully we will be moving back in August! But yeah, I don't know of an orange bridge.


Now, the Buckman Bridge is pretty plain, but it's one of my favorite bridges. It's over 3 miles long and when you get right in the middle of it you can look to the side and see NAS Jax (where I was born ) and you can see the Jacksonville skyline off in the distance. This bridge isn't anywhere near downtown, it's out by Orange Park, but it has a beautiful view of downtown Jax. Like I said, I was born and raised in Jax, and I have lived there pretty much all of my life. I grew up downtown (in Murray Hill on the west side ) and then in 1997 I moved out closer to Orange Park. From 1997 to when I moved out of Jax about 3 years ago, I use to drive across the Buckman pretty much every day! I don't know why, it's really nothing very special, but it's one of my favorite bridges!


As far as people not being able to read the signs and that's why they made the bridges different colors, I don't know if I really believe that? I don't see a city making bridges different colors simply because it's residents can't read street signs? I mean, I'm sure it actually could be true, but the last thing I think of when I think of Jax is an uneducated city. I don't know? It might just be me, but I think of Jax is a professional, business city more than anything....Again, I'm sure that could possibly be true, but like I said, it's hard for me to believe that a city would make their bridges beautiful and colorful simply because the people in the city are uneducated and can't read street signs. I also don't think of Jacksonville as an uneducated city, but that could just be me! lol! To me, that sounds more like a myth than anything, I have never heard that before and that's the city I have spent pretty much all of my life in.

I haven't noticed any of the bridges being orange either, PitBullMommie.

As for the theory that the bridges were painted different colors to aid the illiterate in getting around, no, I don't believe it. First of all, you have to be literate to have a driver's license, secondly, how would you ever make it as far as the bridge if you could not read the street signs that would lead you through the rest of the city?? Doesn't make sense. As far as it being 'in a book', we all know that you can't believe everything you read in a book .

I like the Buckman too ! It's at a wide point in the river (2 miles?), so you get a really good look at the river and both shores. Now the traffic on it is something else !

Did you come across any pics of the Southbank? All these pics seem to be on the Northbank of Downtown, but we have the Southbank too (other side of the river....the river runs through the center of downtown). The look of the Southbank is changing (right now it's mostly low-rise), I'm looking forward to the new look .

[PitBullMommie1206]

Originally Posted by Floridabound09

Ok, I will have to admit, I have never saw a Florida skyline that I didn't like!!!

I has seen a few that aren't very spectacular, but I don't think I have seen a Florida skyline that I didn't like either! I love the Florida skylines and I don't think they get nearly enough credit! I think people overlook them because they may not have the most skyscrapers, but there are so many other things that make a skyline beautiful and for the most part, the only thing most of the major Florida skylines don't have is loads and loads of skyscrapers! lol! They are unique, colorful, they have beautiful bridges, they are on the water, etc. The largest of Florida's cities do have some major skyscrapers and plenty of large buildings, but there are plenty of cities that have more, as far as buildings, than the Florida cities. In my opinion, it's pretty close-minded to write off some amazing skylines simply because they don't have as many skyscrapers are other cities. I personally think that Jacksonville is the most beautiful skyline.. period! And then I would say Tampa/ St. Pete is second and Miami is third. I love skylines in general, they are all beautiful in their own ways, but the Florida skylines have what makes skylines beautiful in my eyes. I think it's a shame that more people don't see that.

[PitBullMommie1206]

Originally Posted by riveree

I haven't noticed any of the bridges being orange either, PitBullMommie.

As for the theory that the bridges were painted different colors to aid the illiterate in getting around, no, I don't believe it. First of all, you have to be literate to have a driver's license, secondly, how would you ever make it as far as the bridge if you could not read the street signs that would lead you through the rest of the city?? Doesn't make sense. As far as it being 'in a book', we all know that you can't believe everything you read in a book .

I like the Buckman too ! It's at a wide point in the river (2 miles?), so you get a really good look at the river and both shores. Now the traffic on it is something else !

Did you come across any pics of the Southbank? All these pics seem to be on the Northbank of Downtown, but we have the Southbank too (other side of the river....the river runs through the center of downtown). The look of the Southbank is changing (right now it's mostly low-rise), I'm looking forward to the new look .

I was also thinking that, about not being able to get a drivers license unless you could read! I didn't think about how these illiterate people were going to read all of the other street signs in order to even get to the bridge though! lol! That's true, I think that's just a myth or a joke that people somehow started to believe!

Yeah, the traffic on the Buckman is insane! It even has warning signs on the bridge! lol! Prepare to stop between 4pm and 7pm, isn't it? I know it's something like that! lol! The cops at both ends of the bridge can be a bit ridiculous as well, if you ask me! I was coming home one day, and when I got to the other side of the bridge, towards the NAS Jax/ Roosevelt/ 17 (whatever it's called.. lol! ) exit, which was my exit, there had to be 7-10 cops just sitting at the end of the bridge in that grassy median! And it's not even like people could speed if they wanted to! lol! The only lane that was really moving at all was the far left lane, the straight through to Blanding lane. I could definitely do without all of the traffic on the Buckman.

No, I didn't find any of southbank pictures. Remember where I said it seems like the city looks much smaller in the pictures? I think that's because the whole southbank is missing in these pictures! lmao! That makes sense now! It seems like all of the pictures were taken from the southbank, looking at the northbank. I did find some new pictures of Jacksonville's skyline earlier today. I already posted some of them, but here they are again..

From the highway, you can actually see both sides of the city! lol!



I also really like pictures from different angles. It seems like all of the pictures of Jax are taken of the northbank straight on, you know? Here are some different pictures that I found today.















Even though those are pretty much all still of the northbank, they aren't just straight on pictures of the northbank, you know? I think even if the picture is taken from a slightly different angle, it makes a big difference. I like a lot of these pictures better than just the straight on shots. The straight on shots are beautiful, I think the northbank is the most beautiful place in the city, but I think it's nice to see the city from different areas and angles.

And this is my favorite picture so far! I just found this one today as well, and I think it's amazing!

[PitBullMommie1206]

riveree.. I found some southbank pictures. There aren't very great, but they are of the southbank! lol!







Well, that second one is really more of the St. Johns than anything! lol! You can also see the Alltel stadium in that picture. Okay, now, I have a few questions for you. First of all, I have to remind you, I have been stuck in Palm Coast for the last three years , so I have obviously missed some stuff. We will be moving back in August though, Hopefully! It's going to be like a birthday present for me! lol! If all goes well I will get to move home for my birthday! Anyway, when I was looking for southbank pictures I found a couple things that I guess are going to be built or are being built on the southbank? Both are supposed to be condos I think it said?





So, my questions are, do you know about this, and are either of these already being built? If you look at the last picture I posted of the southbank above, the building that's being built in that picture, with the cranes over it, looks like it could be that second condo building. The other condo building picture I posted, the taller one, said they were going to start building in 2006 I think? Have they started on that? Both of those would add so much to the southbank! Not to mention they would have amazing views of the northbank!

Oh, and I almost forgot, here's another cool picture I just found. It kind of looks like a painting though?

[riveree]

Originally Posted by PitBullMommie1206

Yeah, the traffic on the Buckman is insane! It even has warning signs on the bridge! lol! Prepare to stop between 4pm and 7pm, isn't it? I know it's something like that! lol!

It should probably read "Prepare To Nap between 4pm and 7pm"

[billymillennium]

Im all for Gainesville. Im from Nothern Indiana, soon2bgator!!! I visit Hong kong for the BIG sky line. All BillyBoy wants is gatorLand!!! god I love you Floriduuh!!!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by PitBullMommie1206

riveree.

So, my questions are, do you know about this, and are either of these already being built? If you look at the last picture I posted of the southbank above, the building that's being built in that picture, with the cranes over it, looks like it could be that second condo building. The other condo building picture I posted, the taller one, said they were going to start building in 2006 I think? Have they started on that? Both of those would add so much to the southbank! Not to mention they would have amazing views of the northbank!

The one you see under construction is either San Marco Place or The Peninsula, I believe?

Here's a link with some of the downtown construction going on:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/608/122/

Also, check this out - going in just to the south of the Southbank in San Marco/St. Nicolas:

http://www.eastsanmarco.com/

And then a little further down the road - about 4 or 5 miles south of downtown in Lakewood:

http://www.oldsanjoseontheriver.com/

This is happening all over downtown and out into the older, first-ring neighborhoods (even Goodby's Creek is getting some of these cool infill projects).

Some of the pics you posted may or may end up coming to fruition. One of the developers that rolled into town was Kunz. He did a lot of Orlando's new downtown development and was planning to do some similar projects in Jax. He has some stuff going on (lawsuits) that might be curtailing his plans for Jax and I'm not positive, but some of the renderings you posted may be his .