What's the deal with Downtown JAX? (Jacksonville, Vero Beach: crime, hotels, home)

[Rcsligar]

My father and I recently went out of the way to check out downtown Jacksonville. I realized it was the only Florida "city" I hadn't checked out so far so I figured it would be worth it.
We stayed at the Omni Hotel downtown and while the hotel itself was fairly nice I immediately knew something was off due to the cheap price. No vibrant city with high demand would have a hotel in the central downtown area for between 100-150 a night. Other metropolises of similar size charge between 300 and 400 a night for hotels in central locations and the ritzy ones usually go for more. Anyway.
We go downstairs to the lobby and explain that we are looking to enjoy the downtown vibrancy in Jacksonville. Almost immediately he laughs in our face and explains that the closest thing to what we're looking for would be on rush street. We asked him why he was laughing and he explained that there wasn't much vibrancy around here. This was disheartening.
I overlooked the fact that there were almost no skyscrapers when we were first coming into the city because I assumed there would be some intimate side streets to find some quaint shops, restaurants, bars, etc.
I couldn't have been more wrong. The first thing I notice as I make my way towards rush street is a guy in a fishing shirt doing some country rock covers. This was saddening to me because I assumed these kind of concerts were reserved for the dilapidated establishments that are so commonplace around SW Florida (Where I'm from). I was hoping for a bit more refinery it a more urban area.
Anyway, I thought there was a definite lack of typical urban amenities as well as the presence of young professionals. If you like downtown JAX, please don't bite my head off as I'm only making an observation. I just thought it was strange to see a city of 800,00 + be so dull. I guess that's just attributed to the never ending sprawl of suburbs.

[abvavgjoe]

Yeah, sorry, but our downtown is pretty dead. It's well known and it's one of the city's biggest "issues". Hopefully, one day that will change under the right leadership. It would certainly be nice to have a vibrant downtown business district. Also, JAX is not really a "party town". It's very conservative and more family oriented. I guess that could be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it.

There are vibrant areas with quaint shops, parks, restaurants, bars, etc. They're just not downtown. They're in Riverside, Avondale, San Marco and the beaches mainly and individually they're not huge at all. St. John's Town Center is also pretty vibrant itself with lots of big name shops, restaurants, bars etc.

Another thing to consider is that 800,000 city pop. number. It's deceiving. Jacksonville and Duval County are the same sizewise. So, the city is huge and those 800,000 people are spread out (the largest city by area in the contiguous United States). It's better to compare metro areas like Providence, RI (1.6 mil.), Milwaukee, WI (1.6 mil.), Memphis, TN (1.3 mil.), Oklahoma City (1.3 mil.) and Louisville, KY (1.3 mil).

[fsu813]

Originally Posted by Rcsligar

My father and I recently went out of the way to check out downtown Jacksonville. I realized it was the only Florida "city" I hadn't checked out so far so I figured it would be worth it.
We stayed at the Omni Hotel downtown and while the hotel itself was fairly nice I immediately knew something was off due to the cheap price. No vibrant city with high demand would have a hotel in the central downtown area for between 100-150 a night. Other metropolises of similar size charge between 300 and 400 a night for hotels in central locations and the ritzy ones usually go for more. Anyway.
We go downstairs to the lobby and explain that we are looking to enjoy the downtown vibrancy in Jacksonville. Almost immediately he laughs in our face and explains that the closest thing to what we're looking for would be on rush street. We asked him why he was laughing and he explained that there wasn't much vibrancy around here. This was disheartening.
I overlooked the fact that there were almost no skyscrapers when we were first coming into the city because I assumed there would be some intimate side streets to find some quaint shops, restaurants, bars, etc.
I couldn't have been more wrong. The first thing I notice as I make my way towards rush street is a guy in a fishing shirt doing some country rock covers. This was saddening to me because I assumed these kind of concerts were reserved for the dilapidated establishments that are so commonplace around SW Florida (Where I'm from). I was hoping for a bit more refinery it a more urban area.
Anyway, I thought there was a definite lack of typical urban amenities as well as the presence of young professionals. If you like downtown JAX, please don't bite my head off as I'm only making an observation. I just thought it was strange to see a city of 800,00 + be so dull. I guess that's just attributed to the never ending sprawl of suburbs.

There's lots of popular things in Downtown Jacksonville (I could easily list , but they are not all clustered together currently. Thus, you have lots of dead space. That, and poor city policy over the last 30 years resulted in the current state. However, over the past couple of years things ahve noticeable improved, and there's MUCH more going on in Downtown Jax today than there was just 2 years ago. And there are big plans for much, much more. Right now, you kinda have to know what's there before hand. You don;t just randomly come accross it.

[fsquid]

it is what it is

[abvavgjoe]

Originally Posted by abvavgjoe

It's better to compare metro areas like Providence, RI (1.6 mil.), Milwaukee, WI (1.6 mil.), Memphis, TN (1.3 mil.), Oklahoma City (1.3 mil.) and Louisville, KY (1.3 mil).

Forgot to mention JAX metro is about 1.4 mil.

[The King of Um]

Jacksonville's downtown is, by far, the most underwhelming downtown I've ever seen in a fairly large city. In fact, I've been to quite a few cities whose populations don't come anywhere near that of Jacksonville, yet their downtown areas are much more vibrant, a lot more exciting. There's not a lot to do downtown; there are few amenities, as you noticed. (In fact, this lack of urban vibrancy is a defining characteristic of Jax.) And you're right, Jacksonville's skyline stinks; sadly, it's quite unimpressive. In many ways, as I've said before, Jacksonville is like a small town. Jax, although a large city of over 800,000 residents, doesn't seem like a city at all, as there is little urban appeal and very few cultural outlets; I think that's another one of the city's unfortunate defining characteristics.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by Hip Priest

And you're right, Jacksonville's skyline stinks; sadly, it's quite unimpressive.

I agree with pretty much everything else you said except this statement. I just think that a lot of people who say this are unaware that the city's total skyline is broken up by the St. John's River into two clusters, the Northbank (CBD) and Southbank. The more popular vantage points from which to view the skyline don't really reflect this. In actuality, Jacksonville's skyline is very appropriate for a metro around 1.4 million people.

http://metroscenes.com/jacksonville/...nes.com_14.jpg

[WileyCoyote]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

I agree with pretty much everything else you said except this statement. I just think that a lot of people who say this are unaware that the city's total skyline is broken up by the St. John's River into two clusters, the Northbank (CBD) and Southbank. The more popular vantage points from which to view the skyline don't really reflect this. In actuality, Jacksonville's skyline is very appropriate for a metro around 1.4 million people.

http://metroscenes.com/jacksonville/...nes.com_14.jpg

Agreed!

[roadtrip75]

Originally Posted by Rcsligar

Anyway, I thought there was a definite lack of typical urban amenities as well as the presence of young professionals.

Those amenities and people are there, you just didn't go to the right spot. They are in Avondale, Riverside, and San Marco (and to a lesser extent in Springfield).

Since you claim to have visited all of FL, you are aware that all Florida cities were depopulated long ago and are only now experiencing gentrification. Jacksonville is a small city, so it naturally has a smaller pool of people and resources for gentrification. The nice beach areas nearby are also a drain on potential people and resources for gentrification.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by Hip Priest

Jacksonville's downtown is, by far, the most underwhelming downtown I've ever seen in a fairly large city. In fact, I've been to quite a few cities whose populations don't come anywhere near that of Jacksonville, yet their downtown areas are much more vibrant, a lot more exciting. There's not a lot to do downtown; there are few amenities, as you noticed. (In fact, this lack of urban vibrancy is a defining characteristic of Jax.) And you're right, Jacksonville's skyline stinks; sadly, it's quite unimpressive. In many ways, as I've said before, Jacksonville is like a small town. Jax, although a large city of over 800,000 residents, doesn't seem like a city at all, as there is little urban appeal and very few cultural outlets; I think that's another one of the city's unfortunate defining characteristics.

While your description is accurate your numbers are misleading. You reference "underwhelming downtown" for a large city but cite "a large city of over 800,000".

That's for the entire square mileage not downtown. Downtown is TINY and the last time I saw figures there are 2000 residents and 1400 homeless making up a total "resident population" of 3400.

I just moved from Jax where I started a pet sitting business and did very well in the "downtown" area but that included what is not really downtown but the South Bank and Avondale/Riverside. I did have plenty of clients in downtown specifically out of that 2000 figure from the Carlton, 11East, Metro which I didn't like due to the parking lot, and Berkman. I even had plenty of would be "clients" of the 1400 residential crackhead criminal "homeless" fakers who tried to steal my dogs from me in broad daylight

On that subject a cop told me that the actual old school type homeless population is not a problem crime wise but there are fake "homeless" people coming to Jax from more Northern cities like Atlanta who are just criminals not your traditional "homeless" people. I never had any problem with traditional homeless people like the old guys or a coupla schizophrenics who are sleeping on the Riverwalk etc, in fact they actually used to say hi and pick up trash etc because they recognized me as a dog walker. When I first moved here some kid in Walgreens Riverside said "Don't be afraid of the homeless in the park, they saved me one time when the crack heads kept beating me up every time I walked home thru there". LOL

I moved back to my home in Vero Beach where it is much more difficult to find clients regardless of the higher per capita income because at least Jax is a pretty busy central area for corporate relocations, legal and medical personnel. (which has not much to do with the OP LOL)