Jacksonville's Downtown - SO much potential (Century, Five Points: 2013, city hall, theater)

[WanderlustGirl2016]

I'm not an expert city planner or urban planner so I don't have any idea what logistics or financing would play into this thought process. I am just lamenting about Jacksonville's downtown - it has so much potential - why isn't it being developed more? Is it money? It's in the perfect spot, next to a pretty river - but with many empty buildings and blocks that could be developed with more restaurants, bars, coffee spots and shopping. I know that parking is one obstacle that would need to be addressed. What is it missing and what would you like to see? After a night at the Florida Theatre it would be a great to have a ton of late night eat options. We should get rid of the Landing. I know there is a plan for Healthy Town, which is a good start, but it appears to just be a concept right now.

[JacksonvilleNative]

I am a life long resident of Jacksonville (58) and remember my mother shoping downtown when all the major department stores were there. Most of my life I stayed away from Downtown except to attend an occasional concert, football game, etc but rarely dined or partied there as I spent most of my time in the northside/Oceanway where I grew up and spent most of my adult life.(the woods)

Downtown declined for a number of reasons, not the least being misguided ideas of what needed to be done in demolishing and destroying most of the historic stock in the name of progress that never appeared. I can't tell you how many times I read a developer wanted to do this and that on a particular block, and if the city would demolish what was there, they would promise the world only to pull out after the only thing left was broken concrete and weeds.

That is in a nutshell how we got where we are now.

That being said, Downtown is so much more than it was even a few years ago. There is a lot going on Downtown and much more to come. Parking is a matter of how you see it. I never have a problem parking downtown. There are plenty of garages and a lot of on street parking that is free after 6pm and on Sat and Sun. There is no fine dining late after shows but there is Chomp chomp and the new Spliffs, both that are open until 2am.

It isn't New York, but it is much better than it has been and I personally see it on the way up.

[mtraininjax]

Downtown did not die because of developers, it died because the people left. Simple as that. People moved to the suburbs, because land was cheap and people wanted better places to raise families with land and instead of living vertically, they decided to live horizontally and spread out.

Downtown is coming back as people find things to do downtown. Yes, the Florida Theatre is a nice venue, as are the sports venues, and the new amphitheater will be great too. Downtown just needs to become more of a destination, rather than a pass-through and place you work from 8-5, even this has shifted in recent years to the southside, closer to where people live.

The Landing will come back, it has parking now and has the ability to become more, if the owner so chooses to make it more. But its just 1 piece, there are a lot of things going on downtown. Healthy town plans to break ground in 2016. The new Amphitheater will break ground in 2016. Look at downtown next year, you will see a lot more going on and when you have places for people to go and do things, people will choose to live there and stay closer. Its coming....

[snuffybear]

Went to Nemours yesterday and I thought the area was very nice! Loved the river views.

Is that "downtown"? I think it was San Marco area? Where exactly is Riverside, Five Points (or is it Four points? LOL), and that other area people talk about (can't think of the name).

[judeK]

Originally Posted by snuffybear

Went to Nemours yesterday and I thought the area was very nice! Loved the river views.

Is that "downtown"? I think it was San Marco area? Where exactly is Riverside, Five Points (or is it Four points? LOL), and that other area people talk about (can't think of the name).

Is that other area Avondale? Riverside Is directly across the river from San Marco.

[snuffybear]

Originally Posted by judeK

Is that other area Avondale? Riverside Is directly across the river from San Marco.

Oh yes that might be it...Avondale, Riverside, San Marco...the areas I hear are nice.
Where is Avondale?

So Riverside is directly across from San Marco? That means "Five Points" is in Riverside? And is Florida Yacht Club in Riverside? (I've been there, nice area!).

[ClemVegas]

Originally Posted by WanderlustGirl2016

I'm not an expert city planner or urban planner so I don't have any idea what logistics or financing would play into this thought process. I am just lamenting about Jacksonville's downtown - it has so much potential - why isn't it being developed more? Is it money? It's in the perfect spot, next to a pretty river - but with many empty buildings and blocks that could be developed with more restaurants, bars, coffee spots and shopping. I know that parking is one obstacle that would need to be addressed. What is it missing and what would you like to see? After a night at the Florida Theatre it would be a great to have a ton of late night eat options. We should get rid of the Landing. I know there is a plan for Healthy Town, which is a good start, but it appears to just be a concept right now.

There are a ton of restaurants and bars in downtown Jax.

Get rid of The Landing? Doesn't the Landing hae restaurants and bars?

I think Jax is a nice downtown already.

[judeK]

Originally Posted by snuffybear

Oh yes that might be it...Avondale, Riverside, San Marco...the areas I hear are nice.
Where is Avondale?

So Riverside is directly across from San Marco? That means "Five Points" is in Riverside? And is Florida Yacht Club in Riverside? (I've been there, nice area!).

Avondale is just west of Riverside. Yes 5 Points is in Riverside. The Florida Yacht Club which was organized in 1876 is currently located in Ortega and has been since 1928. For more history use this link ... About | The Florida Yacht Club ... Ortega is south of Avondale on the west side of the St Johns River.

[JacksonvilleNative]

Originally Posted by snuffybear

Went to Nemours yesterday and I thought the area was very nice! Loved the river views.

Is that "downtown"? I think it was San Marco area? Where exactly is Riverside, Five Points (or is it Four points? LOL), and that other area people talk about (can't think of the name).

Around the turn of the 20th Century, San Marco and the area South of the River was known as South Jacksonville. Had their own City Hall which is now the San Marco Preservation Society. Nemours I guess would be considered San Marco.

Riverside is on the other side of the river south of 95 where it crosses the St Johns. Riverside and Avondale run along the River down to Fishweir Creek. R/A include several shopping and dinning districts including 5 Points, King Street District and one on St Johns Ave deep in Avondale

[mtraininjax]

Nemours is located in San Marco/downtown, which resides in zip code 32207. The San Marco area is actually pretty small and is really fixated closest to the Shoppes of San Marco. There is an old city hall just north of the shoppes, the residential side of San Marco is, again, pretty small compared to other parts of Jacksonville.

Riverside is located across the river and bordered by I-10, I-95, the river and McDuff Avenue. North of I-10 is called, yep, you guessed it, North Riverside. Avondale is located just Southwest of downtown, next to Riverside, and is bordered by McDuff, US17 (Roosevelt Blvd), Fishweir Creek and the river.

King Street is in Riverside as it lies EAST of McDuff. The entire Riverside Avondale area is considered a Historic District so many just call it Riverside Avondale and here is a picture of the entire area.