Cool Stuff in Other Cities

[spenser1058]

A lot of people work in downtown Jax but no one lives there. Why is that?

It sure seems like those tall buildings would have them flocking there!

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/jacksonville/a-lot-of-people-work-in-downtown-jacksonville-why-dont-they-live-there

From News4Jax

[AmIReal]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

A lot of people work in downtown Jax but no one lives there. Why is that?

It sure seems like those tall buildings would have them flocking there!

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/jacksonville/a-lot-of-people-work-in-downtown-jacksonville-why-dont-they-live-there

From News4Jax

So I'm not sure if this was an article about getting residents downtown or dealing with the homeless issues. I know many people conflate the two issues, but they are not the same. One may impact the other, but they need different solutions.

Jax has very little investment in downtown "after hours" infrastructure. Restaurants and bars and housing are not there because of the perceived problem with the homeless. The homeless fill the spaces because their is no one else there to fill the spaces. 

It really is a very easy problem to fix- build it and they will come. It requires money. Jax does not draw investment of that sort- at least not at this time. Maybe the development around the stadium will begin to fix the problem.

[spenser1058]

Ennis Davis hits another home run with a look at the successful rehab of downtown Fort Myers, aka “The River District”. Some amazing preservation took place here!

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-river-district-comes-alive-fort-myers-page-2/

From The Jaxson

[spenser1058]

The folks in the suits at the Jacksonville Chamber have come to the shocking realization that a dead downtown means your city is going nowhere. Hence, maybe it’s time to do something besides create more vacant los! Godspeed.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/jax-chamber-launches-online-campaign-to-promote-downtown-residential-growth?amp

From the Jax Daily Record

 

[spenser1058]

Why Europe Doesn’t Build Skyscrapers 

From the B1M

[AmIReal]

12 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Why Europe Doesn’t Build Skyscrapers

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

[spenser1058]

Fire up the Bat Signal, Chief! Tampa’s got Bat Condos! I’m jealous -we need these.

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/artsy-condo-near-tampa-riverwalk-water-views-move-in-ready-sleeps-4000-tenants-must-fly-at-night-and-eat-mosquitoes-20190818/?template=amp

From the St Pete Times

[spenser1058]

A look at one of St. Pete’s latest apartment buildings with a view of the Sunshine Skyway:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2019/08/23/you-can-see-the-sunshine-skyway-from-st-petes-newest-apartment-tower-some-rents-are-sky-high-too/?template=amp

From the St Pete Times 

[spenser1058]

An interesting look at a small town in South Carolina’s reaction when the Walmart closes and a follow up three years later about the changes that came about.

I especially liked how the mayor realized that to bring downtown back would require thinking about the future instead of longing for a past that would never return.

That’s also been a theme of Mayor Pete’s in revitalizing South Bend, IN, a midsize former industrial city.

From PBS

[spenser1058]

Is it time to consider converting the former Ivey’s and State Bank and Trust buildings in the historic downtown core into workforce housing for entry-level workers, artists and others who would benefit from affordable housing downtown?

Ennis Davis makes the case for the former downtown Jax Furchgott’s based on a similar move in the former Boston Store in Erie, PA. 

It might be a good idea for Orlando as well. The buildings are either under-utilized or just plain empty and are headed for demolition by neglect as Mayor Buddy continues to ignore the historic core. This could be a win-win and Commissioner Patty, who’s been showing an amazing independent streak of late, might be a great one to spearhead the cause:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/revitalization-affordable-housing-and-adaptive-reuse

From The Jaxson

 

[spenser1058]

The Cross Bay Ferry is coming back for another season between downtown Tampa and St. Pete.

https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2019/08/22/its-official-cross-bay-ferry-is-coming-back/?template=amp

From the St. Pete Times 

[prahaboheme]

Tampa’s new downtown Publix (Channelside) opens tomorrow:

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2019/08/28/first-look-the-publix-in-downtown-tampas-channel.html?ana=fbk

Tampa no doubt much have had a downtown grocer during its better days, however this is the first in years.

[dcluley98]

There is a DT Publix already in Tampa right across the Hillsborough river from the convention center. 

[prahaboheme]

Bayshore / Hyde Park is physically separated from downtown and that Publix is not urban. I doubt it gets major pedestrian traffic from downtown.

[spenser1058]

Pondering demolition by neglect worldwide:

https://www.cnn.com/style/amp/ruins-abandoned-buildings-architecture/index.html

From CNN 

[prahaboheme]

17 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Pondering demolition by neglect worldwide:

https://www.cnn.com/style/amp/ruins-abandoned-buildings-architecture/index.html

From CNN 

The Lowline in NYC is one of my favorite projects to watch come to fruition. 

[orlandouprise]

anyone see the Miami World Center project. Man that thing is on another level...

[spenser1058]

London looks out for its cyclists:

https://www.wired.com/story/london-changing-skyscraper-designs-favor-cyclists/amp

From Wired

[spenser1058]

It seems Tampa and St. Pete have their own versions of VMC that never quite make it out of the ground:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2019/09/06/whatever-happened-to-these-big-tampa-bay-projects-we-wondered-too/

From the St Pete Times 

[prahaboheme]

The Charm and Challenge of Savannah:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2019/08/06/business/savannah-georgia-development.amp.html

[prahaboheme]

^The Kessler Collection based out of Orlando and the force behind the Bohemian hotel brand, are very bullish on Savannah with two existing boutique hotels (including a Bohemian) as well as two more on the way in Savannah (including the Plant power plant Riverside redevelopment). I wonder what it would take for Kessler to continue to expand their presence in downtown Orlando.

[AmIReal]

8 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

I wonder what it would take for Kessler to continue to expand their presence in downtown Orlando

Old buildings as beautiful as The Mansion and Plant Power Plant...

But seriously, I visit Savannah often and I'm always amazed at how much activity they have in a small downtown. The downtown area is obviously the center of tourists attention- so that helps. There are also a lot of young people, most tied to the service industry and SCAD. Savannah has tons of retail downtown and their bar and restaurant scene is much better than ours (if you exclude Disney property). 

Bottom line, it would take more demand for Kessler to expand in Orlando.

[prahaboheme]

The resurgence of retail in Savannah did not happen by accident. A decade ago, Broughton Street looked pretty pathetic retail-wise. What changed? The city actively partnered with developers to bring to Savannah the type of retail it desired and the result is what we see today.

As the article indicates, doing business in Savannah requires a certain type of developer due to major regulation on new construction and for historic preservation purposes.  The citizenry is actively engaged in the process as well.

Orlando may not have the building stock of Savannah (most cities don’t) but that doesn’t mean lessons can’t be drawn from it, starting with not tearing down buildings in Orlando that give it its unique flavor, rather adapting them to modern uses. 

 

[spenser1058]

One of the “City Talk” columns from Savannah notes that a 45’ height limit in some areas of town made developers more interested in refurbishing old buildings rather than just tearing down and starting over.

I always think of that as Big Project Buddy has ignored the Orange Avenue core for 20 years now and done nothing to encourage what is, in effect, Orlando itself.

He and his “buddies” are no doubt just waiting for things to be so far gone they can be bulldozed. Meanwhile, the bar community simply takes advantage of the cheap rent and “cool” factor while doing precious little investment in the structures to keep our history alive for the next generation.

As always, there’s a certain irony in comparing Bulldozer Buddy’s long run with that of 40-year Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley who used his tenure to preserve that city while encouraging new growth at the same time.

Here locally, Downtown Winter Garden is better than ever after 100 years while places like North I-Drive and Casselberry built solely for the profit of developers are falling apart after not quite 50. It’s an interesting, if sad, contrast.

Edited September 7, 2019 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Ever wonder what would have happened if First Baptist Church Orlando had decided to stay downtown and build their megachurch here instead of out on John Young Parkway?

FBC Jacksonville did just that and today their campus sprawls over downtown. Alas, the demographics of their flock are such that attendance downtown has plummeted over the years.

As a result, the Jax Church is now doing what Orlando did years ago: leaving the original sanctuary downtown (with renovations) and then expand out to the ‘burbs.

Former FBCO Pastor Jim Henry seems to have been prescient.

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/amp/article/news/local/first-baptist-church-jacksonville-consolidating-downtown-campus-to-1-block-from-10/77-f544825d-1f59-463d-a745-9e4ce0094de9

From First Coast News

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/first-baptist-church-in-cardiac-arrest--to-downsize-its-downtown-campus?amp

From Jax Daily Record (includes photos)

Edited September 9, 2019 by spenser1058