Cool Stuff in Other Cities

[spenser1058]

1 hour ago, prahaboheme said:

Agree with most of the points in this article. Bringing this back to Orlando, with an opportunity to create a world class “underline” beneath I-4 through downtown, I’ve seen nothing but mediocre ideas about how this area can be used.

There’s that word again. It was said about the Magic and I was chastised for bringing “politics” into it. I’m not sure how it’s political to note almost everything about downtown these days is mediocre and that all flows from a political source in a strong-mayor town. This is exactly what a solid majority of  the 9% of Orlando voters asked for last November, to continue the mediocrity.

Let us revel in it, shall we?

Edited August 3, 2020 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

4 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

There’s that word again. It was said about the Magic and I was chastised for bringing “politics” into it. I’m not sure how it’s political to note almost everything about downtown these days is mediocre and that all flows from a political source in a strong-mayor town. This is exactly what a solid majority of  the 9% of Orlando voters asked for last November, to continue the mediocrity.

Let us revel in it, shall we?

BUDDY DYER HE'S OUR MAN!!!

IF HE CAN'T DO IT, NO ONE CAN!!!

Go Buddy - Go Buddy - Go Buddy - Go Buddy..... 

[spenser1058]

Fans of mid-century modern architecture will love these shots from Jacksonville. There’s even a brise or two for @HankStrong!

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/ten-examples-of-mid-century-modern-in-jacksonville

From The Jaxson

The former Gulf Life tower on the Southbank is still my favorite highrise. Interestingly, architects Welton Becket & Associates also designed Disney’s Contemporary Resort just afterward.

It’s also interesting to compare the very different approaches taken between the former Haydon Burns library in downtown Jax and the brutalist Orlando Public Library (just the section on the southeast corner was included in the initial building). Both were built about the same time.

Edited August 3, 2020 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Looking to other cities to see how restoring Parramore might work a lot better from the bottom up than it has from the top down:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/gentrification-vs-withintrification-in-jacksonville
 

From The Jaxson 

[AmIReal]

19 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Looking to other cities to see how restoring Parramore might work a lot better from the bottom up than it has from the top down:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/gentrification-vs-withintrification-in-jacksonville
 

From The Jaxson 

Good read. How do you see that playing out in Parramore? I see one of the big problems is that there is currently only about 8% owner occupied houses in the neighborhood. As I previously mentioned, the City is building new homes and basically paying qualified buyers with ties to Parramore to buy them. I know they also have a lot of locals working on the Parramore vision plan. What else do you think would be useful?

[HankStrong]

Brise is for losers.

[spenser1058]

Jacksonville, probably the major Florida city most resistant to change in the past, truly is living up to its nickname “The Bold New City of the South” (interestingly, that post-consolidation moniker itself has more recently become, “Where Florida Begins”, as the city left some of its Southern heritage behind as it chooses to associate instead with the hipster folks further south).

Anyway, the city’s major downtown public space, Hemming Park, which had been named after a Confederate, is being renamed for James Weldon Johnson.

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/357206-confederate-no-more-jacksonville-renames-parks-amid-calls-for-chang

From Florida Politics 

Let’s hear it for Jax!

Edited August 12, 2020 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Proposal for 46-story Arquitectonica -designed condo project moves forward in downtown St. Pete after receiving FAA approval. If built, it would be the city’s tallest:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2020/08/11/plans-for-towers-on-st-petes-central-avenue-moving-forward-despite-pandemic

From Tampa Bay Times 

[prahaboheme]

23 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Proposal for 46-story Arquitectonica -designed condo project moves forward in downtown St. Pete after receiving FAA approval. If built, it would be the city’s tallest:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2020/08/11/plans-for-towers-on-st-petes-central-avenue-moving-forward-despite-pandemic

From Tampa Bay Times 

I’m in St Pete right now on sitting atop the new pier. St Pete is really at another level, right now.  

[spenser1058]

20 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

I’m in St Pete right now on sitting atop the new pier. St Pete is really at another level, right now.  

It’s interesting to think of how downtown Orlando’s progress once led us to be light years ahead of Tampa or St. Pete. Now it’s the other way around. By the time Buddy, Thomas Chatmon and the DeVos family do nothing for another four years, we’ll be falling behind downtown Jacksonville (and they have Riverside/Avondale beyond!

Did I mention both Tampa and St. Pete have term limits? Escaping the oppression of mayors-for-life and their minions makes a difference.

Edited August 16, 2020 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

27 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

It’s interesting to think of how downtown Orlando’s progress once led us to be light years ahead of Tampa or St. Pete. Now it’s the other way around. By the time Buddy, Thomas Chatmon and the DeVos family do nothing for another four years, we’ll be falling behind downtown Jacksonville (and they have Riverside/Avondale beyond!

Did I mention both Tampa and St. Pete have term limits? Escaping the oppression of mayors-for-life and their minions makes a difference.

BUDDY DYER HE'S OUR MAN!!!

IF HE CAN'T DO IT, NO ONE CAN!!!

Go Buddy - Go Buddy - Go Buddy - Go Buddy..... 

 

Great job, Buddy!!!!!!

 

Edited August 16, 2020 by JFW657

[spenser1058]

What’s interesting about St. Pete is how little they had to work with. It’s not the county seat, the state and federal offices are mostly across the bay and most of the region’s larger businesses are over in Tampa as well.

Moving past the “Grumpy Old Men” to a strong-mayor form of government and restoring their downtown instead of bulldozing it brought a young, can-do dynamic we’ve squandered.

Of course, they’ve always had something special simply by virtue of their geography. 

Also, USF St Pete fit seamlessly into the fabric when urban schools were barely on the radar in most of Florida (of course, Tally is screwing it up by forcing a consolidation with the main campus in Temple Terrace, but that’s a whole other thing).

I stand amazed at the transformation over there, not to mention they have some of the best smoked mullet anywhere at Ted Peters’!

http://www.tedpetersfish.com/

Edited August 16, 2020 by spenser1058

[prahaboheme]

A few taken by me today at the St Pete Pier. The image looking back at the skyline is from the 4th floor bar - spectacular views of both St Pete and the Bay from there.

[spenser1058]

2 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

A few taken by me today at the St Pete Pier. The image looking back at the skyline is from the 4th floor bar - spectacular views of both St Pete and the Bay from there.

These are awesome, @prahaboheme. Thanks!

[jack]

19 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

It’s interesting to think of how downtown Orlando’s progress once led us to be light years ahead of Tampa or St. Pete. Now it’s the other way around. By the time Buddy, Thomas Chatmon and the DeVos family do nothing for another four years, we’ll be falling behind downtown Jacksonville (and they have Riverside/Avondale beyond!

Did I mention both Tampa and St. Pete have term limits? Escaping the oppression of mayors-for-life and their minions makes a difference.

Its amazing what a city can do by just being on the water. Its more geography than anything else. As you mentioned St Pete doesn't really have industry. 

[prahaboheme]

1 minute ago, jack said:

Its amazing what a city can do by just being on the water. Its more geography than anything else. As you mentioned St Pete doesn't really have industry. 

Could this be a lesson for Sanford?

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, jack said:

Its amazing what a city can do by just being on the water. Its more geography than anything else. As you mentioned St Pete doesn't really have industry. 

The point, however, is they did nothing with their location for ages and we zoomed past them. Now we’re behind. Before they had the poor leadership. Now we do. But it’s ok- here in BuddyTown, mediocrity is what we do! Orlando’s new motto: “Embrace meh!”

Edited August 17, 2020 by spenser1058

[prahaboheme]

6 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

The point, however, is they did nothing with their location for ages and we zoomed past them. Now we’re behind. Before they had the poor leadership. Now we do. But it’s ok- here in BuddyTown, mediocrity is what we do! Orlando’s new motto: “Embrace meh!”

Let’s also not forget that Daytona is a prime example of a city that actually does have several key elements to enhancing its status, and has been an abysmal failure.

[spenser1058]

34 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

Could this be a lesson for Sanford?

Sanford has done a lot with its downtown but I agree they still haven’t totally embraced the lakefront. For example, a ferry across the lake would be fun and also give them a better connection with Volusia’s largest city (Deltona-I assume Port Orange hasn’t passed them yet).

It also surprises me there hasn’t been more of an effort to go vertical with condos and apartments along the lakefront, maybe to be tied in with a marina. I also wonder if there’s a way to connect a spur to SunRail/Amtrak. Right now, the train station is sort of in no man’s land. 

25 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

Let’s also not forget that Daytona is a prime example of a city that actually does have several key elements to enhancing its status, and has been an abysmal failure.

Excellent point -again all going back to leadership.

Edited August 17, 2020 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

This whole thing with Buddy reminds me of UCF football under Coach O’Leary.

In 2013, Coach O led the team to the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. He knew he was maxed out and was ready to go. He was begged to stay.

Two years later, the Knights went 0-12 and the wheels fell off the bus. George was replaced with Danny White and Scott Frost and today UCF is known by everyone (good or bad) and is the acknowledged leader of the G5, just waiting to join  the big boys.

Buddy hit his peak with the venues. Unlike UCF, however, instead of realizing Buddy has hit his max just like George did and moving on, we’re perfectly content to wait until all forward progress stops. Why is that?

It’s not that UCF doesn’t appreciate what Coach O did - heck, he’s got a statue at the Bounce House. Let’s acknowledge Buddy’s accomplishments, name something after him and move on, just like UCF did.

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

This whole thing with Buddy......

  

[Uncommon]

Only issue with the Pier is that there no covering at all almost anywhere. I went 2 weeks ends ago and it was BLAZING hot and there was no relief at all from the sun. The idea of the Pier is pretty cool but the execution isn’t the best. Also, it was a little boring. I’m hoping in the future there will be more/better shops, live music, and more activities to do.

[spenser1058]

Just now, Uncommon said:

Only issue with the Pier is that there no covering at all almost anywhere. I went 2 weeks ends ago and it was BLAZING hot and there was no relief at all from the sun. The idea of the Pier is pretty cool but the execution isn’t the best. Also, it was a little boring. I’m hoping in the future there will be more/better shops, live music, and more activities to do.

They’re trying to match the sedate factor of Daytona’s pier these days, I guess...

[prahaboheme]

15 minutes ago, Uncommon said:

Only issue with the Pier is that there no covering at all almost anywhere. I went 2 weeks ends ago and it was BLAZING hot and there was no relief at all from the sun. The idea of the Pier is pretty cool but the execution isn’t the best. Also, it was a little boring. I’m hoping in the future there will be more/better shops, live music, and more activities to do.

In a social distancing climate, I actually found it to be quite lively yesterday. Agree though, it was blazing hot until we reached the structure at the end of the Pier and went upstairs where there was a very welcome breeze.

[JFW657]

The structure on the end just looks weird.

And by weird I mean ugly.

IMO, they should have gone with the downsized, upside down pyramid design proposal that was reminiscent of the old, iconic structure.

Sometimes cities build things that they think makes them appear edgy and forward thinking, but just end up making them look like they're trying too hard.