Prioritizing Incentives

[downtowngal]

Just came from a DDA meeting where they proposed 6 priority areas in the urban core that would be used as criteria when determining what projects would receive incentives. The CBD was priority area #1, Southbank 2, Brooklyn 3, LaVilla 4, Cathedral District 5, Sports Complex 6.

Overall, I am pleased with these recommendations, but as I said in a previous post, because of it's connection to San Marco, I don't think that the southbank needs any seed money.

DDA also followed the DVI suit in recommending one empowered entity oversee downtown parking management.

The next step is to send this to the mayor

[wolfdawg54]

I would think that the sports complex area would be higher on the list with the area becoming a hot spot. Oh well!

[vicupstate]

Thanks for the inside info Downtowngal. Always nice to get the scoop. I agree with your comments about the Southbank. The other areas are definitely tougher nuts to crack.

[Urban_Legend]

That's cool info. I think Brooklyn and La Villa should trade places. La Villa is closer to the CBD, so it should come first, if they're trying to start in the middle and spread out.

[bobliocatt]

^I agree, the Southbank should also drop to either 5 or 6.

[bobliocatt]

JEDC lists Northbank as No. 1 priority

by Bradley Parsons

Staff Writer

When the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission resumes business Aug. 12, the City will seek to spend incentive dollars to spur active riverfront residential markets rather than trying to jump start lagging markets at downtown

[TheUrbanCore]

I have no problem with prioritizing districts to give more weight to proposals but the real estate market does not pay attention to zones. Nor should it. I feel that priorities should be about the projects and not where they are. It may even jack up prices where perceived value is already inflated. Why would you offer market rates if you know that the buyer will have better access to public dollars? Jack it up!

We need not spend so much time on this as a city. If you MUST concentrate geographically do it by structures, really zone in. Do the Barnett, then do the Marble Bank trio. Could you imagine how much the DDA could get done if they worked on one project at a time?

I think that more than anything, these are the things that should give a project the "points" it needs to get a deal done:

1. Historic Building- We should save these no matter where within Downtown they are

2. Affordable Housing- This, like number 1, probably will take incentives. It is highly unlikely that affordable housing can happen in Priority 1, period. I would definitely like to be proved wrong on that.

3. Creating Jobs- Hmmm, like banking. Like marble banking.

If you have all these you should move to the top of the pile. If you have none of these you won't pass the oft, well always, under used "But for" rule. Have I mentioned that the "But for" rule adherance and Property Maintenance COde enforcement is the only thing holding back our growth explosion? It only comes every hundred years. Its time to seize the day!

[bobliocatt]

You make very good points, so much that I fully agree with you. Saving what's left of our historic buildings, attracting affordable housing, and job creation should be our top priorities, regardless of what zones they are in.

[Urban_Legend]

Yes, it should be based on building priority, not location priority. But, most of the important historic buildings are in the CBD, so by fixing those up, they'll kill two birds with one stone.