Total Members Voted: 6
Voting closed: August 11, 2010, 04:18:46 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on August 11, 2010, 07:38:57 PMTo be honest, this concept would struggle to be a success on it's own. Special attention will have to be given to the development of the surrounding context. On its own, it will have the same fate as the retail shops that once lined the Southbank Riverwalk near Charthouse.I was not in favor of containers in that sense... but a unique public restroom facility, which would be required anyway for such a park. UNF does it, Jaxport has them sitting there... why not combine the resources?The pier can't be an attraction in and of itself(not talking about recreating the St Petersburg Pier), but it offers a fantastic promenade to enjoy the river and could only further enhance the surrounding development. A simple viewing/fishing pier that connects to the riverwalk makes a lot of sense.I have some renderings of ideas I drew up one night when I couldn't sleep... but take a look at these and use your own imagination. There's a lot of potential IMO.
To be honest, this concept would struggle to be a success on it's own. Special attention will have to be given to the development of the surrounding context. On its own, it will have the same fate as the retail shops that once lined the Southbank Riverwalk near Charthouse.
Naw! Got to keep it clear, we need "FLEX SPACE!" OCKLAWAHA
Take for example the idea of 'multi use zoning'Its time to open up the riverfront for trade again.Thats the whole point of using a container and the creation of jobs and vibrancy. We are a port city. 14 ports in the state of Florida. Is anyone else using a container even in a small capacity to create a buzz for the international trade that Jacksonville is a part of?Ock and I have been perusing the records of the old city maps for how the riverfornt was used, and from the beginning, in every era of the city's development there were municipal docks, that allowed commercial usage of the riverfront.Lake and I have discussed this for a while now as well, and one very good adaptive reuse for those docks would be to establish seafood and fresh produce markets on the riverfront again. Having been in the food business for a while, I can tell you there is no distributor for the hospitality industry anywhere near the city core, despite the hundreds of restaurants, hotels, commercial cafeterias and hospitals that are located there.A seafood and fresh market would also provide docks that would allow the reprovisioning of small cruise and recreational craft---an unbelievably profitable industry for any town that undertakes it.Imagine being able to get fresh shrimp in downtown jacksonville again....
I agree the public should have use of this pier. The bill that is currently before the City Council brings the property back to the City of Jacksonville. Once we own the property we can decide the best uses. I really do not see any reason to split City property up. It will cost money to survey and rewrite legal descriptions and record new deeds. I am not against legislation that requires the pier be kept a part of the public space including the public space where I hope to see a completed Riverwalk. I do think the plan should be well thought out. We should include the Parks Dept and JEDC. We need to make sure it is safe, possibly adding guard rails or whatever else may be needed.Scott A. Wilson Assistant to Don Redman Jacksonville City Council District Four 904-630-1394
It's probably much easier to reserve it specifically for the public now then in the future when a developer comes calling with millions of dollars to dangle at the city for entire plot. Some many be afraid of a future sell out I suppose and want to prevent it from happening.
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