Latest from Urban Issues
Latest Urban Issues articles from Jacksonville, FL
What A Real Transit Rail System Looks Like: The Station
Since the decline and almost total destruction of the American Passenger Rail Network in the 70s and the demolition and dismemberment of the interurbans and streetcars in almost every city across the continent during the 40's and 50's the memory and easy familiarity with an interlinked network of passenger...
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Guest Series: JAX Chamber's President Wally Lee
Metro Jacksonville takes a step back to listen to, promote, and discuss the editorials, personal accounts, and vocal opinions of some of the key players in the preservation and progression of our community. This week, Wally Leet, president of JAX Chamber explains the group's goals and outlook towards...
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The Basics of Successful Downtown Revitalization
Redeveloping a struggling downtown environment doesn't have to be rocket science. More important than focusing on major newspaper headline grabbing gimmick projects is the implementation of a street environment that clusters complementing uses within a compact pedestrian scale setting. Instead of going...
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Where Jacksonville Ranks: Freeway Lane Miles Per Capita
This is a category that Jacksonville ranks in the top ten. However, since excessive highway construction rarely pays for itself, it could be a factor in why the city's budget is routinely underwater.
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Transportation and the New Generation
Metro Jacksonville shares a study that examines why young people are driving less and what it means for transportation policy. What does this mean for Jacksonville's economic future and are our leaders paying attention to the trends?
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Ten Principles for Creating A Successful Hemming Plaza
In 2005, Metro Jacksonville pointed out to the JEDC and Peyton Administration why the Main Street Pocket Park would struggle to succeed if built. We were ignored and $800,000 later, the chickens eventually came home to roost as our warnings became reality. Now that we're destined to repeat the same...
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Downtown Frankenstein: Robert Moses and Haydon Burns
After the Great Progressive Era of Jacksonville faded away in the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1901, and the landed aristocracy that had governed it had diminished to nothing following the Great Depression, a new group forcefully took the reins of government determined to remake the city in their image....
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The Premature Destruction of Downtown Jacksonville
In recent weeks, many have openly advocated the immediate demolition of the Duval County Courthouse and the former city hall buildings along East Bay Street. Today, Metro Jacksonville explains why this idea is just a repeat of the failed strategies that have torn Downtown Jacksonville apart over the...
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Downtown Disappearing Act
Question: What does every structure shaded in yellow have in common?
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Downtowns are for People by Urbanist Jane Jacobs
If the downtown of tomorrow looks like most of the redevelopment projects being planned for it today, it will end up a monumental bore. But downtown could be made lively and exciting -- and it's not too hard to find out how. By Jane Jacobs. Fifty years ago.
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