JACKSONVILLE | Urban and Metro Development News

[Dale]

What's so bad about being Dallas ? What's so good about having an influx of New Yorkers ? Finally, where are the New Yorkers in Jacksonville ? I know I've never met any. Jacksonville is still irredeemably Florida Cracker.

[Dale]

And on further reflection, I don't know any Atlantans who are from New York. And I've known scores of Atlantans.

Dallas, Atlanta and Jacksonville are Southern to the core. And I'm glad of it.

[EAM]

Last time I checked Dallas seemed to be doing pretty well?

[simms3_redux]

Jacksonville is still a secret in FL, but a secret that is the 2nd fastest growing area behind Orlando. It's ok that you don't really know the demographics of the city, that is on purpose (and frankly to my disapointment...there is little to no promotion that goes on). New Yorkers and early NYC magnate transplants were coming to Jacksonville before Miami even existed...there is still residue left over from the Astors, Carnegies, Flaglers, Vanderbilts, Morgans, etc (Mr. J.P. Morgan financed my neighborhood in the 1900s and William Astor built the Florida Yacht Club, which has a room named after him, oh and my fireplace guard came from Mr. Carnegie's winter home nearby).

The city tries to put out as a backwater town (and partly because there are some backwater people that got involved in the 1960s and we are still recovering from that). What you don't know is that most residents in Jacksonville are transplants of either South Florida, Atlanta, San Diego (military connection), or NY/NJ/DC Metro. They come to raise families or *quietly* retire, in stark contrast to Orlando or Miami. As an example...Ponte Vedra is in the same category as Palm Beach, Sarasota, and Naples. St. Johns County is the 4th wealthiest county in FL and is almost entirely transplants. I grew up in town in an older, established neighborhood, but my dad is from Philly, mom is from Chicago, and my across the street neighbors were from Buffalo and Darien, CT. You would be surprised, shocked actually.

The Atlanta connection is intense, too. Atlantans frequent Amelia Island and Ponte Vedra for vacations (Ben Carter has been a long time 2nd homeowner in the area, as well as other major Atlanta developers). Springfield's SRG was a creation of Mack Bisette, who moved down from Atlanta to replicate successes he had in the Grant Park area of Atlanta.

And if you haven't met anyone in Jacksonville or Atlanta from New York, then frankly you haven't met many people. New Yorkers move everywhere, just as people from everywhere move to New York. New Yorkers especially love any and all major cities in FL, they love Atlanta, and now they love Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, and Nashville, too.

And in Atlanta's case, you don't go from 2 million people to nearly 6 million people in 3 decades by having a bunch of babies or stealing all of the folks from rural GA. No, that growth comes from hoards of transplants, and where do you think they come from? Mostly from NY/NJ, DC, and SoFla. I went to college in Atlanta and most of my fraternity brothers were from either Tri-State area, MA, PA, IL, MD, VA, FL, TX, or CA. I had 4 pledge brothers out of 20 from the Boston area down to the Cape. I have 3 fraternity brothers from Glastonbury, CT, a small town near Hartford. Many of my brothers are still in Atlanta, working. None went down to FL to work. A few went to LA and a few went back up north. Oh, and a few went to Charlotte and Nashville.

And lastly, southern culture is not one size fits all. Just as New England and New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Providence, and DC are all so vastly different, so too are Atlanta, Dallas, and Jacksonville (and other southern cities).

[simms3_redux]

Originally Posted by EAM

Last time I checked Dallas seemed to be doing pretty well?

Sure is, I just really don't like that city and didn't understand why someone from Fort Lauderdale was asking why Jacksonville couldn't be more like Dallas. They will never be alike in any way because they are incomparable in almost every way. Many people don't like Jacksonville or even Atlanta, and I just don't like Dallas. Simple

[Dale]

I doubt very seriously that most Jacksonvillians are Northern transplants. I spend a lot of time in Jacksonville, all over town, and the Southern accent is pervasive.

Yes, Atlanta has enjoyed a massive influx from people elsewhere, mostly Southerners.

Atlanta is till 'ossed tay' and Jacksonville is still catfish and grits.

[simms3_redux]

Originally Posted by Dale

I doubt very seriously that most Jacksonvillians are Northern transplants. I spend a lot of time in Jacksonville, all over town, and the Southern accent is pervasive.

Yes, Atlanta has enjoyed a massive influx from people elsewhere, mostly Southerners.

Atlanta is till 'ossed tay' and Jacksonville is still catfish and grits.

I think you mean shrimp and grits,

I don't want to hijack my own thread, but you've got to realize you sound silly. Southern accents are definitely present in both cities, but most people simply don't even have an accent in either city.

Atlanta didn't triple in size in a single generation because southerners started having more babies and exporting them to the city! Jacksonville, Nashville, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Orlando are all southern towns, and all grew by at least 20% last decade. Southern towns aren't disappearing because their populations are hightailing it to a handful of very fast growing large cities. Populations of cities up north did not shrink or stop growing because people disappeared into thin air.

SE FL adds about 85,000 immigrants a year, or 850,000 a decade, yet the metro only grew 8% (~400,000) over the last decade. Where did the difference go? And that's only looking at foreign immigrants. People are literally fleeing south Florida in droves to Jacksonville, Atlanta, Charlotte, and other cities in NC and TN. All the people leaving Long Island, Cleveland, Detroit, and New Jersey? They aren't all locating in Broward or Orlando. They realize there are other options. Both Atlanta and Jacksonville are considered popular options.

PS, what is "ossed tay?"

Take it up with the Census in any case where the numbers don't match your perception or opinion.

[Dale]

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

I think you mean shrimp and grits,

I don't want to hijack my own thread, but you've got to realize you sound silly. Southern accents are definitely present in both cities, but most people simply don't even have an accent in either city.

Atlanta didn't triple in size in a single generation because southerners started having more babies and exporting them to the city! Jacksonville, Nashville, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Orlando are all southern towns, and all grew by at least 20% last decade. Southern towns aren't disappearing because their populations are hightailing it to a handful of very fast growing large cities. Populations of cities up north did not shrink or stop growing because people disappeared into thin air.

SE FL adds about 85,000 immigrants a year, or 850,000 a decade, yet the metro only grew 8% (~400,000) over the last decade. Where did the difference go? And that's only looking at foreign immigrants. People are literally fleeing south Florida in droves to Jacksonville, Atlanta, Charlotte, and other cities in NC and TN. All the people leaving Long Island, Cleveland, Detroit, and New Jersey? They aren't all locating in Broward or Orlando. They realize there are other options. Both Atlanta and Jacksonville are considered popular options.

PS, what is "ossed tay?"

Take it up with the Census in any case where the numbers don't match your perception or opinion.

It seems that the substance of your rebuttals, if we can call them rebuttals, consist of branding your opponents as silly. The substance of my argument was to acknowledge Atlanta's meteoric growth but with the stipulation that most of its new residents were from other Southern climes and not the Northeast. As an example, during the heady days of Atlanta's growth, I knew literally dozens of people who moved from my native Gainesville, FL to Atlanta. I further added that the Southern accent is still all-pervasive in Atlanta (does this embarrass you ?). You followed with the facile distinction that not all Southern accents are the same, which of course did nothing to actually counter my observation.

[simms3_redux]

Please take your discussion to a different thread. I created this thread for Jacksonville P & C, not to discuss your opinions about growth of cities in the south. And no, I am absolutely not embarassed about southern accents. I enjoy hearing them in various areas of both Atlanta in outer suburban areas, and in Jacksonville on the Westside. I hear them in Orlando, too, on its west side of town. If I drove through SW FL and stopped at a gas station, a garden store, and a restaurant, I would think everyone in the area was southern based on their accents. The truth is that the vast majority are not. There is absolutely nothing wrong with southern accents, but you just aren't going to hear them in Midtown Atlanta or in Ponte Vedra in Jacksonville (2 example areas). I know this because I live or have lived in both areas, have you? My arguments have been based on logic and physical numbers, yours are ones based on your opinions and perceptions and because you knew of people from Gainesville, FL who moved to Atlanta...which to me is like, duh...college grads from all over the country move to Atlanta just as they move to most any major city. Where are the 50,000 students at UF going to work in Gainesville?, a city in a county of only a quarter million people. I know a few UF grads working in Manhattan, does that mean NYC only pulls in people from small southern towns?

Perhaps it is best to take this discussion elsewhere, but maybe ponder 2 other cities in the south that are growing so rapidly: Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham. Are they just pulling in other southerners like you claim Atlanta and Jacksonville are? And this could be interesting discussion (I mean the proof is already in the numbers, but for opinions I'd love to hear yours on another thread). I suppose your native Orlando is the only southern city that is currently taking in all of the northerners who are moving down.

You probably know Jacksonville has a reputation as a "family town", which irks me because I'd like to see it become more attractive to college grads and young professionals. Families up north know the area and they especially know of St. Johns County schools, the county with the best school systems in the state, which is important because FL schools in general are awful compared to their northern counterparts. Jacksonville is also a favorite city for military relocations, and God knows those families are from everywhere. And while not as big of a retirement destination as St. Pete, Sarasota, or Palm Beach, the coastal areas of NE FL include Palm Coast, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Atlantic Beach (the only beach south of the Outer Banks that looks like it belongs on the New England coast), and Amelia Island. Sea Island and St. Simon's are 45 minutes to the north. All of these areas are large retirement and 2nd home destinations.

[simms3_redux]

More numbers for you: Flagler County was the fastest growing county in the country for most of the past decade. All transplants and a median age of over 50 years. St. Johns County was in the top 50 fastest growing counties in the country this past decade and is almost a quarter million people now. Mostly transplants and people leaving Duval County (Jacksonville). Median age is over 41 years, making it a substantial family/retirement county.

It's great that in both cities you can get decent pizza and excellent locally sourced ground grits, but you won't find that most people in Jesup, GA decided in the past decade that they would finally up and leave after so many generations and buy a house in Atlanta or Jacksonville. And Georgia Southern grads and UF grads aren't the only college graduates in Atlanta.

[Prahaboheme]

I continue to be impressed by JAX's streetscaping improvements (sidewalks, lights, etc.).

[simms3_redux]

November Construction Update

Note: 6 pictures of a few, select projects in town.thelakelander on MetroJacksonville took these photos last week.

To view the original photos and discussion of the updates visit MetroJacksonville - November Construction Update for more information.

1. - Wolfson Adult Hospital Tower



2. - New VA Clinic





3. - US courthouse renovation



4. - 1534 Oak St

[simms3_redux]

Jacksonville Jaguars Sold!

A Pakistani investor from Illinois bought the team. He apparently attempted to purchase the Rams last year. Purchase price: $760M. All Jags investors sold their interest.

Jags coach Jack Del Rio also fired!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...googlenews_wsj

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d...n-jacksonville

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...angeles_112911

Definitely has been the most interesting day in this city in a long time!

New black mayor, new Pakistani Jags owner, potentially a new black coach. The city is really changing!

[futuresooner]

Huge news for the Northbank came today.

"EverBank Financial Corp. executives announced this morning that the company has signed an agreement to lease about 270,000 square feet in AT&T Tower 301, which will be renamed EverBank Center.

The Jacksonville-based bank said it will relocate more than 1,500 employees to the area. An incentives agreement with the City and state called for 1,000 jobs to be moved and 200 to be created."

http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory....ailer=20111219

[simms3_redux]

July 2012 Construction Update

Note: pictures of a few, select projects in town.thelakelander on MetroJacksonville took these photos last week.

To view the original photos and discussion of the updates visit MetroJacksonville - July 2012 Construction Update for more information.

1. - Wolfson Adult Hospital Tower (for all intents and purposes now complete)



2. - New VA Clinic (too bland and suburban looking for me to post any more updates)



3. - US courthouse renovation (will be connected to new Duval County courthouse and this 1930s former post office will be State Attorney's office)





4. - 1534 Oak St (Black Sheep Restaurant Group's newest development in 5 Points in Riverside, most exciting infill project in town, on triangular corner lot)





5. - Transformation of Derby House Diner in 5 Points (a block from above development on another corner lot) to Derby on the Park (Riverside Park is a block away and Park St is the 5th St at the 5 Points intersection)



6. - One of several new tenants going in the 5 Points strip, this one in the 5 Points Theater building



7. - Goozlepipe and Guttyworks restaurant about to go up in King St district next to Kickbacks Gastropub.



8. - 7 Eleven back in the Jacksonville market with 2 DT locations after hometown distributor and convenience store Gate Petroleum forced them out for 20+ years.





9. - Former AT&T Building currently owned by an Israeli group but in special servicing is being rebranded Everbank Plaza as the state's largest bank (based in Jacksonville) relocates some offices from the Southside to 200,000 SF in the 1M SF building. Major renovations being done to common areas and exterior of 1st 2 floors.



10. - Kool Beans Cafe coming to historic Springfield where it will join Three Layers Cafe as the 2 coffee shops serving the neighborhood.



11. - Paul Davis Restoration in the Springfield warehouse district. This is an Albert Kahn building from the early 1900s folks! He also designed the much larger (~300,000 SF) Ford Motor Assembly Plant on a pier on the river (similar but smaller to the one near San Francisco that has been restored to event space).



12. - Aardwolf Brewery in an old warehouse in San Marco. This will join other local craft brew staples such as Bold City Brewery (and there is a Bold Bean Cafe coffee shop too), Intuition Aleworks (searching for a larger site downtown), River City Brewing, Ragtime, Green Room, and Engine 15. Like most places in the country the beer scene is really developing and Tampa and Jacksonville are far an ahead leading the way in Florida.





13. S-Line Urban Greenway, the first of its kind in Jacksonville through industrial sections of the depressed Northside of town, connecting Norwood and Springfield on an old rail line.










14. New apartments coming downtown. The owner of a nearby commercial building and operator of the city's most famous bookstore and one of the only successful downtown retail ventures is converting this 1904 building into apartments. Gus & Company Shoe Repair, in business in this building since 1904, will remain the ground level tenant.

225 Laura St purchased by Ron Chamblin 2 months ago, and in the picture below you can kind of see part of his DT bookstore and coffee shop.





Looking up at the rehabbed Carling Apartments and the former Modis Tower, now Wells Fargo.








15. - Underbelly will open as a live music venue on one of the city's most vibrant nightlife corridors - East Bay St downtown. It joins Marks, the Ivy, Dos Gatos, Lit, Dive Bar, TSI and others I'm sure I'm missing.





PROPOSALS/UC MULTIFAMILY

1. - 220 Riverside, the most ambitious project that has been delayed years and gone through several iterations that once included an office component and a hotel. $37MM project proposed to include 16,500 SF retail, 285 units ranging from 615 SF to 1,200 SF, a 386-space garage, and rents will avg $1,200/SF.

This is in Jacksonville's Brooklyn neighborhood between Riverside/5 Points and Downtown. Currently the area serves as corporate HQs to several firms including 2 F500, but most of the land has been cleared of all historic structures. Jacksonville's own Hallmark Partners is behind this deal.

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/art...-220-riverside












2. - Riverside Park, right near the above proposal, put together by Atlanta based Pope & Land and Lincoln Property Co, designed by Atlanta based Niles Bolton, 297 unit stick built community with some townhouses and surface parking.

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/art...d-for-brooklyn







3. - Deerwood Lake Lofts

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi...anned-for.html

130 units, 4-5 story integrated deck, Inland Diversified REIT is behind it, rents $850-$1,250.

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi...llery&img_no=0


4. - 5000 Town

130 luxury units (construction costs at close to $150K/unit) right at the St. Johns Town Center, the area's most popular mall in the center of the concentration of all growth in the city. Construction is wrapping up and units will deliver in November.

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi....html?page=all



5. - TriBridge ssite

220 unit hybrid apartments developed by TriBridge Residential out of Atlanta (garden style with interior garage in somewhat infill location at Saint Johns Town Center).

6. - Cabana Club

252 garden style units on Southside near Saint Johns Town Center about to deliver.

PICTURE: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi...llery&img_no=0

7. - The Hacienda. Spanish appearing garden style. Built at $60/SF, so cheap, but rents will range from $950-$1,500. 300 units.




Really there are 9 projects totaling to about 2,000 units UC or about to start construction within 1.5 miles of the Saint Johns Town Center on the SS.

8. -

[chris08876]

EverBank Field

“These are not plans but merely concepts as we continually open our minds to what might be possible for Jacksonville and the Jaguars,” said Jaguars President Mark Lamping.
The presentation, “The New Jaguars,” showed the $63 million improvements already underway at the city-owned stadium, including what are billed as the largest scoreboards in the world, a revamped platform in the north end zone and a new scoreboard control room.

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http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi...=image_gallery

[chris08876]

Possible future for Jacksonville Landing unveiled

The new vision for the Jacksonville Landing includes a boutique hotel, a residential tower, ground-floor restaurants and a courtyard for events.
Alan Wilson, chief architect at Haskell Co., presented a conceptual design for the Landing to the Downtown Investment Authority at its Wednesday evening meeting.
"The wonderful thing about the arrangement of these spaces is you can accommodate all different scales of events," Wilson said. "If you take together all of this, the idea behind it is the interconnectivity of the riverfront and downtown."

================================
Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi...ksonville.html

[chris08876]

Residential Midrise Proposed for Downtown

Specializing in the development of affordable senior apartments and with over 1,900 housing units under their belts, American Realty Development has set their eyes on downtown Jacksonville. The Maitland-based company intends to construct a seven story apartment building on a surface parking lot bounded by West Ashley, North Pearl and West Church Streets.

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http://www.metrojacksonville.com/art...-for-downtown-
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St. Johns Village Project Poised To Move Forward

The City's Council's Land Use & Zoning Committee meeting this evening may be the last day for the public to comment on the proposed St. Johns Village redevelopment project in Riverside/Avondale. If all goes well for the mixed-use project's development team, final Council approval could be granted early next week.

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http://www.metrojacksonville.com/art...o-move-forward
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[JaguarReign]

Here is a rendering of the Shipyards plan for downtown Jacksonville presented by Shad Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. If successfully approved by the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA), it could bring an excitement to downtown not felt in a while. Here is a link to the story: http://www.news4jax.com/news/khans-j...ealed/31455628

[JaguarReign]

November 17,2014 saw the groundbreaking of the First Coast Flyer which is the new bus rapid transit system: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi....html?page=all