[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by MeTwoThree

When was the last time you went to downtown Tampa and downtown Orlando? Both areas are exploding. Jacksonville’s downtown cannot compare in any way to Tampa’s.

Agreed.
There is no comparison whatsoever between downtown Orlando and downtown Jacksonville, and even downtown Tampa and downtown Jacksonville. None at all.

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by MeTwoThree

When was the last time you went to downtown Tampa and downtown Orlando? Both areas are exploding. Jacksonville’s downtown cannot compare in any way to Tampa’s.

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

Agreed.
There is no comparison whatsoever between downtown Orlando and downtown Jacksonville, and even downtown Tampa and downtown Jacksonville. None at all.

Downtown Jax cannot compare to those downtowns. But the poster seemed to be thinking "urban core" since he referenced the urban core neighborhoods, and I do think Jax's overall urban core besides downtown holds up quite well.

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

I love San Marco (it's where I typically stay during my stays in Jax) but quite frankly, I hate how dead the streets are. Feels like I'm trespassing when out for a walk or jog. Where is everyone?

It's probably two things.
1) Wrong time...I lived in San Marco and there were certain pockets at certain times (early evenings and weekend nights) where there was decent vibrancy
2) It's just not that vibrant or dense. Riverside always had way more vibrancy, in part because of higher density and in part because of many more offices. San Marco is mostly residential with a few corridors of mostly boutique retail. Riverside was pretty mixed use for retail, office and residential, and its retail offerings are quite diverse.

Things are improving for San Marco though, there are half a dozen multifamily projects that have just been or are in the process of building all on the fringes of the neighborhood which will add a noticeable amount of people in the area over the next year. In the heart of San Marco there have been two pieces of property that were ripe for major redevelopment the past 2 decades. One of them just recently got the green light for multifamily as it had been stuck in a battle with the NIMBY folks for being too high density. Well, they finally gave up and have thrown in the towel after multiple appeals so the developers are preparing the site now. The other one is not looking so hot, but it will be the biggest trophy of all if it ever happens. If you've explored San Marco when you're visiting then I'm sure you're familiar with it...it's like a 3 block dirt lot one block from San Marco Square that's been sitting like that since 2008, when its original construction was delayed. If it ever happens it will be much closer to what you are probably envisioning.

[mwalker96]

Originally Posted by projectmaximus

It's probably two things.
1) Wrong time...I lived in San Marco and there were certain pockets at certain times (early evenings and weekend nights) where there was decent vibrancy
2) It's just not that vibrant or dense. Riverside always had way more vibrancy, in part because of higher density and in part because of many more offices. San Marco is mostly residential with a few corridors of mostly boutique retail. Riverside was pretty mixed use for retail, office and residential, and its retail offerings are quite diverse.

Things are improving for San Marco though, there are half a dozen multifamily projects that have just been or are in the process of building all on the fringes of the neighborhood which will add a noticeable amount of people in the area over the next year. In the heart of San Marco there have been two pieces of property that were ripe for major redevelopment the past 2 decades. One of them just recently got the green light for multifamily as it had been stuck in a battle with the NIMBY folks for being too high density. Well, they finally gave up and have thrown in the towel after multiple appeals so the developers are preparing the site now. The other one is not looking so hot, but it will be the biggest trophy of all if it ever happens. If you've explored San Marco when you're visiting then I'm sure you're familiar with it...it's like a 3 block dirt lot one block from San Marco Square that's been sitting like that since 2008, when its original construction was delayed. If it ever happens it will be much closer to what you are probably envisioning.

San Marco may not be as active as riverside but it's by no means dead. San Marco is much more vibrant and aesthetically pleasing than Downtown proper (north of the st johns river). Downtown east of main street and north of Forsyth st feels very depressed and filled with drug-addicts. Parts of downtown feels scarier than my own neighborhood (I live in the 32209 area in the Chase and 29th neighborhood). San Marco I don't get a blighted vibe at all it's just not as many young artist types hang out over there as the areas southwest of downtown.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by mwalker96

San Marco may not be as active as riverside but it's by no means dead. San Marco is much more vibrant and aesthetically pleasing than Downtown proper (north of the st johns river). Downtown east of main street and north of Forsyth st feels very depressed and filled with drug-addicts. Parts of downtown feels scarier than my own neighborhood (I live in the 32209 area in the Chase and 29th neighborhood). San Marco I don't get a blighted vibe at all it's just not as many young artist types hang out over there as the areas southwest of downtown.

What do you think of Springfield?

[Mutiny77]

I recall visiting Jacksonville for a conference for a few days back in 2011 or 2012 and I drove there from the Atlanta area where I lived at the time. Although not my first time being in Jacksonville, it was my first time exploring the core a bit and afterwards, I was truly puzzled that this sizable city with solid urban bones, a largely intact grid system, and a gorgeous river running through the heart of the core could be so absolutely devoid of street life. It's honestly maddening to me that after all these years, Jacksonville still hasn't gotten it together with respect to its downtown and it's quite a nice-looking city to me. When city leadership can't even manage to build the most basic of civic amenities to at least get a population of visitors cycling through downtown on a semi-consistent basis--an actual convention center--that says it all. That old train station is not a real convention center.

If I were a resident of the city, I would've already shown up to a few city council meetings and cussed every council member out for letting such built-in assets go to waste while cities with less to work with have done so much more.

[Vinnyvette]

Originally Posted by Vocal Banned

It’s the most bizarre thing. Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and St. Pete are absolutely on fire. They’re growing at a fast pace, building feverishly, and their downtowns are all constructing towers and making the CBD more urban, lovely, and walkable. But Jacksonville isn’t. It’s kinda stagnant. Is there a reason to this? Why are all the other large cities in Florida improving but not Jacksonville? I’m genuinely interested.

It’s very simple… The criminal “vibrancy” crowd.

[firmbizzle]

Because of its size. It’s the largest city in America.

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by firmbizzle

Because of its size. It’s the largest city in America.

Try #5, Sitka ALaska wins the #1 spot

https://worldpopulationreview.com/us...-in-us-by-area