Jacksonville Problem (low income, for sale, real estate)

[riveree]

Originally Posted by jwolfer

...Jacksonville is organic and homegrown(not quite cripee).

Tee-hee!

Rep points for that one!

[foozman]

Consider yourselves lucky jacksonvilleites..I am from Boston, TONS of identity here..They have spent more to make this "landfill city" a world class city in my lifetime, than I can even calculate (think big dig)..I am relatively young,33,and I am suffering from and Identity crisis, in that northern cities and people are so sophisticated and progressively minded, and that,we, people from the north, that is, cant possibly survive in the south..Nor are we welcome..(note sarcasm) Let me tell you that the transient "no ties that bind" generation, that is the Y and X generations, will define through blogging and general rantings, what the particluar subset of standards they look for in a community are.. I say subset due to the fact that nightlife, sports teams,beaches,stripmalls and general appearance and "feelings" epotomizes what our generation looks for in a community. They will always move rather than shape something or work to build something to what they would like to see it become, and typicaly dont have the patience to wait and see how things will progress good or bad... I personally long to live in a place that has very little Identity..quite honestly, I dont want to pay for the marketing a city or state would have to do, to get people to "identify" with it. That money could go back into my pocket or my childrens mouths or pay Mortgage interest for that matter. Boston suffers from the the; "if you build it.. they will come" syndrome, where we thing that if things look a particular way, and we market it in a particular way, then our city will be "world class" We have spent billions building civic arenas, lowering highways into the sea, with taxpayer dollars mind you, in an effort to populate the city of boston with a caliber of people we think deserving of our influences here...If we look at and embrace a Macro government approach to developing identities statewide, you would not look to be so locally minded in your search for something to identify with...Floridas' natural resources are what makes her one of a kind in my estimation..(I own a condo in Florida so I think I can exersize my view of the states identity.) Hopefully I dont offend anyone with this, but rather make people think of what really matters in a community..Things in my opinion this culture and certain generations are/is forgetting. Keep it real jacksonville!

[Magnolia Bloom]

Foos-

An effective branding strategy stimulates economic growth and creates a common community vision. It's more than a taxpayer-funded tagline.

Boston IS a world-class city, BTW. It is a destination. To most people, Jacksonville is a rest stop on the way to the real Florida.

[cricketfan]

Originally Posted by HIF

Foos-

An effective branding strategy stimulates economic growth and creates a common community vision. It's more than a taxpayer-funded tagline.

Boston IS a world-class city, BTW. It is a destination. To most people, Jacksonville is a rest stop on the way to the real Florida.

Boston may be a world-class city but a destination it is not. The Boston Globe as recently as '06 says it all ...

US Census data that shows a continuing pattern of stagnation that many fear threatens the state's economic and social prospects.

State's population growth on stagnant course - The Boston Globe

And to keep it on-topic, if you would compare the growth patterns of Boston and Jax, at least between '00 and '04, MA had a 3.4% decline in population while Jacksonville, which we all would agree is not a world-class city, had a 5.7% increase. This is not current data but I doubt there has been a reversal since 04.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by foozman

Let me tell you that the transient "no ties that bind" generation, that is the Y and X generations, will define through blogging and general rantings, what the particluar subset of standards they look for in a community are.. I say subset due to the fact that nightlife, sports teams,beaches,stripmalls and general appearance and "feelings" epotomizes what our generation looks for in a community. They will always move rather than shape something or work to build something to what they would like to see it become, and typicaly dont have the patience to wait and see how things will progress good or bad...

...Floridas' natural resources are what makes her one of a kind in my estimation..

As a member of Gen X, I think you are very on target with your description. I think it's even more apt of the younger generations following behind X.

I'm sure I'm guilty of it to some extent myself....I'm trying to change that.

My parents were of the generation where you bought a fixer-upper home and worked on it and made it better over time. So many people my age now laugh at that notion and look askew at anyone buying a home without the granite countertops already in place. A neighborhood with character and flaws is overlooked for one where sameness rules.

Jax is often underappreciated - the natural resources being just one example, as you pointed out. We really don't have one overarching theme here, except maybe "balance". We do have a nice balance that make the city very livable.....possibly not the most exciting place, but it's a pretty easy place to live.

Still, I think we have some room for progress and a little "build-it-they-will-come"....just a little

[Magnolia Bloom]

Originally Posted by cricketfan

Boston may be a world-class city but a destination it is not. The Boston Globe as recently as '06 says it all ...

State's population growth on stagnant course - The Boston Globe

And to keep it on-topic, if you would compare the growth patterns of Boston and Jax, at least between '00 and '04, MA had a 3.4% decline in population while Jacksonville, which we all would agree is not a world-class city, had a 5.7% increase. This is not current data but I doubt there has been a reversal since 04.

I was thinking more along the terms of a travel destination and our identity rather than population increase. The cities mentioned in the OP are all cities that people go to as a vacation destination. And when they do, the descriptions given below come to mind. There isn't a particular vision when you say Jacksonville.

This is an interesting thread. A few weeks ago I went to Atlanta and when my friend announced to her friends that I was from Jacksonville, the response from one was "OH". I asked what she thought of Jacksonville and she said that it has "bad vibes". The others all agreed to one degree or another and several said that nothing really comes to mind when they think of Jacksonville. The only tangible quality that was mentioned was crime. No positives.

Originally Posted by Lawstudent

When you think of Southeastern cities distinct visions come to mind. Each city has its own flavor and identity.
When you think of New Orleans, Mardi gras, Emril, Bourbon Street, and the French quarter come to mind.
Nashville, Tn. is the home of country music, Opryland, and Southern hospitality.
Atlanta has its own nickname “Hotlanta” the dirty south, Buckhead etc.
Miami has South beach, beautiful people, international flavor, and Cuban enclaves.
Tampa has the bay, 3 sports teams along with Clearwater beach, and the Skyline Bridge.

Jacksonville? What do people think of when they think of Jacksonville, FL? .

[riveree]

Originally Posted by HIF

I was thinking more along the terms of a travel destination and our identity rather than population increase. The cities mentioned in the OP are all cities that people go to as a vacation destination. And when they do, the descriptions given below come to mind. There isn't a particular vision when you say Jacksonville.

This is an interesting thread. A few weeks ago I went to Atlanta and when my friend announced to her friends that I was from Jacksonville, the response from one was "OH". I asked what she thought of Jacksonville and she said that it has "bad vibes". The others all agreed to one degree or another and several said that nothing really comes to mind when they think of Jacksonville. The only tangible quality that was mentioned was crime. No positives.

True, Jax is a city to LIVE in, not really a city to vacation in. I've visited Nashville and did all the sites, I was bored after Day 2, I would never want to live there (so gray ).

"Bad Vibes"? Too funny! Wouldn't that be New Orleans, only it would be "Bad Mojo" or something?!

Maybe we could capitalize on that: "Jax....The City of Bad Vibes, Tasty Waves and a Groovy River"

Okay, everyone go dig out your tye-dye t-shirts!

[cricketfan]

Originally Posted by HIF

Foos-

An effective branding strategy stimulates economic growth and creates a common community vision. It's more than a taxpayer-funded tagline.

What I said was in the context of the OP. I questioned the notion that taxpayer dollars should be ploughed into a branding strategy for Jax. I am much more in favor of the build-it-better-and-they-will-come strategy. Ofcourse we are all dreaming ... what taxpayer dollars.

[noland123]

I would say it is all about perspectives of where someone lives,what neighborhoods they reside in and how long they have lived here as to how they see the city. I have seen vast improvements in the past 40 years in Jax but I always have seen it as a laid back blue- collar industrial city along with being a naval town.
I use to hear about how Jacksonville smelled driving through the city from the St. Regis Paper plant and how that turned vistors off from the city. Maybe were seen as the biggest outdoor cocktail party when the Florida-Georgia game comes to town or maybe just a "good old boy one-horse town".

You can be in certain parts of town such as the Southside where it is more upscale compared to the westside or northside and have different attitudes than even somebody who lives at the beach. People who live at the beach probably over time forget there is a City of Jacksonville if they work and play there.

I want to identify Jacksonville as "The Beautiful River city"as it truly is a beautiful river and is an asset to Jacksonville.

[NuName]

Originally Posted by HIF

Foos-

An effective branding strategy stimulates economic growth and creates a common community vision. It's more than a taxpayer-funded tagline.

Boston IS a world-class city, BTW. It is a destination. To most people, Jacksonville is a rest stop on the way to the real Florida.

Now what is "real Florida?" Are you talking about what most ppl think of FL as (beaches, Disney World)? Jax is very much like southern GA, so I think northern FL is more like "real FL." No?