Downtown Updates

Jacksonville wants to host the World Cup! •Jacksonville is among 27 cities vying to be part of the FIFA World Cup Soccer Tournament in 2018 and 2022.  Visit www.gousabid.com/jacksonville and sign the petition supporting Jacksonville’s bid to become part of this worldwide tournament.  The estimated economic impact for a World Cup host city is between $300 and $500 million and the event offers employment opportunities, as between 5,000 and 8,000 new local jobs will be created in preparation for the FIFA World Cup.  Making Downtown Retail Ready •DVI Board Member and Regency Center Corporation’s Senior Vice President John Pharr led a discussion at DVI’s Downtown Stakeholder meeting on the state of Downtown retail. Pharr discussed what actions Downtown property owners should take to improve their ability to lease vacant retail space.  In order to get Downtown “retail ready,” Pharr gave suggestions to the retailers such as add color or local artwork in windows of retail spaces. Downtown’s Awards and Accolades •“Make a Scene Downtown!” received an Award of Distinction from The International Downtown Association (IDA).  The project, nominated by the JEDC, was one of 77 award submissions IDA received this year as part of its Downtown Achievement Awards. •The JaxPride/JEDC Metropolitan Park/Kids Kampus Visioning Workshop and Conceptual Master Plan won the Design Excellence Award from the Florida Planning and Zoning Association (FPZA).  The award recognizes a site plan which exhibits superior form and function.  Click here to view the conceptual Master Plan.   •The JEDC and King Engineering Associates, Inc. also received the Outstanding Public Study Award from FPZA for the Downtown Wayfinding Signage Program Master Plan.  The award recognizes the most innovative and comprehensive involvement of citizens in a planning study, design plan, or brick and mortar project. •Jacksonville was recently highlighted by USA Today as one of ten cities across North America with fun river cruises.  The cities were selected based on a survey by the International Downtown Association (IDA) of the best boat rides along rivers, canals and other waterways in North America. The list includes big cities and small towns. Click here to read the article online. Jacksonville Historical Society looks to purchase former St. Luke’s Building •The Jacksonville Historical Society is working on plans to purchase and renovate the former St.. Luke’s Hospital and Florida Casket Manufacturer building.  The historical society's goal is to convert the two buildings located at Palmetto and Duval streets into a museum and archive library.                                                                JEDC to help expedite redevelopment of Adams St. Project •In 2004, the JEDC approved a Redevelopment Agreement with The Kimmik Corporation for the redevelopment of 20 West Adams St., formerly known as the Lerner Shops.  The agreement was to allocate $400,000 from the Historic Trust Fund to rehabilitate the historic structure, payable after completion.  The project plans included approximately 20 loft-style apartments, 5,246 SF of retail space and 6,346 SF of commercial space.  The Kimmik Corp. has completed more than half of the project but has been at a stand still due to unforeseen construction complications and financial hurdles.  Last month, the JEDC agreed to extend the disbursement of the original grant money to help keep the project moving and expedite the redevelopment of the blighted building.  The amended agreement is pending City Council approval.  PARK(ing) Day 2009 •On September 18, Jacksonville area organizations and companies temporarily converted three Downtown parking spaces into public parks as part of PARK(ing) Day 2009.  "PARK(ing) Day" is an annual event in which cities around the globe transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces.  PARK(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad based changes to urban infrastructure.  PARK(ing) Day is about re-imagining the possibilities of the metropolitan landscape. For more information about the annual event, visit: http://www.parkingday.org/. Update to Downtown Action Plan Item #3: Convert One-Way to Two-Way Streets •Laura Street Improvements Program:  Plans to beautify Laura St. and convert it into a two-way street are underway.  The project also includes adding a roundabout at the intersection of Laura St. and Independent Drive, building a pedestrian path from Bay St. to the Landing, landscaping, paving and adding new signage and lighting.  Independent Drive will also be converted into a two-way street from Laura St. to Newnan St.  The RFP was issued in October, responses have been received and a contractor will be selected in December. The JEDC anticipates construction to begin in January and last for a year.  To view the Laura Street Conceptual Development Plan presentation, click here.  •In case you haven’t been to Downtown lately, directional signs have been installed to indicate that Bay Street between Ocean and Newnan streets is now a two-way street.  With this last two-way link, one can turn right off of the Main St. Bridge onto Bay St.   •To learn more about the comprehensive streetscape plan for Downtown, view the Downtown Action Plan. Football News •A new arena football team is coming to Jacksonville!  The new team, the Jacksonville Sharks, will begin playing this spring at the Veterans Memorial Arena.  The owners are anticipating Jacksonville to be a very successful market for arena football. •The Konica Minolta Gator Bowl is close to completing a deal that will match teams from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Big 10.  The SEC agreed to participate for the next four years and negotiations with the Big 10 are underway. The Gator Bowl is currently in the last year of a deal that matches an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) team with one from the Big East Conference, Notre Dame or Big 12 team. If the pending agreement is completed, the SEC-Big 10 matchup will start with the 2011 game. •The University of Georgia (UGA) Athletic Association board of directors voted to extend the contract for the annual Florida-Georgia football game to stay in Jacksonville.  UGA will continue with talks with the University of Florida and Jacksonville to extend the contract through 2016.  The game has been held in Jacksonville since 1933, with the exception of 1994 and 1995, when the Municipal Stadium was being renovated. •Don’t forget to wear your teal!  Support our JAGUARS and wear your teal t-shirts, hats and buttons every Friday before home games during football season. Retail Updates •Just Fitness 4 U has replaced Gold's Gym at The Landing as the only full-service health club in Downtown. Just Fitness 4 U offers strength and cardio equipment, X classes and world class personal training.  For more information, call (904) 683-3158. •A new restaurant called The Skyline recently opened on the top floor of the Bank of America Building. The Skyline is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Click here for a menu and more information. •Downtown’s newest event venue, 927, recently opened at 927 W Forsyth St.  Call (904) 387-4160 or email forsythevents@hotmail.com for more information. •The owners of Downtown’s Burrito Gallery recently opened a new restaurant in Springfield called Uptown Market.  The restaurant opened in the Cesery Company’s Third and Main project and also includes a small grocery store.  Uptown Market is open for breakfast and lunch. Click here for more information. •Perdue Office Interiors is relocating its headquarters to a historic building in Downtown.  The company will move from the Baymeadows area to the Old Woolworth Building at 5 W. Forsyth St., where it will occupy 9,000 sq. ft. of the 20,000-square foot building owned by Petra Management Inc. The JEDC assisted Perdue by touting the benefits of a Downtown location by expressing the city’s support for new Downtown retail and also helped secure parking spaces.  •Dos Gatos, a new bar in downtown, just opened up across the street from the Florida Theatre at 123 E. Forsyth St. in a building owned by Petra Management Inc.  Petra has also opened two other bars this year in Downtown: Ivy and Poppa Love Smoke.  For hours of operation and drink specials, call (904) 354-0666 or visit http://www.dosgatosjax.com/ Upcoming Events •Last year, the City of Jacksonville revived a wonderful tradition in downtown Jacksonville with holiday window displays. Again this year, downtown storefront windows will be festively-decorated holiday scenes created by local artists, designers and businesses. Windows will be on display through January 2. •The Christmas tree is back at The Jacksonville Landing!  The 56-foot tree is programmed to perform a 10-minute, synchronized light show set to various selections of holiday music.  The light shows will continue every hour, on the hour beginning at 6 p.m. daily until New Year’s Eve. •The City of Jacksonville is proud to present Great Joy!, the annual holiday concert by the Jacksonville Mass Choir (JMAC) on Friday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Florida Theatre.  Tickets are $10, plus any applicable service charges, and go on sale Saturday, November 21. To purchase tickets, call the Florida Theatre’s Box Office at (904) 355-2787. •The third annual Downtown Historic Church Tour will be Saturday, December 5 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Church staff will be available at each of the ten historic churches to share the architectural and historical highlights on this self-guided tour.  Participants can walk the tour route or take advantage of the complementary trolley service provided with the tour.  The tour will begin at Main Library and tickets are $5 per person.  DVI is also looking to recruit 60 volunteers to help on the day of the event.  For more information about the tour, volunteering or to purchase tickets in advance visit http://www.dtjax.org/.  Twenty percent of the ticket sales will be donated to the Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition. •The City of Jacksonville and Humana present the Mayor’s Holiday Festival for Senior Citizens on Saturday, December 5, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Prime Osborn Convention Center.  Tickets are $10 per person for ages 60 and older.  For more information, visit http://www.makeascenedowntown.com/. •The National Urban League and Walgreens have partnered to launch a nationwide, educational health screening bus tour that will provide adults free access to six health screenings, collectively valued at $140.  The Wellness Bus will be in Downtown on December 11 at the Jacksonville Urban League and on December 12 at the Riverside Arts Market.  Click here to view all Jacksonville dates, times and locations. •Don’t miss the “Ultimate TEALgate Party” on Thursday, December 17 at 4 p.m. outside of the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.  The Ultimate TEALgate Party will begin at 4 p.m. on game day to celebrate the Jacksonville Jaguars as they play their last home game against the Indianapolis Colts.  There will be live entertainment in the streets, interactive activities, appearances by Jaxson Deville and the ROAR cheerleaders and more! Looking for more to do in Downtown? Click on the links below: The Jacksonville Landing Make a Scene Downtown! DVI ExperienceJax.com

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