JAX Chamber President Daniel Davis has a stern warning for the city’s builders, developers and real estate professionals.
“If we don’t grow, we die,” he said.
Davis added the Downtown area is in desperate need of redevelopment to attract new, young talent that enjoys working, living and playing in an urban environment, rather than the current trend of most employees living in the suburbs or on the outskirts of town.
The 45-year-old married father of four has history in Jacksonville.
Davis served on the Jacksonville City Council, including as president in 2007-08; he represented the area in the Florida House of Representatives; and he was the executive director of the Northeast Florida Builders Association.
He shared insights at the NEFBA Sales and Marketing Council’s monthly breakfast meeting July 13 at the University of North Florida.
Davis said that he and other chamber members have been visiting metropolitan cities, such as Cincinnati and Denver, with success in restoring their downtown zones.
“We have got to create that here,” he said. “But we should all be pumped about the cranes in Downtown Jacksonville.”
As soon as the first redevelopment projects kick off, Davis said the momentum will bring in even bigger proposals and projects. He estimates that Jacksonville will be “absolutely transformed” within the next five years.
His message wasn’t doom and gloom. It was mainly uplifting, catering to an audience comprising about 50 sales representatives, marketing experts, developers and bankers.
“Every day, I am working with my team (at the chamber) so people can buy your product,” he said. “We have site selectors and CEOs in town every week. You all should be very encouraged about the direction the city is going.”
Davis added that the greater Jacksonville area has been seeing tremendous growth, which is reflected in the employment numbers.
He said the chamber doubled its goal of 3,000 new jobs last year and the group is on track to meet or exceed this year’s goal of 2,500 new jobs.
Davis also answered questions after his presentation, including one about the ongoing discussions on tearing down a portion of the Hart Bridge overpass near TIAA Bank Field and rebuilding it at the street level.
“When that bridge was designed, it was for getting people into Downtown as fast as possible and out as fast as possible,” Davis said, adding that developers there have been “very clear” that they don’t want to build under an overpass.