by Bailey White
Staff Writer
Jacksonville will get a chance today to show off a growing downtown for Southern Living magazine.
A photographer for the national publication, which features Southern culture and lifestyles, will be in town to capture the people and culture of the city for a story that will run in the spring of next year.
“The article focuses on Southern cities doing very interesting things in terms of downtown redevelopment,” said Southern Living freelance writer Ben Brown, who’ll be here Saturday to begin research for the article. “Jacksonville is one of several cities that we thought would surprise readers in terms of the mix of live, work and play in the downtown area.”
Lyn Briggs, director of marketing for Downtown Vision, Inc., will spend the day escorting Meg Simle, a Southern Living photographer, around the city, taking her to sites that capture the live, work and play aspects of downtown.
“They want lifestyle shots,” she said. “They want pictures that capture the young, urban feeling downtown.”
They’ll make stops at Hemming Plaza for the Friday lunchtime concert that draws people from all over downtown and at the Farmers Market on Hogan Street.
“We also have an appointment with JMoMA [Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art] and we’ll visit the St. James Building to highlight the transformation of that building to our City Hall.”
Later, Briggs will shuttle Simle to the Southbank via the Skyway and back to the Northbank by water taxi.
“They are very interested in the river and how we incorporate that into downtown,” she said. “Southern Living was very excited about the water taxi ride and seemed to think it would make a great signature shot.”
To highlight downtown’s growing residential community, Simle will visit Berkman Plaza, 11 E. Forsyth and the W.A. Knight building.
“Hopefully, we’ll able to talk with residents at each spot and we’ll also make a trip to the loft on the top of the renovated fire house on Adams Street,” said Briggs.
The day will end with a trip to Gordo’s, the newly-opened Cuban restaurant on West Adams Street, for happy hour.
On Saturday, Jason Thiel of the Downtown Development Authority will host Brown to introduce him to the city.
“I’ll mainly be taking a quick look around on this trip,” said Brown. “Then I’ll be back to do interviews as we get closer to deadline.”