• Gator Bowl Association president Rick Catlett has requested lunch meetings with each City Council member. Though most support the efforts of the GBA to attract the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game to Jacksonville, Catlett said “it became evident from many of the questions that were asked that some of the Council members were not clear on the mission and organization of the Gator Bowl Association.” Meetings are currently being scheduled.
• Wednesday marked Audrey Moran’s return to the Downtown Development Authority. The former board chair provided background on the development of the downtown master plan as the DDA prepares to review the document. Moran said the City had been successful in bringing housing downtown and creating momentum for further development. Less successful, she said, was the City’s mismatched approach, based on a suburban plan, to developing LaVilla. “We were so excited to do something, we would basically do anything,” she said.
• Speaking of LaVilla, DDA managing director Al Battle said the City’s recently–approved West Adams Street land sale provided a “pretty good benchmark,” for the price of land in LaVilla. The City Council approved a price of $15 per square-foot. Ironically, Battle said, the City has very little land left in the area with which to take advantage of the new rate.
• The local hospitality industry is going all out for travel writers who are in town for the Carnival Miracle launch. The Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau has been coordinating a slate of activities to show off Northeast Florida to the visitors. P&B Charters will pick up one group in a limo, the Inn at Oak Street is hosting a special reception, the Cummer Museum and Bistro Aix are hosting a reception, and the Super Bowl Host Committee is updating the writers on cruise ships being used for the Super Bowl. A visitors bureau survey tallied more than 800 room nights that have been booked in relation to cruise travel.
• The City has cited itself for failing to maintain the Marble Bank Building on West Forsyth Street. City planners say they are still adjusting to their tenure as landlord, which was extended after potential buyer Signet requested that the City Council defer a development package from Tuesday night’s meeting.
• The Jacksonville Historical Society may soon find themselves the owner of the Old St. Luke’s Hospital, which is currently located near the new arena. A local developer is planning a 60-unit condominium near the hospital and is negotiating a deal with JHS board members so they can purchase the historic building.
• Kay Wehrmann, magnet lead teacher at Brentwood Elementary in Springfield, wants folks working downtown to know that the school still has openings for arts magnet students. The county magnet school application deadline is Friday, but Brentwood will consider applications received after the deadline. The school is giving tours this week from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.