by David Ball
Staff Writer
Ron Barton sees busier stores and restaurants, more pedestrians and bigger events happening Downtown. As executive director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, he likely should. But Barton has new reason to be optimistic, following the recent formation of a committee charged with spurring public-private partnerships to implement many of the goals and initiatives defined in the JEDC’s Downtown Action Plan — a document more than a year in the making that compiles ideas from staff, consultants and various Downtown businesses, property owners and stakeholders.
Mayor John Peyton last week appointed the Action Plan Committee that is chaired by Bailey Publishing President Jim Bailey, along with members: Paul Crawford, deputy director of the JEDC; Terry Lorince, executive director of Downtown Vision Inc. (DVI); John Reyes, president of Visit Jacksonville; Rick Catlett, president of the Gator Bowl Association; Theresa Price, director of the City’s Office of Special Events; and Bob Downey, general manager of SMG.
Peyton was unavailable for comment while on the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce trip to China this week. However, Barton, who isn’t a member of the committee but will be accountable for its progress and much of its success, said the mayor’s goal was to bring together a group of organizations and institutions that are instrumental in the “destination-building business.”
“He’s taken this group of ‘doers’ and asked them to address number six in our action plan — to enhance event programming for Downtown,” said Barton. “We want to raise the level of our current event activity, and then find the holes in our calender, both when there are no events and when there needs to be certain types of events, and leverage and market that activity.”
Marketing events is something Reyes said he can bring to the table with Visit Jacksonville, formerly the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau. One example is joining this year’s Player’s Championship Downtown Experience with DVI’s ArtWalk event.
“Ultimately what we want to have happen is when a resident or visitor comes into Downtown, they’ll see something at an SMG facility or the Florida Theatre and it will look like one big event,” said Reyes. “But actually, it’s all of us working together to create that.”
Another key element is engaging private parties to help organize and sponsor events, said Downey of SMG, the company that manages City-owned facilities like Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and Veterans Memorial Arena.
“People have said there are opportunities with various Downtown clubs, like Rotary and the Chamber and others,” said Downey. “If we can maximize the things we are doing, because there’s not a lot of money available to do new things, it’s generally good for everyone that Downtown becomes more vibrant.”
The committee met Monday to develop an overall strategy, and Bailey said the next meeting on Thursday will get the ball rolling, as Jacksonville Landing owner Toney Sleiman has been invited to discuss his events and future outlook for the Downtown landmark.
Other event organizers, such as Eric Hart from the Florida Theatre, and officials from the major convention attractions like the Hyatt and Omni Hotel, will help the committee fill in Downtown’s overall event calendar. And once the committee knows everything that is or could be going on Downtown, others, such as retailers, can take full advantage.
“Our businesses will know when to stay open later or have more staff or create some other promotion to take advantage of a certain event,” said Barton, who added that popular events will be “bulked” up, and new events will be added and promoted throughout Downtown.
“We want it to be that you can always stumble onto something good going on, and good downtowns do that,” he said.
But this committee won’t just impact No. 6 on the Downtown Action Plan, as Barton expects this step to be the first “domino” to fall in a series of steps to improve the city’s core. The committee will likely tackle other action plan points like retail recruitment, and a cross-over into JEDC’s goals for better transportation systems is definite, he said.
“We attract people to our downtown with events and then encourage them to leave as quickly as possible with our transit system,” said Barton. “I think it’s going to create some positive momentum and visual changes that will lead to more improvement, at a time when we’re not going to have a lot of vertical development.”
The rising skyline of Downtown has all but halted, with the latest example being the reported foreclosure of several Downtown properties owned by the Kuhn Co. that had been slated for major development projects.
However, Barton is quick to point out work continues at Berkman Plaza II and the Peninsula condo towers, and a mixed-use development near Riverside is on the way. Plus, he said, the new emphasis is on horizontal, not vertical.
“We need to remember some of the recent successes, and they have a whole set of patrons that want to be entertained,” he said. “It’s important to create the right conditions in Downtown and fix some of the disconnects, so when the vertical development comes back, it comes back quicker and more successful.”
Bailey said the committee is scheduled to meet every week at a different Downtown location and although they will engage some public input, he said he sees the committee more as a clearing house of resources and information by “connecting the dots” of various groups, event organizers, retailers, residents and funding sources.
“Our resources to do things like this are still constrained, that’s why it’s a good exercise to have all these groups be in synch,” said Barton. “The best thing we can do is package what we’re selling and get the most we can get out of it. The worst thing we can to is to compete against each other.”
JEDC’s 19-point Downtown Action Plan:
• Enhance the level of service for “clean and safe” programs
• Develop and implement a comprehensive streetscape plan
• Convert one-way streets to two-way streets
• Create a Riverwalk enhancement plan
• Improve Downtown connectivity by an enhanced trolley system and complementary Bus Rapid Transit system
• Enhance event programming
• Improve wayfarer signage
• Refine approval process and create one-stop shop approach
• Promote work force housing
• Implement innovative parking programs and parking management initiatives
• Update and implement stormwater manage ment plan
• Initiate a Downtown marketing strategy that emphasizes Downtown districts
• Engage in active, targeted retail recruitment
• Develop and enact a master plan for Metropolitan Park/Kids Kampus
• Redevelop the Friendship Fountain area
• Improve connections from the “emerald necklace” to the river and upland activity nodes
• Identify and facilitate large-scale, catalyst projects
• Create more marine-themed activities and improve marine linkage