by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Downtown Vision, Inc. (DVI) held its last 2008 quarterly operations meeting for property and business owners Wednesday with many topics on the agenda.
Discussion ranged from preparations for the Georgia-Florida football game to keeping cigarette butts off the sidewalks and a recent crime wave involving precious metals, but not jewelry.
The number of people Downtown for the Nov. 1 football game will be comparable to previous years, but since Halloween is the day before this year, there will be additional security measures at the Landing, said Public Relations Director Rachel Nudge.
“There will be no masks allowed on the property Friday or Saturday,” she said.
She also added that the Landing will be gated with a $10 entry charge again this year.
In response to requests from nearby businesses, live entertainment will begin at 5 p.m. Friday so that it will not distract workers.
JTA will provide free trolley service for football fans again this year with expanded hours of operation. Trolleys will run from the Sports Complex to the Landing from noon-1 a.m. Thursday; noon-3 a.m. Friday; and 7:30 p.m.- 3 a.m. Saturday.
Based on a “Clean It Up, Green It Up” effort that resulted in more than 6,000 cigarette butts in Hemming Plaza, a smoker’s litter program will soon be launched. Through a grant from Keep America Beautiful, seven outdoor ash trays will be installed in the plaza and outside City Hall’s Duval Street entrance.
Amy Harrell, DVI’s director of district services, said Saturday’s volunteer project to clean out and dress up tree beds Downtown collected thousands of cigarette butts smokers have discarded.
Additionally, there will soon be changes in Hemming Plaza to reduce nuisance activities and crime to improve the perception of safety. Harrell said loitering and “aggressive comments” are increasing and steps will be taken within the next three weeks to reduce problems.
Trees will be trimmed to improve sight lines, several park benches will be relocated to reduce large congregational areas and more Ambassadors will be on duty in the plaza, especially during lunch hour.
DVI Executive Director Terry Lorince pointed out that while nuisance activity has been significantly reduced on the sidewalks Downtown, “Public spaces like parks and the Riverwalks are always a challenge.”
DVI officials also said they are working on a plan to remove pay phones from the public right of way adjacent to sidewalks. Harrell said JSO can’t enforce the ordinance that prohibits loitering in those locations because people say they are waiting for a call. Pay phones will be allowed to remain on private property, she added.
Dan Frey, property manager for Eola Capital, reported some tenants who park in the garages on Bay Street adjacent to Independent Square have been finding things missing when they returned to their cars after work. Some discovered their gasoline had been stolen, while others reported that catalytic converters had been removed.
Lt. Mike Bruno from the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said catalytic converter theft is a statewide problem that has now arrived in Jacksonville due to value of the metals used in the pollution-control components. Theft of air-conditioner compressors is also on the rise due to the high price of copper, leading some security companies to offer alarm systems for exposed equipment.
Bruno said legislation is being drafted that would increase the legal requirements for scrap metal recycling companies. Currently, presenting a picture ID is required for a person to sell scrap metal to a dealer.
The proposed legislation would put scrap metal companies under the same procedures as pawn shops, as they would be required to report all transactions to JSO. Authorities could then develop a database that would reveal when a person is selling a lot of catalytic converters or air conditioner compressors, for example.
“If we can identify who is selling a large number of these items, we could assign an officer to keep an eye on that individual,” said Bruno.
Paul Crawford, Jacksonville Economic Development Commission deputy executive director provided a Downtown construction project update.
He said the initial survey of underground utilities along Laura Street is underway and he expects the design will be finalized in April with construction to begin in August. The redevelopment of Laura Street will take a year, Crawford said, in order to interfere with businesses along the street as little as possible.
In February, new traffic signals will be installed above Bay Street that will allow lanes to be identified as eastbound or westbound before and after special events at the Sports Complex. The project will allow traffic to move quickly without having to place and remove traffic cones or hire off-duty police officers to direct traffic.
Crawford also said JaxPride, a non-profit citizens’ coalition that promotes policies to eliminate visual blight, will host a Metropolitan Park charette Oct. 25 at 9 a.m. at the Main Library’s Conference Center. It will be facilitated by HDR Engineering and will allow the public to provide their opinions and desires concerning future improvements to the park.
“We want input from the neighbors,” said Crawford.
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