by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Downtown business owners and merchants got an update on future plans for the area they call their business home from one of the city’s biggest Downtown advocates.
Mayor John Peyton met with close to 40 members of the Downtown Council of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce during its bimonthly meeting Friday to discuss key points in shaping Downtown in the short and long term even during uncertain economic times.
“Our city, our Downtown is going through a tough economic time,” said Peyton, “but we should not use the economy as an excuse to not invest in our city.”
Property along the river was the focus of his long-term vision, with a goal of connectivity and vibrancy from Metropolitan Park to the Shipyards to Berkman Plaza II and beyond on the Northbank.
“All are big projects with a lot of moving parts,” he said. “These are long term.”
Regarding Metropolitan Park, Peyton said he wanted to open it up and play to a larger vision by making it more pedestrian friendly and stretch the Riverwalk to the Berkman II tower.
The Shipyards project between the two has been a challenge and one he never “in his wildest imagination” believed would belong to the City. Even with its chronicled problems, he believes the taxpayers are in “pretty good shape” moving forward.
In addition to the riverfront area, while the Police Memorial Building and Duval County Jail have useful building life remaining, a long term vision of moving facilities closer to the new courthouse — which he expected to open in June 2011 — would be practical for both the court and Bay Street developments.
“We as a community need to look beyond administrations,” he said. “A failure to do so would be a colossal misuse of land ... we need a 30,000-foot vision.”
In the short term, though, he said there is a need to correctly manage the current public space. His examples included upkeep on both the Southbank Riverwalk and Friendship Fountain.
“Those are issues we have to address and get going again,” he said.
Additionally, connecting the Northbank Riverwalk from Metropolitan Park to Berkman II was on the agenda, even if it is just a walkable asphalt path with trees along the way. As with most items, funding is an issue, though close to $20 million from capital improvement plans would likely go toward Southbank issues.
Other highlights from Peyton’s address to Downtown Council:
• The goal of luring World Cup Soccer is still very real and very lucrative. By the end of December, officials and he will know if Jacksonville makes the list of 18. Tampa and Orlando likely stand in the city’s way, but he is proud of what’s been accomplished. When asked how such an event would compare to the City’s hosting of the Super Bowl, he replied that comparing a month-long event to weeklong festivities was tough but in terms of economic impact it wasn’t close.
“It’s a half a billion dollar economic impact,” he said. “It’s a big deal.”
He credited the City’s ability to host fan festivities and stadium size as being pluses for consideration and regarding the stadium joked: “The one thing we thought was out greatest liability is our greatest asset.”
• While he joked about the stadium size, the lack of fan turnout to Jaguars games this season has him very concerned.
“It’s unreasonable to think this attitude has no effect on long term viability,” he said.
Peyton credited the team for its economic impact through numerous ways and said it’s been a positive for the city to have an NFL team.
“It’s not about winning, it’s about our city,” he said. “It should not be taken for granted.”
• On the future for a new convention center, Peyton said it was too far away to consider knowing how to do it. He would like to see hotels closer to such a facility, as he believes there won’t be another 1,000-plus room hotel built Downtown for decades.
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