by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
April has been the month for kicking off political campaigns for Jacksonville’s 2011 election. Wednesday morning, Downtown Vision Inc. kicked off a campaign of its own.
While the organization isn’t seeking public office, the campaign is closely tied to the eventual winner of Jacksonville’s race for mayor. About 100 Downtown property and business owners were joined by other neighborhood advocates, including workers and residents, to hear details about DVI’s report, “Turning the Corner: Rethinking and Remaking Downtown.”
Before the meeting adjourned, they also heard about the campaign to turn conclusions into results.
“Over the last 10 years, Downtown has been backsliding,” said Mike Harrell, DVI board member and treasurer. He attributed the backslide primarily to real estate issues facing American urban cores that began long before the current recession.
He said the population of Downtown workers has declined from 60,000 in 1990 to 51,000 today. Downtown’s share of Duval County’s ad valorem tax revenue has declined from 13.5 percent in 1990 to the current 3.2 percent.
“That’s partly due to businesses migrating to the suburbs, but anyone who owns property Downtown knows the value has decreased,” said Harrell.
He gave an overview of the latest findings concerning Downtown, including the lack of any private office developments since the Barnett (now Bank of America) Tower opened in 1990. Harrell also cited the tremendous shortage of retail business Downtown since the department stores moved to the suburbs and he also talked about the number of empty lots throughout the Business Improvement District.
“Buildings have been torn down and the vacant lots are leased for parking spaces to pay the property taxes,” he said.
Virtually all Downtown developments in the past two decades have been public projects, such as the Sports Complex and improvements to the Times-Union Center, which are at opposite ends of the core and poorly connected to private businesses.
“That has also contributed to the decline of the core of Downtown,” said Harrell.
He then said DVI is taking a more aggressive role in advocating for Downtown improvement based on the foundation of successful programming. The monthly First Wednesday Art Walk is bringing thousands of people Downtown who live in all parts of Northeast Florida.
The relatively new “Off the Grid” initiative that matches local artists who need exhibit space with Downtown property owners with empty storefronts is also proving to be a success.
There was also a strategy behind publishing the report and the timing for its release.
“We want the mayoral candidates to understand our position,” said DVI Chair Jay Southerland. “We want the next mayor to help us take Downtown to the next level.”
Harrell told the group DVI is “lobbying City Hall and we’re asking you to help us go forward,” then added that making the case for Downtown revitalization today isn’t as important as making that case to the City’s next leadership team.
“We want to make sure that as the administration changes, we don’t lose traction,” he said.
Larry Hazouri owns two Downtown restaurants and agreed it’s time to make sure the next mayor understands the importance of the urban core. He said he’s been “fighting this battle since the ‘80s” and has seen plenty of good ideas go on the shelf when a new mayor takes office.
“Until the mayor, the City Council, the property owners and the merchants are committed to a long-term plan, it won’t get done,” said Hazouri.
“We can’t sprinkle fairy dust around and make the problems go away. It’s going to take all of us working together,” said Michael Chambliss, director of marketing at the Landing.
After the meeting Southerland said he was impressed with the participation from the stakeholders, particularly in light of the cross-section of interests represented from property owners who help finance DVI through an additional tax assessment to people who don’t live or work Downtown, but want to see it become Jacksonville’s signature neighborhood.
“This is the launch of our advocacy,” he said. “This is about what we feel the City needs to do to help Downtown. We just have to all be moving in the same direction.”
“Turning the Corner: Re-thinking and Remaking Downtown” is available online at www.downtownjacksonville.org
Printed copies are available at DVI’s office at 214 N. Hogan St.
356-2466