by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
The 3rd Annual First Coast Tea Party Tax Day observance at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Landing is shaping up to be quite a show.
That was the report from Landing General Manager Janice Lowe at the Downtown Vision Inc. quarterly operations meeting Wednesday at the Main Library.
Lowe said special guests scheduled this year include Gov. Rick Scott and Victoria Jackson, a former star of “Saturday Night Live.” Since she left SNL in 1992, the comedienne, actress and singer has been a regular participant in tea party events nationwide and an outspoken critic of President Barack Obama.
“It should be a trip,” said Lowe.
The rally will kick off a full weekend of events, said Lowe, including the 21st Annual Earth Day and Ecology Fair Saturday, followed by the “Birthday Bash Yappy Hour” for dogs and their people 2 p.m. Sunday.
The 27th Annual Blessing of the Fleet is also 2 p.m. Sunday along the Northbank riverfront Sunday.
Safety issues were also on the agenda Wednesday. Sgt. Rusty Bonifacio from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said JSO is mounting an educational initiative to make motorists aware of the new two-way traffic pattern on Laura Street between Forsyth Street and Independent Drive.
Bonifacio also reported that fewer transients are being apprehended for illegal camping during the JSO’s daily morning sweeps Downtown.
“Downtown is one of the safest neighborhoods in Jacksonville,” said DVI Director of District Services Amy Harrell, citing a recent analysis of crime statistics.
• According the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Uniform Crime Rate Report, the Duval County crime rate in 2009 was 58 crimes per 1,000 population, while the crime rate Downtown was 22 crimes per 1,000 population, based on the daytime employment population.
• The number of incidents Downtown declined 7 percent from 2009 to 2010.
• JSO has more than 35 officers assigned to cover Downtown and regularly deploys additional officers for community and holiday events, parades and football games.
“There are more officers per square mile Downtown than anywhere in Jacksonville,” said Bonifacio.
Harrell said the Downtown Ambassadors will soon begin a spring cleaning program. The flower baskets will be replanted and tree beds will be cleaned and mulched.
The “Off the Grid” partnership between artists and property owners now includes 15 galleries occupying more than 40,000 square feet of Downtown retail space that was previously empty.
Harrell said that represents 6 percent of the retail space in the Downtown Improvement District and reduced the amount of unoccupied space by 16 percent.
Jacksonville Economic Development Commission Deputy Executive Director Paul Crawford said work on the Laura Street improvement project is scheduled to be substantially complete by May 24, two days before the Jacksonville Jazz Festival begins.
He said there may be some lights and trees yet to be installed, but the contractor has accelerated the work schedule to ensure the deadline is met.
“They’re working until 3 a.m. and on weekends,” said Crawford.
The majority of work is also complete at Friendship Park on the Southbank. More green space is in place and the fountain restoration is scheduled to be ready for a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 16, said Crawford.
The Metropolitan Park project is completed. Crawford said visitors have convenient access from Gator Bowl Boulevard to the river. “It’s a great space now,” he said.
The City took possession of the Shipyards property six months ago through foreclosure and Crawford said about 75 percent of the sidewalk along Bay Street has been replaced.
The City plans to install an irrigation system and sod on the property after leveling the area and then opening it as a park “as far as the Riverwalk extends,” he said.
JEDC Redevelopment Manager Karen Nasrallah said the City received two responses to the Request for Proposals for the top four floors of the Florida Theatre Building, the space previously occupied by the City Planning and Development Department.
Nasrallah said the Florida Theatre Performing Arts Center, which operates the venue and has offices in the building, submitted a proposal, as did Backlight Studios.
“Both proposals were very interesting,” said Nasrallah.
In addition to providing below- market rate office space for artists and businesses that support the arts community, Nasrallah said the top floor of the building could be transformed into a theater space that could be used by high school theater programs.
When asked about the time line to implement the project, Nasrallah said a lot will depend on the new mayor and City Council who take office July 1, but estimated it would take several months.
To receive notices of future DVI meetings for Downtown stakeholders and advocates, email [email protected].
356-2466