from staff
The NAIOP of Northeast Florida commercial real estate trade association released a Downtown revitalization platform that calls for an independent entity to direct Downtown development.
“We believe downtown Jacksonville has tremendous potential to be a great city center and we are looking forward to participating in the conversations and actions needed to move in the right direction,” said Wyman Duggan, NAIOP vice president of public affairs.
“NAIOP believes 2011 will be the year Jacksonville turns the corner on Downtown’s revitalization,” he said.
Duggan, a member of The Jacksonville Bar Association, is a shareholder of the Rogers Towers law firm and chairs its governmental and regulatory law department.
The Jacksonville Civic Council also recently called for a Downtown Improvement Authority.
NAIOP recommends that City leadership:
• Establish a single-purpose entity dedicated to Downtown revitalization, with jurisdiction over permitting approvals and economic and regulatory incentives.
• Focus on and incentivize basic property management in Downtown, such as stringent code enforcement combined with tax rebates for property owners who improve their property.
• Require all City-sponsored events to occur Downtown, where feasible, as a condition of sponsorship.
• “Amenitize” Downtown in-frastructure, such as parking incentives, increased landscaping and using the Shipyards property as a public recreation and open space until it develops.
• Develop incentive programs for job creation and growth of the tax base in Downtown through projects that are not speculative.
NAIOP recommends that the City focus on these actions to carry out that strategy:
• Require that Tax Increment Financing funds be spent in the district in which they are collected, and that unspent funds in a calendar year not be returned to the general fund, but “banked” until needed. Additionally, all parking meter funds and ticket revenue should be exclusive to the Northbank.
• Define and limit the Northbank core to Broad Street on the west, Liberty Street on the east and Duval Street on north. Incentives should be limited to this area or offer enhanced incentives for the area.
• Provide free parking in City garages for two years for new businesses (minimum of 20 employees) that enter a five-year lease in the Northbank core. Offer a 50 percent discount in City garages for two years for businesses that extend existing leases for five years (minimum of 20 employees).
• Rebate to tenants 50 percent of the cost of facade improvements up to $25,000. Improvements can include storefront and entranceway remodeling, renovations, new signs, awnings, window and door replacements and lighting upgrades.
• Provide a walking police beat in the Northbank core area from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday for added security.
• Create a designated retail core area of Laura Street to Market Street and Bay Street to Adams Street.
NAIOP recommended that new retailers there should receive facade grants; extended hours of the walking police beat for the area to 2 a.m., including Saturdays; two dedicated Downtown Ambassadors from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for targeted areas; no parking meter enforcement from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for targeted areas; flexibility on signage; and permission and incentives for outdoor seating.
• Convert all parking meters to two hours and allow for multiple forms of payment.
• Require all garages and lots to provide clear signage alerting the public to hourly and daily availability and cost. Signage should be a consistent 45-inch-high “A” frame sign (cost under $100).
• Advertise that all City garages are free on weekends and after 6 p.m. on weekdays.
• Enforce existing code requirements for landscaping and maintenance on surface lots.
• Designate one person in the mayor’s office to resolve parking issues.
• Aggressively price and advertise City lots and garages to incentivize employers and employees at $10 a month for the San Marco Garage and the Convention Center lot, both with Skyway connections; $20 a month for the Water Street Garage and Courthouse Garage; and free parking at the Sports Complex, with trolley service.
“We believe Downtown Jacksonville has tremendous potential to be a great city center and we are looking forward to participating in the conversations and actions needed to move in the right direction,” said Duggan. “NAIOP believes 2011 will be the year Jacksonville turns the corner on Downtown’s revitalization.”