I'm interested in your opinion.
How do you define the city's "next level" and what would it take to reach it?
In a column I wrote for The Florida Times-Union and Jacksonville.com, published Nov. 21, I asked readers to share suggestions.
Today, I'm asking Daily Record readers to take part through emailing me at [email protected].
But I'm asking for more than a list or a rant. I'm interested in your definition of the "next level" and what Jacksonville's residents and leaders need to do to reach it.
Mayor Alvin Brown has been talking about taking Jacksonville to the "next level" since he took office in July 2011.
In recent months, I've heard business, civic, community, nonprofit and young professionals' groups seriously asking the question. What can be done to take the city to that level?
As I wrote in the Times-Union, I'm asking you to help define it. In your opinion, what is the city's next level? How do you recommend the city reach it?
Here are a few examples you've likely heard.
• Deepen the St. Johns River and the harbor to allow for more and larger ships to reach the port terminals, allowing Jacksonville to compete globally and create jobs.
• Redevelop and perhaps redefine Downtown to make it a destination for living, shopping, working and playing.
• Attract more businesses, especially higher-paying headquarters, manufacturing plants and life sciences operations.
• Develop more and/or better educational offerings on all levels.
• Market and expand the city's cultural scene.
• Attract more airline service, specifically nonstop flights to more cities.
• Improve the public transportation system to make it easier for people to reach jobs, schools, shops and other destinations and ease congestion.
• Expand the City's Human Rights Ordinance to protect gays and lesbians from discrimination.
• Field more professional sports franchises or at least hope those we have perform well.
• Develop more leadership among new and/or younger residents, generating fresh ideas.
• Loosen the grip of the good old boys, whoever they might be.
• Support and enable creation of more small businesses.
• Focus on the city's military complex and make the area as military friendly as possible.
• Work harder on race, gender, religious, ethnic and age inclusion.
• Strengthen nonprofits.
Many of those recommendations have been circulating for decades, although we haven't agreed on them, which I consider part of the problem.
What will it take for the city to break through?
You tell me:
• Define the next level for Jacksonville. Define at least one goal.
• Why has Jacksonville not reached that level? What stands in the way?
• What would it take to reach it? Be specific.
• Should Jacksonville even try?
I invite individuals, students, civic clubs and anyone to respond. Include how long you've been in Jacksonville or, if you're not a resident, where you live. Include your contact information if you like.
Email [email protected].
Please respond by Dec. 21, which gives you about two weeks.
I've received some thoughtful responses from the Nov. 21 Times-Union column and I appreciate as many as you can provide.
I intend to report about them for the New Year. The results could help in many areas.
• Many new leaders are taking positions of power in the community. We have new CEOs at the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and the JEA. Jacksonville Port Authority CEO Paul Anderson has been offered a job in Tampa, so that might open up another post. The JAX Chamber is seeking a new CEO and Florida State College at Jacksonville is looking for a new president. There's a new president at Jacksonville University and a new Duval County Public Schools superintendent. Nonprofits are experiencing turnover in their top positions.
• New City leadership will include the first CEO of the mayor's Office of Economic Development.
• Community and civic groups will continue their practices of annual leadership changes. Also, the Jacksonville Civic Council will transition its chairmanship from founding Chairman Peter Rummell to Steve Halverson.
• Jacksonville Community Council Inc. has launched the JAX2025 vision project and the results could be included.
• And the mayor might include your results in his talking points.
I look forward to hearing from you.
'Next level'
Please send your opinions and suggestions about how Jacksonville can reach the "next level."
• Define the next level for Jacksonville. Define at least one goal.
• Why has Jacksonville not reached that level? What stands in the way?
• What would it take to reach it? Be specific.
• Should Jacksonville even try?
Please respond by Dec. 21 to [email protected]
Office Depot launching smaller prototype in Regency
Office Depot appears to be downsizing its Regency location from a big box to its smaller concept.
The City is reviewing a building permit application for an almost 8,100-square-foot store in Regency Pointe at 9450 Arlington Expressway.
Office Depot currently operates a 26,000-square-foot store in Regency Court at 9230 Arlington Expressway.
Office Depot, based in Boca Raton, has more than 1,100 stores in North America and its website shows eight in Duval County.
The permit application shows a tenant remodeling project to the "2012 Prototype" at a cost of $75,000. The contracting job was out for bid.
The NorthJersey.com news website reported in January the Office Depot chain was developing new-format stores that are one-fifth the size of its traditional big-box stores. It quoted company President Kevin Peters saying the big-box format "just doesn't work anymore."
The news site reported development of a 5,000-square-foot Office Depot in Hoboken, N.J., that stocked about half the number of products carried in the 26,000-square-foot stores. It said the company expected to downsize about 100 stores a year, or 10 percent of its store base.
"The 26,000-square-foot store just doesn't work anymore," Peters, Office Depot's president for North America, said during a tour of the Hoboken store. "They're too big. They're too hard to shop.''
The news site said Office Depot discovered it can shrink store sizes without slashing sales. "We're getting 90 percent of the sales in a fraction of the space," Peters said.
It reported Peters said all Office Depot stores will be downsized as existing leases expire.
Dollar Tree to join Walmart at Merrill Station
A pending building permit shows Dollar Tree Stores intends to open a 10,423-square-foot location at Merrill Station, where a Walmart Neighborhood Market is planned. Build-out for Dollar Tree is shown at $90,000. The job is out for bid.
Dollar Tree, based in Chesapeake, Va., has 19 stores in Duval County and eight more in Baker, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties, according to the dollartree.com website.
Merrill Station is near a newly built Dollar General store that recently opened at Merrill Road and Wedgefield Boulevard.
Dollar Tree operates 4,630 stores in 48 states and Canada.
Dollar Tree said in its annual report with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is the leading operator of discount variety stores offering merchandise at the fixed price of $1.
"We believe the variety and quality of products we sell for $1.00 sets us apart from our competitors," it said.
Dollar Tree said its optimal store size is 8,000-10,000 square feet. As it expanded its merchandise offerings, it has added freezers and coolers to about 2,220 stores to increase sales and shopping frequency.
Dollar Tree said it buys 58-60 percent of merchandise domestically and imports the remaining 40-42 percent. The domestic purchases include basic, seasonal, closeouts and promotional merchandise. It carries about 6,200 items in its stores.
It focuses on opening new stores in strip shopping centers anchored by mass merchandisers or grocers "whose target customers we believe to be similar to ours," it said in the SEC filing.
Accounting merger
Two North Florida certified public accounting practices have merged.
Patrick & Robinson CPAs, based in the St. Nicholas/San Marco area, acquired Petherbridge, Davis & Company. Together, the firms have more than 55 years of business experience. The combined firm will retain the Patrick & Robinson name.
The Petherbridge Davis staff moved into the Patrick & Robinson St. Nicholas offices. Patrick & Robinson also maintains an office in Sawgrass Village in Ponte Vedra.
Orange Park Mall appoints marketing director
Simon Property Group Inc. has appointed Gi Teevan as director of marketing and business development at the Orange Park Mall in Orange Park. She previously spent time as a team member at Unilever, Foremost Foods, Coca-Cola and ClubCorp as well as H&R Block.
A news release reported that while at Unilever, Teevan helped to re-launch Dove Soap, Lux Soap, Sunsilk Shampoo and Close-Up Toothpaste by planning and implementing the projects' extensive trade merchandising, as well as both trade and consumer promotions for the launches.
She also served as the director of member relations at the Plaza Club in Honolulu.
Top 10 menu trends for 2013
RestaurantNews.com reports the National Restaurant Association prepares an annual "What's Hot" culinary forecast of menu trends for the coming year. Here are the hottest trends for 2013.
Top menu trends:
• Locally sourced meats and seafood
• Locally grown produce
• Healthful kids' meals
• Environmental sustainability as a culinary theme
• Children's nutrition as a culinary theme
• New cuts of meat (such as Denver steak, pork flat iron, teres major)
• Hyperlocal sourcing (such as restaurant gardens)
• Gluten-free cuisine
• Sustainable seafood
• Whole grain items in kids' meals
Top drink trends:
• Onsite barrel-aged drinks
• Food-liquor/cocktail pairings
• Culinary cocktails (such as savory, fresh ingredients)
• Micro-distilled/artisan liquor
• Locally produced spirits
• Locally sourced fruit/berries/produce
• Beer sommeliers/cicerones
• Regional signature cocktails
• Beer-based cocktails
• Locally produced beer
Weekly conventions
Visit Jacksonville reports several events are booked this week, bringing 52 delegates to Northeast Florida. Events include:
• Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Loan Origination Essentials, today-Friday, Crowne Plaza, 28 delegates.
• University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville, Department of Pediatrics, Residency Interviews, today-Tuesday, Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Southbank, 12 delegates.
• University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville, Department of Pediatrics, Residency Interviews, Wednesday-Thursday, Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Southbank, 12 delegates.
@MathisKb
(904) 356-2466