Downtown Jacksonville Development

Has anyone been watching what is going on in Jacksonville's downtown? We have the shipyards that are popping up soon. http://www.shipyards.cc/ We have Springfield's downtown development. http://www.srghomes.com/ http://www.urbanjacksonville.info/ http://www.sparcouncil.org/ Cameron Kuhn is doing a lot of rehabilitation to downtown Jacksonville's skyscrapers. http://www.downtownjacksonville.org/ It's growing! But as a downtown Jacksonville native, it is NOT growing fast enough! In the past two and a half years I have seen leaps and bounds as far as the reduction of crime, but as far as new retail, restaurants, bars...not so much. We DID just get a Starbucks. Does that mean we are growing? Yippie we have a Starbucks! I also saw this article posted...

06/04/2007

Downtown Named Best Retail Development Opportunity

With all the buzz about Downtown retail generated from discussions by the Downtown Committee Retail Task Force and the recent openings of Downtown venues including Shelby's, Chew, Einstein Bros. Bagels, it's easy to see that Downtown Jacksonville's retail market is picking up speed.

Well, we aren't the only ones who've noticed. Downtown Jacksonville was recently named the Best Downtown Retail Development Opportunity by Retail Traffic magazine. Along with other cities including Las Vegas and Brooklyn, Downtown Jacksonville was highlighted in the May issue of the magazine, and was described as "a city to be reckoned with."

Here is the link to the Retail Traffic reference... http://www.downtownjacksonville.org/pdf/Retail.pdf

After a little research based on my PREVIOUS post about Jacksonville being the next MEGA market...maybe it will be...maybe. I HOPE so! I have gone through the good, the bad and the ugly acting as an "Urban Pioneer". My neighborhood wasn't always so bright and cheerful! It's phenominal now and there is no better place to live in Jacksonville hands down. I will continue to press on and wait for this MEGA change and Jacksonville's MEGA up and coming market. Any more information would be appreciated!