J Magazine Summer 2018

J MAGAZINE // SPECIAL REPORT
you can have one without the other.”
Downtown Investment Authority Chair
Bailey said the DIA is not a political body but
rather was created to facilitate stewardship
of the public interest and private investors.
“It still takes someone to put it all together
for them. That’s what we’re designed to do.”
What is slowing development, he said,
is the lack of the planned annual city
appropriation of operating and project-incentive
money for the DIA. “If we’re going
to do what we’re supposed to do, we’ve got
to have funding. Now, to do anything, we
have to go back to the council for everything
we need.”
Both Curry and Davis insist that private
investors are carefully watching Downtown
progress and waiting for the right
moment to take the plunge.
“There are a number of meetings that
have happened in the last 6 months, 12
months,” Curry said, “people who are working
on doing things Downtown, working
with DIA … there is real money, new money,
playing in different spaces Downtown.
“The frustrating thing is that everybody
thinks it’s government. But we’re also
working with third parties that have to get
the design and all that right.”
“There absolutely are people waiting
to invest,” Davis said. “Once you get the
pioneers in, the others will jump in.”
Q Q Q
Young and youngish
people taking the lead
The poll’s major finding of the widespread
perception that Downtown is
improving was especially strong among
younger people.
A year ago, 39 percent of 25- to 34-yearolds
saw an improving Downtown, and
that jumped to 56 percent in the new poll.
Even more impressively, 35- to 44-yearolds
who believe Downtown is improving
increased from 28 percent in 2017 to 64
percent this year.
“There’s more to do down there,” said
“Chris,” a 25- to 34-year-old who was
surveyed.
“The overall atmosphere,” cited another
millennial. “Downtown is improving.”
“I just think it’s improved in infrastructure,
and it’s more attractive to people to
come and do things,” a 35- to 44-year-old
told the pollster.
“I think Downtown — with the attention
the Jaguars are placing on it — is getting a
second look among some millennials,” said
Michael Corrigan, UNF political science
VOICES
Here’s what several 25- to 44-year-olds who
were polled had to say about Downtown:
“I just think it’s improved in
infrastructure, and it’s
more attractive to people
to come and do things.”
“There’s more to do
down there.”
“New bars and restaurants
and the Jaguars are bringing
more people Downtown.
The events and concerts
are making it better too.”
“Downtown seems a lot cleaner.
I see subtle differences.”
professor whose class studied millennials
and downtowns. “Also I wonder if places
like San Marco and Brooklyn are considered
Downtown by some poll respondents
— because Brooklyn has become so active.
Finally, the DIA and mayor’s attention to
Downtown probably help as well.”
(Both Brooklyn and the Northbank area
of San Marco officially are part of Downtown.)
In what should be good news for
retailers eyeing Downtown as a market,
the poll showed substantial increases in
positive views among people with higher
incomes and more education. While a
smaller percent of low-income people
saw Downtown as improving, there were
double-digit increases in the percentages
of higher-income people seeing improvement.
For example, last year, 49 percent of
those saying they make $75,000 to $100,000
declared Downtown improving; the new
poll said 61 percent see improvement.
The research also found modest but
significant increases in the frequency of
people going Downtown for leisure or entertainment
reasons — particularly among
young people. Thirty-seven percent of
25- to 34-year-olds said they go Downtown
to play about once a month — double the
percentage of a year ago. Among all Duval
respondents, two-thirds say they go Downtown
for fun sometimes, and one-third go
monthly or more often.
Q Q Q
So what’s the holdup?
Still, it’s important to consider the views
of the people who just aren’t seeing an
improving city center.
Among the 13 percent who think
Downtown is getting worse was this 45- to
54-year-old from Clay County: “I don’t
know about local politics to have a strong
opinion. It just seems like we’ve had a lot of
promises of improved development Downtown
that never happen.”
If just that last statement were put out
to a poll, it likely would get strong support.
Downtown revitalization is a goal of long
standing, often promised but not delivered
... that is, yet.
The clear conclusion of the leadership
cover package in this first-anniversary issue
of J is that, at last, all the essential pieces
seem to be coming together. The mayor and
City Council leaders swear they’re over their
distracting bickering, Mayor Curry says convincingly
that he’s refocused on Downtown,
other leaders like Shad Khan are already on
board, and JAX Chamber says the private
investment is ready to jump in.
The J poll shows the people are ready
and willing and even optimistic — if a little
frustrated they’re not already enjoying
themselves in an energized Downtown.
Frank Denton is editor of J magazine.
He lives in Riverside.
“There absolutely are people waiting
to invest [Downtown]. Once you get the
pioneers in, the others will jump in.”
DANIEL DAVIS
JAX CHAMBER CEO
42
J MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2018