J Magazine Winter 2019

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A few bright spots: • Forsyth Street in front of the 11 E. Forsyth St. is well lit. • Some areas of Bay Street are well lit, but not the block near Jefferson Street. • The sidewalk in front of Farah & Farah on Forsyth Street has lights attached to the side of the building, which avoids the tree canopy problem. In addition, decorative lights in the trees creates a lived-in effect. Readers sound off I asked members of the Times-Union’s Email Group for their evaluations of lighting Downtown. Businessman Robert Frary wrote that he often runs Downtown before sunrise, watching the city transition from dark to dawn to daylight. Before daylight he sticks to the riverwalks, then Water, Bay, Forsyth, Broad and Liberty streets. He avoids the Hemming Park area. With poor lighting, it didn’t seem “a happy place,” he wrote. By the way, he almost never sees a police cruiser on his sunrise runs. He said the new grassy area along the riverfront on Bay Street, where the old city hall and courthouse used to be, is dimly lit. If this is going to be an Innovation Corridor, the city can start by turning on the lights. Fern Malowitz wrote that if Downtown is a real neighborhood, then lighting is vital. “If we have adequate street lighting we might feel more confident to stroll around our neighborhood. I am often up quite early in the mornings. I’d rather walk in my neighborhood than drive to the gym, but if I cannot see the road why take the risk?” Bonnie Hayflick wrote that there can’t be too much lighting Downtown. The sidewalk along Bay Street near Maxwell House is uncomfortably dark, she wrote. Solutions The city and JEA have been replacing old lights with new LED versions and adding new lights. A JEA spokeswoman said the new lights will last longer and are brighter, but you will be hard-pressed to see the difference. In early 2016, JEA began converting all existing streetlights Downtown to LEDs. At last count in September, 8,584 streetlights had been converted, and there are 2,009 left. This project should be completed by April, 2020. Also, 176 new streetlights have been installed (169 decorative acorn lights and seven cobra head lights). There are 22 locations remaining. This project should be complete by the end of this calendar year. Downtown Vision has a major lighting project along Laura Street for the holidays that will continue year-round. Trees are lit with lights that both illuminate and decorate, said Jake Gordon, CEO of Downtown Vision. That project will cost more than $90,000 annually. Retail nodes Downtown — Laura-Hogan and the Elbow — need to be well lit all the way to major parking areas. Lighting design needs to be improved. Teardrop lights that focus downward do a better job for walkers and bicyclists. Where there are trees, lights need to be placed low enough that the limbs don’t block them. Lights placed along the sides of buildings or even near the pavement are ideal. It’s really just common sense. You don’t need to be a lighting engineer to tell if it’s dark or not. Until Downtown has good lighting, it will continue to feel unsafe. MIKE CLARK is Editorial Page Editor of The Florida Times-Union and Editor of J. He has been a reporter and editor for the Jacksonville newspapers since 1973. He lives in Nocatee. ge MAKE BETTER HEALTH A PERK. Good health is good for business. We make it easy for you. • Corporate Wellness Programs • Special Membership Rates for Employees • First Coast Games Corporate Challenge • Volunteer Opportunities • And more! FREE, SELF-GUIDED TOUR | 5-9 P.M. Explore Downtown’s museums and theatres, shops, murals, restaurants and bars on the first Wednesday of the month. For more information, contact: Debra DeMars, Associate VP of Membership E ddemars@fcymca.org P 904.265.1822 FCYMCA.org PRODUCED BY ILOVEARTWALK.COM DOWNTOWNJACKSONVILLEARTWALK 76 J MAGAZINE | WINTER 2019 JV-0003234869-01
E V E N T S MAGAZINE J MAGAZINE INTRODUCES J EVENTS! Times Union-Media and J Magazine will host J Events in Downtown Jacksonville in conjunction with the quarterly publication. The events will bring area business leaders, downtown advocates, city officials, and residents together as we continue to chronicle the rebirth of Downtown Jacksonville. Momentum is building in downtown as passionate city leaders, urban core advocates and an influx of private investors focus on the remarkable opportunities in Jacksonville. Find out how to become a J Magazine Event sponsor today! (904) 359-4454 JAXEVENTS@JACKSONVILLE.COM JMAGAZINE.ONLINE TIMESUNIONMEDIA.COM/EVENTS
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