Smart Planning Leads to Renewal in Downtown Jacksonville
business, growth, invigorate, real estate, renewal, restoration, riverwalk crossing park, train station,
Jacksonville has always been special. But a recent initiative to invigorate the downtown area is creating legions of new fans.
Mike Barkovich‚ a real estate broker who moved back to his hometown of Jacksonville five years ago‚ says it’s a combination of the area’s beauty and the unique nature of the residents that pulled him back.
“People want to make friends with you here‚” says Barkovich‚ who attended school in Onslow County in the late 1960s.
The area’s charm worked on Dennis and Eileen James‚ too. But it was more than just fond feelings that enticed the couple to open their homey gift store‚ Southern Comforts‚ in a yellow Victorian just two blocks from downtown. It was the vision of a renaissance outlined by a group called BOLD – Bettering Our Local Downtown.
“Our leaders spearheaded a master plan and have stuck by it‚” says Dennis James‚ who opened the business eight years ago. “We have better streets‚ a new park‚ and retail outlets are really opening up.”
The “passionate love” Rosie Jones felt for Onslow County became a professional commitment when she accepted a position as executive director of BOLD in 1997.
The downtown area had been virtually deserted‚ but Jones and other local leaders saw a diamond in the rough. They felt strongly that without a vital central economic and residential district‚ the community and county would only become more fragmented.
Expert city planners and architects were brought in to work with the community to get input on creating just what they wanted – a vibrant downtown business area. Slowly but surely‚ zoning laws were altered‚ grants were secured‚ and the local government came on board with funds‚ too. In late November 2001‚ one of the first key projects was unveiled – the Riverwalk Crossing Park.
“It was just a piece of dirt‚” Jones says of the original site. “Now it is completely sodded and has 74 beautiful street lamps‚ red brick sidewalks and 40 park benches. It’s the first public improvement in the area in decades.”
Having downtown waterfront property is an asset that was overlooked for years‚ Jones says. The once-polluted New River is now cleaned up and considered a jewel in the city’s crown.
According to Jones‚ the next project is creation of a downtown civic center that will function as a hotel and convention center. A feasibility study has been completed and interest is being generated from hotel giants like Marriott and Hilton. In addition‚ a major real estate development company from Chicago – Mesirow and Stein – is interested in adopting the overall project. The firm is responsible for the development of major convention centers and athletic fields all over the country‚ including Chicago’s McCormick Place.
Another upcoming project is the adaptation of an inactive water treatment plant downtown into an education and tourist facility. Jones envisions an aquarium‚ but warns that the transformation will take more time and patience.
“We don’t want to just bulldoze anything for development’s sake‚” says Jones. “We definitely want an adaptive reuse for what we already have.”
As county residents become accustomed to coming back downtown for culture and commerce‚ there’s a positive ripple effect for all residents. The real estate market is a case in point.
“We are exploding‚” says Barkovich‚ a real estate broker with CRI Properties in Jacksonville. “The housing market is really excellent right now. It’s especially good for investors.”
Buyers are especially interested in rental properties for use by Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune and at the Marine Corps Air Station New River‚ both in Onslow County. The Marines and their families make up one-fourth of the county’s population. Commercial real estate opportunities are also sought after‚ Barkovich says.
An average of 1.5 new homes are built in the county every day. The Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service has 800 to 1‚200 residences listed for sale at any given time. Homes range from $50‚000 to more than $300‚000‚ with the median price for a home in Onslow County coming in at just over $100‚000.
The building and development boom is adding millions of dollars to the county’s tax base‚ virtually ensuring that the revitalization of the downtown cultural hub will continue.
“It’s really working‚” says Dennis James. “People just needed to begin to see the vision come true.”
