On a recommended focus for the Downtown Investment Authority: “We agree with authority board members Oliver Barakat and Jim Bailey that precious resources should be focused on the core of Downtown. Until a critical mass of redeveloped buildings and storefronts is achieved in a concentrated area, there will not be the spark necessary to attract other businesses and carry the process forward. Common sense says the area that’s best suited to light that spark is the core of Downtown on the Northbank, the historical heart of the city of Jacksonville.”
– John Burr, Editor-Jacksonville Business Journal
Read the full story: “Editorial: Great news,” published April 9, 2013.
This recommendation parallels a key principle in both DVI’s White Paper: “Turning the Corner: Rethinking & Remaking Downtown” and the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge Grant – Jacksonville Final Report. “Focusing on the core,” or the walkable center of Downtown, if done properly, will create a viable and sustainable city center and a model for revitalizing the rest of Downtown.