Daily Record Financial News &
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Vol. 102, No. 119 • One Section
Desires for ‘Elbow’: Trolley and food trucks
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Urban living in Riverside
Bar owners would like to extend hours
People who come Downtown for nightlife along and near East Bay Street have a lot of ideas on how to make the experience better. Friendly staff, quality drinks and information from venues about specials and entertainment make the list. So do food trucks, a trolley connecting nearby neighborhoods and a more open environment for pedestrians who’d like to imbibe. That’s according to a survey of nearly 700 people, conducted April 4-20 by Downtown Vision. The data is being used to develop a program to increase business at nightlife venues. The results of the survey are being shared with club owners in “The Elbow,” an entertainment district from East Bay and Liberty Street west to Ocean Street, then north to East Forsyth Street. Along the way are lounges, live music clubs and restaurants, plus the Florida Theatre. A key element of a campaign to stimulate nightlife in the area is to build a Thursday night bar crowd to add to the existing business on Friday and Saturday nights. That could be a good plan, said Mark Hemphill. He opened Mark’s Downtown Club & Lounge at 315 E. Bay Street in February 2006. He also owns Dive Bar, a few doors east along Bay Street. Mark’s is open 4-10 p.m. Monday, 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Tuesday-Friday, 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday and is closed on Sunday. Dive Bar is open 8 p.m.-2 a.m. every day. “Thursdays are a tough day to get people out,” he said. “We rely on Friday and Saturday night and happy hour.” Among those surveyed, 91 percent said food trucks would make The Elbow more enjoyable. Lining the trucks along the street and setting up tables and chairs on the lawn in Elbow... Continued
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Photos by Carole Hawkins
By Max Marbut Staff Writer
220 Riverside’s studio apartments deliver luxury in an economy of space, with full-size appliances, a bedroom separated by a partial wall and sliding barn doors. The first 26 apartments will be released to residents Monday.
First residents moving in 220 Riverside on Monday By Carole Hawkins Staff Writer
Gathering spaces are what 220 Riverside officials say sets the complex apart from its peers in luxury apartments. This rooftop saltwater pool includes two outdoor kitchens with stainless grills.
Connected. Urban. It’s the feeling you get from looking through 220 Riverside’s floor-to-ceiling windows to a grassy events plaza and a city beyond. From the soon-to-be-filled retail spaces on the first-floor and the bicycle racks, grocery store and Skyway station nearby. From a studio apartment that delivers luxury without wasting a square inch of space. After much anticipation, 220 Riverside will release its first 26 apartments to tenants Monday. Nearly 60 percent of the units in the Downtown mid-rise apartment complex have been pre-leased. Apartments will be brought online in three stages between now and fall. “We’re seeing a very diverse group of people, it’s speaking to everyone,” said Kelly Treadaway, property manager 220 Riverside... Continued
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More roads, sidewalks and drainage projects By David Chapman Staff Writer When City Council member Matt Schellenberg took office almost four years ago, one of the first things he did was find out how much money was in his district account. There was only about $7,600 for the Mandarin area, which had parks, sidewalks and drainage needs. One stormwater project, he found, was designed and ready to go — only to sit on the shelf for the past three years because, he was told, there was no money. But money was there for projects like Schellenberg’s. It just
Public
wasn’t readily apparent. After 40-plus hours of a council committee reviewing the city’s Capital Improvement Projects, there was a lot found. Projects in various states, pockets of funding in others across the city. On Tuesday, council passed a bill that moved that project forward. The result, Schellenberg said, was possible through a subcommittee’s time-intensive review. “We were able to achieve a lot,” he said, shortly after a Wednesday news conference that shared results of the committee’s efforts. Those included reconciling $590 million of projects dating back as far as 15 years, identify-
legal notices begin on page
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ing $50 million for future projects and at least $25 million that could be pushed forward for current projects. In all, more than 1,200 projects stretching back to the Better Jacksonville Plan were closed. Some were completed, some were in various states. Others needed more money after funds were diverted to fill other needs. Typos and misplaced decimal points were examples of the overall problem. “Sloppy bookkeeping” was a common term, although committee chair Lori Boyer said the group’s review shows it wasn’t done on purpose. It was just an Projects... Continued on Page A-4
Photo by David Chapman
Council findings will help fill city needs
City Council member Lori Boyer led the effort to clean up the city’s accounting issues. Behind her are council member Matt Schellenberg, left, and vice president Greg Anderson.
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