Fun and Functional: Activation Plan for Jacksonville's Riverfront

FUN AND FUNCTIONAL Activation Plan for Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront

TABLE OF CONTENTS 01

INTRODUCTIONS

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PART I - PROCESS & RESEARCH 02

EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES

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PROJECT OVERVIEW

3.1 Why an Activation Plan for Jacksonville?

3.2 What Does this Activation Plan Include?

3.3 Project Boundaries

3.4 Process

3.5 Project Team

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A VISION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT

4.1 Investing in People

4.2 The Historic Function of Rivers

4.3 Jacksonville’s Riverfront of the Past

4.4 African American Communities and the River

4.5 An Active Riverfront of Tomorrow

4.6 People First

4.7 At the Intersection of Fun and Functional

4.8 The Time to Act is Now

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PEOPLE

5.1 Jaxsons Today and Tomorrow

5.2 Visiting the Downtown Riverfront Today

5.3 Usage of The Riverfront Today

5.4 Future Activities on the Riverfront

5.5 A Riverfront for All

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41

BENCHMARK HIGHLIGHTS

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6.1 Waterfront Cities Included in Full Report

6.2 Case Study Criteria

6.3 Lessons for Jacksonville (Highlights)

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THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR ACTIVATION

7.1 The Value of a Public Realm for All

7.2 The Opportunity for Jacksonville

7.3 The Case for Investing in the Downtown Riverfront

7.4 Seizing the Moment

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SOCIAL, CULTURAL & PUBLIC REALM PRINCIPLES 2

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PART II - ACTIVATION PLAN 09

PROGRAM FRAMEWORK

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9.1 Bridging Communities through Side-by-Side Programming

9.2 Social and Cultural Spine

9.3 Program Verticals

9.4 Weather and Year-Round Activation

9.5 Connecting Signature Downtown Riverfront Parks

9.6 Two-Year Riverfront Themes

9.7 Weekday Program Series

9.8 Riverfront Communication

9.9 Active Citizenship & Community Ownership

9.10 Placemaking Tools

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DESIGN

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10.1 Poised for Activation

10.2 Active & Flexible

10.3 Thickening the Riverwalk

10.4 Activation Toolkit

10.5 Walk

10.6 Cues

10.7 Mobile Units

10.8 Pockets

10.9 Hubs

10.10 Activation Toolkit Maps

PART III - IMPLEMENTATION 11

IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS

11.1 The First Act

11.2 Critical Partnership & Adjacencies

11.3 Resilience

11.4 Scenario 1: Concentrated Phasing

11.5 Scenario 2: Dispersed Phasing

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175

GOVERNANCE AND FUNDING

12.1 Governance

12.2 Funding

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13

IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS

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CHAPTER REFERENCES

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ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

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15.1 Shipyards Esplanade Plan

15.2 Existing Conditions & Connectivity

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APPENDIX

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LETTER FROM MARI KURAISHI “Jacksonville is the city of neighborhoods, but the Riverfront could become Jacksonville’s Neighborhood for All” - Shared by community member during stakeholder meeting

The Activation Plan for Downtown Jacksonville’s Riverfront that you see before you is the result of hundreds of hours of conversation over the past nine months with thousands of stakeholders from across Jacksonville’s neighborhoods.

For the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, facilitating a process exploring the potential of the Downtown Riverfront is core to our mission and hopes for our city. The duPont Fund focuses on creating inclusive places where every resident or visitor feels they belong. We believe the Downtown Riverfront and other public spaces have the potential to become the Riverfront for all in Duval County, perhaps even for neighboring counties in Northeast Florida.

We are grateful to the many individuals, companies, and nonprofit organizations whose time and expertise helped make this Plan actionable and realistic. Among them, Groundwork Jacksonville, Riverfront Parks Now, and our three stakeholder groups—the Task Force , Activation Coalition, and NextGen group—helped lead this process. We are also grateful to the Downtown Investment Authority, City of Jacksonville Department of Parks and Recreation, and other civic groups who have engaged in continuous conversation throughout the process.

Revitalizing the Downtown Riverfront has been the focus of many reports and initiatives over the years with varying levels of subsequent action and some hard-fought successes. This Activation Plan builds on the lessons learned from those efforts. The public input to this process demonstrated the appetite for real progress, and we believe that input, coupled with this comprehensive Activation Plan and the coordinated effort between communities, the City, and local businesses can catalyze near- and long-term progress for Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront.

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Our work is designed to integrate with other crucial projects including but not limited to the Riverfront Design Guidelines (2019) by SWA, the Riverfront Plaza winning design proposal from Perkins&Will, multiple proposals for the Shipyards Property, AIA Jacksonville’s Vision for the Riverfront, and the Emerald Trail Master Plan led

by Groundwork Jacksonville, which will be essential in connecting neighborhoods throughout the city and to the River.

We hope you will find a portion of this Plan that particularly resonates with you. And, when that happens, we ask that you continue the journey toward a vibrant active Riverfront for Jacksonville by championing those recommendations. Have conversations with friends, neighbors, and your elected and appointed leaders. Share your thoughts with us online. Visit the Riverfront now and in the future. Continue to lend your voice to this important conversation as we work together to build a vibrant waterfront for all, by all.

Sincerely,

Mari Kuraishi, President of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund July 2022

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LETTER FROM DAVID VAN DER LEER

Great public spaces can make a city great. Through activation and good design, these spaces improve community health and wellbeing. Strengthening social ties and community ownership attracts tourists, business development, and generally improves the quality of life for residents overall.

Jacksonville deserves great public spaces. A people-first approach that enhances the human connection to green space can create just that. Research shows that green space has numerous health benefits, can lower crime, and create higher productivity. With its lush natural environment, Jacksonville already has the potential to greatly improve quality of life for all residents by designing and activating great public spaces on the Riverfront.

The future of public space will require a hyper-flexible approach that accomodates changing environments throughout the year. Public spaces and programs should provide for hybrid solutions that are green, fun, and functional, and can bring people together from all walks of life.

Throughout the past 6 months, our project team engaged in an extensive process of community and stakeholder engagement, implementing a city-wide survey, benchmarks, forecasting, and economic research to build the program framework, design toolkit, and implementation strategies. Thank you to the duPont Fund for funding this initiative and to our project partners: WXY Architecture + Urban Design (design partner), James Lima Planning + Development (governance and funding strategy partner), Groundwork Jacksonville (community partner), as well as our project collaborators Riverfront Parks Now (benchmark research partner) and Creative Urban Alchemy (community engagement advisor) for your tireless efforts.

In our time working in Jacksonville, we have come to know Jaxsons as incredibly welcoming and creative. People here share a passion for the beautiful Downtown

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Riverfront and want to see it active year-round, buzzing with life, people, activities, and opportunities for the community to come together, celebrate, and interact with nature and the vast body of water that is the St. Johns River.

With the Activation Plan that follows, we believe a crucial step has been taken toward a shared vision for Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront—one that is inclusive, exciting, unique, and works to benefit all.

Sincerely,

David van der Leer Principal of DVDL July 2022

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PART I PROCESS & RESEARCH

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ACTIVATING JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT

02 EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES

02 10

EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES

03 PROJECT OVERVIEW

has conducted extensive conversations with City agencies and one-on-one briefings with City Council members and business leaders.

Funded by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the Riverfront Study and Activation Plan was initiated to serve as a resource for the City of Jacksonville in the planning and development of the future Riverfront. Conversations began in the Winter of 2020, and the project team fully kicked off the work in April 2021, led by cultural forecasters and consultants, DVDL. The full project team includes urban planning and design firm WXY Architecture + Design, funding and place-making strategists James Lima Planning + Development (JLP+D), and local community partner Groundwork Jacksonville. Project collaborators include Riverfront Parks Now, assisting on the waterfront benchmark research, and Creative Urban Alchemy, advising on the community engagement process.

The goal of the Activation Plan is to: • bring people and energy to the Downtown Riverfront, • provide opportunities for diverse groups from around the city to participate in activities on the Riverfront, and • create an active Downtown Riverfront year-round.

The Activation Plan includes: • a framework for activities, programs, and experiences, • an activation toolkit including design interventions that will enhance the Riverwalk experience, activate underutilized spaces, and provide the facilities needed to program spaces along the Riverwalk on a daily basis, • a governance and funding analysis to provide guidance on next steps for making the plan come to life.

Throughout an nine-month period, the project team has led an extensive stakeholder engagement process, involving community input sessions, public programs, a city-wide survey, forecasting, benchmarking, and economic research. The team 11

ACTIVATING JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT

02 EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES

04 A VISION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT The goal of the Activation Plan is to create a Riverfront that is for, and by, all.

Looking at Jacksonville’s past—and riverfront cities historically—we present a vision of Jacksonville as once again having a working Riverfront. Our vision focuses on people first and plans for, and with, diverse audiences to improve health, happiness, and economic opportunity.

The Riverfront has the potential to be the City’s social, cultural, and economic spine, bringing the community together to play, learn, innovate, and celebrate. This will require community ownership of programs and spaces, as well as carefully curated activities that put unexpected experiences and groups side-by-side.

A robust, year-round program calendar can, and should, go beyond providing fun, cultural, recreational, and exercise opportunities to become a location for community resources and conveniences so users find themselves at a fun and functional Riverfront.

Project boundaries. Map by WXY.

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05 PEOPLE The Activation Plan puts the people of Jacksonville at its core. We know that many Black and Brown communities have felt disenfranchised by plans in the past and this Activation Plan intends to be inclusive, providing new opportunities for those communities in particular.

The City’s population has grown exponentially for the past 20 years, and 2020 Census data shows that much of the recent population growth is adding to racial diversity in Jacksonville. An active riverfront will be representative of this population.

Today, the Riverfront is primarily used by people relaxing, exercising, or hanging out solo or with friends and family, but the Riverwalk sees very limited activity and use. Existing institutions and entities provide great events and offerings, but the whole riverfront lacks a regular rythm of programs and activities that make people linger. One-third of survey respondents never go Downtown for activities, events, or services.

Weekend Scavenger Hunt

Sunset Yoga

Hogan’s Creek Kayaking Jacksonville Personas imagine Jaxsons from alll walks of life on a future activated Riverfront. By DVDL and WXY. 13

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02 EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES

06 BENCHMARK HIGHLIGHTS The benchmark chapter highlights key findings from the extensive full report, which is the result of a collaborative effort between DVDL and Riverfront Parks Now—a citizen-led initiative advocating for green space and parks in Jacksonville.

The research looks at waterfront projects in 20 cities around the country and from around the world. It is meant to inspire and provide lessons for Jacksonville as we collectively reimagine the future of the Downtown Riverfront.

For each of the case studies, we highlight interesting design and landscaping features, look at how parks and public spaces are activated through everyday programming, large-scale events, education, and art. We spotlight examples of interesting partnerships between institutions, public-private partnerships, and the City, and investigate how parks and public spaces are funded, managed, and maintained.

Cumberland and Riverfront Parks. Image credit: Hargreaves Jones.

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07 THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR ACTIVATION Though many people visit Jacksonville each year, the city needs strategic investment in the public realm to foster a more attractive environment for its young people, create prosperity for communities of color and other underrepresented groups, create and attract a skilled workforce, and lead technological innovation.

Public spaces have become an increasingly important part of economic development strategies for cities and regions. Investing in the experience of place—for both the existing residents and prospective ones—is one of the smartest and most prudent business strategies.

The economic research in our extensive case studies shows that quality public spaces can spur private development, improve quality of life, create good jobs for existing residents (with a focus on communities of color), attract new talent, and enhance feelings of equity and inclusion.

Chattanooga, TN, “River Front District, Chattanooga.” Image courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

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02 EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES

08 SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND PUBLIC REALM PRINCIPLES Jacksonville needs a shared set of values to guide future public space development. The Ten Principles for Jacksonville’s Public Realm were developed and refined with stakeholders, communities, and the City.

Five social and cultural principles consider how people experience public space (and how they experience it differently) and what to consider when designing for welcoming, accessible, and inclusive spaces.

Five public realm principles address critical urban design guidelines that ensure a varied, connected, and resilient waterfront experience.

Each principle is followed by a checklist that helps establish accessibility and accountability. Our goal is for these principles to guide future development on the Riverfront and beyond.

Welcoming & Accessible to All

Fun & Functional

Diversity of Audience & Experience

Flexible & Community-Driven

Promoting Well-being & Care

Social and cultural principles for Jacksonville’s Riverfront. Part of ten principles for development of public space, which also includes public realm principles. By DVDL and WXY. 16

09 PROGRAM FRAMEWORK The program framework presents a strategy for facilitating a mix of interesting programs, both fun and functional, that will take place side-by-side, creating a social and cultural spine along the Downtown Riverfront. The programming framework is meant to provide strong connections and coordination between signature parks along the Riverfront while complementing existing programs.

The framework includes recommendations for programs within five program verticals : Relaxation & Reflection; Exercise & Wellness; Culture & Creativity; Dining & Shopping; and Community & Resources.

The Plan also introduces two main organizing principles for an active riverfront: a two-year Riverfront theme as a frame for the city to come together to explore, learn, create, and celebrate; and a series of weekday programming based on themes like “Health & Wellness,” “Game Night,” “Do it Yourself on the River,” “River Rhythm,” and “First Fridays.” An active Riverfront will require active citizenship and a community ownership model.

Relaxation & Reflection

Dining & Shopping

Exercise & Wellness

Community & Resources

Program Verticals from Activation Framework. By DVDL and WXY.

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Culture & Creativity

ACTIVATING JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT

02 EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES

10 DESIGN The riverfront will be activated throughout by an eclectic mix of mobile, temporary, and permanent space-making tools that serve everyday needs, enable the facilitation of the program framework, and provide novel experiences.

The design recommendations for the Activation Plan take a holistic view of the Downtown Riverfront and propose a low-cost, implementable toolkit of strategies that can activate the riverfront in advance of—and parallel to—long-term capital investments.

Jacksonville’s activation toolkit consists of five scales and types of design interventions: Walk, Cues, Mobile Units, Pockets, and Hubs. Each category includes several elements that, together, enhance connectivity, signal place and activity, enable programming through mobile and permanent units, and recommend larger scale structures capable of accommodating multiple activities at once to become a recognizable symbol for the City.

WALKS CUES

MOBILE UNITS POCKETS

HUBS

Activation Design Toolkit. By WXY.

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11 IMPLEMENTATION The Activation Plan considers two potential rollout scenarios. The first concentrates initial investment and activation in one neighborhood. The second disperses investment and activities over time by gradually rolling out toolkit items across the entire Riverfront.

The concentrated phasing strategy would allow the public to experience one section of fully activated Riverwalk at critical mass, rather than small glimpses of activation spread thin.

The dispersed strategy would increase diversity and access. By touching multiple neighborhoods at once, it would bring some level of continuity and cohesiveness to the entire Riverfront, while rolling out a far-reaching program of activities.

In conversations with City agencies and stakeholders, there is a preference for moving forward with a dispersed phasing strategy.

Riverfront Activation Zones. By WXY.

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02 EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES

12 GOVERNANCE AND FUNDING Successful implementation of the Activation Plan requires a proactive and collaborative approach to governance, management, maintenance, and operations.

The governance analysis includes six key considerations for public, private, and non-profit stakeholders that shape a detailed governance and management plan, with case studies of projects illustrating transferable lessons.

There is concern among residents and stakeholders about a lack of maintenance and funding. Diversified funding sources are key to a successful strategy, as is leveraging the project’s broad relevance, comprehensive vision, and alignment with multiple public and private funders’ goals.

The funding strategy is focused on creating a Riverfront for all and avoiding displacement of residents from adjacent neighborhoods. Six key funding opportunities are identified to show the feasibility of funding the Activation Plan.

Downtown Jacksonville’s Northbank. Image by: Trevor Neely, via Unsplash.

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13 IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS In the next phase of the Activation Plan, the focus will be the rollout of pilot projects and setup of the toolkit framework, giving Jacksonville a sense of what a vibrant riverfront could look like in the future.

The success and implementation of the plan will rely on stakeholder and community members engaging with the plan and championing the recommendations.

We will continue conversations with City agencies, stakeholders, and businesses, helping to establish a governance model for the Riverfront and to consult on fundraising strategies. The team will continuously loop back with communities and stakeholders for updates on the process and to gain valuable feedback.

Future activation on the Southbank Riverwalk. Rendering courtesy of WXY.

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03 PROJECT OVERVIEW

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PROJECT OVERVIEW CHAPTER BY DVDL

What is an Activation Plan and why is it important for Jacksonville? What does an Activation Plan include and who does it benefit? Learn more about the goal of the plan, our process, and project partners in this chapter.

INTRODUCTION

Plan and the coordinated effort between communities, the City, and local businesses can catalyze near- and long-term progress for Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront.

Conversations about an Activation Plan for Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront began in the winter of 2020. With encouragement from the Downtown Investment Authority, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund funded the Riverfront study, convening experts to lead the community and stakeholder work as well as the development of the Activation Plan. The project team kicked off in April of 2021, with the Activation Plan presented to the public on October 19, 2021. This report concludes the first phase of the project but next steps are currently being planned (see chapter 13 “Immediate Next Steps”).

FUNDER The Riverfront activation study is funded by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, as a resource for the City of Jacksonville in the planning and development of the future Riverfront.

PROJECT PARTNERS Assembled to lead the development of an Activation Plan for Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront, the project team brings international expertise in the areas of cultural forecasting and people-focused consulting, community-centered urban planning and design, funding and governance for placemaking strategies, community engagement, and benchmark research. The partners and collaborators have been working closely with local stakeholders and communities since the beginning of the project in April of 2021.

It is important to acknowledge that revitalizing the Downtown Riverfront has been the focus of many reports and initiatives over the years with varying levels of subsequent action and some hard-fought successes.

This Activation Plan builds on the lessons learned from those efforts. The public input to this process demonstrated the appetite for real progress, and we believe that input, coupled with this comprehensive Activation 23

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03 PROJECT OVERVIEW

3.1 WHY AN ACTIVATION PLAN FOR JACKSONVILLE?

3.2 WHAT DOES THIS ACTIVATION PLAN INCLUDE?

Great public spaces require more than just big design and big budgets. An ideal public space is vibrant, used in a variety of ways, and activated by the energetic buzz of people. It takes work to imbue a space with that kind of human energy. When done right, vibrant public spaces can benefit individuals, communities, businesses, and entire cities.

This plan offers a framework for activities, programs, experiences, and sightings, creating an active Riverfront year-round.

Program ideas focus on categories like sports, mental and physical health, well-being, culture, green spaces for hanging out, community events, and resources. The plan includes a robust program calendar that will ensure regular, accessible programming, not just for Downtown residents, but for visitors and people across the city.

Rather than proposing a full park design, this Activation Plan is focused on bringing people and energy to the Downtown Riverfront, providing opportunities for diverse groups from around the city to participate and experience the beauty of the St. Johns River both on, and along, the water.

The program framework is supported by an activation toolkit, including smaller-scale design interventions that will enhance the Riverwalk experience, activate underutilized spaces, and, most importantly, provide the facilities needed to program spaces along the Riverwalk daily.

The Activation Plan will be important in creating immediate energy on the Downtown Riverfront and connecting and coordinating activities across signature Riverfront Parks Downtown (e.g., Memorial Park, Corkscrew Park, Riverfront Plaza, Friendship Fountain, and Metropolitan park as well as new park developments). It is also a proven strategy for piloting and testing programs and designs that can be scaled in the future. However, the project team strongly believes that the City will need to develop a substantial budget for improvements on the Riverfront to create better, more resilient parks and public spaces concurrent to the Activation Plan.

Our plan lays out a program strategy for how activities can be implemented, sustained, and grown over a 5 to 10-year period and well into the future.

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3.3 PROJECT BOUNDARIES The Activation Plan takes a holistic view of the Downtown Riverfront, looking at spaces on, and adjacent to, the current and planned extension of the Riverwalk on both the North- and Southbank.

Project boundaries overlap with the Downtown Investment Authority’s Downtown boundary but extends further to the west on the Northbank to include Memorial Park since this is considered an important location for Downtown Riverfront activation and an opportunity for future expansion of the Riverwalk. The project boundaries run from Memorial Park (west) to Metropolitan Park (east) on the Northbank, and the tip of the Downtown area on the Southbank from the area in front of Nemours Children’s Health (west) to the proposed River’s Edge area (east).

It is important to note that we view the Activation Plan as scalable. With the potential to grow well beyond the current project boundaries, it can spread to public spaces and underutilized in-between pockets around the City.

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03 PROJECT OVERVIEW

3.4 PROCESS The recommendations presented in this report are guided by extensive conversations with community members, stakeholders, City agencies, and one-on-one briefings with council members and business leaders (see an overview of our process in Appendix 2).

For the Riverfront to truly be a place for, and by, all, residents, civic groups, non-profits, business leaders, and politicians need to be fundamentally engaged with the work of improving the Downtown Riverfront.

brainstorm exercises, pre-presentations, and one-on-one meetings, and will continue to engage with the three groups in the next phase of the work.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Led by our community partner, Groundwork Jacksonville—in tandem with their work on the Emerald Trail Master Plan—we have engaged communities, particularly in the urban core neighborhoods, to envision a Riverfront that is welcoming, inclusive, and relevant for diverse audiences. Community engagement activities include fun public programs like boat and walking tours, community events and pop-ups, and targeted interactive community meetings focused on learning the hopes and dreams of residents for a future Riverfront.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Three Riverfront Activation stakeholder groups, representing 51 organizations and businesses across the city, convened to provide insights and feedback throughout the process.

Additional key community input came from the Downtown Public Space Survey, completed by more than 3,000 respondents from across the city. The survey provides critical input on how people use the Riverfront today, perception of Downtown public spaces, mobility, and what Jaxsons would like to see and do on the Riverfront in the future. View our full public input summary report here.

The first group is a Taskforce representing political, non-profit, financial, and real estate interests in the city, with a focus on providing input on the execution of the plan. The next, is an Activation Coalition of local businesses, organizations, and non-profits in arts, culture, food, education, and healthcare; and the third is a group of Next Generation stakeholders, representing young voices in the field of art, activism, media, and hospitality. The Coalition and NextGen groups have specifically contributed input on program ideas, collaborations, and how to ensure that the Riverfront is relevant for generations to come (see stakeholder groups in Appendix 3). We have worked closely with the stakeholders through sessions ranging from ideation, to

FORECASTING & BENCHMARK RESEARCH In parallel with the community and stakeholder engagement process, extensive research was conducted on benchmarking other waterfront cities as well as forecasting research on where the future of public 26

NextGen stakeholder group workshopping Social, Cultural, and Public Realm Principles during workshop in June, 2021, in Jacksonville. Image by DVDL

Activating Jacksonville’s Riverfront boat tours led by Groundwork Jacksonville. Image by Groundwork Jacksonville

space is heading (see highlights from our benchmark research in Chapter 6). As part of that research, we engaged WJCT to invite guest speakers onto Melissa Ross’s First Coast Connect radio hour every month to discuss topics related to health, community engagement, public process, funding, art, culture, and ecology (see list of guests and topics in Appendix 4).

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03 PROJECT OVERVIEW

JESSIE BALL DUPONT FUND - FUNDER The Jessie Ball duPont Fund is a private foundation that works to expand access to opportunity and create inclusive growth for the people, organizations, and communities that Jessie Ball duPont knew and loved.

The duPont Fund envisions a world in which every member of those communities is engaged in shaping the future of their community. The Fund’s work focuses on placemaking to build stronger communities, where all voices are heard and valued, as well as increasing equitable access to opportunities and resources for members of society who have historically been excluded.

3.5 PROJECT PARTNERS DVDL - ACTIVATION PARTNER AND PROJECT LEAD DVDL is an agency of innovators and strategists working at the intersection of cultural analysis and human behavior. The agency works with institutions, government agencies, corporations, and individuals to reinvent the institutions of yesterday and build the most inspirational public spaces and institutions of tomorrow. DVDL advises clients on how to become increasingly agile through future-proofing strategies that can be implemented today to better navigate what tomorrow brings.

WXY ARCHITECTURE + URBAN DESIGN DESIGN PARTNER W X Y is an award-winning multi-disciplinary practice, specializing in the realization of urban design, planning, and architectural solutions in challenging contexts.

Focused on innovative approaches to public space, structures, and urban issues, the firm’s work engages site-specific design and planning at multiple scales. The firm’s commissions are in collaboration with community-based, public authority, and private clients.

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JLP+D - GOVERNANCE & FUNDING STRATEGY PARTNER James Lima Planning + Development have spent more than a decade guiding cities, counties, and regions to create high-quality, high-impact places and spaces.

JLP+D are experts in the economics of placemaking.

Focused on demonstrating the value of innovation, they strive to align the interests of communities, governments, institutions, developers, and businesses, and structure public-private partnerships to drive positive change, improve quality of life, create good jobs, enhance equity, and strengthen each place’s competitiveness.

GROUNDWORK JACKSONVILLE COMMUNITY PARTNER Groundwork Jacksonville is the city’s nonprofit partner, specifically created to clean and redevelop Hogans and McCoys creeks and convert contaminated land into parks, playgrounds, trails, and other public spaces.

Groundwork intends to build the “emerald necklace” of trails, parks, creeks, and greenspace encircling the urban core envisioned by famed architect Henry Klutho in the early 20th Century. Groundwork Jacksonville is one of 21 such trusts across the country, the only Groundwork trust in Florida, and the first in the Southeastern United States.

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PROJECT COLLABORATORS RIVERFRONT PARKS NOW - BENCHMARK RESEARCH PARTNER Riverfront Parks Now is a citizen-led initiative advocating for green space, parks, and great public spaces on Jacksonville’s Riverfront. The group consists of representatives from non-profit organizations including American Institute of Architects Jacksonville Chapter, Duval Audubon Society, ElderSource, First Coast Freethought Society, Garden Club of Jacksonville, Greenscape, Ixia Chapter—Florida Native Plant Society, Jacksonville Urban League, Late Bloomers Garden Club, League of Women Voters, Memorial Park Association, Scenic Jacksonville, Sierra Club of Northeast Florida, and the St. Johns Riverkeeper.

CREATIVE URBAN ALCHEMY COMMUNITY ADVISOR Ifeoma Ebo, Founder and Principal of Creative Urban Alchemy, is an experienced Urban Designer & Strategist with a proven track record in transforming public spaces into platforms for equity and design excellence.

Consulting services include public speaking and event moderation, contributing to the crafting of urban design frameworks and placemaking approaches, and advising on participatory design/community engagement methodologies and housing/neighborhood planning strategies. Ifeoma has a strong focus on centering equity and justice in the design and planning of urban spaces.

She is a member of the Dark Matter University network and a founding member of the BlackSpace Urbanist Collective.

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04 A VISION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT

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A VISION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT CHAPTER BY DVDL

4.1 INVESTING IN PEOPLE

Historically, rivers have played an essential role in sustaining cities. From growing crops, to irrigation, farming, hygiene, efficient transportation on water, manufacturing of goods, creation of world wonders, and providing natural vegetation that generates cooling, shade, and resilience in the event of flooding, rivers provide the basis for growth and development of urban life. The river is also, historically, where people have come together—to harvest, clean their clothes, conduct trade, hold religious ceremonies, celebrate traditions, and customs. It has for centuries been the place for bridging communities (From Ancient Egypt to modernity, why were cities built near rivers?

2020).

It is likely not surprising to most Jaxsons, but we firmly believe that the green spaces and public realm along Jacksonville’s Riverfront need investment. In this report, we lay out the economic case for an active Riverfront, showing how financial investments spur new development, improve quality of life, create good jobs for existing residents, attract new businesses and workers, and enhance equity and inclusion (learn more in Chapter 7). Investing in public spaces is every bit as important from a human impact and well-being perspective as from a financial one. An active Riverfront requires a peoplefirst approach.

4.2 THE HISTORIC FUNCTION OF RIVERS

4.3 JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT OF THE PAST

Rivers have had an incredible impact on the development of cities from the earliest civilizations, but, in some cities today, the implicit potential of the river has been disregarded or overlooked. Many cities have prioritized their riverfronts as focal points—and even centerpieces—of urban life, but Jacksonville is not one of them.

The native Timucuan tribe lived along the St. Johns River for more than ten thousand years, sustained by its abundant natural resources, long before the area was settled by the Spanish—and later the British—and became the City of Jacksonville in 1822. The Timucuan Indians had many names for the 33

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04 A VISION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT

river and it is recorded that the narrow St. Johns crossing, today’s Downtown area, was named “the place of cow crossing”—the logical place for crossing the river (History of St. Johns River).

potential for an active riverfront that benefits the public.

Like many urban waterfronts, Jacksonville’s Riverfront has experienced a slow transformation from a low-lying estuarial marshland to an industrial working waterfront and, now, to a commercial and mixed-use destination.

Jacksonville has a deep, important history of African American culture. The city is home to the largest concentration of Gullah Geechee descendants in the country, a federally-recognized group descended of formerly enslaved Black people living along the Southeast Atlantic cost. Following the Great Fire of 1901, Jacksonville became a hub for Black people in the South and a place to find jobs and economic opportunity. However, as the city grew, the Black population was confined to certain neighborhoods (LaVilla, Brooklyn, and Eastside) while other parts of the city developed as white neighborhoods (Downtown, Springfield, and Brentwood) (Harlem of the South: The History of LaVilla, 2021).

4.4 AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND THE RIVER

As a working Riverfront for more than 140 years starting in the 1850s, main activity was centered around Jacksonville’s Shipyard area. This was home to one of the largest shipbuilding operations on the East Coast.

The Jacksonville Shipyards, Inc. (JSI) was one of Jacksonville’s largest employers for decades and a dominant feature of the downtown scene and Riverfront. After a decline in the 1980s, the Shipbuilding operation permanently closed in 1992 and the site has been the focus of many plans and proposals, but is yet to find its new use (The Different Faces of the Jacksonville Shipyards, 2015).

Historically black neighborhoods like Springfield, Eastside (Out East), Brooklyn, and LaVilla all had strong connections to the river but the City’s mid-twentieth-century’s public planning tendencies, focused on dividing and breaking up the connection from adjacent, increasingly minority-dominated communities, have negatively impacted many African American neighborhoods in Jacksonville (How exclusionary zoning shaped Jacksonville’s Black communities).

In the process of transformation, the Riverfront has witnessed periods of commercial development like the original Jacksonville Landing, the development of some new parks and open spaces, and a slow increase in the overall amount of connectivity and infrastructure along the water. Nonetheless, much improvement is needed on the Riverfront today to unlock the

Understanding the underlying racial disparity

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in Jacksonville requires going back further to the legacy of redlining and how it is shaping Jacksonville’s Black communities to this day. Taking place in cities across the US during the Jim Crow era, redlining is the pattern of discriminatory policies that pushed development away from majority Blackneighborhoods and into white parts of the city. In Jacksonville, industry and contaminated sites were pushed into Black neighborhoods and continue to create environmental hazards for residents today. Where Jaxsons live today impacts the quality of schools, health, relationship with police, and the ability to create generational wealth.

picnic, enjoy community celebrations like Jacksonville Jazz Fest and the World of Nations Celebration. Kids Kampus, a 10-acre facility next to Metropolitan park included soccer fields, picnic shelters, playgrounds, and a seasonal water park and was a popular destination for families across the city but especially served important health, cultural, and social functions for Eastside residents.

Both the former Landing site (today Riverfront Plaza) and Metropolitan Park have new park developments coming in 2022 to reinvigorate these sites for the benefit of residents and visitors.

In a more recent past, African American communities have relied on areas along the Downtown Riverfront as important places for leisure, shopping, and spending time with family and friends. It is well-known that the former Jacksonville Landing, a festival marketplace and shopping center that hosted week-long celebrations, community choirs, and national performances, was widely popular among Black communities.

The center quickly lacked foot traffic and vendors began shutting their doors.

Needless to say, the Landing came with a set of challenges, but left a void in Downtown for residents and visitors alike to come together around entertainment, food, and shopping.

To the east, Metropolitan Park has served the African American communities of the Eastside neighborhood north of the park as a place were families came together to Jacksonville Port “Unity” mural by Australian artist Guido Van Helten. Part of Art Republic’s mural program in Jacksonville.

Image by: DB’s travels, via Creative Commons 35

ACTIVATING JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT

04 A VISION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT

4.5 AN ACTIVE RIVERFRONT OF TOMORROW

4.6 PEOPLE FIRST Connection to nature and green space and a people-centered approach are crucial in creating an activated Riverfront that benefits all residents, visitors, and public spaces along the river.

This is an opportunity for Jacksonville to become an active working waterfront again, but, this time, one focused on more than just product production. It can be a Riverfront that works for, and with, communities from around the city, improving the health and happiness of residents and visitors, creating good jobs, and enjoy a position as the primary place for communities to gather, celebrate, reflect, and co-create.

A people-first approach requires planning for, and with, diverse audiences, an understanding of their needs and desires, a keen examination of the changing demographics of the city (see chapter 5 “People”), and a sensitivity to the major challenges that the City must address in the coming decades related to health, mobility, food insecurity, segregation, and housing. With a good activation plan, we believe the Riverfront can improve health, happiness, and economic opportunities for the people of Jacksonville.

Immediate small-scale programmatic and design interventions will provide economic opportunities for long-time residents and newcomers and for existing local businesses, as well as new ones.

Where the river may have divided Jacksonville in the past, now thoughtful, active, and green public spaces along the Riverfront will create new connections, building a central spine through the city, running like a social, cultural, and recreational artery.

The programming and design framework in the Activation Plan is designed to complement and connect activities across signature parks along the Downtown Riverfront and create new ways for entities to plug into larger Riverfront themes and initiatives.

Throughout our public input process , Jaxsons have expressed a strong desire to learn about nature, the unique ecological context of Jacksonville, and the river that connects the city. Existing entities, like MOSH, St. Johns Riverkeeper, Jacksonville Public Library—and new entities—can become key players in providing hands-on, outdoor ecology classroom experiences for both kids and adults on and along the river.

Throughout this study, residents have described Jacksonville as “the city of neighborhoods”, referring to the strong ties people have to their immediate communities, but also the lack of interconnectedness between neighborhoods across the city. An Active Downtown Riverfront could become Jacksonville’s Neighborhood for All.

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Image by: Adli Wahid, via Unsplash

Image by: Vonecia Carswell, via Unsplash

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04 A VISION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT

4.7 AT THE INTERSECTION OF FUN AND FUNCTIONAL

4.8 THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW Revitalizing the Downtown Riverfront has been the focus of many reports and initiatives over the years with varying levels of subsequent action and some hard-fought successes. We believe many factors point in the direction of a new start for the Downtown Riverfront. With the Activation Plan, we present a comprehensive roadmap for how to bring energy and people Downtown and create an equitable, exciting, and surprising Riverfront experience. The effort is the result of an extensive stakeholder and public input process, and coordination with City agencies, businesses, and organizations working around the city. This comprehensive and holistic approach is what we believe will be the key in catalyzing near- and long-term progress for the riverfront.

In the future, Jacksonville’s public spaces along the River will ideally bring people together and facilitate interaction between different social groups and communities. This activation plan proposes recommendations for a varied experience of fun, social, and relaxing activities that provide unexpected interactions between groups that may not otherwise meet each other. Opportunities for interaction between disparate communities is an essential part of building understanding, knowledge, and trust, which benefits cities on the whole (Design Inclusive Public Spaces to Strengthen Social Connections, 2021).

Public spaces along Jacksonville’s Riverfront can go beyond providing fun, cultural, recreational, and exercise opportunities to become a location for community resources and learning opportunities. Providing offers like bike classes (learn to ride), ecology tours, entrepreneurial meet-ups, and educational opportunities for all ages, people from all over the city could come to see the Riverfront as a reliable location for such resources, including visitors who would never have been attracted to use the Riverfront in the past.

It is encouraging to witness the energy in the city that has awakened in recent years behind improving the Downtown Riverfront.

Since we began working on this activation plan, new initiatives have been cropping up and it is important for Jacksonville to keep the momentum going. In this current moment, several factors are coming together—the state of the national economy, the mobility of people, and the desire and commitment of Jaxsons to improve quality of life in the city.

The time for Jacksonville to act for the benefit of all Jaxsons is now.

Through a mix of surprising and thoughtful programs taking place side-by-side on the Riverfront, and by implementing a feedback loop with diverse communities across the city, the Riverfront can help bridge the gaps between communities, becoming a social and cultural spine that is both fun and functional.

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05 PEOPLE

05 40

PEOPLE

CHAPTER BY DVDL At the core of the Activation Plan are the people of Jacksonville. The goal of this process and the outcome of this plan is to create an active Riverfront that is for, and by, all residents and visitors. In this chapter, we will focus on the people of Jacksonville, showcasing highlights from our Public Input process that explored what Jaxsons want to do on and along the river now and in the future.

The Census data reveals that the population growth is adding to the diversity of the city with a 76.4 percent rise in the metro area’s Hispanic population. The population is also becoming more complex racially, with about 40 percent of the Jacksonville area’s growth coming from people identifying as “two or more races,” and an additional 13 percent who identified as “some other” race (“Jacksonville area added 260,000 people as area grew more diverse,” 2021).

5.1 JAXSONS TODAY AND TOMORROW Jacksonville is the most populous city in Florida, with a population estimated at 949,611 in 2021. It is the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States.

Jacksonville’s population has grown exponentially for the past 20 years and newly released 2020 Census Data showed that the larger Jacksonville area gained 260,000 people over the past decade (U.S. Census Bureau, Jacksonville City, 2020).

Much of the population growth is driven by jobs, the city’s charm, climate, natural beauty, and low cost of living. However, as will be presented in Chapter 7 on “The Economic Case for Activation,” compared to other cities in Florida and the Southern United States, Jacksonville is lagging behind in attracting young, highly educated people, and needs strategic investments in the public realm to help achieve greater prosperity for more people. It will be important to ensure that historically marginalized communities benefit from increased prosperity achieved through the activation of the Riverfront.

Compared to the state of Florida, Jacksonville has a larger than state average Black and African American population, estimated at 31%, as well as Asian population (4.8%), and more people identifying as two or more races (3.6%). The city also has a substantial Hispanic population of (10 %), which is lower than the state average of 26.4%. The White population is estimated at 58.2%, which is lower than the statewide average (U.S. Census Bureau, Jacksonville City, 2020).

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05 PEOPLE

Source: U.S. Census Quick Facts: Jacksonville City, Florida, 2020.

In addition to a growing, more diverse population, Jacksonville—and cities across the US and the world—are seeing an increase in the aging population. This trend will impact the way we design public spaces and provide services. Activities will need to accommodate and ensure a healthy, aging population. Currently, 14.5% of the population in Duval county is 65 years and older. By 2030, it is predicted that 1 out of 3 residents will be over the age of 60 (Impact of Aging Population on Jax 2025 Plan, 2015).

Jacksonville Personas The personas in the Activation Plan are fictional characters developed to represent current and future users of the Downtown Riverfront.

Each character is shown participating in activities throughout a regular week on the future Riverfront. Their demographics, imagined behaviour, and desires are based on City-wide demographics and what we learned from the public space survey and from community and stakeholder meetings. They represent different types of residents across age, race/ ethnicity, gender, years lived in Jacksonville, and occupation. Our goal is to give a slice of life example of how users might spend time along the Riverfront in the future.

An Active Riverfront will support this diverse and growing population, and will ensure that people from all neighborhoods across the city—both current as well as future residents and visitors—can find activities, programs, events, and spaces that are inclusive, welcoming, and provide people with a sense of belonging.

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Meet Jack.

Jack is a senior citizen living in the Cathedral District.

He is a Navy retiree, anxious to get out of senior living building each day but currently unable to access the Riverfront because of mobility constraints and lack of senior-focused activities.

Monday

Tuesday

Outdoor Exercise Class

Riverfront Chess Competition

Friday Jax History Salons

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05 PEOPLE

5.2 VISITING THE DOWNTOWN RIVERFRONT TODAY

approach to bringing energy to the Riverfront, and a plan for how to create year-round activation through regularly programmed spaces. The plan will provide a much more engaging Riverfront experience connecting the North- and Southbank, and East to West, which will create opportunities for existing and new Downtown entities to plug into the program calendar and provide activities and services on the river.

Today, at the Riverfront, you’ll find some level of activity from people relaxing, walking, biking, pushing a stroller, jogging/exercising, to young people playing soccer, riding scooters, or simply hanging out throughout the day and night. However, at most hours of the day, the Riverwalk has few visitors and activities which present significant opportunities for activation of underused spaces.

The Activation Plan provides a layer of consistent programming to the Riverfront and will take place in coordination with current initiatives on and adjacent to the Riverfront that include, but are not limited to:

Because of the many businesses headquartered on or adjacent to the Riverfront, like Black Knight, Haskell, Baptist Health, VyStar, Fidelity, and CSX, you will see a variety of workers—from the office crowd to construction crews—taking in the sun and the river views. Though there is a lot to love about this area, there is much room for improvement and expansion of activities. The Downtown area has a sizable unhoused population that uses the Riverfront, Downtown parks, and other public spaces. This is a concern that was voiced by stakeholders and communities as something that should be addressed by the City with meaningful action and support services.

• Corkscrew Park: An outdoor fitness area with accessible workout equipment in the shade of the Acosta Bridge. The area is open until 7pm on most days, and often used by a younger demographic in the evening and a mixed group of ages in the morning hours. The park is visited by an average of 1,044 people each day.

• Jax River Jams: Downtown concerts happening four times a year, bringing live music to more than 6,000 residents and visitors for each concert (during COVID).

With the Activation Plan, we hope to capitalize upon what is already happening on the Jacksonville Riverfront area, but also remedy what is not working. It is important that the Activation Plan build on the foundation of existing plans, proposals, and successful events that currently draw people Downtown and provide opportunities for the community to come together. The strength of the Activation Plan is the cohesive and holistic

• Riverside Arts Market (RAM): Produced

by Riverside Avondale Preservation, Inc., this weekly market takes place under the Fuller Warren Bridge each Saturday and promotes local makers, artists, farmers, and artisans. Attracts 3,000+ visitors every week.

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• First Wednesday Art Walks: A monthly event bringing people from all over the city Downtown to celebrate the rich pool of creative talent in the city. Average attendance from between 5,000 to 10,000 before COVID.

Southbank while sipping on beverages from local establishments. This newly established program is expected to bring 500 guests to each event.

Downtown Vision runs many of the initiatives above that provide much needed programming and excitement for the Riverfront. Their staff has provided important information about running events Downtown throughout this study.

• Downtown Mural Project: Organized

by ArtRepublic as part of “Lift Every Voice” public art project taking place in Downtown and throughout neighborhoods, the city showcases an impressive mural collection, as well as films and performances highlighting the city’s multicultural identity and history.⁣

It is also important to mention that the many great institutions operating on the Riverfront today, provide free or low-cost activities to the community like the Cummer Museum (free Tuesday and Friday evenings, and first Saturdays), Garden Club of Jacksonville, YMCA, Museum of Science and History (MOSH), and the Times Union Center for the Performing Arts.

• Sip and Stroll: Modeled after Downtown Vision’s gala, this event takes place every third Thursday of the month and brings people together for a sunset stroll on the

The Riverside Arts Market (RAM) brings 3,000+ visitors to the Riverfront every Saturday. Image by: DVDL

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5.3 USAGE OF THE RIVERFRONT TODAY PUBLIC INPUT HIGHLIGHTS

• When asked about the use and perception of Downtown public spaces, over 50% of the respondents say they often or sometimes visit Southbank/ Friendship Fountain, Northbank Riverwalk, or Riverfront Plaza.

We conducted a city-wide survey on the use and desired future use of the Downtown Riverfront Public Spaces. Over 3,000 participants from a variety of demographic groups completed the survey (see survey demographics in Appendix 5) and the full summary of the input (including community and stakeholder input) can be explored here.

• Sidney J. Gefen Park, Berkman Plaza, and Corkscrew Park, as well as Metropolitan Park, were less visited, presumably in part because of a lack of daily activities in these public spaces (excluding Corkscrew Park) and some of these being unknown to Jaxsons.

From the survey we learned: • One-third of the respondents never go Downtown for activities, events, or services, which, of course, presents a big, missed opportunity.

• Most people currently use the Riverfront in the evening, and 24% of the respondents said they use the Riverfront at night-time. When exploring these numbers further, we find that teens and especially young minority visitors tend to use the Riverfront at night. This underscores the need for an Activation Plan that provides opportunities for different groups at all times of the day.

• Users travel to the Downtown Riverfront for exercise, spending time with family and friends, visiting bars and restaurants, enjoying green space, and attending sports or cultural events. However, only around 20% of people do these activities on the Riverfront often, and participants explained that offerings were very limited.

• The majority of respondents rarely or never go Downtown for services (like medical, cosmetic, hairdresser, barber), to bike, fish, picnic, kayak, or boat, and most people never go Downtown for educational, political, religious, or community events.

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Here is Marquia.

She is a teenager living with her parents in Eastside.

Thursday

She doesn’t have access to a car and rarely thinks of going to the Riverfront even through she is close by. Her time is spent on school, dance practice, and her part-time job.

Dance Class

Tuesday Resume-Building Workshop

Friday Riverfront Concert

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5.4 FUTURE ACTIVITIES ON THE RIVERFRONT - PUBLIC INPUT HIGHLIGHTS Through workshops, meetings, public programs, and the survey we have conducted many hours of conversation with community members, stakeholders, business leaders, and City officials. We asked Jaxsons what they want to be able to do on the Riverfront in the future—by themselves, with friends and family, and with the community at large. Together, we explored community concerns and needs, and how an active Riverfront could help address these in the future.

1. Jaxsons want a welcoming, accessible, inclusive, and diverse Riverfront experience where different cultures and neighborhoods are celebrated.

When are you most likely to visit the Riverfront?

75%

59% 56%

The following pages present highlights from the public input we heard across the board and particular concerns that were raised in community meetings hosted by Groundwork Jacksonville.

46% 38%

49%

36% 24%

19%

7% 0% Mor ning

Daytime

Afternoon

Evening

Night

I do not visit the downtown riverfront

[From Public Space Survey]

Riverfront needs clear “ The signage and promotion of activities and how people of all abilities can access them.

[From Community Member]

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”

2. Jaxsons want to enjoy green space, the vast beauty of the river, and interact with the water through fun activities and learning opportunities.

3. Jaxsons want great spaces for physical activity, relaxation, and access to healthy food options.

How Often Do You go to the Riverfront to Enjoy Greenspace or the Outdoors 40%

34% 30%

20%

Food from various cultures and “ with various price points can help

27%

foster inclusivity and diversity on the Riverfront.

20%

19%

[From Community Member] 10%

0%

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

[From Public Space Survey]

breathtaking beauty of the “ The river itself and how it changes throughout the day is the key to drawing people Downtown.

[From stakeholder]

” 49

”

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4. Jaxsons want to come together as a community through art, culture, and education, but also to have conversations about deeper topics like healing for communities that historically have been excluded from conversations in the city.

What do you think should be the Main Priority for the Riverfront?

40%

34% 30%

23%

20%

20%

14% 9%

10%

0%

Recreational (kayaking, sports, pools, etc.)

Cultural (museums, arts, aquariums, etc.)

Passive (shade, lawns, natural areas, etc.)

Development Event Spaces (more housing, (auditoria, concert civic uses, retail) venues, etc.)

[From Public Space Survey]

There is so much history and “unique culture in Jacksonville–we

5. Jaxsons want an exciting Riverfront with high-quality design, varied offers, and a place of which they can be proud.

should build on what we have but learn from other cities and their success.

[From Stakeholder]

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”

5.5 A RIVERFRONT FOR ALL Jacksonville’s population is growing and becoming more diverse. An active Riverfront will provide an exciting range of programs and resources that cater to this diversity. A successful Riverfront plan will ensure that different groups see themselves, their culture, and their neighborhoods represented.

Despite differences between Jacksonville’s demographic communities, we found many similarities in regard to their desires and dreams for the future Riverfront. There certainly was no limit to the programs Jaxsons were willing to dream up with us during our conversations.

In the next section of our report, we dive into the Activation Plan, providing a framework and organizing principles for Riverfront programming. The chapter on design interventions will lay out the strategy to ensure that spaces are welcoming, interesting, and can facilitate great programs.

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This is Irene.

She is the mother of two kids and lives with her family in Avondale.

Monday

Irene works at Vystar Credit Union and loves to take her kids to Corkscrew Park and to look for dolphins in the river.

Irene and her husband want to do more riverfront dining and would prefer to bike to the riverfront.

Driving Kids to MOSH

Wednesday Riverfront Scavenger Hunt

Sunday Hogan’s Creek Kayaking

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This is Bill.

He lives in Lakewood with his wife.

He is a retiree from CSX and very used to being Downtown. He and his wife love to boat. They often drive Downtown for Cowford Chophouse or the Symphony but would boat if more public docks were available.

Monday Language Class

Tuesday Bingo Night

Thursday Open Air Symphony

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06 BENCHMARK HIGHLIGHTS

06 54

BENCHMARK HIGHLIGHTS CHAPTER BY DVDL

Explore highlights from our extensive waterfront benchmarking in this chapter which is meant to inspire and provide lessons for Jacksonville as we collectively re-imagine the future of the Downtown Riverfront.

INTRODUCTION

The full research looks at waterfront projects in 20 cities around the country and from around the world.

Many great cities around the world have seen the immense impact of what a revitalized waterfront can do for a city’s economy, health, well-being of citizens, and in attracting tourists and newcomers alike. The value of great waterfront districts and public spaces, more generally, has only become more evident during COVID and should be prioritized and emphasized as we look to the future.

For each of the case studies, we highlight interesting design and landscaping features, look at how parks and public spaces are activated through everyday programming, large-scale events, education, and art. We spotlight examples of interesting partnerships between institutions, public-private partnerships, and the City, and investigate how parks and public spaces are funded, managed, and maintained.

THE REPORT This chapter presents highlights from an extensive benchmark report conducted to support the larger Activation Study for Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront (view the full report here). This report is the result of a collaborative effort between project lead, DVDL, and benchmark collaborators, Riverfront Parks Now.

We hope that this research will bring excitement and inspiration to residents, businesses, organizations, and City officials in Jacksonville, and allow for this great city to think aspirationally about the future of Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront.

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6.1 WATERFRONT CITIES INCLUDED IN FULL REPORT

6.2 CASE STUDY CRITERIA

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

• Criteria for the benchmark cities range from project size, scale, costs, geography, and climate, to design features and activation of public spaces.

Austin, TX Brooklyn, NY Buffalo, NY Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH Columbus, OH Copenhagen, Denmark Detroit, MI Houston, TX Little Rock, AR Louisville, KY Nashville, TN Pittsburgh, PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands San Diego, CA Savannah, GA St. Petersburg, FL Tampa, FL Toronto, Canada Washington, D.C.

• The 20 cities included are geographically spread out throughout the country, with a stronger concentration in the South, Midwest, and Northeast.

• Most cases are included for comparison to Jacksonville in size, climate, scale, or context.

• Important to note is that the cost of the projects vary greatly depending on the size and scale of the revitalization of the waterfront project at which we are looking.

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06 THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC SPACE

A century in the making, the Chicago Riverwalk reclaims the river for the ecolgical, recreational, and economic benefit of the city. Image credit: Kate Joyce Studios, via Ross Barney Architects 57

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06 BENCHMARK HIGHLIGHTS

6.3 LESSONS FOR JACKSONVILLE (HIGHLIGHTS)

#1: Integrating mixed-use development and developing year-round programming bring 24-hour activity to a park and make it an extension of the city.

Smale Riverfront Park. Image credit: Travis Estell, via Creative Commons.

Three Rivers Park during PrideFest 2005. Image credit: Mavi Kamani, via Flickr.

Smale Riverfront Park (Cincinnati, OH)

Three Rivers Park (Pittsburgh, PA)

Smale Riverfront Park is the front door to Cincinnati. Set back from the water’s edge is a lively mixed-use residential and shopping district, that brings 24-hour life to the park and continues Cincinnati’s historic commercial relationship to the river. Interactive water features throughout the park are illuminated by rainbow LED creating fun for all ages at all hours of the day. The use of LED lights is also a great way to add a sense of safety and spectacle to public spaces. Visitors can walk behind the water curtains and splash in them on a hot day.

More than 80 percent of the 13-mile Three Rivers Park loop has been redeveloped into parks, trails, and open space, stimulating development in the surrounding areas and improving connectivity among Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods. The parks are activated by the energy and events from the adjacent sports stadiums. Co-locating public amenities like parks, stadiums, museums, and dining options can open up symbiotic partnerships with local institutions like sports franchises. In Pittsburgh, the Three Rivers Park maintenance is paid for by the Steelers and Pirates sports teams.

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#2: Commitments to sustainability and ecology are more meaningful when there are opportunities for the public to engage in activities, not just look at from a distance.

Brookyn Bridge Park. Image credit: Ted McGrath, via Flickr.

Tampa Baywatch Discovery Center. Image credit: Photomatt28, via Creative Commons.

Tampa’s Baywatch Discovery Center (Tampa, FL)

Brooklyn Bridge Park (Brooklyn, NY) Brooklyn Bridge Park extends 1.3 miles along a historic cargo shipping and storage complex on the East River. Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s environmental education center is a year-round space for teaching people of all ages and backgrounds about the park’s setting and ecology. Unlike other waterfront parks, where visitors are perched above the water, the park uses soft edges, like pebble beaches and marshy wetlands, to encourage close interaction with the water while also increasing flood resilience.

Tampa has created a system of riverfront parks connected by the Tampa Riverwalk, a 2.6-mile trail along the Hillsborough River. Located at the end of the St. Pete Pier, The Tampa Baywatch Discovery Center brings together ecological restoration and environmental education into an accessible cultural resource for locals and tourists alike, offering opportunities to participate in the restoration of Tampa Bay and contact with environmental scientists.

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06 BENCHMARK HIGHLIGHTS

#3: Design can overcome flood risks in an unobtrusive manner, using slopes and grades and creating multi-purpose elements for the public good.

Chicago Riverwalk. Image credit: R Boed, via Flickr.

Cumberland and Riverfront Parks. Image credit: Hargreaves Jones.

Chicago Riverwalk (Chicago, IL)

Cumberland and Riverfront Parks (Nashville, TN)

Conceived in 1909 by famed planner Daniel Burnham, the Riverwalk provides an example of how transportation, recreation, ecology, resilience, and business combine for the public benefit. The design of the walk is terraced down to the water’s edge, allowing higher portions of the Riverwalk to remain dry and accessible during minor flooding events. Durable paving materials were used and marine-grade lighting fixtures installed to withstand water inundation, and plant species were selected that tolerate periodic saturation with river waters.

Cumberland and Riverfront Parks which sit on opposite banks, were transformed from former wastelands into vibrant public spaces on the banks of downtown Nashville’s Cumberland River. The parks combine practicality (i.e. flood retaining wall) with fun program elements (i.e. climbing wall). Resilient design elements have been blended into the landscape so they are multi-purpose and not immediately recognizable. A flood wall doubles as seating, but the park mostly relies on green infrastructure for flood control.

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#4: In addition to being fun, waterfront programming can focus on improving residents’ quality of life by linking people to resources and informative programs.

Future “sports house,” community hubs . Image credit: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.

A former underground water reservoir now used for art and sound healing. Image: Bill Staney, via Flickr.

Detroit Riverfront (Detroit, MI)

Buffalo Bayou Park (Houston, TX)

The City of Detroit put a prime focus on creating expansive public space, inviting the water in, and telling the story of Detroit through artwork, ornamental pavings, native landscaping, and fun amenities. Programming focuses on improving the quality of life for all residents.

Reading and Rhythm on the Riverfront is a 6-week early literacy program for children to hear stories, receive a book, eat healthy food, and see live entertainment. Rise Together is a free morning meditation session that connects Detroiters with a network of resources for social, emotional, and grief support.

Buffalo Bayou Park is a series of public spaces that double as critical stormwater infrastructure.

The park stretches 2.3 miles west of downtown Houston along the region’s primary river.

Activities offered focus on community wellness and local engagement. Examples include morning wellness walks along the promenade led by a local nonprofit and BioArt Bayoutorium—a mobile bilingual bio-art project that travels along the bayou. It brings art and natural science activities to cultivate stewardship of the bayou among underserved youth.

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06 BENCHMARK HIGHLIGHTS

#5: Building small parks along a waterfront can create the stepping stones for more expansive development and sets the stage for public-private partnerships.

Scioto Mile. Image credit: Randall L. Schieber, via MKSK.

St. Pete Pier. Image credit: City of St. Pete, via Flickr.

Scioto Mile (Columbus, OH)

Waterfront Parks (St. Petersburg, FL)

In the heart of downtown Columbus, Scioto Mile connects the city’s main cultural district to the Scioto River via an integrated system of parks, boulevards, and paths.The city started building small parks along the riverfront as stepping stones for more expansive development proving that pilot projects and small-scale interventions can lead to large-scale development. It set the stage for the public-private partnership that built the park. The city’s initial investment has been amplified by over $1 billion in private support for the districts around Scioto Mile.

The Waterfront Parks in St. Petersburg run the length of 23 downtown blocks and overlook Tampa Bay. In 1909, the City made the bold decision to use the waterfront as a series of contiguous parks that now make up the third-largest dedicated public waterfront park system in the country. The city wrote a Waterfront Master Plan to bring the parks under one vision. The St. Pete Pier offers something for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. A combination of commercial, educational, recreational, and passive experiences make it a vibrant and inclusive node.

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#6: Partnerships with institutions like hospitals and libraries can be valuable in programming and activating public space, and in some cases become an important funding partner.

Little Rock, AR. Photo credit: Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, via Creative Commons.

Canalside, Buffalo, NY. Image credit: Invest Buffalo Niagara, via Creative Commons.

Canalside (Buffalo, NY)

Presidential Park and Wetlands (Little Rock, AR)

Canalside is the epicenter of Buffalo’s waterfront revival—a formerly deserted stretch of the Buffalo River that now hosts over 1,000 events per year. The park offers year-round water activities and weather-proofed programming even in cold months with a special focus on children’s educational programs. Buffalo and Erie Public Library provides regular children’s programming in Canalside. Programs take place the summer and include educational programs like “The Science of Sound,” “Superheroes Craft Fun,” “Weather and Environment”, and “Electricity and Circuits.”

Little Rock’s Presidential Park and Wetlands are the main entry points to the Arkansas River Trail. A section of the trail is known as “Medical Mile,” a linear “health museum” whose trails encourage exercise and interpretive signage and artwork promote physical activity and nutrition.

Medical Mile features a 1,300-foot mural wall, a wellness promenade, and a plaza. Developed as a partnership with the local hospital systems, it suggests that the medical community can be a valuable partner in the activation of public space.

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THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR INVESTING IN ACTIVATION CHAPTER BY JLP+D Capital follows people.

People follow place.

Place needs investment.

INTRODUCTION

investing in the experience of place to make people—both the existing residents and the prospective ones—feel a sense of belonging and attraction is one of the smartest and most prudent business strategies (Placemaking as an Economic Engine for All, 2020).

The structure of the global economy is changing. Across all regions of the United States, governments and businesses are witnessing a profound paradigm shift: instead of workers chasing the companies, it is now the employers, investors, and entrepreneurs that go after people. This trend is especially evident in industries such as technology, creative industries, sports and recreation, and education and healthcare.

7.1 THE VALUE OF A PUBLIC REALM FOR ALL Public spaces have become an increasingly important part of economic development strategies for cities and regions (The Case for Open Space, 2019; Measuring the Economic Value of a City Park System, 2009). Across the country, various waterfront activations and public space improvements demonstrated the investment’s potential to:

This ongoing shift in economic development begs the question: where do people want to go? According to research and surveys, the workforce, especially young people and skilled workers, increasingly make their locational decisions based on quality-of-life factors, such as the downtown amenities, natural resources, and the existence of other young people for social events—these are the same set of priorities that existing local residents cherish. So, for a city or a region,

• Spur New Development • Improve Quality of Life

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$2.6B

$65M

New Development

Medical Cost Savings

Pittsburgh, PA | “Where three rivers meet.” Image by Can Pac Swire, via Flickr/Creative Commons

Denver, CO | “Confluence Park, on the South Platte River in Denver.” Image by Kent Kanouse, via Flickr/Creative Commons

• Create Good Jobs for Existing Residents, and Attract New Workers & Businesses

Quality Public Spaces Improve Quality of Life

• Enhance Equity and Inclusion

In Denver, the Confluence Park in downtown encourages active recreation on the waterfront. Its activities and outdoor recreation reduce the park users’ combined healthcare costs by an estimated $65 million according to a study by the Trust for Public Land.

Quality Public Spaces Spur Private Development In Pittsburgh, the approximately $130M invested in Three Rivers Park over the past 15 years has helped to catalyze nearly $2.6B in riverfront development activity, a 20:1 ROI.

In Cincinnati, long-term investment in the Cincinnati Recreation Commission’s programs has given Cincinnati one of the highest per-capita recreation rates in the US with over 3.2 million park visits annually.

In Fort Worth, over 275,000 square feet of mixed-use development occurred in the area surrounding Sundance Square Plaza within a year of the Plaza’s completion.

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Attracting

Major manufacturing companies and innovation start-ups

Chattanooga, TN | “River Front District, Chattanooga.”

Image courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development

Quality Public Spaces Create Good Jobs for Existing Residents and Attract New Workers & Businesses

Century Waterfront Plan. Renaissance Park, part of the 21st Century Waterfront Plan, has spurred $55 million of investment in redevelopments nearby.

In Chattanooga, de-industrialization left large parcels of riverside land disused and the downtown in decline. A City-funded task force recommended the creation of a linear series of waterfront parks as a means of providing amenities to residents and transforming Chattanooga into a regional attraction.

The economic success of the public realm improvement in Chattanooga has broader positive effect. Civic infrastructure was critical in Volkswagen’s decision to locate a new manufacturing plant in Chattanooga, which created jobs for local residents. In 2015, this dense, walkable, and interconnected neighborhood was designated as Chattanooga’s Innovation District, which now teems with accelerators and research labs.

The investment in the waterfront spurred private investments in the downtown area, attracting patrons and new business establishments.

The success of initial investments prompted another round of revitalization with the 21st

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11th Street Bridge Park’s Equitable Development Plan

Incorporating

Affordable development policies, social events, workforce training, and community arts and culture in future public realm planning Washington, DC | “Signature Events.” Image by Jeff Salmore, via Building Bridges Across the River/Creative Commons

Quality Public Spaces Enhance Equity and Inclusion

integrates affordable housing preservation and other community-enhancing assets and policies into the surrounding of the public space, ensure to minimize the risk of gentrification and displacement, and maximize the benefit of improvement to make it available to existing residents of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Such a plan requires close collaboration among the community, government, and private entities to investigate mechanisms, policies, and tools to enhance inclusion. They range from community land trusts, affordable development policies, workforce training and youth development initiatives, to public arts and programming that honor community traditions.

An intentional focus on inclusion is critical to the success of cities and makes the public realm a greater asset for all people to achieve economic prosperity, social cohesion, individual and community health, and other benefits (10 Principles for Enhancing Equitable Access to Parks, 2021; Parks: A True Health Solution, 2017).

The 11th Street Park in Washington, DC, includes an Equitable Economic Development Plan centered around the public realm, linking programs, policies, and government investments in workforce training, small business opportunities, arts and culture, and anti-displacement and affordable planning of the new park.

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7.2 THE OPPORTUNITY FOR JACKSONVILLE

7.3 THE CASE FOR INVESTING IN THE DOWNTOWN RIVERFRONT

Now is the time for Jacksonville to invest in its public realm to benefit its community and compete economically. Today, Jacksonville has an advantage in people attraction, as the city enjoyed some of the fastest population growth in the region and the country. But compared to other cities in Florida and the Southern United States, Jacksonville can better compete in areas vital for long-term economic growth:

The Downtown Riverfront is one of the most strategic locations for improvement that can benefit the entire city.

The Downtown Riverfront is already in the city’s hub of commerce, sports, hospitality, and real estate investment.

Data suggest that in the Waterfront District (1/4 mile from the river on both sides), business density is 25+ times more than that of the rest of the city. Downtown Jacksonville, while being only 0.3% of the city’s land area, creates 13% of total economic output in the city.

• Fostering a more attractive environment SION for its young people • Creating and attracting a skilled workforce • Leading technological innovation

Greater activation of the Riverfront will make downtown a more vibrant place and yield an even more outsized impact on the city’s economy, supported by the significant concentration of economic and social assets in downtown that will generate returns on investment.

me for Jacksonville to invest in its Strategic investment in the public realm, demonstrated in successes across the andascountry, compete for more talent and can help Jacksonville achieve See the next page for more data comparisons.

greater prosperity for more people.

ome of the h in the US METRO POPULATION GROWTH (2014-2019)

Population Growth (2014-2019) +3.7%

US Metros Florida: 4 Largest Metros (Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jax)

+7.7% +10.1%

Jacksonville

Data source: Census, Jacksonville Civic Council

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YOUNG ADULTS WHO ARE NEW RESIDENTS % of 18-34 year olds who originate from other counties or states

Jacksonville

Tampa

Tallahassee

Charleston

Savannah

19

22

34

29

25

COLLEGE DEGREE HOLDERS WHO ARE NEW RESIDENTS % of population that are in-migrants with a bachelor’s degree or higher

Jacksonville

Tampa

Tallahassee

Charleston

Savannah

1.7

2.2

2.7

3.3

2.9

INNOVATION INDEX Growth rate of utility patents per 10k employees per year

Jacksonville

Tampa

Tallahassee

Charleston

Savannah

1.4

5.4

5.0

1.9

2.1

PROSPERITY Growth rate of GDP per capita (2001-2019)

Jacksonville

Tampa

Tallahassee

Charleston

Savannah

2.7

2.8

2.9

3.8

3.5

Data source: Census, US Cluster Mapping

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An activated Riverfront catalyzes additional new development and brings more prosperity to the Jacksonville community.

underwrite the long-term supply of public goods and services. For Jacksonville, the recent gain in population is a promising sign, and the challenge and the opportunity for Jacksonville is to translate the current momentum to long-term competitive advantages. A high-quality public realm is a key to the solution, and a most cost effective one, as it benefits the existing community and residents, create good jobs, and attract people and investment that will increase the size of the economic pie shared by all. While other cities can invest in business incentives, education, and other attractions to benefit their citizens and strengthen their economy over the long-term, they do not have what Jacksonville holds as its most unique asset— the Saint Johns River.

The City owns a significant number of properties in the Waterfront District.

As demonstrated in other places, well-designed, maintained, and programmed public spaces strengthen the real estate market.

In Jacksonville, if some of the river-adjacent properties were to be developed with high-quality planning and design principles and an active mix of ground-floor uses that contribute to the experience of the public realm, they would produce even greater economic dividends and social benefits to the city, its residents, and employers.

7.4 SEIZING THE MOMENT

The time to act is now.

The migration from large cities caused

by COVID-19 and remote work presents Jacksonville with an unparalleled opportunity to capitalize upon its already high quality-of-life and low cost of living. Recent data suggests that Jacksonville out-competed other places during the pandemic in regaining the initially lost jobs and drawing new residents.

Given the current paradigm shift in national and regional economic development, the economic prosperity of cities is increasingly dependent on quality of life factors, which are crucial in helping existing residents achieve their full human potential and attracting and retaining new population that

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SOCIAL, CULTURAL & PUBLIC REALM PRINCIPLES CHAPTER BY DVDL

GUIDING FUTURE PUBLIC SPACES

TEN PRINCIPLES FOR THE FUTURE OF JACKSONVILLE’S PUBLIC SPACES In the Spring of 2021, as the team began conversations with stakeholders, communities, and the City to develop a conceptual space plan for the Shipyards Area (learn more about the Esplanade Plan in Chapter 15), the need for a shared set of values and vocabulary for the future of Jacksonville’s public spaces became clear.

With many separate entities working to develop the Riverfront, this is an important time for the City to collectively define the parameters that will shape the future of Jacksonville’s public spaces.

These principles were carefully honed with the help of stakeholders and the community.

Our goal is that these principles be used to safeguard the interest of residents and the City. By holding any plan, proposal, or even existing space up against these principles, we can ensure that every project moving forward starts from a foundation of what is best for Jacksonville’s residents and for the city. The principles can be applied to anything from a playground to a park, or the whole Riverfront. We hope that these principles will be broadly adopted and can guide all public space developments across the City.

What follows are five Social and Cultural principles that consider how people experience public space, and five Urban Design principles to ensure a varied, connected, and resilient waterfront experience.

The principles do not exclude or discourage new development. Great public spaces and commercial, residential, and civic development can complement each other when done in a deliberate way that puts people, programs, and activities at the center.

The principles in themselves are broad and, in order to ensure that they are not left open to interpretation, each principle is followed by a checklist that helps establish accountability.

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SOCIAL & CULTURAL PRINCIPLES

1. WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

2. DIVERSITY OF AUDIENCE & EXPERIENCE

3. FLEXIBLE & COMMUNITY-DRIVEN

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4. FUN & FUNCTIONAL

5. PROMOTING WELL-BEING & CARE

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SOCIAL & CULTURAL PRINCIPLES

1. WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL CHECKLIST 1. Provide spaces that represent Jacksonville and educate visitors about different cultures, neighborhoods, and histories.

2. Host activities and programs that are relevant and affordable to different groups across age, gender, race/ethnicity, and different abilities.

3. Develop signage and wayfinding that is available in different languages and for people with different abilities.

4. Provide a wide range of transportation options for accessing public space and getting around. Consider different modes of transportation like wheelchairs, skateboards, bikes, rideshare vehicles, etc.

5. Ensure accessibility and safety 24 hours/ day. Consider different perceptions of personal safety, use non-polluting lighting, and implement ambassador programs.

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2. DIVERSITY OF AUDIENCE & EXPERIENCE CHECKLIST 1. Offer a broad range of uses and types of spaces that speak to diverse interests and diverse demographics.

2. Create activities and spaces that bridge the gap between different social groups and reinforce a sense of community.

3. Make the Riverfront a place for communities to come together and encourage both planned and spontaneous interactions.

4. Focus on spaces and activities that provide comfort, visual interest, and nature. Provide access to educational opportunities and affordable programming.

5. Prioritize the needs of communities that historically have been left out of planning processes.

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3. FLEXIBLE & COMMUNITY-DRIVEN

CHECKLIST 1. Develop a strategy for a vibrant waterfront that includes formal, informal, small, medium, and large activities. Include ways to branch off from the Riverfront and explore surrounding neighborhoods and the water itself.

2. Empower and enable community groups and residents to actively participate in the programming of the Riverfront.

3. Develop long term planning, flexibility, and resilience measures as the framework for the future.

4. Provide opportunities for residents, local organizations, and businesses to be stewards of Riverfront spaces through volunteerism and civic engagement.

5. Build and sustain community through the transformation of public space.

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4. FUN & FUNCTIONAL

CHECKLIST 1. Bring communities from around the City together at the Riverfront by providing both fun and functional activities.

2. Activate the Riverfront throughout the day, week, month, and year by providing opportunities like exercise classes, outdoor classrooms, access to fresh produce, bike repair stations, pet adoption days, etc.

3. Provide convenient ways for doing everyday activities Downtown and foster elements of fun, creativity, and relaxation.

4. Offer diverse and affordable options for food. Provide spaces for entrepreneurs and local food establishments on the Riverfront.

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5. PROMOTING WELL-BEING & CARE CHECKLIST 1. Promote an Ethic of Care among visitors by encouraging communities to care for each other through programming and activation.

2. Consider activities along and on the water that will connect residents to opportunities for exercise, recreation, relaxation, and play.

3. Provide opportunities for water sports, birding, dining, and learning about plants along the water.

4. Enhance natural features and organize regularly occurring and consistent programming that promotes mental health and wellbeing.

5. Design water features that make interaction more readily available and appealing, while also protecting individuals.

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WATERFRONT PUBLIC REALM PRINCIPLES 6. ECOLOGY

Protect and enhance the edge

Create distinct paths and experiences

Create unique destination corridors

7. MULTIPLE CONNECTED PATHS

8. FRAMED VIEW CORRIDORS

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9. VARIETY

Car as Guest Create granular urban experiences

10. GREAT STREETS

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WATERFRONT PUBLIC REALM PRINCIPLES

6. ECOLOGY CHECKLIST 1. Develop a landscape plan that builds off the region’s native ecology, fostering local plant species, native tree growth, and habitats.

2. Integrate design features, technology, and art that provide formal and informal education for visitors and residents about the regional environment and ecology.

3. Foster intertidal zones where habitats can thrive, capable of diminishing wave action during storm events.

4. Allow direct interaction with water using rocks, beaches, and other shoreline design strategies that enable people to meet the river’s edge.

5. Create a resilient landscape capable of withstanding sea level rise and storms.

Encourage surrounding corridors to adopt ecological principles.

6. Integrate design features and landscaping that foster recovery following extreme weather events and changing ecological landscapes.

Protect and enhance the edge

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7. MULTIPLE CONNECTED PATHS CHECKLIST 1. Develop a connected and cohesive waterfront experience that creates seamless East-West connections along the Riverfront.

2. Foster design strategies that allow for multiple paths of exploration and experience, ranging from passive to active.

3. Clearly differentiate linear zones and create opportunities for multiple types of activity, including biking, walking, rollerblading, strolling, and contemplation.

4. Create a varied Riverfront experience using topography, skyline views, planting, paving, and programs to ensure playfulness and fun.

Create distinct paths and experiences

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8. FRAMED VIEW CORRIDORS CHECKLIST 1. Craft clear, legible, and direct pedestrian connections from upland neighborhoods to the Riverfront and from the river inland.

2. Develop activities and intriguing views of nature and people toward the end of each street to entice pedestrians to the water’s edge.

3. Vary the activities and design strategies used at piers and destinations along the Riverfront, with a combination of active, passive, and retail programs.

4. Prioritize pedestrian traffic and create a “vehicle as guest” environment throughout the entire Riverfront to ensure that parking, loading, and service functions feel integrated within the overall design.

5. Heighten sensory experiences and include design elements focused on sound, smell, and touch.

Create unique destination corridors

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9. VARIETY CHECKLIST 1. Design Riverfront edges and experiences with a sense of play and dynamism.

2. Explore design strategies that create diverse vantage points, programs, and places to explore, using landform, public art, lighting, and plantings.

3. Merge landscape and building through the thoughtful integration of retail, parking, cultural institutions, and educational programs.

4. Design the Riverfront to clearly direct people to public space and use creative signage to clarify ownership.

5. Ensure a variety of experiences and programs between day and night, as well as across different seasons.

Create granular urban experiences

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10. GREAT STREETS Car as Guest

CHECKLIST 1. Create pedestrian priority streets, with safe and enjoyable bicycling options and transit links.

2. Establish continuity between shade strategies, paving, and plantings.

3. Enhance the tree canopy and use trees and street walls to create a sense of calm, comfort, and enclosure.

4. Design multifunctional streets as public spaces that can also be used for events, fairs, etc.

5. Accommodate pedestrian desire lines to and from nearby destinations, ensuring frequent opportunities for safely navigating streets.

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PART II ACTIVATION PLAN

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PROGRAM FRAMEWORK CHAPTER BY DVDL

This activation plan is focused on bringing people and energy to the Downtown Riverfront. By providing opportunities for diverse groups and individuals from around the city to participate and engage in activities both along—and on—the water, we can encourage activity, vitality, and energy.

INTRODUCTION

includes mobile, temporary, and permanent installations that will create connections and pockets of activity throughout, and an enhanced Riverfront experience that is uniquely Jacksonville.

The framework presented in this report can be viewed as a layer on top of existing conditions, activations, and future designs for the Riverfront. The goal is to ensure a cohesive Riverwalk experience and an active Riverfront year-round, through a robust program calendar that will connect existing and new users from around the city, becoming a destination choice for visitors as well. The plan provides an overarching framework for connecting and complementing existing activities across signature Downtown Riverfront parks (e.g. Memorial Park, Corkscrew Park, Riverfront Plaza, Friendship Fountain, and Metropolitan Park as well as new park developments).

The final layer to the activation plan is a high-level operations budget and implementation strategy (see chapter 11) followed by governance recommendations and funding opportunities (see chapter 12). This is, of course, critical to the success and implementation of the plan, which we hope to see being rolled out in the near future.

It is important to note that this is not a Master Plan or an extensive park design proposal.

Instead, this Activation Plan is, first and foremost, about the programs, people, and connections that can give a regular rhythm and life to the Riverfront’s existing spaces.

The recommendations can—and would—work in parallel with larger capital improvement projects planned for the Riverfront.

To support the Activation framework, we are proposing a series of public space design interventions that provide flexibility and the facilitation of exciting programs, events, and experiences on, and along, the river. This Activation Toolkit (see chapter 10 “Design”) 93

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9.1 BRIDGING COMMUNITIES THROUGH SIDE-BY-SIDE PROGRAMMING

Riverfront. They can be related to food, whether that be barbequing, picnicking, or visiting a food truck or local establishment; or they can bring people closer to the water through boating, kayaking, fishing, or outdoor classroom activities. Just to mention a few.

The Downtown Riverfront has the potential to become Jacksonville’s Neighborhood for all. The great promise of public space is the potential to bring together people from all walks of life, providing spaces where people can hang out, exercise, engage with arts and culture, enjoy a meal with friends, and play with their kids—all near other members of their community.

The mix of what is offered and encouraged along the riverfront through organized programming and activity zones will become key in facilitating new encounters for people using the riverfront. When programs that draw in different audiences take place sideby-side, the community starts living their everyday lives in proximity to one another.

They learn from each other, exchange knowledge, and build trust and a stronger identity for the city.

Great design, parks, and new development are not enough to create a sense of belonging and togetherness, although we strongly believe that those improvements are necessary and should be invested in. The Riverfront needs programs and activities that can facilitate the kind of interactions and running into each other which build trust and a sense of ownership over shared spaces.

The experience needs to be curated with and for the community to engage residents and visitors in dialogue, and be a place for creativity, production, and innovation.

Today, the city organizes great large-scale community events several times a year, drawing thousands of people Downtown who are eager to be by the water and meet their fellow Jaxsons. The Activation Plan adds several layers of community events to the current Riverfront programming with a focus on small everyday programs to large-scale annual events (see 9.6 “Two-Year Riverfront Themes”) and promotes the idea of serving the community broadly through resources and skill-building.

When we talk about programs throughout this section, we are referring to everything from group exercise classes, talks, art classes, and exhibitions, to large-scale festivals, tours, and community celebrations. Activities relate to how people are encouraged to use spaces, by themselves, with friends and families, visitors, or through unexpected interactions with strangers.

These can be quiet, reflective activities like reading, meditating, or jogging along the

What follows are key recommendations and a program framework for the Riverfront to create energy, vibrancy, and community which will draw residents and visitors from around the country to Jacksonville.

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9.2 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SPINE

By making sure that spaces are programmed with different types of activities, taking place side-by-side, it can facilitate exciting and unexpected interactions between people who may know each other, but don’t see each other often, or between people who don’t know each other. The different program users will start meeting each other and seeing the same people repeatedly, which has a known effect on building community and trust in a city.

The Riverfront could become a green social and cultural spine that facilitates unexpected interactions among people in Jacksonville by ensuring different types of programs for different audiences take place side-by-side.

WHY Jacksonville is currently a city where people tend to stay in their neighborhoods for many of their everyday activities. For people not living close to Downtown, it is often a destination for a particular activity like work, concerts, or food & drinks, but it lacks amenities for people to linger, hang out, or do impromptu activities while there.

HOW The core of the Activation Plan is focused on facilitating a mix of interesting programs.

Through community and stakeholder input, and, as part of the overall program framework, we have developed a list of hundreds of different types of programs for implementation with local partners around the city in the coming years.

An active Riverfront will provide a great variety of programs and things to do that will attract people from all over the city as a welcoming space for all.

The programs fall within five key program verticals:

9.3 PROGRAM VERTICALS

1. Relaxation & Reflection

2. Exercise & Wellness

3. Culture & Creativity

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4. Dining & Shopping

5. Community & Resources

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1. RELAXATION & REFLECTION There is an obvious need for green space on the Riverfront that takes a people-centered approach by providing shade, comfortable seating, places for relaxation and reflection, ways to learn about and interact with nature, especially the river, native species, birds, trees, etc.

Program suggestions include: • Morning Meditation: A guided morning meditation in a shaded area on the Riverfront in the quiet hours before the city is fully awake. Bring a mat and wear comfortable clothes. Audiences: all ages and abilities, ideal for seniors, adults, and people on their way to work to start off the day with a calm mind.

• Sound Collage Program: Field trip project for kids and teens between age 12 - 18. Guided exploration of the river and nature sounds with audio recording equipment provided. Learn to stop and listen to birds and the river! Audiences: Kids and teens.

• Music History Salon: Part of a talk series exploring Jacksonville’s local music roots. In an informal setting, learn from composers, musicians, and historians and engage in the conversation through community dialogue. Audiences: differing music themes to attract different audiences each time from seniors, adults, to teens.

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2. EXERCISE & WELLNESS As trends in fitness and wellness change, Jaxsons are eager to use the Riverfront for exercise and healthy living. Challenges to health equity in Jacksonville are especially related to vulnerable populations like unhoused individuals, isolated seniors, uninsured, and people struggling with mental health challenges (Blue Zones Report, Jacksonville, 2021). COVID has highlighted these disparities and also stressed the need for safe, outdoor exercise.

Program suggestions include: • Outdoor Fitness Class: Weekly outdoor exercise class for all levels. Bring a mat and a towel and get ready to sweat!

Audiences: Adults, all levels.

• Massage Pop-Ups: Visit the Riverfront massage pop-up stations in several locations along the riverwalk. Massage chairs will be available for sessions with local massage therapists. Audiences: Seniors, adults, teens, kids. Providing wellness and de-stress for community health.

• Riverfront Running Club: Let go of the day, meet your friends and neighbors, and take in those spectacular sunset views all while getting your exercise in. Run with your fellow Jaxsons on the Riverwalk and explore activities along the way that you might want to explore later!

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3. CULTURE & CREATIVITY Art and creativity in public spaces can help facilitate community dialogue and provide healing for communities who have experienced traumas and neglect. The Activation Plan adds regular programming to the existing cultural offerings by entities like MOSH, the Cummer Museum, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, and the Riverside Arts Market.

Program suggestions include: • Art-Making Workshops: Drop-in for art-making workshops with all materials provided and release your inner creative energies. Audiences: Kids, youth, parents, grandparents. Focus on providing intergenerational workshop settings.

• Open-Air Band Practice: Join us for Rhythm Thursdays where music and dance will vibrate along the Downtown Riverfront. Visit the Riverfront music studios for open-air band practice.

Audiences: All age groups, free and open to all.

• Public Story-telling Campaign: Enjoy the sweeping views of the river while learning about your fellow Jaxsons in this exhibition highlighting long-time residents of Jacksonville and their memories of how they city has changed. Audiences: Youth, adults, seniors.

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4. DINING & SHOPPING Dining as well as shopping are important activities for the Downtown Riverfront to encourage people to stay longer. They are social activities that can bring diverse audiences Downtown by providing options at all different price points. The Activation Plan will help provide ways for local businesses and entrepreneurs to offer their services on the riverfront through local arts and crafts markets, events and resources for entrepreneurs and local businesses, concessions, and mobile food and farmers markets.

Program suggestions include: • Cooking Class: Learn from local chefs and nutrition experts and become the chef of your dreams. Classes will focus on healthy ingredients and easy recipes that everyone can learn to make. Audiences: Kids, parents, teens, adults, seniors.

Classes will be offered specifically for kids, families, or adults.

• Welcome-to-Jax Market: Festival welcoming immigrants and newcomers to Jacksonville to showcase the best the city has to offer! 80 vendor booths for local businesses, artists, and resources for navigating the city’s offerings. Audiences: Large-scale community event focused on providing spaces for local businesses and organizations to sell and showcase their products with a specific focus on attracting newcomers and visitors.

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5. COMMUNITY & RESOURCES

Program suggestions include:

Ensuring that the Riverfront is both fun and functional will be essential for year-round activation and attracting diverse audiences.

Community resources should be understood broadly as programs and offers that serve diverse community needs and enhance quality of life for all residents. These could include everything from wellness events, outdoor classrooms, mentorship programs and after-school homework cafés, to adult learning, cooking classes, and workshops on various topics like mental and physical health, bike repair, flower arranging, or resume building.

• Bike Lessons 101: Classes for adults and kids with instructor. Bikes and helmets provided to online registrants. Learn to ride with a beautiful view of the St. Johns River! Audiences: Classes for kids and adults who want to feel confident and safe riding. Targeting low-income neighborhoods and groups where biking was not taught at an early age.

• Riverfront Community Dinner: Join your fellow Jaxsons for this pop-up community dinner. Kids and families are encouraged to participate in cooking demonstrations and classes. At the end of the day, the community will come together to enjoy a family-style dinner and get to know each other.

This type of programming will draw people Downtown at all times of the week and throughout the year, and the hope is that someone might come for a workshop and stay for a dance class or hang out and enjoy a BBQ with friends or family. It will create an important perception of the Riverfront as a place that makes the City work for each and every person in Jacksonville.

• Annual Job Fair: Happening once a year, this fair is perfect for anyone new to the city or having trouble penetrating the job market in Jacksonville. Major employers present and share tips to get hired. Fair also includes mentorship programs and resume building. Audiences: Jacksonville newcomers, unemployed, and bi-lingual residents.

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9.4 WEATHER AND YEAR-ROUND ACTIVATION Jacksonville is blessed with warm, sunny weather all year round, making it an ideal place for outdoor, public space activation.

However, seasonal change does affect outdoor activities and must be accounted for in the programming calendar. Winters are mild and sunny, making it a perfect destination for travel from northern parts of the country and the world. In the Spring, temperatures hover around mid 60s to 70s and climb into the 80s come May. Summers in Jacksonville are hot and humid with temperatures climbing into the 90s. July and August have most days with +90 degree weather. Rain season starts in June and peaks in August and September. Jaxsons with the means to do so might escape the city during the Summer, but many residents stay back and lack spaces to cool down and hang out (besides the beach). In the Fall, the weather stays warm but less hot with plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities.

The rainy, hot summers do provide a challenge for programming on the Riverfront, although the breeze from the water provides some relief. Adequate shade, misting, and water activities should be considered as part of any new Riverfront design and activation.

Programs and activities will naturally decrease in the summer months but with shade and on-the-water activities, plenty of Jaxsons will be able to enjoy the Riverfront and experience some relief from the heat.

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PROGRAM VERTICALS - ACTIVITIES Relaxation & Reflection

Exercise & Wellness

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Culture & Creativity

Dining & Shopping

Community & Resources

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9.5 CONNECTING SIGNATURE DOWNTOWN RIVERFRONT PARKS

city to explore on the Waterfront. The theme would function as a community festival providing key moments and special events throughout the two years, without taking over everyday programs (see program verticals earlier in this chapter). Those will remain a consistent layer of activation.

The programming and design framework in the Activation Plan is designed to complement and connect activities across signature parks along the Downtown Riverfront (e.g. Memorial Park, Corkscrew Park, Riverfront Plaza, Friendship Fountain, and Metropolitan Park as well as new park developments), and create new ways for entities to plug into larger Riverfront themes and initiatives.

Choosing a two-year theme for the Riverfront could provide an organizing principle for hundreds of annual events and rally the city around a shared topic to be explored through play and co-creation.

It is recommended that existing and future Downtown Riverfront park entities meet quarterly to ensure coordination and cohesive program planning. Parks should make budgets available for participating in thematic Riverfront programming which would be pushed out to local contractors, non-profit programming partners, and Downtown entities operating in signature parks along the Riverfront. Below are examples of what these overarching thematic frameworks could be.

WHY Each two-year Riverfront theme would allow the city to build a narrative arc between the many different programs over a longer time period. The theme will lend a sense of focus and framing, through which the community can explore, learn, play, and come up with innovative ideas for the city. It will become a way for Jaxsons to define and redefine the identity of Jacksonville but, more importantly, to come together as a community to have fun and celebrate.

9.6 TWO-YEAR RIVERFRONT THEMES

The themes create community cohesion by rallying the city around a shared idea and experience, from the everyday to the unexpected. Ultimately, the hope is that people’s engagement with the themes will forge unlikely interactions and inspire civic participation. Programs will encourage interpretation and invite the public to share how they resonate.

The program framework provides suggestions for hundreds of programs and activities along the riverfront. With so many ideas for Jacksonville to start organizing in the coming years, it is important to bring some order and organization into the framework. In this section, we present the idea of two-year Riverfront themes for the

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HOW We envision the Riverfront to be the city’s central spine, whose public spaces and programs are explored through the lens of atwo-year theme. The themes, broad enough for everyone to relate to—like “dreams,” “care,” “bridges,” or “roots”—can be explored along the Riverfront through everyday installations to large community events.

Throughout the year, the mobile units, pockets, and hubs from the activation toolkit (see chapter 10 “Design”) will continue to provide their core programming but some will host special programs related to the theme.

Potential two-year theme could be “Dreams.” Image by: Engin Akyurt, via Unsplash

While the themes and programming will change every two years, the foundation of the structure and schedule will stay consistent. Each theme calendar will include an opening festival, open call for public art works, community workshops, tours, and celebrations. All themes will be carried out in partnership with local institutions (such as cultural institutions, businesses, churches, and non-profits), and will be conceptually developed by the Lead Operator(s) of the Riverfront (see chapter 12.1 “Governance”),and in consultations with stakeholders. Each two-year theme will open in mid-January with a week-long public programs festival, and several unique, free public programs offered per day. There will be an open call for the design of a physical structure or large art piece with which the community can interact or help build, and the winning design will be installed in June (see Sample Theme Calendar in Appendix 6).

Another potential theme focused on neighborhoods and bridging communitites could be “Bridges”. Image by: KlipschFan, via Creative Commnons

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EXAMPLE OF THEME: “ROOTS”

DOCUMENTING AND ARCHIVING RIVERFRONT THEMES

In exploring the theme“Roots,” Jaxsons are invited to consider themes of archaeology, food, heritage, and forgotten histories of Jacksonville. Programs will shed light on distinct neighborhoods and diverse cultures, but also other meanings of the word “roots,” as in food, hair, and sense of belonging.

The two-year riverfront theme will be recognizable throughout the Riverwalk and on the water itself through branding and public art installations, as well as makers that remind people of the current theme. Activities will range from everyday program plug-ins and public art to large-scale community events at key moments throughout the year. Through digital kiosks, info stations, apps, and a centralized riverfront website, visitors will be able to explore past themes and documentation from past programs. In that sense, the themes will help capture a moment in time for the city and build out a catalogue of ideas and community projects throughout the years.

PROGRAMS COULD INCLUDE: • Forgotten histories of Jacksonville poster campaign along the riverfront, telling stories of indigenous traditions, shipyard workers, fishermen, Hispanic influence, Gullah Geeche heritage, LaVilla: Harlem of the South, and the role the river played through each period • Youth program, or partnership with community radio station to interview the elderly on their childhood memories, tales from their ancestors relating to the city • A temporary barbershop and pop-up art installation offering free haircuts • River Roots: Take a morning or evening boat ride to the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve and be transported back in time to what Northeast Florida looked and felt like before colonization

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The “Roots” theme could include ecological and archeologcal explorations with tours to Timucuan Historic Preserve. Image by: Ken Lund, via Creative Commons.

The “Roots” theme could be explored from many angles, from social and cultural, to something simple as root vegetables. Image by: Skånska Matupplevelser, via Creative Commons.

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Meet Sasha.

She is a young professional who lives with her wife in Nocatee.

Sasha works in a private practice as a lawyer and loves to have a full calendar of art, exercise, and social events. She is not currently engaging with the river because there’s no critical mass of activities to make it worth the drive.

Monday Sunset Yoga

Wednesday Ecology Walking Tour at Hogans Creeks

Friday Annual “Roots Festival” Opening

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9.7 WEEKDAY PROGRAM SERIES

regular programming entities on the river to plug into specific theme days.

Throughout this project, we have heard from stakeholders and residents that there is a lack of adequate promotion and communication regarding activities and events happening on the Riverfront. There is a need for coordination between existing entities to provide regular and consistent programming and make sure these are broadly promoted.

Weekday program series allow for strong branding and promoting of programming partners through a centralized Riverfront events calendar. We recognize, of course, that the lack of regular programming also is due to lack of funding, maintenance, and flexibility in terms of permitting and facilities in the City, which we will touch on in chapter 12.

HOW The weekday program series would break up the five days of the week, leaving the weekends open to bigger community events and festivals throughout the year, focusing the whole Riverfront programming on one particular topic. The particular day of the week and the exact theme should be determined through conversations with existing program entities and organizations already providing activation for Downtown.

The weekday program series would take place in several locations throughout the Riverfront, serving different neighborhoods and providing a cohesive programming experience. On Mondays, for examples, the whole Riverfront could turn into a hub for community health and wellness. In line with the overall framework of fun and functional as well as programming side-byside, each weekday would facilitate small to large scale programs, ranging from more serious service-oriented programs to fun, relaxing, and celebratory programs. In the Implementation chapter of this report, we discuss how the different weekday programs could be rolled out gradually to build up appetite and adjust formats and offerings based on feedback from the community.

The weekday program series provides consistency and excitement on the Riverfront and makes it easy for civic groups, non-profit organizations, and local businesses to co-program and cross-collaborate on the Riverfront.

WHY Riverfront programming should offer regularity and consistency in terms of programming and activities so visitors know what to expect, as well as when and where to find it. Weekday themes can also help draw visitors to the river on slower days like a Monday or Tuesday.

The following are some illustrative examples to help start visualizing what potential themes could be.

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RIVERFRONT WEEKDAY PROGRAM SERIES

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Image by: Ourwaterfront.org, via CC

Image by: doc(q)man, via CC

Image by: gerrypopplestone, via CC

Image by: avhell, via CC

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MONDAYS - HEALTH & WELLNESS Mondays on the Riverfront could focus particularly on health and wellness and bring together an exciting mix of resources like healthcare navigation or mental health workshops, along with community exercise programs like meditation or running club training, and also include fun stuff like pop-up massage sessions.

WEDNESDAYS - DO IT YOURSELF ON THE RIVER Wednesdays could be for education and sharpening your skills on the Riverfront.

Learn to cook nutritious meals, set up home composting, do ceramics, or watercolor.

There are endless possibilities for programs that include kids, teens, adults, and seniors coming together to create and learn. A focus on sustainability and self-sufficiency could bring bike repair workshops, clothes mending, or other DIY workshops to the community and the Riverfront.

PROGRAMS COULD INCLUDE • Morning meditation • Wellness demonstrations • Massage pop-ups • Running Club training

PROGRAMS COULD INCLUDE • Riverfront cleanup • Compost class • Bike repairs workshop • Nutrition and cooking class

TUESDAYS - GAME NIGHT On Tuesdays, the whole Riverfront could turn into one big game-themed community event.

Programs could include lawn games for kids with families or grandparents, chess or ping-pong tournaments, or sports games like pick-up soccer or basketball games. We also imagine the community coming together for Bingo Night or Tacos and Trivia, potentially partnering with local institutions or establishments to run these types of programs.

THURSDAYS - RIVER RHYTHM The rich musical history of Jacksonville should be celebrated as much and as often as possible. On Thursdays, the Riverfront could take on a festival-vibe and host intimate concerts, bringing open-air theater and music to visitors, or host music history salons.

Maybe there is a DJ workshop for kids, or a place to do open-air karaoke with your friends.

PROGRAMS COULD INCLUDE • Lawn games • Ping-pong tournament • Pick-up soccer • Bingo Night

PROGRAMS COULD INCLUDE • Kids music session • Open air band practice • Tiny Dock concerts • River karaoke night

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9.8 RIVERFRONT COMMUNICATION

On the First Friday of the month, existing institutions on the Riverfront could open their doors and invite the community to explore and interact with their work in different ways.

Food trucks and markets for local arts and crafts would be brought to the river allowing for a collective celebration of the Riverfront, the city, and the people of Jacksonville!

A successful activation plan includes the need for active, clear, and far-reaching communication and marketing efforts. From our survey we know that one-in-three people never make it Downtown for activities, and although we believe this to be partly due to the lack of consistent, everyday programs, current and future events and activities could benefit from increased awareness and broader reach.

PROGRAMS COULD INCLUDE • Art walks • “Made in Jax” market • Art-making classes • Food trucks • Performances

A successful communication strategy will be a combination of an exciting, accessible online presence (website, program calendar, social media, high-quality photos and videos), press, on-the-ground info stations (see chapter 10 “Design”), promotional partnerships, and a strong, targeted strategy for promoting Riverfront events and opportunities to communities across the city (e.g. through mobile program units).

The weekday programs are envisioned to be rolled out throughout the whole Downtown Riverfront to make sure all neighborhoods are included and to ensure a sense of cohesion. Programs will not be identical but should be regularly available in different locations along the Riverfront.

In the near-term, one weekday series would be chosen as an experiment with a gradual rollout of the five weekday program series over several years (learn more in the Implementation chapter).

Communication efforts are considered as part of the Activation Plan throughout. The design toolkit includes banners, info kiosks, and way-finding; communication/marketing is a substantial part of the operations budget; and partnerships are planned around a central Riverfront program calendar. Broadly speaking, the regularity of programs and themes recommended in the Activation Plan will provide the consistency needed to clearly communicate an exciting mix of programs and thematic exploration on the Riverfront.

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Here is Carlos.

He’s a young tech developer living in Jax Beach.

Carlos works for Black Knight and spends 2-3 days per week driving Downtown for meetings and young professional events. A regular at new restaurants, Jax River Jams, Jax Beer Fest, and other events held along the river.

Monday Running Club

Wednesday Entrepreneur Meetup

Friday Bike Repair Shop

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Meet Aya. She lives with her mom and grandparents on the Southside and commutes to school.

Tuesday Tacos and Trivia Night

Aya is a university student and new to Jacksonville. She and her family are eager to explore Downtown but would like to see more scheduled activities.

Wednesday Art Walks

Saturday “Welcome-to-Jax” Annual Festival

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9.9 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AND COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP

programming calendar and spur collaborations. The liaison partner would run programs independently but organize activities in close coordination with the Lead Operator(s) and benefit from cross-promotion through the centralized Riverfront calendar.

The success of implementing this program framework will rely on the involvement of stakeholders, partners, and communities from around the city. The best program framework is one that relies on involvement and ownership by community organizations, non-profits, local businesses, and community representatives. Partnerships should happen organically on many levels from participating in events to running events. More importantly, partners and communities will be involved in the conceptualization of events, annual themes, and the weekday program series.

The Activated Riverfront will also allow ways for new entities and organizations from around the city to participate as program partners providing programming on the Riverfront. In order to create more flexibility and access for civic groups to run these programs, we envision a licensing model where the Lead Operator(s) issues RFPs for program partners to ensure a diverse range of programs are being offered. On the long-term, the Lead Operator(s) would essentially provide partners with spaces on the Riverfront, cleaning, and facility staff, and would handle permitting and insurance procedures. In the pilot phase, however, program partners or an outsourced entity would fill the cleaning and maintenance role. Licenses would initially be provided at a nominal fee. An agreement would be made between the partner and the Lead Operator(s), stating that the partner must include a portion of free programming/ services and other terms that would benefit the community .

Organizational Program Models • Program ownership and facilitation: It is our recommendation that the program framework be executed and managed by a well-coordinated Lead Operator(s) placed within a City agency department and running somewhere between 60 and 70 percent of programs centrally, ensuring a free, accessible, and well-curated program calendar. The remaining programs and activities should be run by programming partners in close coordination with the Lead Operator(s). We envision two types of partnerships: program partners and liaison partners.

• Community Involvement: In order to bring diverse community representation to the Riverfront and create a sense of ownership over programming, we recommend inviting community members to advise and help run programs. Smaller

The liaison partners include existing organizations and businesses on the Riverfront (e.g. the Cummer Museum, YMCA, RAM, MOSH and others), who can plug into the overall 116

community groups would help set the overall direction for the programs, run programs organized by the Lead Operator(s), and promote activities and events within their communities. Members will be brought on as ambassadors for their communities. This is an opportunity to improve the diversity and inclusivity of program participants by attracting people from neighborhoods across the city to come to the Riverfront.

both short term—especially in underused public spaces and pockets—and long-term to enhance fully designed park spaces and continue to provide programming in smaller, in-between spaces along the Riverwalk. View our Activation Design Toolkit in the following chapter.

We recommend community members be involved in either conceptualizing programs for a specific place-making unit (see chapter 10 “Design”), a weekday series (like health, music, or games), or one of the program verticals like culture and creativity.

The community groups should be small enough to get things done, but include broad representation from different neighborhoods, backgrounds, demographics, and interests.

9.10 PLACEMAKING TOOLS The recommendations presented above are in their early stages of development and will require further conversations and decisions around Riverfront governance, funding, and implementation strategies. In the final part of this report, we present recommendations for phased activation scenarios.

The riverfront will be activated throughout by an eclectic mix of mobile, temporary, and permanent space-making tools that serve everyday needs, enable the facilitation of the program framework presented above, and provide novel experiences. These tools are meant to enable a layer of activation 117

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CHAPTER BY WXY High-quality design plays a critical role in creating a cohesive, connected, and welcoming Riverfront for all Jaxsons. The plan proposes a multi-faceted toolkit to activate and enhance the Riverfront in the near-term and lay the groundwork for long-term change.

10.1 POISED FOR ACTIVATION

implementable toolkit of strategies that can activate the Riverfront in advance of and in parallel to long-term capital investments.

Over the course of its history, Jacksonville’s riverfront has evolved from a low-lying estuarial marsh into an industrial, working waterfront and a commercial and mixed-use destination. Despite this evolution, much of the Riverfront today lacks a sense of regular activity. The original Jacksonville Landing failed financially and was demolished, former shipyards properties slated for development in the 1990s have sat vacant for years, and in many places, large City-owned sites await reuse. Anticipated new development, combined with the ongoing build-out of the Emerald Trail, have poised the riverfront for real improvements. In 2018, the City published a set of Riverfront Design Guidelines and an Activity Nodes Plan.

This plan articulated a new vocabulary for the Riverfront’s public access areas and envisioned a clear approach to connecting the expanding Riverwalk with a series of nodes and activity zones.

10.2 ACTIVE & FLEXIBLE Whereas previous cycles of investment have tended to focus solely on “hardware”—infrastructure and capital improvements, this design process did not seek to redesign the Riverfront, but recognized that Jacksonville needs to think more about the “software” of the Riverfront—the programs, people, and connections that can give a regular rhythm and life to the Riverfront’s existing spaces.

Designing for this software entailed creating a series of flexible, modular, and sometimes movable structures capable of accommodating a variety of program types, while also reinforcing and enhancing the river as a place for people’s enjoyment and a public space capable of hosting events, gatherings, and public programs over the course of the year and across different thematic calendars.

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Activation Riverwalk Today + Emerald Trail Emerald Trail Future

10.3 THICKENING THE RIVERWALK While Jacksonville’s existing Riverwalk is well used for recreation and passive strolling, the Riverfront lacks the regular rhythm of programs, events, and spaces that can bring it more fully to life. Building on the City’s 2018 Activity Nodes Plan and learning from early experiments like Corkscrew Park, this plan envisions a “thickened” Riverwalk that activates adjacent areas, lawn spaces, and parking lots for new programs using a near-term toolkit. At the same time, the plan strives to strengthen connections between the St. Johns River and Jacksonville’s under-served neighborhoods through design interventions that can bring people to the riverfront, and bring the riverfront to people.

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HUBS

10.4 ACTIVATION TOOLKIT Jacksonville’s activation toolkit consists of 5 scales and types of design intervention.

• Walks: Activations that enhance the surfaces, edges, and the overall experience of moving along the Riverwalk path itself, including basic interventions like ground murals as well as more involved projects like continuous shade elements and planted edges.

• Cues: Points of activation that act as a series of breadcrumbs to users of the Riverfront. Cues let people know where they are, what’s happening, and how one place relates to the whole.

• Mobile Units: Movable, modular systems that can activate portions of the Riverwalk for events or for longer periods of time. Mobile units may serve as platforms for small group gatherings, concessions, or even regular classes/activities.

• Pockets: Moments where the Riverwalk thickens to include additional public space, seating, shade, greenery, and other amenities.

• Hubs: Flexible concentrations of programmatic activity capable of supporting larger events and programs. Typically housed in a larger structure or off-the-shelf modules for multiple activities.

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WALK

CUES

STORY-TELLING

SHADE STRUCTURES

WAYFINDING

GATES

ART INSTALLATIONS

GROUND + POST SIGNS

PLANTERS

GROUND MURALS

INFORMATION STATIONS

SOCIAL SEATING

LIGHTING INSTALLATIONS

BANNERS

MOBILE UNITS

POCKETS

HUBS

JAX IN A BOX

SEATING POCKETS

COMMUNITY CENTERS

FOOD MARKETS ON WHEELS

RIVERFRONT STUDIOS

ECOLOGY ISLANDS

PARKING LOT AREAS

BOSQUES

PARK PAVILIONS

STREET AREAS

PIER + PICNIC AREAS

MULTIPURPOSE HUBS

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10.5 WALK Walks are activations that enhance the surfaces, edges, and the overall experience of moving along the Riverwalk path itself. This includes basic interventions like ground murals as well as more involved projects like continuous shade elements and planted edges. Shading will especially be crucial for activating the Riverfront in the hot, rainy summer months.

Walk activations tend to emphasize the linearity of the Riverwalk and are meant to create a sense of movement, excitement, and dynamism as one moves along the path. Especially during events or exhibitions, walks can be brought to life as linear exhibits and stories or transformed into tunnels of color and light. In addition to activations along the path itself, walk activations can also engage the water adjacent to the path as an activation surface, using floating light elements and sculptures, projection and reflectivity, and other design measures that highlight the flow of the river.

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STORY-TELLING Story-telling kiosks or platforms present an opportunity to exhibit work from artists and photographers, while bringing local voices to the Riverwalk. Stories can activate existing underused surfaces such as fences and blank walls or can be set up on dedicated free standing structures.

Size/ Capacity: Small / 1-50 people Type: Temporary Use: Arts + Culture Look & Feel: Open air and free to the public Notes: This can also be used for public information campaigns. Option to provide loose furniture for sitting and viewing.

“Cheka Kidogo exhibition”. Image by allispossible.org.uk, via Creative Commons

“Thx 4 The Memories. Christchurch.” Image by Bernard Spragg, via Creative Commons 126

SHADE STRUCTURES Shade Structures can be both functional and visually engaging as public art pieces.

They can be deployed over stretches of the Riverwalk itself or adjacent spaces, such as sitting areas, to create more pleasant areas for relaxing or being active.

Size/ Capacity: Medium / 1-100 people Type: Temporary or Permanent Use: Arts + Culture, Public Green Space Look & Feel: Site Specific Notes: Structure and material must be resistant to wind and precipitation

“1.8 in London, UK.” Image by Studio Echelman, via Wikimedia Commons

“Umbrella Sky Art Installation Giralda Avenue Coral Gables.”

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ART INSTALLATIONS The river itself can be the site of intervention for public art installations as a way of activating the river, engaging the local community, and bringing visitors to the waterfront. Consider a singular installation or a series of installations along the waterfront as anchor points for activation.

Size/ Capacity: Small-Large Type: Temporary Use: Arts + Culture Look and Feel: Site-specific Notes: Floating installation locations should consider the currents of the river.

“Florentijn Hofman: Rubber Duck.” Image by See-ming Lee, via Creative Commons

“Giant Hand-Painted Balloons.” Image by Linnaea Mallette, via Public Domain Pictures/Creative Commons 128

LIGHT INSTALLATIONS Creative lighting installations enhance public spaces by making them feel safe, welcoming, and interesting. They can range from large scale digital projections, to sculptures and interactive user-operated installations.

Lighting can support safe activity at the Riverwalk at night and during off-hours.

Size/ Capacity: Small Type: Temporary or Permanent Use: Arts + Culture Look and Feel: Friendly and Inviting Notes: Color can be used to mark and/or celebrate specific holidays or events

“Rami Bebawi / KANVA: Entre les rangs.” Image by Socarra, via Creative Commons

“Voyage by Aether & Hemera.” Image by The Puzzler, via Creative Commons 129

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PLANTERS Planters help bring greenery to public spaces that lack adjacent soil depth. They can be placed strategically to demarcate spaces and act as a visual and physical access barriers. Integrate seating or locate close to existing seating areas to encourage people to spend time along the Riverwalk.

Size/ Capacity: Small Type: Mobile, Temporary Use: Public Green Space Look and Feel: Lush, vibrant, friendly Notes: Ensure adequate soil depth and consider low maintenance and native species for planting

“Valencia St parklets.” Image by Payton Chung, via Creative Commons

“Planters in the Meatpacking District, NYC.” Image courtesy of WXY Studio 130

SOCIAL SEATING Public seating should offer the choice of how and where people can sit. Seating options may include steps, hammocks, benches, and moveable chairs. Seating can be placed in different locations of the same area, such as in the shade and the sun, in groups and alone, close to activity and away from the action.

Size/ Capacity: 1-50 people Type: Temporary or Permanent Use: Public Green Space Look and Feel: Accessible, comfortable, well maintained

“3876 Noriega Street Parklet.” Image by Sfplanning, via Creative Commons

“3868 24th Street Parklet (Hosted by Martha Brothers)” Image

by Sfplanning, via Creative Commons 131

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GATES Gates mark important access points to the Riverwalk. They can be deployed as a singular symbolic entrance or a series to lead people along a path. It can signify arrival to a special event, support sense of place at a popular destination, or signal the transition between different neighborhoods.

Size/ Capacity: Singular or a series Type: Temporary or permanent Use: Arts + Culture, Public Green Space Look and Feel: Open and grand, Welcoming Notes: Consider integrating banners, signage and solar panels for lighting

“Entrance archway, Gateshead Riverside Park” Image by Andrew Curtis, Via Creative Commons

“Central Park Gates.” Image by The City Project, via Creative Commons 132

GROUND MURALS Painted ground murals are a low-cost way of transforming blank surfaces with vibrant public art. Ground murals can also be used for signage, activism, giving a voice to the local artists and reflecting the identity of different communities.

Size/ Capacity: Small-medium Type: Temporary Use: Arts + Culture Look and Feel: Vibrant, colorful Notes: Consider a participatory process of involving the local community in mural design, planning, and execution

“Black Lives Matter Ground Mural, NYC.” Image courtesy of WXY Studio.

“Northbank Riverwalk, Jacksonville”. Image courtesy of DVDL. 133

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Directional Lines

Banners

Info Stations

Wayfinding Kiosks

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10.6 CUES Cues are points of activation that act as a series of breadcrumbs to users of the riverfront. Cues let people know where they are, what’s happening, and how one place relates to the whole. In contrast to walk activations, which are intended to activate the existing path through installation and design, cues are part of the typical DNA of the Riverwalk, providing a basic design vocabulary reassuring people that they are making progress, heading in the right direction, and at or near the Riverfront.

While some cues are functional, like maps and wayfinding points, other cues may be more subtle, like a series of creative banners linked to the same space or an interactive mural over a fence. In all cases, cues help people find their way and identify the Riverfront as an active, public space.

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WAYFINDING Wayfinding is a collection of maps and signs to orient the public along Riverwalk. Located at key decision making points for pedestrians such as access points from streets, bridge, and water taxi stops. They can also be placed near adjacent parks, popular destinations, and areas that are difficult to navigate.

Size/ Capacity: Refer to Riverwalk Signage Guidelines Type: Permanent Use: Wayfinding Look and Feel: Refer to Riverwalk Signage Guidelines

“Pedestrian Wayfinding Sign London.” Image by Andynash, via Creative Commons

“Info graphics, wayfinding.” Image by La Citta Vita, via Creative Commons 136

GROUND + POST SIGNAGE Guide post signs point in the direction of key destinations at locations where maps are not needed. Ground signage can promote and help direct the general public to events and special programming along the Riverwalk.

Size/ Capacity: Refer to Riverwalk Signage Guidelines Type: Temporary or Permanent Use: Wayfinding Look and Feel: Refer to Riverwalk Signage Guidelines

“Ground signage” Image by nicolasnova, via Creative Commons

“Rainier Beach wayfinding signs.” Image by Oran Viriyincy, via Creative Commons 137

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INFO STATIONS Info Stations are a resource center for information on programs, events, and schedules, supply handouts and maps, and host amenities such as wifi and phone charging. Info Stations can be a stand-alone community board or a staffed booth.

Size/ Capacity: Small, 1-2 Staff Type: Mobile or Permanent Use: Wayfinding Look and Feel: Friendly and Accessible Notes: Provide shade during the day and lighting at night

“Information booth in Chinatown.” Image by Sunfox, via Creative Commons

“I even liked the information booths at the Tokyo Forum.” Image

by Eliazar, via Creative Commons 138

BANNERS Banners publicize and celebrate events and programs along the Riverwalk. They can be an installation to activate events or mounted to existing walls and light fixtures.

Size/ Capacity: Small Type: Temporary Use: Wayfinding Look and Feel: Graphics to be consistent with Riverwalk Signage Guidelines

“Halloween In Hudson Square.” Image by Mike Licht, via Creative Commons

“Royal Academy Summer Exhibition - The Entrance.” Image by Gareth1953, via Creative Commons 139

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WALK CUES

MOBILE UNITS POCKETS

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10.7 MOBILE UNITS Mobile units are moveable, modular systems that can activate portions of the Riverwalk for events or for longer periods of time. Mobile units may serve as platforms for small group gathering spaces, concessions, or even regular classes/activities and are meant to be easily deployed, branded, and activated.

While mobile units can take multiple forms, including as moving trucks or small vehicles, this plan proposes that Jacksonville prototype and build out a fleet of mobile units that can be easily deployed, maintained, and branded with the city’s branding. These can serve as a basis for a range of different types of programs, provide information to the public, and support small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures along the river.

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FOOD MARKET ON WHEELS A Food Market on Wheels is a small bus or truck that is retrofitted into a small store to promote healthy eating. It can be used to improve access to healthy and affordable food along the Riverwalk, but could also serve food desert communities beyond the Riverfront.

Size/ Capacity: Serve a small community Type: Mobile Use: Health + Wellness Look and Feel: Accessible and open, provide shade over groceries

“Grocery Bus” Image by Chicagopublicmedia, via Creative Commons

“Fruit cart, NYC” by Franco Folini, via Creative Commons 142

JAX IN A BOX Size/ Capacity: Small Type: Mobile Use: Multifunctional Look and Feel: Bright, friendly, accessible Notes: Consider use of sustainable materials.

Jax in a Box is a moveable multifunctional pavilion that promotes social, educational, and cultural exchanges within the community.

It can be placed along various points on the Riverwalk as a focal point of activity. The unit is intended to have multiple configurations and can host a range of diverse activities.

Downtown Brooklyn Kiosks. Image courtesy of WXY Studio 143

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Closed

Shade

10 DESIGN

Gallery Walls

Built-in Activity

Program Elements Stadium Seating

Social Seating

Soft Seating

Storage

Mobile Unit Operation

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Gallery Opening Ping Pong Game

Dance Party Story-Telling

Activation Scenarios

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PARKING LOT AREA Through a time-based approach, surface parking lots adjacent to the Riverwalk can serve both as functional parking spaces and as public space. Transformations can occur through the use of mobile street furniture, simple paint and lighting to become pop-up markets, gardens, hangout spaces, or more.

Size/ Capacity: Medium Type: Temporary Use: Arts + Culture, Commercial + Retail Look and Feel: Inviting, Cozy, Vibrant

Espace Boyer, Montreal. Image Courtesy of WXY Studio

Place des Fleurs-de Macadam, Montreal. Image Courtesy of WXY Studio 146

FOOD TRUCK AREA Cul-de-sac streets that terminate at the Riverwalk can be transformed into valuable public spaces. Vehicular access allows food trucks to get close to the Riverwalk, allowing easy set up and take down of temporary seating, shade structures, and eating areas.

Size/ Capacity: Medium Type: Temporary Use: Commercial+Retail Look and Feel: Diverse, Welcoming Notes: Consider the use of painted ground murals to designate food truck area

“Food Trucks.” Image by Caribb, via Creative Commons

“The Food Truck Rodeo.” Image by Charleston’s TheDigitel, via Creative Commons 147

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MOBILE UNITS POCKETS

HUBS

10.8 POCKETS Pockets are moments where the Riverwalk thickens to include additional public space, seating, shade, greenery, and other amenities. Pockets are intended to increase the overall width of the Riverwalk, to provide an interactive space for playing, lounging, and sitting, and to create a more dynamic interface between the Riverwalk, the river, and the upland areas.

Pockets may be designed as branded, modular units and could also include more elaborate landscape plantings, small fishing piers, barbecue pits or even art galleries. In general, pockets tend to garner a higher level of investment, though they are still envisioned as temporary activations rather than capital work in most cases.

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PICNIC + FISHING PIERS Fishing piers provide an opportunity for recreational fishing, but can also serve as a new vantage point onto the river. Picnic tables with BBQ areas can become a gathering spot for friends and families. Locate picnic areas, fishing piers, and restrooms in close proximity to each other.

Size/ Capacity: 10-50 people Type: Permanent Use: Recreation, Public Green Space Look and Feel: Shaded, Welcoming Notes: Provide shade and accessible routes to eating areas, appropriate tables, and firm ground surfaces for people with mobility aids

“Transmitter Park and Pier.” Image courtesy of WXY Studio

“BBQ in Angrigon Park.” Image by Jiaqian AirplaneFan, via Wikimedia Commons 150

SEATING POCKETS Seating Pockets are areas for pause and play adjacent to the Riverwalk. Gentle slopes, steps, and ramps form surfaces for sitting, lounging, and playing. The pocket leaves enough flexibility to allow unexpected uses and appropriations so that individuals can choose how to experience the river.

Size/ Capacity: 1-25 people Type: Permanent Use: Recreation, Public Green Space Look and Feel: Bright, Colorful, Friendly Notes: Consider integrating planting, shading, and lighting

“2410 California Street Parklet.” Image by Sfplanning, via Creative Commons

“754 Post Street Parklet.” Image by Sfplanning, via Creative Commons 151

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RIVERFRONT STUDIOS Modular and stackable units can support a variety of activities. Their placement along the Riverwalk can enhance the pedestrian experience and create courtyards ideal for cultural programming. They are easily disassembled and deployed at various locations along the Riverwalk.

Size/ Capacity: 2-5 Modular Units Type: Temporary Use: Arts + Culture Look and Feel: Include glass area for visual connectivity Notes: Retrofit to provide power, cooling, and water infrastructure to support artists

“Stackt Container Market” Image by wyliepoon, via Creative Commons

“DeKalb Market: BBOX Radio DJ Booth” Image by Inhabitat, via Creative Commons 152

BOSQUE A bosque of trees offers welcome respite, shade, and a protected atmosphere for individual enjoyment or casual gatherings.

Incorporating moveable seating and furniture can encourage people to stay and enjoy the Riverwalk beside a bosque or grove of trees.

Size/ Capacity: Medium Type: Permanent Use: Public Green Space Look and Feel: Shady and comfortable Notes: Tree groves can be on land or floating in the River. Area should be well lit in the evening

“Lincoln Center.” Image by Focusc, via Creative Commons

“Zucotti Park.” Image by Ken Lund, via Creative Commons 153

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HUBS

10.9 HUBS Hubs are flexible concentrations of programmatic activity that are capable of supporting larger events and programs. Hubs are typically housed in a larger structure or off-the-shelf modules that can accommodate multiple activities at once or multiple types of activity.

Hubs may be created using a range of different building types, from large, flexible tensile structures to more traditional multipurpose buildings or pavilions. The design of hubs should prioritize multi-functionality and flexibility since these spaces need to be able to host regular programs, educational activities, and community resources—sometimes simultaneously.

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MULTIPURPOSE HUBS A Multipurpose Hub is an open hall and trellis that is free of function and open to any use ranging from individual activities to collective events, from tournaments to open air cinemas, theater, and concerts. The structure can be used to integrate lights, signage, and plants to provide shade and greenery.

Size/ Capacity: Large Type: Permanent Use: Multifunctional Look and Feel: Green, Open, and Shaded

“MFO-Park, Oerlikon.” Image by Cranker, via Creative Commons

“MFO Park, Oerlikon.” Image by Mélisande, via Creative Commons 156

ECOLOGY ISLANDS Accessible by boat or bridges and foot paths, Ecology Islands are clusters of climate resilient floating platforms for fishing, relaxing, and learning about the river. The Islands are habitats for birds and plant life, and act as artificial reefs for fish and aquatic creatures below.

Size/ Capacity: Large Type: Permanent Use: Public Green Space Look and Feel: Lush, Wild Notes: Use recycled floating elements and sustainable materials, consider currents of the River

“Pontikonisi, Corfu.” Image by Ava Babili, via Creative Commons

Christo and Jeane-Claude “The Floating Piers.” Image by Riccardo Palazzani, via Creative Commons 157

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PARK PAVILIONS A Park Pavilion is a multipurpose structure that is flexible enough to accommodate a variety of uses from individuals to groups and larger events. It should provide wifi, charging stations, and include restrooms or be located close to a comfort station.

Size/ Capacity: Large Type: Permanent Use: Multifunctional Look and Feel: Shady, but well-lit at night, welcoming and open Notes: Incorporate or locate close to a comfort station

“Watching the sunset at Hudson River Park Pier 45.” Image by Anne Ruthmann, via Creative Commons

“Far Rockaway Park Pavilion.” Image courtesy of WXY Studio 158

COMMUNITY CENTERS A Community Center is a multipurpose building that may include recreational amenities, enclosed shaded areas for a small cafe or restaurant, restrooms, and storage.

Centers should incorporate flexible seating for casual hanging out and enjoying views of the river wherever possible.

Size/ Capacity: Large Type: Permanent Use: Sports+Recreation, Community+Services Look and Feel: Welcoming, Open, Fun Notes: Can be floating or constructed on land, consider river currents if floating

“Floating football stadium.” Image by Christian Haugen, via Creative Commons

“Basketbar.” Image by Pedro Kok, via Flickr 159

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10.10 ACTIVATION TOOLKIT MAPS Flexibility lies at the heart of the activation plan. This map reflects one potential activation scenario that uses the five elements of the activation toolkit in combination. Please note: this is a conceptual visualization of how the different activation toolkit elements could be rolled out along the Riverwalk over the years. All sites and locations would be subject to extensive conversations with City Agencies, stakeholders, and communities, and are not fixed.

SHIPYARDS

Shade Structure Ground Mural Lighting Art Installation Banners Info Station Wayfinding Mobile Unit

SOUTHBANK + 6,720 Linear Feet of New Riverwalk

Street Area Parking Lot Area Seat Area Pocket Public Art Hub Structure

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YMCA

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Kayak Launch

Brooklyn, Activation Map

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Lighting

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Future Skate Park

Sidney J. Gefen, Activation Map

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Lighting

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Market on Wheels

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Southbank East, Activation Map

Shade Structure

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Parking Lot Area

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PART III IMPLEMENTATION

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Our plan considers two scenarios for rolling out the activation plan—one concentrated approach and one dispersed approach. In early presentations of these scenarios, the Dispersed option was chosen as preferred by City agencies and stakeholders.

11.1 THE FIRST ACT Using the program framework and activation toolkit described in chapters 9 and 10, there are a variety of ways that the Riverfront activation could be phased and implemented over time. The plan considers two different scenarios—one concentrated, one dispersed—for phasing implementation. In publishing this report, the Dispersed Scenario has been identified as preferred

by City agencies for a more equitable and inclusive approach. Both are presented in this chapter for comparison.

and others, are important to consider as part of this plan.

11.2 CRITICAL PARTNERSHIPS & ADJACENCIES High quality activations rely upon well designed and deliberate partnerships. As a result, partnerships with existing entities, adjacent property owners, and other types of organizations will be critical. Understanding the landscape of partners who will maintain, manage, and activate the proposed toolkit will help us build the potential activation scenarios and roll-out phases that could be possible.

The process for implementation, including what pieces get developed first, depends on a variety of factors and questions that need to be asked at the outset. How can we be sure all communities benefit from the initial activation roll-out? Are there other projects happening concurrently that these activations could support? Are there parallel investments being made by the City or by private developers? Would it be worth aligning with those investments? What is the existing level of activity in a place and how effective can the plan be in the absence of new development? All of these questions,

11.3 RESILIENCE While the activation plan consists largely of temporary structures and elements supporting an expansive programming calendar, implementation should examine how long-term and short-term investments might align, especially in areas where those investments are most at risk. Consider whether there are planned flood resiliency infrastructure projects underway and, if so, how the activation complements that.

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Future Phase: Downtown

Future Phase: Shipyards

First Phase: Brooklyn

Future Phase: Southbank Future Phase: River’s Edge

Future Phase: Five Points

Conceptual Concentrated Implementation Map: This map should be viewed as a conceptual visualization of how activation toolkit elements could be rolled out in sections along the Riverwalk over the years, starting with one stretch (“phase”) and including additional stretches in future phases. All sites and locations would be subject to extensive conversations with City Agencies, stakeholders, and communities, and these are not fixed.

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11.4 SCENARIO 1: CONCENTRATED PHASING

Program Phasing Strategy: Concentrated • A concentrated rollout of all 5 toolkit elements would enable a full range of programming in the short-term in just one stretch of the Riverfront, from exercise classes, to workshops, educational programs, community resources, food and crafts markets, music events, and arts and culture.

A concentrated activation scenario focuses activation investment on one specific neighborhood to build a critical mass of activity and showcase key program and toolkit items.

• The benefit of a concentrated program phasing is that it would allow for immediate side-by-side programming, bringing together different social groups, and letting the public experience a wider range of program offerings.

• A drawback of the concentrated rollout scenario is that neighborhoods further from the activation zone won’t benefit from the short-term activation on a day-to-day basis, and the experience of the Riverfront as an activated whole will take longer to achieve.

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Future Phase: Downtown

Future Phase: Shipyards

First Phase: Brooklyn

Future Phase: Southbank Future Phase: Five Points

Future Phase: River’s Edge

SCENARIO 1: CONCENTRATED PHASING Toolkit Phasing Strategy: Concentrated • A concentrated approach to phasing would consolidate all five elements in the activation toolkit into a single neighborhood, fully activating one area of the Riverfront in the short-term and then phasing in new neighborhoods over time.

• The benefit of a concentrated phasing strategy is that it would allow the public to experience one section of fully activated Riverwalk at critical mass, rather than small glimpses of activation spread thin.

The concern would be that not all neighborhoods would have equal access to the activities.

• This strategy would depend on a committed local partner and amenable adjacent users, as well as an existing amount of infrastructure. Brooklyn or the Southbank would be the two best neighborhood candidates for the first activation.

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Conceptual Dispersed Implementation Map: This map should be viewed as conceptual visualization of how the different activation toolkit elements could be rolled out in three phases along the Riverwalk over the years. All sites and locations would be subject to extensive conversations with City Agencies, stakeholders, and communities, and these are not fixed.

Phase 1 Walk Cues Mobile Units Phase 2 Pockets Phase 3 Hubs (Note: identifying the right locations for hubs will require extensive conversations with the Parks Department and DIA - what is shown here should be considered a test fit) 180

11.5 SCENARIO 2: DISPERSED PHASING

Program Phasing Strategy: Dispersed • A dispersed programming scenario would allow for layers of regular programming across the full Riverfront, using light-touch space interventions to facilitate exercise, pop-up programs, smaller outdoor classroom sessions, and community resources.

*The dispersed scenario has been identified

by City agencies as the preferred implementation strategy* In the dispersed activation scenario, activities will build up gradually, but are offered along the whole Riverfront immediately. This phasing strategy layers investments and programming over three phases, beginning with walks, cues, and mobile units, and layering on pockets and hubs over time.

• The dispersed approach would require rolling out fewer types of programs, but would ensure that activation is happening in different locations, inviting all adjacent neighborhoods to participate. This is key in ensuring an equitable Riverfront that can benefit all communities, specifically Black and Brown communities who have been disenfranchised in the past.

• The dispersed programming scenario will require a strong branding strategy to ensure users of the Riverfront understand the overall connections between activations along the Riverfront and future phases.

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SCENARIO 2: DISPERSED PHASING

Phase 1 Walk Cues Mobile Units Phase 2 Pockets Phase 3 Hubs (Note: identifying the right locations for hubs will require extensive conversations with the Parks Department and DIA - what is shown here should be considered a test fit)

Toolkit Phasing Strategy: Dispersed • A dispersed phasing strategy would introduce the activation toolkit across the entire Riverfront in three phases, starting with smaller improvements (walks, cues, mobile units) and then gradually building up to pockets and hubs.

• The benefit of the dispersed strategy is that it would touch multiple neighborhoods at once, bringing some level of continuity and cohesiveness to the entire Riverfront, while rolling out a far-reaching program of activities. This strategy is important for all neighborhoods and communities to immediately experience the benefits of the Activation Plan and to ensure equity and diverse participation.

• Dispersed activations, while more flexible, may dissipate activity.

Spreading investment along the whole riverfront could risk not creating critical mass for activations in the near-term implementation phase.

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Mobilizing collective resources to benefit the entire city sustained collaboration. Exploring, developing, and executing a governance roadmap and funding strategy that are innovative and aspirational while also being practical, flexible, and sensitive to the local context are thus crucial steps to ensure that the Activation Plan is brought to life and set up for success well into the future.

INTRODUCTION Unlocking the greater potential of the Riverfront presents a major opportunity to benefit Jacksonville in the years to come.

Economic research shows that quality public spaces spur private development, improve quality of life, create good jobs for existing residents, attract new talent, and enhance equity and inclusion. From inclusive programming, community well-being, and greater health, to the city’s enhanced economic competitiveness, a more activated waterfront helps build the path to Jacksonville’s long-term vibrancy, liveability, and prosperity.

Activating the riverfront also presents a unique opportunity for various existing and emerging stakeholders to work toward shared public benefits and goals. Public, private, and nonprofit partners in Jacksonville, in providing inputs and helping devise the Activation Plan, already brought their unique perspectives, knowledge, and resources to the table.

Implementing the plan and ensuring that the projects can achieve the best possible outcomes for the diverse user base—and particulary focusing on benefitting minority communities—require even deeper and more 185

JLP+D interviewed local stakeholders from public, private, and non-profit sectors and conducted a high-level governance and revenue analysis with 21 case studies to illustrate the potential of different approaches for consideration. According to the analysis, there exists a wide variety of potential funding sources to support greater activation and economic prosperity. The implementation of the plan should thus emphasize the projects’ alignment with different funders’ goals and priorities. Stakeholders should pursue a diversified funding strategy over the next ten years that leverages strategic public investments and successes in the early phases to foster a growing share of private contribution, value capture, earned income, and program partner contribution. The following section of the report summarizes key considerations for different stakeholders to consider as they work to fund and implement the plan through a collaborative approach.

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12.1 GOVERNANCE

KEY GOVERNANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Successful implementation of the Activation Plan requires a proactive and collaborative approach to governance, management, maintenance, and operations. Jacksonville is fortunate to have a host of existing public and private entities that could potentially pool resources and bring expertise to activate the Waterfront; it is imperative to foster continued conversations among these entities to develop a collaborative model of governance that meet the immediate activation needs and can be adaptable to future scopes and conditions.

A. Develop, advocate, and build broad support around a shared vision for the Downtown Waterfront B. Optimize the City’s capacity by strategically coordinating with non-profit partners C. Develop a detailed delineation of roles and responsibilities for the maintenance, operation, and programming D. Codify and formalize multi-party agreements to avoid funding and operational disruptions

The analysis includes six key considerations for public, private, and non-profit stakeholders to develop a detailed governance and management plan, with case studies of projects that illustrate transferable lessons.

E. Incorporate diverse voices, interests, and constituents into implementation and decision-making F. Set performance metrics and evaluate the outcome against the vision

DRAFT DELIVERABLE SUBMISSION

ROADMAP: Roadmap

The Activation Plan kicks off the process to develop a detailed, productive, and feasible governance structure for the downtown waterfront.

A

Shared vision for the downtown waterfront

B

Non-profit management model with City coordination

C

Detailed delineation of roles and responsibility

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Codified and formalized multi-party agreements

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E F

Diverse voices in decision-making

Performance metrics

A. Develop, advocate, and build broad support around a shared vision for the downtown waterfront

is one of the most strategic locations for improvement, due to its high concentration of existing assets that will generate returns on investment. For public and private stakeholders in Jacksonville, a shared vision around how to invest in the Downtown Waterfront is a prerequisite for building greater political, community, and funding support for the project.

WHY: Investing in downtown and the public realm creates a better experience and greater civic pride that benefits the entire city.

Such investments also help Jacksonville and its businesses leverage the city’s resilience during the pandemic, attract more investments, create jobs for local residents, and let the city better compete economically over the long term (Placemaking as an Economic Engine for All, 2020). It is the goal of the Activation Plan that these benefits in particular reach the Black and Brown communities in the city.

HOW: Jacksonville is the largest city in the contiguous United States by land area, consisting of multiple geographic areas of interest and influence. Currently, as the majority of Jacksonville residents reside outside of the Downtown area, many stakeholders interviewed during this analysis identified an urgent need to build stronger political support for major riverfront investment.

The St. Johns River is a unique asset for Jacksonville, and the Downtown Riverfront

Tampa Riverwalk (Tampa, FL) The creation of the downtown Riverwalk revitalized the city’s waterfront and connected seven major waterfront parks, entertainment, and hospitality venues along the way. This praised amenity has brought interest back downtown with natural and cultural offerings that generated new energy, promoting healthy lifestyles while attracting new development and spurring economic growth. Its connectivity to the downtown neighborhoods is vital for tourists while it also allows convenient use for locals.

“Aerial view of Water Works Park in Tampa.” Image courtesy of the City of Tampa.

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B. Optimize the City’s capacity by strategically coordinating with non-profit partners

However, the private business and philanthropic communities, such as the Jacksonville Civic Council, JAXUSA, JAX Chamber, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, and others could potentially be mobilized and work in partnership with public agencies to build consensus and advocate for policy.

Why: Public-private partnerships in public realm management are increasingly common across the country, especially for large-scale, complex operations (Leveraging PublicPrivate Partnerships, 2020; Public Spaces/ Private Money, 2015; How Private Dollars Can Manage Public Parks, 2019).

A shared vision around Downtown Riverfront investment with maximum political, business, and community buy-in should: • Tie the activation of waterfront to Jacksonville’s greater social and economic development objectives, as well as existing capital initiatives such as the Emerald Trail;

The benefits of involving non-profit operating partners in close coordination with the City include:

• Balance the interests represented by both Downtown and City/County-wide stakeholders;

• Efficiency: Reducing public investment risk while enhancing the overall outcome of user experience;

• Be equitable and inclusive;

• Funding: Increasing the funding pool via private fundraising potential;

• Coordinate open space preservation and real estate development goals;

• Expertise: Ensuring additional staff and expertise without adding the City’s overhead; and

• Involve multiple policy areas and public agencies (Parks, Public Works, Downtown Investment Authority, Neighborhoods, Economic Development, etc);

• Creativity: Implementing flexible, creative, and entrepreneurial programming and activation strategies.

• Be financially feasible; • Delineate roles and responsibilities between City and non-City actors; and

HOW: Implementing a successful public-private partnership takes initial resources to convene partners and reach broad buy-in and should focus on broad representation across the city. However, the opportunity cost of not considering new models of open space governance is high, especially as Downtown

• Ensure the longevity of activation and commitment to implementation.

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Memphis River Parks (Memphis, TN) The Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) is a nonprofit organization that manages, maintains, operates, and activates five connected riverfront park districts on behalf of the city government.

In 2017, the Mayor announced the investment of millions of sales tax dollars captured by the Downtown Tourism Development Zone (TDZ) into the riverfront. The next year, the City agreed to extend by 13 years the management agreement of the city-owned parks to the Memphis River Parks Partnership.

“Memphis River Parks.” Image courtesy of Memphis River Parks Partnership.

Jacksonville competes with other town centers and regions for jobs and residents.

It is in the citizens’ interests to protect and enhance the value of Jacksonville’s major economic asset—the Downtown.

initial canvassing process. The existing Business Improvement District, Downtown Vision Inc., provides services that could potentially be expanded and/or incorporated as part of the Riverfront Activation scope. Meanwhile, new entities such as the recently incorporated Riverfront Parks Conservancy could potentially provide specialized expertise and access to external grant funding that has not been available to Jacksonville today. Additionally, the Downtown Riverfront’s development and operations should stay coordinated with Groundwork Jacksonville, which is spearheading the Emerald Trail initiative.

The City of Jacksonville and Downtown Investment Authority, as the steward of Jacksonville’s downtown revitalization, are the lead partners for any potential public-private partnership, and should be thoroughly consulted and approve key decisions.

Specifically, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services will act in a lead capacity in the management and governance of the activation efforts. Where appropriate, key capacity gaps shall be filled with internal and external resources to enhance the outcome.

The specific governance model for the Riverfront and the delineation of roles and responsibilities for operating the riverfront requires further detailed analysis. But on a high level, a successful public-private partnership in Jacksonville, should:

Several existing and new non-profit entities should have conversations as part of the

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• Strategically enhance the coordination capacity in the city;

understanding of service requirements and a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities can avoid redundancy and set out an achievable expectation for staffing, expertise, and funding commitment among partner organizations.

• Avoid duplication or overlap of service scopes, both in terms of program operations and in terms of geography and territory of services; • Facilitate non-City partners to jointly increase funding potential from both local and non-local sources; and

HOW: The Activation Plan consists of a wide variety of programmatic and operational needs ranging from safety and cleaning to services, cultural and community events, and commercial activities, in addition to the need for high-quality maintenance. A collaborative model is imperative to fulfil that vision.

• Devise formal arrangements for collaboration and accountability.

C. Develop a detailed delineation of roles and responsibilities for the maintenance, operation, and programming

In order to avoid redundancy and leverage the comparative advantages of various existing and emerging entities interested in Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront activation, a series of organizational audits are recommended to assess their respective staffing, expertise, funding, and jurisdictional authority.

WHY Service delivery in large urban realms is complex and resource-consuming.

Especially for public-private partnerships and multi-party collaborations, a thorough

The Bay Park (Sarasota, FL) The City of Sarasota and the Bay Park Conservancy Inc. signed a partnership agreement in 2019. The agreement’s purpose was to lay out the foundations for a lasting cooperative working relationship and define each party’s role. While the City keeps its responsibility to provide all basic infrastructure to the site, including streets, sidewalks, and sewer services, the Bay Park Conservancy (BPC) is entitled to enhance the security at its own expense and provide

maintenance that exceeds routine maintenance by the City after consultation and coordination with the city manager and the city departments.

BPC also maintains a general liability insurance policy to cover losses sustained by third parties in connection with any work performed at the Bay Park. Through the agreement, the City also allows BPC to enter into contracts with third-party general contractors to construct capital improvements and landscaping or other features at The Bay Park following the approved Implementation Plan.

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ERABLE SUBMISSION

POTENTIAL ORGANIZATIONAL CHART:

Acronyms: CoJ: City of Jacksonville DIA: Downtown Investment Authority

(Subject to changes recommended in a more detailed Riverfront Management Plan)

CoJ DIA

Management agreement; Resource contribution; Coordination

General Maintenance

Security and Safety

Public Programs Coordination and cross-promotion

Fundraising

Lead

Operator(s)

Other Operations

Coordination

Emerald Trail

Oversight and advisory

Contracts and permits

Program Committees Liaison Partners

Program Partners

Resident and community

Property and business owner

Other group and individual

organizations’ capacities and resources, it is critical for the Riverfront’s future governance and management model to be able to evolve accordingly and consist of different near-term and long-term O&M and programming partnerships that reflect the changing stakeholder landscape over time.

Subject to continued engagement and discussions with the entities and a more detailed Riverfront Management Plan, the City shall develop strategies and approaches to ensure a strong coordination role and optimize the contribution by entities such as the Riverfront Parks Conservancy and Downtown Vision Inc. for a range of services including programming, grounds maintenance, stakeholder engagement; security and safety; placemaking; and marketing and branding.

It is recommended that public agencies and private organizations continue to discuss the organizational structure of riverfront management based on their capacity audits and a detailed service scope for activation. A further study on governance, management, and stewardship is needed.

Because the Riverfront’s conditions will transform with early-phase investment and improvement, and so will different

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D. Codify and formalize multi-party agreements to avoid funding and operational disruptions

where each party can be held accountable to their designated responsibilities.

How: Existing City entities such as the Department of Public Works, Parks Department, and Downtown Investment Authority have established procedures and standards for contracted operations and maintenance.

WHY: Stakeholders interviewed have expressed concerns about the capacity of any single operating body to take on all of the roles and responsibilities that riverfront activation will require. So multi-party agreements will be crucial and allow the operating lead to stay nimble and lean while other experienced partners deliver quality services and programming.

For the future of the Riverfront, its operating partners will need to enter Management Agreement(s) with the City.

Stakeholders interviewed have suggested that, instead of relying on verbal and/or good-will agreements, the operating partners of waterfront activation should enter formal contracts with both the City and other service and programming partners. It has also been suggested that the permitting process can be streamlined to encourage more frequent use of the public realm.

Codifying and creating formal agreements between different parties can ensure project success and operational efficiency (Public Spaces/Private Money, 2015). Compared with good-faith agreements, legally binding agreements are preferable, which enable partners to avoid confusion about roles over the long term, as well as create a structure

In such agreements, the roles and responsibilities should be well defined. And the initial James Weldon Johnson Park (Jacksonville, FL) Friends of James Weldon Johnson Park is a non-profit organization tasked with managing the public space, with the authority to issue permits in the park, through a contract with the City of Jacksonville. The organization publishes a detailed list of rules and requirement for applicants, and utilizes a digital, user-friendly booking website to expedite the process.

“Chess at James Weldon Johnson Park.” Image by PicoOrdinalo, via Creative Commons.

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capital project planning should be linked with recurring expense budget estimations.

• Advocates for open space preservation as well as the real estate development community; and

E. Incorporate diverse voices, interests, and constituents into implementation and decision-making

• Low-income and minority communities who historically lacked access to highquality open spaces and Downtown amenities.

The need to balance different interests and produce a shared vision has direct implications for governance. Stakeholders interviewed by JLP+D expressed the need for transparent decision making, which is crucial for building trust. This includes the nomination mechanism for any individuals and representatives of organizations in any boards or committees overseeing programming. The Activation Plan sets the stage to establish programming groups that include diverse constituents from the community and expand access to decision-making for previously untapped populations and organizations. Such a bottom-up programming mechanism enhances the community’s sense of ownership and ensures greater utilization and activation as an outcome.

WHY Making the Riverfront experience equitable and inclusive has both social and economic benefits (10 Principles for Enhancing Equitable Access to Parks, 2021; Investing in Equitable Urban Park Systems, 2019). By creating an environment for everyone, Jacksonville will better serve and retain existing residents and entrepreneurs and be better positioned to attract more diverse workforce to fuel the growth of the city’s economy.

The Riverfront Activation project presents not only an opportunity to create a place for all Jacksonville residents and visitors, but also the chance to implement just and inclusive decision making processes that can generate broad support among public, private, and community stakeholders.

According to discussions with multiple stakeholders in Jacksonville, for the emerging Riverfront Parks Conservancy, subject to its to-be-defined role in programming and activation, it is recommended that the Board of Directors of this new organization represents the aforementioned interest groups to the extent possible. Downtown Vision Inc. is a crucial partner and has an existing Board of Directors representing

HOW According to interviews with stakeholders, the interests in the Riverfront are diverse.

Decisions regarding activation should thus balance those different voices, which include: • Downtown stakeholders as well as residents, businesses, and elected officials representing other parts of Jacksonville;

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11th St Bridge Park (Washington DC) 11th Bridge Park’s creators have a plan for equitable economic development beyond the park proper. The Equitable Development Plan outlines key strategies for workforce development, small business enterprises, affordable housing, and arts and culture.

The Plan serves as a blueprint for advocacy, partnership formation, and project planning and implementation.

Domino Park (Brooklyn, NY) The programming of Domino Park along the Williamsburg waterfront is overseen by a Review Board with members appointed from among nominations made by the local community board, Council Members and the Open Space Alliance. Each year, the Review Board would have the opportunity to review the program plan and to approve, disapprove or approve the plan with modifications and conditions. This approach strikes an appropriate balance that will allow for creative programming of the spaces while ensuring that this is done in a way which meets community concerns.

11th Street Bridge Park’s Equitable Development Plan

“Domino Park.” Image by Scott Beale, via Flickr/Creative Commons.

Harold Simmons Park (Dallas, TX) The Trinity Park Conservancy engaged consultants to create the Harold Simmons Park Equitable Development Toolkit and Implementation Roadmap. Leveraging the economic benefits the park will bring to the area, the conservancy has been advised to mitigate involuntary displacement and protect small businesses. Other techniques that prioritize equity and inclusion include Community Benefits Agreements and Community Land Trusts.

“11th Street Bridge Park’s Equitable Development Plan.” Image courtesy of Building Bridges Across the River.

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the metrics and desired outcomes that best represent the goals outlined in the vision.

Downtown interests. For DVI to play a key role in the Riverfront’s equitable activation, it could potentially consider establishing a Riverfront Committee with non-Board members to advise on the direction of programming to the extent possible.

Stakeholders should translate the guidelines and goals to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the Riverfront. Interviews with stakeholders about the state of Downtown Jacksonville, park use, and the importance of the Waterfront yielded valuable qualitative information to decide on the KPIs. Continued stakeholder engagement as well as the visioning and subsequent Master Planning processes will further enhance this foundation.

F. Set performance metrics and evaluate the outcome against the vision WHY Rigorous evaluation ensures that implementation, governance, maintenance, and operations are successfully fulfilling the vision set forth for Jacksonville’s Waterfront. The functions of the Waterfront as an inclusive cultural, civic, and recreational space as well as the economic benefits it generates should be monitored and reported. This will create feedback loops that will help the City, the operating and service partners track their progress and be held accountable to the vision for the Riverfront. Compelling metrics and proven success of Riverfront activation will also be crucial in sustaining long-term support of the project, including activating for grant and philanthropic funding.

Where possible, the evaluation process should take advantage of the opportunity to present hard numeric information and quantitative approaches in addition to qualitative information. Potential KPIs include, but are not limited to: • Number of events and attendance, including a breakdown of paid and free activities; • Diversity of communities served by the programs (demographic information); • Social media impressions and press; • Trash pick up; and • Survey results on health, wellbeing, and customer satisfaction.

HOW The evaluation process will rely heavily on principles set in the shared vision for the Riverfront. Consensus must be built around

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Catherine Street Park (Baltimore, MD) The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is conducting a five-year longitudinal evaluation of the health, public safety, and economic impacts of the Catherine Street Park in Baltimore. The data collection began in December 2018, shortly before construction began. As of today, data has shown a 10% increase in general attendance and a 25% increase in youth activity in the park. It showed Catherine Street Park experienced a significant increase in crime while the park was closed for renovation. The research is a critical component of NRPA’s Parks “Build Community” program, which channels contribution from NRPA’s partners to “enable local communities and park agencies to complete projects that improve the quality of life for all people, provide a lasting impact for years to come.”

“Catherine Street / ABC Park Revitalization.” Image courtesy of National Recreation and Park Association.

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12.2 FUNDING

LEVERAGING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING OVER TIME:

High-quality public realms need sustainable and diversified funding sources. This analysis identified and discussed six categories of major funding opportunities, with case studies to illustrate their potential uses. The key to success is to leverage the project’s broad relevance and comprehensive vision for alignment with multiple public and private funders’ goals.

A shared vision and a collaborative governance model bring the potential to achieve diversified funding from public and private sources over time.

Key Funding Opportunities

Activation Toolkits

O&M and Programming

1.

City Budgetary Allocation, Earmarked Funding, and In-Kind Resources

Applicable

Applicable

2.

Other Government Grants

Applicable

Applicable

3.

Real Estate Value Capture

4.

Philanthropy, Other Private Contribution, and Membership

5.

Earned Income

Applicable

6.

Program Partner In-Kind Contribution

Applicable

Applicable Applicable

Applicable

DRAFT DELIVERABLE SUBMISSION

Leverage Public and Private Investment Over Time Funding for the Activation Plan

Non-Government Funding

Government Funding

1

2

3

4

5

6

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7

8

9

10

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1. City Budgetary Allocation, Earmarked Funding, and In-Kind Resources

The initial success demonstrated in the early phase(s) of activation should be leveraged for DRAFT DELIVERABLE SUBMISSION greater and lasting momentum, especially for non-government funding sources.

Benefits: Capitalize on Initial Success for Greater and Lasting Momentum Early-phase commitment and contribution byNon-Government the public sector is often the foundation Funding for public space success (Closing The Gap, 2015). For the initial buildout and the ongoing Realfunds Estate Value Capture: operations, setting aside in the City’s Property Assessment; Development Agreement; Capital Commitment Plan, in the annualTIF (TBD) budgets as a line item, and/or dedicating in-house staff resources will unlock the Private: potential for greater non-City andSponsorship; private Corporate Philanthropic and Private contribution.

Donation; Membership

Government Funding

City Contribution:

Capital; Gas Tax; General Fund

Stakeholders interviewed expressed Earned Income: Rentals; Event that there is a strong need toFees distinguish and Permits; F&B Concessions basic infrastructure and services from Program Partner In-Kind value add, and that private sector funders Years 1-5 Years 6-10 would respond more enthusiastically if the government ensures a foundational level of public space activation, programming, and maintenance. Additionally, buy-in from the City Council in the form of budgetary commitments signals the government’s clear priority and focus, which can become an encouraging sign used as further leverage to solicit developer, philanthropic, and grant funding.

Federal and State Grants Years 1-5

Years 6-10

or Greater and Lasting Momentum Non-Government Funding

Real Estate Value Capture:

Property Assessment; Development Agreement; TIF (TBD)

Private: Corporate Sponsorship; Philanthropic and Private Donation; Membership

Limitations: For complex, large-scale initiatives and world-class activation projects, City funding is only one of the many potential sources of funds.

Earned Income: Rentals; Event Fees and Permits; F&B Concessions Program Partner In-Kind

Years 1-5

Years 6-10

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In Jacksonville, stakeholders interviewed have felt that there is a need to build greater political will for the City to invest in its Downtown. This will require better communication of the social and economic benefits of a transformational public space for broad constituents citywide.

Current Conditions: For Fiscal Year 2022, the City of Jacksonville adopted a $1.41B General Fund budget and a $469M Capital Improvement Plan for 2021-2022.

The City of Jacksonville received $171M from the American Rescue Plan. A vast majority of the federal funding is used towards the Capital Improvement Plan. In Jacksonville, projects shall satisfy criteria defined in the Code of Ordinances in order to become capitally eligible. The criteria include, among

other things, having a total cost greater than $100,000 and a useful life of more than ten years.

Jacksonville’s recently increased Local Option Gas Tax presents additional opportunities to fund capital projects and operations along the waterfront. As part of the Gas Tax savings revenue, the City is currently evaluating ways to spend $100M for park-related purposes across the city, as well as potentially additional amount for Downtown uses, at the time of this writing. In Feb 2022, the City Council approved the spending of $20M on park maintenance backlog and $30M on park facilities construction and improvement.

The challenge of accessing City funds for waterfront activation is that many other projects, priorities, and deferred maintenance are all in competition, highlighting the need to build strong political will around a compelling Emerald Trail (Jacksonville, FL) The Emerald Trail is a multimodal trail and linear park system that will connect multiple historic neighborhoods and Downtown Jacksonville to local and regional routes, parks, schools, businesses, transit, and other destinations. This project accessed City funding from the Gas Tax, which the Jacksonville City Council voted to approve in 2021. The increased Gas Tax is expected to generate $1 billion over the next 30 years for major transportation and infrastructure improvements, $132 million of which was earmarked for Emerald Trail.

“Emerald Trail.” Image courtesy of Downtown Vision Inc.

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and shared vision for the Downtown Waterfront linked to the City’s strategy for quality of life improvements and economic development.

State and federal funding programs are of various goals and foci. For the Riverfront activation in Jacksonville, its various programming components; the breadth of impact for economic development, arts and culture, environmental value, social and community wellbeing; and a well articulated and comprehensive vision will enable this project to apply for grants that target a multitude of causes, including recreation, transportation, economic development, nature, and resilience-related outcomes.

Next Steps: • Engage in conversations with the Special Committee on Parks to make the case for funding Downtown Riverfront activation.

• Evaluate the construction cost estimates for activation, including strategically packaging design elements as capitally eligible projects to be included in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan, and conduct operating expense analysis for projects associated with the Waterfront.

Set expectations early on for the City’s maintenance needs and inform any third-party Management Agreement.

Limitations: Most federal and state funded grants are capital funding that is one-off. Funding programs can also be non-recurring. Hence, while state and federal grants represent a potentially significant source of funding for the early-phase buildout of the Activation Toolkits, it does not represent the largest or the most reliable income stream for ongoing operations and programming.

• Consider conducting a citywide public space assessment that situates the Downtown Waterfront in relation to other priority projects of different scales and geographies in Jacksonville. Use the plan to guide the City’s long-term investment and budgetary considerations.

Additionally, grant applications are competitive, time consuming, and expertise intensive. Making convincing arguments on multiple fronts is crucial, in order to align different aspects of the project with policy priorities of each specific grant; so is providing data and analyses to support the application. For local agencies, the operating partners, and the various program partners, this implies budgetary as well as capacity needs to hire specialized grant writers in order to maximize the chance of successful application.

2. Other Government Grants Benefits: External grants present a significant opportunity to supplement local money and send strong signals of project endorsement and public value to philanthropic and other private funders.

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Dickens Farm Nature Area (Longmont, CO) Dickens Farm Nature Area is a 67-acre public space located two blocks from downtown Longmont and part of a comprehensive resilient effort that aims to restore the St. Vrain Creek Greenway Trail System and mitigate the impacts of flooding. The comprehensive project received $136 million from federal funding from: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Community Development Block GrantDisaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). This project was the recipient of the Sustainability Award from the American Public Works Association (APWA), Colorado Chapter, in 2018.

“Dickens Farm Nature Area.” Image courtesy of Visit Longmont.

Current Conditions:

infrastructure improvement in the buildout of the plan elements.

Subject to more detailed further analysis of funding eligibility and selection criteria, the following categories present initial opportunities for the stakeholders of the Riverfront activation project to consider.

• At the time of this writing, the US Economic Development Administration, through American Rescue Plan, provides grant funding for infrastructure that helps communities recover through travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation.

Selected Federal sources: • At the time of this writing, the upcoming Federal Infrastructure Bill, pending Congress’ final plan, will potentially include capital funding for transportation, roadway, and resilience infrastructure that can be part of the activation plan, subject to further incorporation of surface

• The National Park Service has multiple grant opportunities covering conservation and recreation, including Outdoor Recreational Grants Program and Rivers, Trail, Conservation Assistance Program.

• The National Endowment for the Arts

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provides funding to art and creative placemaking projects.

National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant program Our Town is the National Endowment for the Arts’ creative placemaking grants program.

Recipients are granted $25,000 to $150,000 for non-construction work (installation and design costs are eligible). Applicable project categories include: Arts Engagement: • Arts festivals • Community co-creation of art • Performances • Public art Cultural Planning: • Cultural planning • Cultural district planning • Creative asset mapping • Public art planning Design: • Artist/designer-facilitated community planning • Design of artist space • Design of cultural facilities • Public space design

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development administers multiple funding streams for community development and job creation.

• The Department of Transportation manages programs such as RAISE to fund projects that improve safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, innovation, and partnership.

• The Environmental Protection Agency administers several programs for green infrastructure and brownfield revitalization.

• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides funding for marine ecosystem-related projects.

• AmeriCorp grants provide operational funding that allows non-profit entities to hire people to work on projects of a wide variety. This represents an important opportunity for the activation plan’s ongoing maintenance needs.

Selected State sources: • Florida has $500M allocated for resilience in the state budget, $156M of which will be administered through a grant process.

• The Florida Department of State’s Division of Arts and Culture includes funding which can be used to support programming.

“City of Cuyahoga Falls Receives NEA Our Town Grant.”

Image by Jeffrey R. Stroup, via Akron Cultural Plan.

• The Florida Department of Economic

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3.a Real Estate Value Capture Tax Increment Financing

Opportunity administers HUD funding.

• The Florida Department of Environmental Protection hosts multiple grant programs, including: Land and Water Conservation Fund, Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program, Recreational Trails Program Assistance, and Florida Communities Trust.

Benefits: Tax Increment Financing (TIF) leverages public funds to promote private sector activity in the targeted area, and utilizes the additional value generated in real estate to fund projects and programs promoting redevelopment purposes.

Next Steps:

In a TIF district, the dollar value for property tax collection of all real property is fixed, or “frozen” at the time of the creation of the TIF district., Any increase in real property value above the frozen value, (the “increment revenues”) will be deposited in the Redevelopment Trust Fund. The TIF mechanism allows the government to harness the increasing property values of the TIF District to enhance the tax base of the District and, in turn, enhance investments and economic development.

• Conduct a detailed grant search and application strategy, including analyzing in detail the activation projects’ eligibility for different funding programs.

• Clearly articulate the vision and goals of the riverfront activation to align the project with policy goals of funding programs.

• Develop relationships with local and regional grant administration agencies and potential co-applicants, such as the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization and Jacksonville Transportation Authority, to prepare grant application strategies and proposals.

Limitations: The value of TIF will only materialize if the anticipated investments and redevelopments in downtown come into fruition and result in increased assessed property values in the targeted area. Hence, while the enabling legislation and CRA Plan permit a wide range of uses for the TIF fund, investments that have a high likelihood of spurring new growth and private investment should be prioritized.

• Identify the existing or emerging non-profit organization best positioned to apply for grant funding. Consider hiring a specialist staff member, housed in government or in the operating partner organizations, to take responsibility for grant-writing and applications.

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Philadelphia downtown parks (PA) Use of fund by Business Improvement District Philadelphia’s Center City District, a private sector-directed municipal authority (Special Service District), manages a collection of public parks in the city’s downtown. CCD cleans, manages, and programs these parks with a hybrid approach of in-house and third-party resources, committing both its own staff and competitively-selected vendors. The vast majority of CCD’s funding comes from property assessment ($20M+; 1500 beneficiary properties), while the CCD-managed parks themselves also generate revenue from sponsorships, events, and rentals.

“Philadelphia Center City.” Image via Pxfuel/Creative Commons.

Rose Kennedy Greenway (Boston, MA) Use of fund by Conservancy The Greenway is a signature open space system in Boston, and 19% ($1.3M) of its operating revenue is supported by property assessment. In 2018, negotiations between the Greenway Conservancy, A Better City, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Boston, and property owners culminated in the creation of the new Business Improvement District to fund the Conservancy.

The BID assessment applies to all taxable properties valued at more than $10M. The 50 properties included in the BID are immediately abutting the Greenway.

“Rose Kennedy Greenway.” Image courtesy of Greenway Conservancy.

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Current Conditions:

and value creation that will benefit property owners, businesses, and developers in the long run.

Downtown Jacksonville already has the TIF funding mechanism in its toolbox and the authority to use it for activation and programming. As the Community Redevelopment Agency for Downtown Jacksonville, the Downtown Investment Authority manages three TIF funds: Southside Redevelopment Trust Fund, Northside West Redevelopment Trust Fund, and the Downtown East Redevelopment Trust Fund.

Across the country, it is demonstrated that well-designed, well-maintained public spaces increase the value of real estate (The Case for Open Space, 2019). The financial contribution to public space management by real estate owners, through annual assessment or similar mechanisms, can generate one of the most stable sources of income for ongoing operations, and such an income stream is also more flexible in terms of uses, compared with discretionary government grants (Closing The Gap, 2015; Local Parks, Local Financing, 1998).

The uses of these funds include: incentivizing strategic real estate development; paying down the debt for infrastructure and public amenities that promote targeted growth; soft programs such as activation maintenance, and historic markers.

Limitations:

Next Steps:

For maturing real estate markets where the barriers to entry remain high, additional property assessment might be perceived as a deficit rather than a value. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor market reactions and balance the goals of incentivizing new development and the long-term adoption of open space-oriented value capture.

• Ensure successful project development that increases the property value within all of the downtown TIF areas.

• In the long-term, engage in conversations with DIA, City, and other downtown stakeholders regarding the availability and use of TIF funds for riverfront activation purposes.

When the market condition improves and matures, the establishment of real estate value capture mechanisms requires City Council’s legislative approval.* In that process, gathering majority political support and communicating the benefits of assessment effectively to property owners can potentially take significant organizing efforts and advocacy.

3.b Real Estate Value Capture Property Assessment Benefits: A high-quality public realm is the infrastructure that supports greater private investment

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*Compared with other states, the requirement for establishing and/or amending existing value capture districts in Florida is relatively less onerous.

Next Steps:

Current Conditions:

• Analyze the feasibility and cost and benefit of value capture for riverfront activation, including assessing the various potential arrangements for riverfront-oriented real estate assessment. The analysis should address the monetary implication as well as levels of support among existing owners.

• Ensure successful project development that increases the property value within all of downtown, especially for riverfront properties.

Jacksonville has the system set up in place for a potential future riverfront value capture mechanism based on property assessment.

Downtown Vision Inc, Jacksonville’s downtown Business Improvement District, generates the majority of its current operating income through property assessment (private and City-owned) at a 1.1 millage rate. The Business Improvement District also recently expanded its boundary from 0.5 to 1.3 sq mi with no change in millage rate, increasing the annual revenue by 48% to $2.5 million.

• Consider a phased and/or hybrid approach for value capture regarding timeline, geography, and rates.

•

Plan the uses and scopes of the fund and demonstrate their value for the assessed

Metropolitan Park (Jacksonville, FL) Jaguars/Iguana Investments’ development plan for Downtown Jacksonville includes a Four Seasons Hotel and Residences, a Class A office building, an orthopedic sports medicine complex, and improvements to the city-owned marina and public spaces.

As part of the development agreement, Jaguars plans to adopt Metropolitan Park through the City’s Private Park Adoption Program, committing $4 million over 20 years to help keep the park clean, safe and well-maintained.

“Four Seasons Hotel and Residences.” Image courtesy of Jacksonville Jaguars & Iguana Investments.

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Current Conditions:

properties.

The City of Jacksonville owns a significant amount of potential development sites in downtown and adjacent to the riverfront.

They are potential sources for developer’s contribution, subject to future market conditions, timing of development and public realm implementation, and the City’s plan for development.

• If pursuing new assessment, build advocacy and support among property owners and the City Council to advance the plan.

3.c Real Estate Value Capture Development Agreement

The City also has existing programs for private park adoption, most prominently used in the Metropolitan Park by Jaguars. The existence of such a framework paves the way for more public-private partnerships in the future.

Benefits: Developer’s contribution to public space in exchange for entitlement is a common and useful tool for cities. Such a contribution can fund both capital construction and ongoing operations (Closing The Gap, 2015).

Next Steps:

Mechanisms for developer’s contribution include individual development agreements and a more predictable fee program required for all projects that fit the criteria. Such a source of income can be sizeable depending on the pipeline of area development.

• Continue to monitor market conditions and develop a realistic and holistic development pipeline.

• Make a compelling case to developers on the nexus between public realm successes and expectable economic returns.

Limitations:

• Consider and balance the implication for open space preservation in the development pipeline, to maximize community support.

Economic viability at the project level is of paramount importance for the prospect of such a funding mechanism. In a relatively weak market economy, similar to other forms of real estate value capture, developer’s contribution to public space can meet initial resistance and sometimes be perceived as contrary to incentive programs designed at attracting new businesses and filling the funding gap.

• Streamline the administration of development RFPs and entitlement processes to facilitate efficient negotiations and timely project implementation.

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4. Philanthropy, Other Private Contribution, and Membership

greater access to external funding opportunities, this dynamic also has the negative impact of hindering the emergence and growth of new non-profit organizations.

Benefits:

Additionally, according to interviews with local stakeholders, it is important to clearly distinguish basic services and project components that are the principal responsibility of government agencies from operations and causes that are of added value to the community. Public commitments leverage private funding; the philanthropic, corporate, and other private community would be more motivated and encouraged to help fund operations and causes of added value that are not in replacement of city services.

Better experience of the public realm enriches the entire Jacksonville and helps build a strong city brand that brings civic pride and enhance equity and inclusion.

Cultivating robust donor, philanthropic, and individual networks around a shared vision has the effect of reaffirming the civil society’s commitment to public causes, generating a virtuous cycle of investment, stewardship, and public benefits (Closing The Gap, 2015; Public Spaces/Private Money, 2015; Investing in Equitable Urban Park Systems, 2019).

In places with a significant amount of private wealth, if given the appropriate fundraising mechanisms and causes, donations by high-net-worth individuals, foundations, corporations, patient capital investors, and the general public could potentially help the managers of the public ream tap into previously unavailable funding streams (Private Funding of Public Parks, 2017; The New Golden Age of Urban Parks Philanthropy, 2014).

Current Conditions: According to interviews conducted by JLP+D, there is interest in the Downtown Riverfront, although many leaders perceive the available local pool to be relatively constrained without a significant campaign in presenting to the public a broad narrative and demonstrable success and impact.

In terms of resources and mechanisms that exist in Jacksonville today, currently, major donors include, for example, VyStar Credit Union, The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.

Limitations: According to stakeholders interviewed by JLP+D, Jacksonville currently has a relatively small local pool of corporate and philanthropic donations, and existing organizations and causes in the city compete for financial contributions by repeat donors. Without

Certain parks locally also devised mechanisms for corporate and private sponsors to “adopt” certain aspects of the open space. See Memorial Park for example.

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To attract capital from the investor community, the Civic Council established Invest Jax Inc. for Downtown redevelopment causes, and the east end of the riverfront is located in Opportunity Zones.

• National Recreation and Park Association

To raise funding from individuals, non-profit organizations such as the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens developed a robust membership system.

• General Motors and Project for Public Spaces (Community Placemaking Grants)

• The JPB Foundation • City Parks Alliance • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Next Steps:

In terms of funding potential outside of Jacksonville, which is key to the Riverfront’s success, opportunities exist at the national level. Potential funders and resource groups to establish relationships with include:

• Develop a compelling narrative around the shared vision for the riverfront to make the case for fundraising.

• Focus on high-quality buildout projects, Grand Avenue Park (Orlando, FL) The 12-acre park is located in the heart of Orlando. Its amenities include playgrounds, sports equipment, outdoor musical instruments, lighting, movie screen, benches, picnic tables, game tables, drinking fountains, waste cans, and barbecue grills.

The park received a large amount of in-kind contributions from external corporate donors across the nation through NRPA’s (National Recreation and Park Association) Parks Build Community project. Each year, NRPA selects a high-need area in the city where the NRPA Annual Conference is held, to build or renovate a park. For Grand Avenue Park, the value of donations for equipment and facilities total more than $450,000, which was 38% of the total capital improvement cost.

“Grand Avenue Park.” Image courtesy of the City of Orlando.

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Memorial Park (Jacksonville, FL) The Memorial Park Association established the “Adopt the Park” program in May 2015 with multiple tiers of contribution and recognition: • Citizens Committee Level Sponsor: $25,000+ Annually • C.A. Pillars Society: $5,000 – $24,999 Annually • Promenade Level: $2,500 – $4,999 Annually • Mr. Dawson Society: $1,500 – $2,499 Annually • Esplanade Level: $1,000 – $1,499 Annually The Association received $311,000 annually from private contributions.

“Memorial Park.” Image via Wikimedia Commons.

maintenance, and programming measures for the early phase(s) to demonstrate results and increase the relevance of downtown waterfront to more residents of the city.

Associate-level staff to execute; 2. Expanding philanthropy opportunities, especially for national-level foundations and donor networks. This will require an Associate-level staff to execute;

• Research and reach out to national funders.

3. Creating corporate sponsorship opportunities both for buildout and events/ programming. This will require an Associate-level staff to execute.

• For the key non-profit partner(s) of the Riverfront, consider hiring a Vice President-level executive to manage a development and private fundraising portfolio for the operating partner(s). The VP should assess the viability of:

4. Initiating a capital campaign to raise private funding both for the activation projects’ initial buildout and a potential endowment for annual operations.*

1. Establishing a membership system for the public that demonstrates clear values and benefits of supporting the waterfront activation efforts. This will require an

*The feasibility of a capital campaign for Riverfront activation depends on a host of factors related to both governance

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Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (Jacksonville, FL) The local zoo demonstrates the revenue potential of an effective membership system.

Compared to some other institutions across the country, the Jacksonville Zoo administers a relatively affordable system with three tiers to broaden its membership appeal ($65 for individual; $120 for one adult family; and $145 for two adult family). The annual revenue from membership amounted to $2.5M.

“Jacksonville Zoo.” Image courtesy of Jax Chamber.

Millennium Park (Chicago, IL) Millennium Park is the city’s signature park. $220 million was raised privately through a capital campaign, which paid for more than 40% of the construction and included a $30 million endowment for maintenance.

The successful capital campaign was led by John H. Bryan, Chairman and CEO of Sara Lee Corporation, who was said to have known half of the known donors through professional, personal, or civic capacity. The campaign strategy was focused on a relatively small group of large prospective donors. Naming rights were made available to large donation levels, but strict guidelines for fonts and design were issued to ensure the park experience for visitors.

“The Loop: Millennium Park - Jay Pritzker Pavilion.” Image by Wally Gobetz, via Flickr/Creative Commons.

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and economics. The ability to convene a well-connected and dedicated campaign committee is currently unknown and requires further study. Such a committee should consist of individuals representing broad sectors in the community (civic leaders, former elected officials, current and retired CEOs or C-level corporate officers, faith leaders, regional foundation program officers and leaders, and high net worth individuals). It should tap into existing influential groups such as the Civic Council, JAXUSA, and JAX Chamber, but the chair of the committee should avoid conflict of interest because of their existing organizational obligations.

the public space’s operators to enhance outreach and communication efforts to leverage the programs’ broad appeal (Secrets of the Private Sector, 2010).

Limitations: Revenue generation in the public realm is likely to grow incrementally and starts small.

Also, to meet the park’s overall vision and goals, income generation strategies must follow high-quality standards throughout the planning and execution phases. Any excess or improper placement of concessions could generate a negative perception that a private entity owns or controls the public space.

• Accessing funding from patient capital investment platforms such as Opportunity Zone funds and (to-be-revived) Invest Jax Inc.

Current Conditions: Currently in Jacksonville, successful revenue generation depends both on market factors (population demand for goods and services) and administrative aspects (permitting, licensing). Riverside Arts Market offers a local success story of revenue generation tied to public realm activation.

5. Earned Income Benefits: Revenue-generating opportunities such as sponsored events, food and beverage concessions, and festivals add to the vibrancy of the public space (Closing The Gap, 2015; Local Parks, Local Financing, 1998). Carefully choreographed park revenue models also invite social enterprises and businesses of different sizes to a previously untapped market segment, opening up opportunities for local economic development. The opportunities will require

Next Steps: • Incorporate revenue generation opportunities into the waterfront’s overall plan and design. The placement, branding, and messaging of these income generating activities must be exciting and aligned with the vision for the riverfront.

• Develop a holistic business plan for the riverfront, by balancing net-loss

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Riverside Arts Market (Jacksonville, FL) The weekly Riverside Arts Market is a local example of revenue generation. The RiversideAvondale Preservation Inc, which is a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, manages and operates the Market, and it developed a Standard Operating Procedures for the Market. The non-profit keeps the revenue from the Market, which most recently amounted to approximately $400,000 a year, which is 75% of the organization’s operating revenue.

“Riverside Arts Market.” Image courtesy of Downtown Vision Inc.

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (Minneapolis, MN) The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) oversees the urban park system and has been rated as the country’s #1 park system by the Trust for Public Land for seven times in 2013-2018 and 2020.

The MPRB contracts with private vendors for a wide range of services, including excursion boats, food vending, boat rentals, and bicycle rentals, as well as site rentals for weddings, receptions, photography, and film, among many other activities. For leases of MPRB properties to seasonal restaurants, the vendors pay 12% of their gross revenue and make improvements to the surrounding area. Prior to the pandemic in 2019, the commissions and rental revenue amounted to $11M, which was 23% of total non-property tax operating revenue for MPRB.

“Minneapolis.” Image by Mike Krivit Photography, via Meet Minneapolis.

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Limitations:

programs that generate visitation (such as free events and low-cost rentals) with net-profit activities to internally subsidize the operations (such as food and beverage spaces and large permitted events).

In-kind contribution is unlikely to become the most significant or stable source of income without careful planning and formalized medium to long-term agreements.

• Hire an Associate-level staff for the operating partner(s) to oversee contracts and partnerships for revenue generation.

The staff should also make updates to the business plan.

Current Conditions: Various social, cultural, youth, and recreation-oriented non-profit groups and business entities exist in Jacksonville that could potentially provide staffing, volunteer, or equipment as part of the riverfront programming. These include members of the Activation Coalition engaged for this plan.

• Work with City agencies to streamline the permitting process and incentivize third-party program operators to innovate and capture the value of activation.

For broader transportation and infrastructure related operations overall the long run, existing entities such as JTA and JEA should be further engaged to understand the feasibility of developing partnerships that leverage those organization’s in-kind contribution.

• Develop a marketing plan to deepen outreach of the riverfront’s offerings to the community.

6. Program Partner In-Kind Contribution Benefits:

Next Steps:

Building a robust network of program partners who can provide in-kind support (staffing and equipment) not only helps the operation financially, but also has the added benefit of building coalition and cohesion among diverse stakeholders.

• Produce a detailed programming and operations schedule. Identify partner organizations, and sign contracts or MOUs to formalize the partnership and specify the in-kind contribution.

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IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS

THE WORK CONTINUES

GOVERNANCE AND FUNDING

The Activation Plan, supporting research, and governance and funding analyses are the first steps in the vision for an active Riverfront for Jacksonville’s Downtown. It provides an important framework for programming and design interventions, and is based on extensive stakeholder and community input.

The work has just begun!

The recommendations presented in this report will provide the basis for ongoing conversations in the coming months regarding Riverfront governance models and responsibilities, ideally leading to a sustainable and well-coordinated operation of the Riverfront. Work on refining budgets and identifying a fundraising strategy for the activation plan will likewise continue in the coming months.

The success and implementation of the plan will rely on stakeholders and community members engaging with the plan and championing the recommendations. We hope the work will inspire crucial conversations in the city in the coming months and years. The project team will continue these conversations by looping back with communities and stakeholders regarding the outcome of the plan. The team will identify program partners, while exploring a model for bringing in community members and local stakeholders as advisors and organizers in coordination with the Lead Operator(s) of the Riverfront (see chapter 12.1 “Governance”).

PILOT PROJECTS ON THE RIVERFRONT The DVDL, WXY, and JLP+D teams will continue to lend their expertise as we move into the next phase, with continued funding support from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. The team is excited to start work on rolling out pieces of the Activation Plan as experiments on the Riverfront in the latter half of 2022. Key low-cost elements will be designed and implemented to begin showing Jacksonville what a vibrant Riverfront could look like in the future. We hope to see you there!

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CHAPTER REFERENCES

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REFERENCES

04 A VISION FOR JACKSONVILLE’S RIVERFRONT The Different Faces of the Jacksonville Shipyards ,Metro Jacksonville, 2015: https://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-mar-the-different-faces-of-the-jacksonvilleshipyards/page/ History of St. Johns River https://www.jaxhistory.org/resources/history-of-the-st-johns-river/ From Ancient Egypt to modernity, why were cities built near rivers?, This City Knows, 2020 https://www.thiscityknows.com/why-were-cities-built-near-rivers/ Healthy Places By Design, Design Inclusive Public Spaces to Strengthen Social Connections, 2021: https://healthyplacesbydesign.org/design-inclusive-public-spaces-to-strengthen-social-connections/ Jacksonville’s LaVilla area was once thriving haven filled with Black-owned businesses, News4Jax, 2021: https://www.news4jax.com/features/2021/02/23/ jacksonvilles-lavilla-area-was-once-thriving-haven-filled-with-black-owned-businesses/ Legacy of the Redline: How exclusionary zoning shaped Jacksonville’s Black communities, starting with the city’s first zoning map, First Coast News, 2020: https://www.firstcoastnews. com/article/news/local/legacy-of-the-redline-how-exclusionary-zoning-shaped-jacksonvilles-black-communities-starting-with-the-citys-first-zoning-map/77-9fcc6a05-7bd0-4e33-a8ec-b8d7942d2cfe What you should know about ‘redlining’ and how it continues to affect Jacksonville communities, First Coast News, 2020: https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/money/ consumer/on-your-side/how-redlining-of-the-past-still-affects-communities-today/77172e1240-a780-4593-b14a-4554799cf290 Harlem of the South: The History of LaVilla, The Coastal, 2021: https://thecoastal.com/ flashback/history-lavilla-neighborhood/

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05 PEOPLE

Jacksonville City, Florida, US Census Bureau , 2020: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/jacksonvillecityflorida/POP010220 Jacksonville area added 260,000 people as area grew more diverse, U.S. Census Says, The Florida Times Union, Jacksonville, 2021: https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2021/08/12/ jacksonville-area-growth-adds-big-surge-hispanic-multiracial-people/8099579002/ Impact of Aging Population on Jax 2025 Plan, ElderSource, 2015: https://www.myeldersource.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Impact-of-Aging-Populationon-Jax2025-Plan.pdf

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07 THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR ACTIVATION 10 Principles for Enhancing Equitable Access to Parks, Trish Riggs and Diana Schoder, The Urban Land Institute, 2021.

Measuring the Economic Value of a City Park System, Peter Harnik and Ben Welle, The Trust for Public Land, 2009.

Parks: A True Health Solution, Kevin Roth, National Recreation and Park Association, 2017: https://www.nrpa.org/blog/parks-a-true-health-solution/ Placemaking as an Economic Engine for All, James Lima and Andrew Jones, in The Routledge Handbook of Placemaking edited by Cara Courage et al., Routledge, 2020.

The Case for Open Space: Why the Real Estate Industry Should Invest in Parks and Open Spaces, Chris Dunn et al., The Urban Land Institute, 2019.

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12 GOVERNANCE AND FUNDING 10 Principles for Enhancing Equitable Access to Parks, Trish Riggs and Diana Schoder, The Urban Land Institute, 2021.

Closing The Gap: Public And Private Funding Strategies For Neighborhood Parks, The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and City Parks Alliance, 2015.

How Private Dollars Can Manage Public Parks, Charles F. McElwee, The Manhattan Institute, 2019: https://www.manhattan-institute.org/how-private-dollars-can-manage-public-parks Investing in Equitable Urban Park Systems: Emerging Funding Strategies and Tools, Matthew Eldridge et al., Urban Institute, 2019.

Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships, Gordon Feller, National Recreation and Park Association, 2020: https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2020/august/ leveraging-public-private-partnerships/ Local Parks, Local Financing: Paying for Urban Parks Without Raising Taxes, Peter Harnik, The Trust for Publci Land, 1998.

Placemaking as an Economic Engine for All, James Lima and Andrew Jones, in The Routledge Handbook of Placemaking edited by Cara Courage et al., Routledge, 2020.

Private Funding of Public Parks: Assessing the Role of Philanthropy, Margaret Walls, Resources for the Future, 2017.

Public Spaces/Private Money: The Triumphs and Pitfalls of Urban Park Conservancies, Peter Harnik and Abby Martin, The Trust for Public Land, 2015.

Secrets of the Private Sector: How Parks and Recreation Agencies Can Flex Their Marketing Muscles, Peter Harnik and Elissa Hoagland, in Parks and Recreation, The Trust for Public Land, 2010.

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The Case for Open Space: Why the Real Estate Industry Should Invest in Parks and Open Spaces, Chris Dunn et al., The Urban Land Institute, 2019.

The New Golden Age of Urban Parks Philanthropy (And Its Controversies), Tate Williams, Inside Philanthropy, 2014.

Climate change and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing, International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 2008: https://ijmhs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1752-4458-2-13 The harm from worrying about climate change, BBC, 2019: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191010-how-to-beat-anxiety-about-climate-changeand-eco-awareness

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ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

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SHIPYARDS ESPLANADE PLAN The Shipyards property—including Metropolitan Park and the former Kids Kampus site—represent one portion of a future activated Riverfront. We saw importance in focusing on the Shipyards given the high degree of community interest in seeing that property activated successfully, and the proposed developments being considered there.

SHIPYARDS PROPERTY AS A TEST FIT

a reimagined Metropolitan Park at the east, with cultural venues and institutions located throughout. A raised green esplanade would serve as the resilient edge throughout the park and protect development and neighborhoods to the north from flooding and sea-level rise. A gently rising pier would create signature views and vantage points from the park, offering an iconic overlook onto the St. Johns River and the Jacksonville skyline.

As part of the Riverfront Activation Study, the team worked closely with the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) to envision options for this property. Led by WXY and DVDL, the team has developed 1) a set of people-centered principles (see chapter 8) for considering any potential development on the Shipyards property and public spaces more broadly, and 2) Conceptual Space Plans that focus on connectivity, parks, activations, and interactions with the water.

These principles and concepts are designed to integrate public and private development.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

This plan was developed with significant input from the aforementioned conversations, as well as preliminary conversations with DIA and Iguana Investments.

The conceptual space plan developed by WXY with DVDL envisions a total of 49.5 acres of public park space with a variety of passive and active programs. The plan features multiple layers of connected paths running from a new public park West of Hogans Creek (starting at Catherine St) to

It is important to note that these are NOT renderings or master plans—they are resources designed to inform any conversations among the City, DIA, local organizations and developers about how best to create an active, inclusive space at the Shipyards.

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SHIPYARDS TOOLKIT In the development of the conceptual space plans for the Shipyards, the design explored multiple scales and types of interactions between land and water. At each major street end, the Shipyards space plan proposes to create an opportunity for interaction with the water, based on a varied toolkit that includes amphitheaters, step downs, constructed island, land forms, marinas, and other strategies. Collectively this toolkit strives to enhance the relationship between the downtown and the river’s edge, while reintroducing a more varied, natural riparian edge whenever possible.

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VISUAL CORRIDORS As the visual terminus of streets facing the riverfront, the Shipyards provides an important gateway and connection between Jacksonville’s upland neighborhoods and the water. Each street end and intersection has the opportunity to act as a frame that helps people understand the programs, places, and spaces at each section of the river. Whether lined with buildings, archways, berms, or open pathways, these frames serve as important clues and connectors between the fabric of the city north of Bay Street and the Shipyards developments and open spaces.

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SHIPYARDS EXISTING CONDITIONS

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EXISTING CONDITIONS AND CONNECTIVITY Background and existing conditions research focused on understanding the role of mobility and connectivity to the riverfront across multiple contexts.

A CONNECTED RIVERFRONT

ANTICIPATED IMPROVEMENTS

Both historically and today, Jacksonville has been a city whose identity is closely linked to its riverfront. Early on its history, the riverfront serves as the city’s lifeblood and was a major source of wealth and jobs.

Since the riverfront has become a more mixed-use destination, the connection between Downtown, the neighborhoods, and its riverfront has improved in some ways, but weakened in others.

While the city has historically made incremental investments in infrastructure along its riverfront, Jacksonville today stands on the cusp of significant transformation along its river. New developments, including Riverfront Plaza, Rivers Edge and the Shipyards, stand to alter the face of the Riverfront and bring much needed life and investment to the St. Johns River.

In addition to these projects, a variety of smaller improvements have been proposed along the Riverwalk, including several new developments in downtown and on the Southbank, additional park spaces connecting to the Emerald Trail, and a relocated and re-imagined MOSH museum.

While Jacksonville’s riverfront is well served by bus, existing bike connections remain few and far between. Walking to and from the riverfront, especially in Brooklyn, the Shipyards, and the Southbank poses safety challenges for pedestrians. Connections can be difficult to find or follow for those who are not familiar with Jacksonville.

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NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS With the construction of the Emerald Trail well underway, Jacksonville’s Riverfront is primed to connect to a growing network of shared-use paths, open spaces, and neighborhoods that are currently physically and psychologically disconnected from Downtown. New neighborhood connections, on-street and off-street, will not only help drive new traffic to the Riverfront, but can create a shared fabric between the Riverfront and its surrounding neighborhoods.

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MOBILITY Jacksonville has multiple transportation options that connect people to the Riverfront, including several different bus lines, the elevated Downtown Skyway system, and an intermittent water taxi service. While the city plans to expand and enhance its water taxi service, improvements to the skyway and the bus system could help better connect future generations to the Riverfront. New bus lanes, combined with pedestrian and bicycle improvements, along with enhanced bus stops, could make bus travel more attractive and efficient.

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“Taking a scooter to Corkscrew Park”. Image courtesy of WXY Studio

“Biking the Riverwalk”. Image courtesy of WXY Studio

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BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE & SCOOTER ZONE Jacksonville is an ideal biking city with flat topography and mild weather most of the year (except for the hot summer months). While the city currently lacks a fully connected, safe bike network, it has made tremendous infrastructural progress. New cycle tracks are planned throughout the Downtown, including a two-way cycle track on Hogan Street that will connect to the river. The City also initiated a pilot to explore the feasibility of scooters in the Downtown and surrounding areas. The pilot is currently underway with anticipated initial results in 2021 and 2022.

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PARKING Like many American cities, a significant portion of Jacksonville’s downtown is devoted to surface and structured parking. While some properties are actively being developed or retrofitted with retail at their base, parking lots are a drain on the social and cultural fabric of the Downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods. Reducing the amount of total surface parking in Downtown is a critical precursor to have an active, continuous experience downtown and one that supports the kind of density and energy that downtowns need to thrive.

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EXPECTED DEVELOPMENT + FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES Jacksonville’s Downtown has numerous planned development projects that will transform the face of the city along with acres of parcels that are ripe for future development opportunity.

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Shade Structure

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APPENDIX

PROJECT REPORTS The following appendices are basic background included to support the chapters of this report. A series of larger scale research reports have been produced as part of this project and can be explored in full using the links below: 1. Public Input Summary 2. The Economic Case for Activation 3. Benchmark Research 4. The Esplanade Plan and Ten Public Space Principles for Jacksonville

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APPENDIX 1 - PROJECT TIMELINE

PROJECT TIMELINE Conversations about an Activation Plan for Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront began in the winter of 2020 with encouragement from the Downtown Investment Authority. The Jessie Ball duPont Fund funded a Riverfront study, convening experts to lead the community and stakeholder work as well as development of the Activation Plan. The project team kicked off fully in April 2021, with the Activation Plan presented to the public on October 19, 2021. This reports concludes the first phase of the project but next steps are currently being planned (see chapter 13 “Immediate Next Steps”).

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APPENDIX 2 - PUBLIC INPUT OVERVIEW APRIL 2021 - OCTOBER 2021 Stakeholder Engagement 3 Stakeholder groups: • Taskforce • Activation Coalition • Next Generation • Input on programs, audiences, implementation, funding • 51 organizations/groups represented • 8 interactive workshop meetings

Community Engagement • • • • • • • •

Partner: Groundwork Jacksonville Water taxi visioning sessions Community events Input on neighborhoods needs, visions and dreams for the future Riverfront 5 interactive community meetings 6 public tours 3 special events 755 total participants

Public Meetings • 3 public meetings including presentation of the Activation plan in October, 2021.

• 400 attendees total

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Public Space Survey • Developed by project partners • Distribution: digital campaign, community meetings and events, partner outreach, and paper surveys in underrepresented neighborhoods • Input on the current use of public space, transportation, and dreams for the future riverfront • 3,122 Survey Participants

WJCT local radio • • • •

Monthly radio conversations with Melissa Ross 2 invited guests each month from April through October (13 guests) Listener questions and feedback Topics: Health, Community, Ecology, Public Art, Funding

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APPENDIX 3 - STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TASKFORCE

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APPENDIX 4 - FIRST COAST CONNECT GUEST SPEAKERS All radio segments hosted on the first Tuesday of the month by Melissa Ross on WJCT First Coast Connect APRIL 2021 Introducing the Activating Jacksonville’s Riverfront Project and lessons learned from Chicago and New York City Guests: Mari Kuraishi, President of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund; Claudia Herasme Alfonso, Managing Deputy Commissioner for The Chicago Department of Planning and Development MAY 2021 How an active riverfront affects community health and the importance of community engagement Guests: Gloria McNair, Community Engagement, Groundwork Jacksonville; Ann-Marie Knight, VP at UF Health Jax JUNE 2021 River ecology and designing a resilient waterfront Guests: Jimmy Orth, Executive Director, St. Johns Riverkeeper; Claire Weisz, Founding Principal of WXY Studio

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JULY 2021 What constitutes a successful public process Guests: Jen Andrews, CEO, Shelby Farms Park Conservancy; Yvette Lopez-Ledesma, Senior Director of Community Led Conservation, the Wilderness Society AUGUST 2021 Funding an active riverfront Guest: James Lima, Founding Principal, James Lima Planning + Urban Design SEPTEMBER 2021 The value of public art and community-based practice Guest: Bahar Behbahani, Brooklyn-based artist OCTOBER 2021 Public presentation of Activation Plan Guests: Mari Kuraishi, President of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund; David van der Leer, Principal of DVDL; Claire Weisz, Founding Principal of WXY Studio

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APPENDIX 5 - PUBLIC SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

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APPENDIX 5 - PUBLIC SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

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APPENDIX 6 - SAMPLE ANNUAL THEME CALENDAR “ROOTS” - YEAR 1

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*Daily: Forgotten Histories of Jacksonville poster exhibition *Weekly: Boat rides to Timucuan Ecological Preserve *Bi-weekly: Neighborhood walking tours, Lectures

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REPORT PUBLISHED JULY, 2022

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