Councilman Carlucci wants Jacksonville’s Northbank to look more like St. Petersburg

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If Jacksonville councilman Matt Carlucci gets his way, the riverwalk adjacent Metropolitan Park and areas on Bay Street whitethorn someday go conscionable arsenic vibrant arsenic Venoy Park and downtown St. Petersburg.

Carlucci precocious took a travel to the St. Petersburg country to conscionable with erstwhile politician Rick Baker who is credited with turning that city’s downtown country adjacent to the bay into a destination blistery spot.

And helium says helium learned a batch from the erstwhile mayor.

“You worth your waterfront for your people. Not for concern involvement but for the people. When that happens, it enhances concern opportunities,” said Carlucci, who is moving to go the adjacent politician of Jacksonville successful 2023.

Councilman Carlucci wants a family-friendly thought that helium says volition marque radical privation to sojourn this area.

Jacksonville has ever been known arsenic the River City but according to Carlucci, the metropolis isn’t surviving up to its nickname.

“We are the River City and we are not doing what we should beryllium doing with it,” Carlucci said.

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Carlucci says areas on the stream could beryllium much vibrant, greener and connection much for radical to enjoy. He wants to spot 75-acres of city-owned spot downtown on the stream turned into a park. This is simply a rendering of what he’s proposing betwixt Metropolitan Park and the Berkman Marina. Lots of greenery with tons oak Trees providing shade.

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“You could person play festivals. You could person concerts. You could person taste activities. Places for kids to play successful splash parks,” Carlucci said.

Carlucci besides says the parkland would beryllium large for downtown homeowners.

“It benignant of provides radical who unrecorded downtown with a backyard. It brings vibrancy and adds worth to the buildings,” Carlucci said.

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Plans see a floating edifice and pier. The renderings besides see Shad Khan’s projected Four Season’s Hotel. Carlucci says helium would similar to spot café's on Bay Street to springiness the country much flare.

He precocious traveled to St. Petersburg wherever helium sought proposal astir these plans from Baker who served arsenic politician for 9 years. Baker says the waterfront present plays big to hundreds of events that draws crowds and generates wealth for the city.

“Some beauteous concerts connected the h2o to our Saturday greeting markets connected the h2o downtown, moving races to the Grand Prix which races on the waterfront,” Baker said.

Mayor Baker said having that greenish abstraction connected the h2o was the catalyst for revitalizing downtown St. Pete. Carlucci wants to bring that benignant of revitalization to Jacksonville’s riverfront.

Carlucci said bringing much greenery to the country volition besides enactment arsenic a buffer erstwhile large storms combined with precocious tide caused the stream to overflow.

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On Aug. 25 determination volition beryllium a municipality hallway gathering astatine the Jessie Ball Dupont Center to sermon the connection and perceive ideas and concerns. The gathering volition beryllium from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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