More people, particularly more women; a big splash on social media; and the first look at a new venture for a popular local restaurant.
That’s what was shared Wednesday with the Downtown Investment Authority by Friends of Hemming Park Executive Director Vince Cavin.
Sixteen months into the nonprofit’s 18-month contract to manage and program Hemming, Cavin said 560,000 people have visited the city park since the Friends took over.
Cavin said about half of the attendance was due to third-party events, including One Spark and Downtown Vision Inc.’s monthly First Wednesday Art Walk.
Sixty-two events drew more than 500 people.
The demographics of the park have significantly changed.
Before the Friends began making improvements, 90 percent of park users were male. Based on daily surveys by park staff, usage is about evenly split now in terms of gender. More women using the park is an indication the space is perceived as safe, Cavin said.
Hemming Park has developed a base of more than 11,000 friends on Facebook, 6,800 followers on Instagram and 2,500 on Twitter.
Hemmingpark.org has received 70,000 visits and an updated website will debut soon.
Cavin showed a conceptual rendering of the planned Black Sheep food and beverage kiosk.
Owners of the popular Riverside restaurant want to install two surplus shipping containers in the park where they will serve a “grab-and-go” menu along with a full bar, he said.
He’s working with Black Sheep to finalize the proposal and hopes to present the design in March to the Downtown Development Review Board.
Still pending is a request to JEA from the Friends for the utility to donate the installation of a $22,000 sewer line for the kiosk.
Asked by authority board chair Jim Bailey, publisher of the Daily Record, to grade the Friends’ performance on a scale of 1-10, Cavin said he’d put 8 on the report card.
“We can do better. We need to program the whole park,” said Cavin.
The group is planning to hire a development director to secure sponsors and donations for the park and is preparing a five-year plan to present to City Council for consideration of the city’s future financial support of the nonprofit.
Other plans include improving the Wi-Fi service in the park and surveying businesses near the park to determine the economic impact of the park improvements. That could include increased property values, Cavin said.
The board also heard from Public Works Director John Pappas about the demolition of the parking deck near the former county courthouse and Northbank Riverwalk.
A portion of the parking deck collapsed nearly a year ago and the city plans to demolish the structure, which is more than 50 years old.
Pappas said a request for proposals will be issued in February with a projected maximum guaranteed price date of June or July.
The project could begin soon after with the first phase of demolition beginning at the segment nearest the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.
Pappas said an area of the Shipyards property will be used to stage materials. He expects the project will take 22 months.
The board scheduled a workshop at 10 a.m. Friday at City Hall to finalize its five-year plan to convert Adams, Forsyth, Hogan, Julia, Monroe and Pearl streets from one-way traffic to two-way traffic and install new wayfaring signage.
@DRMaxDowntown
(904) 356-2466