Jacksonville Landing says city neglected to maintain property, affecting business

What is the future of The Jacksonville Landing?

While the website for the venue says 9 restaurants and 19 shops remain, The Jacksonville Landing still struggles to attract visitors.

In October, the food court closed.

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In August, Action News Jax told you the Mayor's Office wanted to tear the landing down and replace it with a park.

But it looks like the owners haven't given the property up.

Action News Jax Courtney reached out to Sleiman Enterprises, the owners of The Landing, to find out how they plan to move forward.

When you visit The Jacksonville Landing website, one of the pictures you see shows the venue filled to-the-brim, with people enjoying themselves. But this is not what it looks like regularly.

Normally, a few people stop through The Landing for a bite to eat or drink.

Veronica Ruth told Action News Jax she's in town visiting from Gainesville -- with her kids.

"Needed a place to eat lunch and it's pretty down by the river,” said Ruth.

But The Landing is not somewhere she just stumbled upon.

Ruth said it holds a lot of nice memories.

“My husband and I actually spent our wedding evening at the landing at a free concert 10 years ago...oh 8 years ago,” said Ruth.

That's why she told Action News Jax Courtney Cole she'd like to see something done to liven the place up...but she can't quite put her finger on what should be done.

“I think it's sad that it seems like it's dying. It's such a pretty area to have a venue,” Ruth told Action News Jax.

Anthony Freeman said it was a first trip to Hooters that led him to The Landing on Friday.

“I wish it had more stuff to do here to be honest,” said Freeman.

Freeman said he really has no incentive to return unless there's a festival.

"If there were more holes, more like food restaurants, more like knick-knacks or stuff like that would be attractive to teens,” said Freeman.

Action News Jax asked the owner of The Jacksonville Landing, Sleiman Enterprises, about their plans to for The Landing and any challenges they may face trying to attract more business.

This was the response we received from Michael H. McNaughton, the Chief Operation Officer of Jacksonville Landing Investments:

The Food Court at The Jacksonville Landing was officially closed in October due to lack of support and sales from area workers and residents. We remain optimistic about the future of the property and are currently actively working on repositioning the use of this portion of The Landing.

The campaign by this administration to seek eviction of Landing ownership continues to take a toll on this nationally recognized landmark to the detriment of residents and visitors alike.

The City, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL EXTERIOR CARE AND MAINTENANCE, has willfully and brazenly ignored their obligations to maintain the property as agreed. The Landing Docks have been inaccessible and in a state of disrepair for years.  As a water centric city, turning away and depriving throngs of people hoping to disembark at The Landing and points beyond hurts not only The Landing but all of downtown, stifling economic activity and civic engagement.

Additionally, property landscape is unattended and unkempt. Sidewalks and pathways are broken and deteriorating. Lamp posts, lighting and other critical items remain in disrepair. Like many of the properties physical attributes, public perception of The Landing is deteriorating. This trend must be addressed.

The City by willfully neglecting its duties has created an environment in which, The Jacksonville Landing has struggled to compete in for commercial viability and market relevance. We are thrilled to learn of the many initiatives sponsored by the city to improve and enhance the greater downtown area and its viability to provide a sustainable marketplace as other cities have succeeded in doing. 

As the “core of downtown” and “the city’s front lawn,” we humbly ask to be included in such plans. As The Landing, for over 30 years, has worked tirelessly to deliver a project with limited surrounding support. 

Effective immediately, The Landing has elected to exercise appropriate “self-Help” provisions and will take on these items of disrepair and offset the costs through withheld rent. Furthermore, The Jacksonville Landing has never delayed payment to the city, even during these difficult times of political dysfunction, and will continue to push for redevelopment as it has since 2003.

Ironically, The spirit and intent of the property designed as a “Festival Marketplace” by James Rouse many years ago, was to bring people together. With nearly 40 years remaining on the lease for the property, we remain hopeful and continue to invite the city to enter into a productive and mutually beneficial discussion to work together on improving downtown and restoring The Jacksonville Landing as the catalyst for public activation, congregation and unification as it was intended decades ago.

Cox Media Group