Jacksonville Renaissance

WORDS BY Devan Stuart

Downtown Jacksonville, Florida glams thing s up with an arts, cultur e and entertainment infusion.

On Wednesday nights at Boomtown Theater in Downtown Jacksonville, FL, families and couples wine and dine by candlelight in a cavernous basement room that can only be described as “poor man’s chic.” A mismatched collection of tables and chairs surround a thrift-store lot of couches and cocktail tables that face a tiny corner stage. There in the spotlight, entertainer-turned-entrepreneur John Allen chats with the crowd and begins his performance. Right on cue, the crowd joins in: “Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl!” This rousing rendition of the Barry Manilow standard is a favorite among the midweek regulars who turn out for Boomsong, the Singalong. A few in the crowd will be back the next night for the twisted Pulp Fiction Theatre and perhaps Friday night for Frim Fram Jam Swing Dance night.

The nightly scene at Boomtown is evidence of a renaissance that started in the mid-’80s when a string of forward-thinking politicos and business leaders began working to revitalize the area to the tune of $2.2 billion in public and private investments.

Today, well-heeled patrons of the arts regularly walk the bustling streets, and not only are office workers sticking around after hours, but many—particularly savvy young professionals lured to Jacksonville from markets nationwide—are making their homes in century-old hotels-turned-upscale condominium projects.

Among the top entertainment draws is the First Wednesday Art Walk, which every week brings out upwards of 1,500 people for a self-guided tour of the area’s galleries, museums and cultural venues. Participating venues step up the gallery experience for Art Walkers, adding live music, hors d’oeuvres and five-minute massages.

The Art Walk’s prime stop is the Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art, complete with the stylish Café Nola and a gift shop to rival any major market boutique. Known as JMoMA, the museum also offers the occasional film series, showing independent documentary and art film productions.

Further along the walk, Push 2 Gallery on Bay Street features contemporary art by top regional and select international artists. Several Downtown businesses also double as galleries, including JM Salon de Arte at Berkman Plaza and Marina—come in for a pedicure, leave with a painting. Other stops include the Karpeles Manuscript Library, where exhibits have ranged from historic documents and early Walt Disney drawings, to maniacal scribblings by the likes of Charles Manson. History buffs will enjoy the Ritz Theatre and LaVilla Museum, a historic African-American venue in Downtown’s LaVilla district, where a young Ray Charles once lived.

Running until May, Cultural Connections offers “a day of music, art and history in the city.” For $35, participants enjoy a tour of Push 2 Gallery, a Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Coffee Series reception and performance, lunch and shopping in the Hemming Plaza Farmers’ Market, as well as a historical tour of Downtown.

If you’ve got time to settle down with a good book, the newly constructed, all wireless Main Library is a great stop. The area’s new crown jewel is immediately noticeable, thanks to the eight-foot, bronze owl perched on a ledge. Inside, the Grand Reading Room offers a view of Hemming Plaza, and the outdoor courtyard features a fountain and cityscape view.

After the sun goes down, be sure to check out some of Jacksonville’s many happening nightspots. Downtown venues include River City Brewing Company, an upscale casual restaurant with a bar and outside deck on the water, and live bands playing hip-hop and top-40 tunes; Simon’s Wine Bar and Jazz Club, with a private dining and wine tasting room; and the London Bridge Eatery & Pub.

Situated on the Southbank of the St John’s River (Jacksonville’s nickname is the “River City”) is the shopping, dining and entertainment venue of Jacksonville Landing. Here, you’ll find Twisted Martini, arguably the Downtown area’s hottest nightspot. With a style drawing from South Beach, Twisted Martini serves up internationally inspired tapas-style first courses designed for sharing and, depending on the night, features live R&B, blues, jazz, pop, reggae and Latin music for the thirty-something, professional crowd. The menu includes such savory sensations as chicken satay, smoked marlin dip and roasted pears on pecan crisps, along with more than 20 vodkas, single-barrel bourbons and a variety of infusions.

The Landing is also home to Deep Blue, an upscale nightclub and lounge situated atop the Copper Cellar Grill and microbrewery that offers a panoramic view of the St John’s River and the Southbank skyline. A full wine list with 20 scotches, ports and cognacs, along with live jazz music, will round out a relaxing atmosphere dreamed up by Louis Pecci of the Design Factory, a world-renowned themed attraction designer. Deep Blue has been designed so you’ll feel like you’re walking into a big blue lava lamp. Everything, fl oor to ceiling, is blue, which gives the interior a calming quality.

From art and literature to dancing and singing along to old crowd favorites, there’s something for everyone in Downtown Jacksonville.

Visit www.DowntownVision.org to plan your Downtown Jacksonville jaunt.