Bill DeLaney author of "Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure"- S4-Ep9

Bill DeLaney author of "Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure" is also co-owner and editor of "The JaxonMag", "Modern Cities" and "Edible Northeast Florida". Bill is a Jacksonville native and has a "deep passion for his hometown and a keen interest in underrepresented stories. From folklore to history and everything in between". "Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure" is dedicated to telling the stories behind forgotten, mysterious and just plain interesting spots across Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, and the surrounding communities. It features 84 unusual stories and sites in the region. The book covers interesting stories and places from Cumberland Island to Marine Land, covering various neighborhoods. The places featured in the book are not usually found in Chamber of Commerce brochures, and the book is a good guide for tourists and locals looking to explore the region. For those who aren't familiar with The JaxonMag, it's a hyperlocal platform that takes a street-view look at Jacksonville and Northeast Florida. The JaxonMag continues Modern Cities' focus on urbanism, providing a platform for community members to share their stories and perspectives on the city they call home. We'll talked about Bill's role in this project, and how it has helped to shape his views on the importance of community engagement and storytelling. Tracy and Bill discuss the community of historians in Jacksonville, Florida. Bill highlights the work of historians and researchers, such as Dr. Wayne Wood, Gary Sass, and Tim Gilmore, and mentions that there are many more talented writers doing incredible work. They also talk about the future of urbanism in Northeast Florida and how the region needs to do smarter planning and make intentional decisions to shape the direction of growth. Bill mentions the importance of infill and densifying areas that have declined or lost population to create a more attractive and intentional community. Bill also reveals that he is in talks with his publisher for new book ideas. Bill sees the decline as an opportunity for growth because of the existing infrastructure. Tracy notes that the downtown area of the riverfront is exploring plans for housing development, but the challenge is to make the housing affordable for the general population. Bill emphasizes the need for affordable housing and suggests building workforce housing and using federal loans and grants, such as the state Sadowski fund. However, he points out that the city has turned down many federal funding opportunities. They also discuss the need to reconnect neighborhoods disrupted by highways and the importance of pursuing grants and programs that the state or federal government can offer to help the city. They discuss the potential of the downtown area to become more vibrant with more retail options, eateries, and entertainment venues, similar to other cities like Charlotte and Greenville. Visit the Contrast Project website for a more immersive experience: https://www.thecontrastproject.tv/ ** Music Tracks for this Podcast by Alex Grohl on Pixabay ** Feel free to LIKE, SHARE AND COMMENT. If you are featured here and we don't have your link(s) posted, please let us know. Follow The Contrast Project online: ** http://www.thecontrastproject.tv/ ** https://www.facebook.com/TheContrastP... ** https://www.instagram.com/the_contras... ** https://twitter.com/ContrastProjTV ** The Contrast Project Lounge Podcast is proudly created in part using the Riverside.fm platform. By using this link you are helping to support this show. Thank you so much: https://bit.ly/3BH3q2t #SecretJacksonville #JaxonMag #ModernCities #SexyRexy