There are times when football analogies are appropriate. And an old Bobby Bowden quote seems to aptly describe the current state of downtown revitalization.

This one came at halftime. Florida State was losing a game it should have been winning and the always-colorful coach was afforded 10 seconds to explain his team’s struggles to a reporter as he left the field.

“Well,” he said in that rich Alabama drawl. “They were blocking and we weren’t blocking. They were tackling and we weren’t tackling.”

Blocking and tackling. The basics, as they say.

There is a tremendous amount of optimism about downtown Jacksonville’s potential. We’ve seen a steady stream of employers announce their intent to move their workforces into the core. And Mayor Alvin Brown recently publicized his plan to direct $9 million to spur downtown projects. The dreams abound.

But then there’s the reality of day-to-day life downtown and herein room for improvement remains.

On any given Saturday night, both Hemming Plaza and the Main Street Pocket Park will be crowded with the homeless, collecting free meals from various churches and nonprofit groups. The feedings often violate city ordinances, which require a permit, and would not be tolerated in other neighborhood parks. They make downtown’s problems worse, not better, as the homeless population swells in the core and public spaces are left blanketed with litter.

Likewise, downtown’s other big public draw, the city’s prized Riverwalk, is often cluttered with sleeping bodies and discarded trash as laws are left unenforced and city trash cans overflow.

Yes, optimism is a wonderful thing, but we can’t neglect the here and now. Loitering and littering laws must be enforced and streets and parks should be kept clean. Groups wishing to serve the homeless should volunteer at existing shelters.

As those basics are addressed, visions for new investment should be rooted in today’s realities. A few suggestions, if you will.

Be innovative in rebuilding downtown’s worker populations. Corporations willing to move thousands into the core are a rarity these days, but new models can work. CoWork Jax, which opened one year ago, is such an example. The co-working space, located on Forsyth Street, has more than 90 members working within its walls. More than a dozen companies have already outgrown the shared arrangement and sought out their own space. Most have remained downtown.

Develop housing projects in line with demand. High-priced condominium developments can provide a fleeting fantasy, but small-scale projects that resuscitate empty structures and are affordable for younger renters are more realistic.

Embrace art and culture. Sponsor public murals. Allow local artists to turn drab parking garages into works of art. Program city parks with events that provide a draw.

A healthy dose of optimism is always good for downtown’s soul, but a little blocking and tackling is long overdue. We won’t win the game without them.

About the author: Abel Harding is a former Times-Union columnist and mayoral aide who regularly blogs on politics. He can be reached at abelharding@gmail.com.

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