JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A plan is officially on the table to redevelop Dix Ellis Trail on the Southside of Jacksonville, near Baymeadows.
It was introduced at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. Councilman Danny Becton of District 11 has shown support for this redevelopment plan for quite some time.
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Right now, there are several low-budget motels that sit on Dix Ellis Trail.
Action News Jax told you back in April when there was a shooting at America’s Best Inn, along that road.
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“We actually had an injunction on the hotel to straighten up, implement, go back to a lot of these legitimate business practices or else face being closed down,” Becton said.
However, around the same time, the property was condemned due to structural concerns and all guests were ordered to leave with little notice.
Our Action News Jax records show there have been three shootings at that location since the start of this year.
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“Last night, upon our introduction, there are three new projects located over on Dix Ellis trail,” Becton said.
It includes America’s Best Inn, Days Inn by Wyndham, and Sonesta ES Suites.
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“I think it’s just a product of those hotels being old. They’re looking how to make money, and compete against the newer, modern hotels. And, sometimes just get a little lax in their business practices, which I think has a tendency of attracting things to their properties that we’d rather not see,” Becton said.
The plans are still in the proposal stages. Becton said it typically takes six weeks for legislation to go through council. He has high hopes that this will come to fruition.
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