The Downtown Investment Authority seeks to attract investment, facilitate job creation and increase residential density through capital investment, planning, marketing, and public-private partnerships including the provision of incentives.
Featured News
Downtown Development Update Part I: Projects rising
The effort to revitalize Downtown Jacksonville yielded successes in late 2024 and early 2025 in the form of project completions, new construction starts and progress at worksites on the Northbank and Southbank.
Downtown visitors can see crane booms in the air and heavy equipment on the ground from the Sports and Entertainment District to Brooklyn and spaces in-between, including the historic core.
At the same time, headwinds emerged as Citizens Property Insurance Corp. announced plans to move hundreds of workers from Downtown to South Jacksonville, adding to an office vacancy listed by Downtown Vision Inc. at 28% at year-end 2024.
Then came uncertainty over the fate of federal offices Downtown as the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency announced possible closures of office buildings and termination of leases.
Mayor Donna Deegan said her administration was watching the situation closely and was preparing to find offices Downtown for any displaced federal employees.
“Obviously, we want to encourage as many people to be Downtown as possible,” she said.
Here is an update on some of Downtown’s public and private projects.
Four Seasons Hotel and One Shipyards Place
Topping-off was Jan. 17 for One Shipyards Place, the six-story office building under construction by Shad Khan’s Iguana Investments across Gator Bowl Boulevard from EverBank Stadium.
Completion is expected in the first quarter of 2026.
The 10-story Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences building is expected to top off this year and a signature restaurant is in review for the top floor.
Also, work is nearing completion on a bulkhead for the new marina, followed by demolition of the old marina.
The cost for the vertical construction of both structures totals $254.3 million, growing to almost $260 million with the marina support project.
Stadium of the Future
Demolition began in March on EverBank Stadium’s pedestrian bridges, escalators and staircases as the process to transform the facility into the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Stadium of the Future progressed.
The $1.4 billion stadium project is on a timeline for completion in August 2028, with the team playing in EverBank at a reduced capacity in 2025 and 2026 before playing in Orlando or Gainesville in 2027.
Union Terminal Warehouse
The historic warehouse building reopened March 6 as a $73 million mixed-use redevelopment with mixed-income housing, offices and retail units.
Atlanta-based Columbia Ventures spent more than six years bringing the 361,169-square-foot building back to life.
The building, constructed in 1913, is at 700 E. Union St.
Decca Live
After a $3.31 million renovation, the Decca Live music and dance venue at 323 E. Bay St. held a grand opening Jan. 31.
The renovated building features a ground-floor dance floor and bar, a second-floor wraparound walkway and bar, and a rooftop bar.
Former JEA headquarters
In February, JEA issued a request for proposal seeking bids for its former headquarters campus.
The property includes the 19-story office tower at 21 W. Church St., the six-story customer service center and the Adair Building parking garage with street-level retail space.
The selection criteria for the RFP hint at possible office-to-residential use of the property, saying respondents will be rated based partly on economic benefits of their proposals on such factors as capital investment, job creation and housing units.
Artea apartments
A grand opening was held March 11 for the Artea transit-oriented apartment complex near the Kings Avenue parking garage on the Southbank.
The $96.9 million multifamily property includes studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, a 425-space parking garage, a swimming pool and other amenities.
Lofts at Cathedral
A ribbon-cutting was held in December 2024 for the $26 million 120-unit multifamily property at 325 and 327 E. Duval St. The project included a $5.45 million renovation of the YWCA building, which was built in 1949.
RiversEdge
The $693 million RiversEdge mixed-use development continues to take shape, with DIA CEO Lori Boyer reporting that the riverwalk and some of the more than 4 acres of public parks are expected to be completed as soon as April.
Pennsylvania-based Toll Brothers construction began vertical construction on town homes in the development in 2024, and some are now on the market.
RiversEdge is on the former JEA Southside Generating Station power plant site on the Southbank.
Gateway Jax
Construction is underway on Gateway Jax’s first project, the seven-story Block N11 mixed-use building in the block bordered by Pearl, Julia, Ashley and Church streets.
Principal developer Bryan Moll says work will begin in the coming months on two other buildings.
Among other Gateway Jax news, the development group purchased the block containing the Ambassador Hotel and Central National Bank, and announced plans to redevelop Downtown’s NoCo Center with a full-service grocery store.
The Block N11 building is the first tower under construction in the historic core since the new JEA headquarters tower, a private project that was completed in 2023 with the intent of having the city-owned utility as a tenant.
UF campus/Riverfront Plaza
The University of Florida announced in December 2024 that it had chosen LaVilla as the site of its proposed graduate center campus in Jacksonville, setting into motion a plan for the city to provide five properties for the site.
Among them, the city is proposing to swap a 1-acre development pad at Riverfront Plaza and an option on an adjacent parking lot to Gateway Jax, the owner of the Interline Brands Inc. building at 801 W. Bay St., for use by UF.
City Council member Ron Salem has proposed an alternative plan to buy the building outright.
Riverfront Plaza park
Jacksonville’s Haskell design and construction firm continues work on the first phase of plans to transform the site of the demolished Jacksonville Landing into a park.
The initial $32.5 million phase calls for such features as a pavilion building with a rooftop playground, a flexible event lawn and space connecting the plaza with the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts.
By Ric Anderson, Reporter
Jacksonville Daily Record
Downtown Development Update Part II: Cranes up, work in sight
The effort to revitalize Downtown Jacksonville yielded successes in late 2024 and early 2025 in the form of project completions, new construction starts and progress at worksites on the Northbank and Southbank.
Here is an update on some of Downtown’s public and private projects. Part I of this series is here
One Riverside/Whole Foods
Groundwork is underway on the site of the Whole Foods grocery market planned as part of the $250 million mixed-use project under construction by TriBridge and Fuqua Development at 1 Riverside Ave.
Work continues on the $59.9 million, 225-apartment first phase of the project, with completion expected in September.
McCoys Creek Outfall
The city posts a fall 2025 estimated completion date on work to improve McCoys Creek, which for decades ran beneath the Florida Times-Union building at 1 Riverside Ave.
The current construction, which comes with a cost estimate of $66.9 million, includes “daylighting” the creek by rerouting it into an open-air space between the One Riverside project and railroad tracks, widening and deepening the creek, building a new pedestrian bridge providing access to a future riverfront park and rebuilding the Riverwalk overpass.
The T-U buildings were demolished.
Jones Bros. Furniture Co.
The city issued permits in December 2024 for the adaptive reuse of the seven-story building at 420 N. Hogan St.
Plans call for a $9 million, 38,836-square-foot build-out of the 110-year-old building, which Corner Lot Development Group has been working to revive since 2018.
The June
Britt Morgan-Saks, founder of The June private club, says the venture has attracted 150 founding members, who are investors.
The city approved permits in February for the $6.4 million build-out of the club in the historic Federal Reserve Building at 424 N. Hogan St.
Pratt Funeral Home
Work is underway to bring the 110-year-old funeral home at 525 W. Beaver St. back to life as an Airbnb and restaurant
The city issued a permit in November 2023 for the adaptive reuse.
City Council approved a $1.25 million forgivable loan for the project in May 2023.
Rise Doro
Work began anew on the apartment building at 960 E. Adams St. in early 2025, about a year after the structure was heavily damaged by fire.
In September 2024, the Jacksonville City Council approved a $15.45 million incentives package to rebuild the complex, which comprises five floors of wood-frame construction built atop a two-story concrete base and around a seven-story concrete parking garage.
The wood portions of the building were ordered demolished after the fire, and the concrete was deemed structurally sound.
Two-way street restorations
Resurfacing and striping began in February on a project to restore two-way traffic to Forsyth and Adams streets between Jefferson and Liberty streets.
The $4.6 million first phase of the project will include closures of one lane of each street for 60 days, followed by closure of the other lane for the same duration.
The work is designed to slow traffic, make the streets safer for walking, and foster development of street-level dining and retail.
St. Johns River Park
Construction is underway on the $10.4 million park adjacent to Friendship Fountain.
A centerpiece ship-shaped piece of play equipment has been installed for the history-themed play park.
Other features will include a wedding venue, picnic areas and interpretive gardens.
Completion is estimated in early 2026.
Autonomous Innovation Center/U2C
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority has begun testing autonomous vans for its Ultimate Urban Circulator along the system’s Bay Street Innovation Corridor.
Work is progressing on the control center for the system, the Autonomous Innovation Center at 650 W. Bay St. in LaVilla. Including the $40.5 million building, the U2C’s costs are estimated at up to $400 million.
Restaurant update
• The city issued a permit in March for Dorothy’s Downtown, a Southern and Creole restaurant proposed in the space of the former Burrito Gallery at 21 E. Adams St.
• In November 2024, Indigo Road Hospitality Group announced plans to open Oak Steakhouse on the ground floor of the Greenleaf & Crosby Building at 204 N. Laura St. in the space previously occupied by Jacobs Jewelers.
• In February, Players Grille opened its Brooklyn location on the ground floor of the Home2 Suites by Hilton Jacksonville Downtown, 600 Park St.
• The Prudential Club restaurant and lounge states on its website that it is opening soon at 1430 Prudential Drive, where an incorporated liquor store has already opened.
• Lily’s Asian-American Food opened in February at 11 E. Forsyth St., former home of Super Food & Brew.
• The locally owned Vantage Point Coffee shop opened in a 900-square-foot space of the Union Terminal Warehouse.
By Ric Anderson, Reporter
Jax Daily Record
LaVilla site selected for new University of Florida Jacksonville graduate campus, Semiconductor Institute
A University of Florida Board of Trustees committee selected the area around the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center as the site for the university’s planned graduate center campus in Jacksonville.
The Committee on Governance, Government Relations and Internal Affairs voted unanimously Dec. 12 to select the site and delegate authority to the university president and board chair to negotiate an agreement to convey the property.
The full board will vote on the matter Dec. 13.
A presentation to the committee included renderings and conceptual site plans showing UF buildings immediately north of the Union Terminal Station and west to the Forsyth Street exit of Interstate 95.
Includes Florida Semiconductor Institute
A news release from the city of Jacksonville said the campus is expected to open in fall 2026 and would include the Florida Semiconductor Institute.
The release said graduate degree offerings were being finalized, but areas under consideration include business management; data analytics; computer science with concentrations in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity; law; and biomedical and health sciences.
UF says enrollment at the fully built-out campus could reach 20,000 or more.
Mayor Donna Deegan plans to work with the Downtown Investment Authority and City Council to provide 22 acres, the release said. With the Florida Semiconductor Institute as part of the campus, the administration will propose $50 million in city funding for the project on top of $50 million committed by City Council in the spring of 2023.
In a question-and-answer session at City Hall with reporters after the committee’s vote, Deegan said the initial conveyance would involve two vacant city-owned properties next to the convention center.
Additional properties
Deegan said UF was working to secure a property other than those two, possibly an existing building, where it would begin offering classes in the fall of 2026.
UF had negotiated with JEA for a short-term lease of space on the fifth floor of the municipal utility’s headquarters building at 225 N. Pearl St., but a JEA spokeswoman said a deal had not been reached.
UF announced nearly two years ago that it planned to open a graduate school focusing on health and financial technology in Downtown Jacksonville.
Since then, $250 million in funding has been committed to the project, comprising $150 million from the state of Florida, the $50 million from the city of Jacksonville and $50 million from private donors.
Deegan said the campus would be “another monumental step towards Jacksonville being a national leader in the industries that will shape our collective future.”
Mori Hosseini, chair of the UF Board of Trustees, said: “Our goal is to create a national center of excellence and to bring our bright students to this forward-thinking city. We are grateful for our strong partnerships with the state, city, and community leaders – we are going to do big things together.”
Jacksonville 'on the forefront of innovation'
UF interim President Kent Fuchs said, “Jacksonville – like UF – is on the forefront of innovation.”
“This is a place where our students will create great change and help transform the industries of the future,” he said.
The property near the convention center was among three that had been publicly identified as sites being considered by UF, including the soon-to-be vacated Jacksonville Fairgrounds and land near the Florida State College at Jacksonville Downtown campus.
Deegan recommended the convention center site in a Dec. 5 letter to Fuchs and Hosseini. In the letter, she said the city would work with the university on terms of conveyance “so that design, planning, and construction can begin as quickly as possible in 2025.”
The Daily Record has requested details on the parcels under consideration from the city.
During the committee meeting, Hosseini commended Deegan, Council members and Jacksonville business development officials for driving the project forward.
“The leaders of Jacksonville kept on pushing us, (saying), ‘Come on, let’s go,’” he said. “That’s so admirable. We all think governments are slow and never move. But they did an impressive job.”
Why LaVilla
Kurt Dudas, UF vice president for strategic initiatives, told committee members that the president’s office recommended the Prime Osborn site based partly on its proximity to interstates 10 and 95 and to businesses in Brooklyn and the Downtown core.
Other reasons included the nearby availability of public transportation out of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s headquarters, and the presence of public amenities such as Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park and the Emerald Trail Model Mile.
David Norton, UF vice president for research, said locating the Florida Semiconductor Institute in Jacksonville offered an opportunity for it to become a “world-class research facility” specializing in national security. Florida lawmakers approved $80 million for the institute this year.
“The accessibility of Jacksonville with direct flights into Washington, D.C., make it much more attractive for us to really build-out something new that will be competitive to what other universities across the country have already built-out in the area of national security,” he said.
Prompted by a question from Hosseini, Norton indicated the institute’s economic impact could eventually be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Jaguars reaction
The Jacksonville Jaguars issued a statement calling the committee’s vote “a moment of celebration” for team owner Shad Khan and his family. The Khan family donated $5 million toward landing the campus and had offered the 14.1-acre Fairgrounds property, which in 2022 it agreed to purchase.
“Growing Downtown Jacksonville to be a versatile center for commerce, education, entertainment and lifestyle is a priority for the Jacksonville Jaguars,” the statement read.
“With today’s news from the University of Florida on the location of their graduate studies campus and Florida Semiconductor Institute, our downtown is one step closer to that reality.”
Demolition in future
Deegan said that eventually the newer portions of the convention center, not including the historic train station, could be demolished to make way for the campus.
However, she told reporters that plans involving the demolition would be years away, allowing time for the city to develop a new convention center. likely at a site near the current Duval County jail.
“In terms of the convention center itself, that is probably 10 years down the road,” she said.
“You’ll have another mayor to beat up on, probably, by that time.”
Conveying properties
Deegan said the city’s timeline called for the Downtown Investment Authority to vote in January 2025 on conveying the initial two properties.
The city said the DIA vote would be on six parcels, five of which make up one of the lots.
The properties involved in the DIA vote in January are a grass parking lot directly north of the train station and an adjacent paved parking lot to the east, across Park Street.
Five properties comprise the block of Bay, Forsyth and Lee streets and LaVilla Center North totaling 1.33 acres.
The sixth property is 2.26 acres next to the east at Bay, Forsyth and Lee streets
“At the end of the day, a lot of space that we’ve had sitting around doing nothing and providing no tax benefit to the city is going to be a vibrant part of our Downtown,” she said.
In March 2024, the State University System Board of Governors approved UF’s plan to establish the school.
UF followed up by negotiating with JEA for a short-term lease of space on the fifth floor of the municipal utility’s headquarters building at 225 N. Pearl St.
A JEA spokeswoman said Dec. 11 that no agreement had been reached.
The UF colleges participating in the establishment of the facility include the Warrington College of Business; the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering; the College of Medicine; the College of Public Health and Health Professions; the Levin College of Law; and the College of Design, Construction and Planning.
Plans unveiled in 2023
Plans for UF to establish the school in Jacksonville were unveiled in February 2023, long enough ago that two of the principals then are no longer involved.
Mayor Lenny Curry’s term ended in July 2023 and UF President Ben Sasse resigned in July 2024 after 17 months on the job, the shortest term of any non-interim president in the university’s history.
Hosseini, a strong proponent of the proposed Jacksonville center, also took part in the February 2023 announcement and remains part of the board.
Sasse, a former Republican U.S. senator from Nebraska, had touted the Jacksonville school as part of his vision to expand the university and turn it into an economic development engine for communities outside of Gainesville.
Sasse’s strategy involved partnering with businesses to apply research to real-world challenges and putting students closer to prospective employers.
In his resignation, Sasse cited concerns over his wife’s health.
Later, the Independent Florida Alligator reported that Sasse’s relationship with Hosseini had collapsed and that Sasse had more than tripled his office’s spending during his 17 months as president while directing millions of dollars of university funds into consulting contracts and positions for his political allies.
By Ric Anderson, Reporter
Jacksonville Daily Record
Upcoming Meetings
20250609_DIA CEO Candidate Panel Interviews Public Meeting
Don Davis Room
First Floor of City Hall at St. James
117 West Duval Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
VIRTUAL LOCATION
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87990789951?pwd=6D95Mq0jlJ1V4PLG9oxpc7UWGLTOSL.1
Webinar ID: 879 9078 9951
Passcode: 062932
AMENDED HYBRID VIRTUAL/IN-PERSON PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
June 4th, 2025
5:00 P.M.
CEO CANDIDATE PANEL INTERVIEWS
(MEETING HELD VIRTUALLY & IN PERSON)
June 9th, 2025, at 9:45 A.M.
PHYSICAL LOCATION
Don Davis Room
First Floor of City Hall at St. James
117 West Duval Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
VIRTUAL LOCATION
Interested persons desiring to attend this meeting virtually can do so via Zoom (including by computer or telephone) using the following meeting access information:
Join Zoom Webinar
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87990789951?pwd=6D95Mq0jlJ1V4PLG9oxpc7UWGLTOSL.1
Webinar ID: 879 9078 9951
Passcode: 062932
One tap mobile
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keJuzyhyuj
Only individuals attending the meeting in-person will have an opportunity to provide public comments. Persons who cannot attend the meeting in-person, but who wish to submit public comments regarding any matter on the agenda for consideration at the meeting, may do so by sending their public comments via electronic mail to DIAPublicComments@coj.net prior to the start of the meeting. Public comments received prior to the meeting will not be read during the meeting but will instead be forwarded to all DIA Board members for review in advance of the meeting and will remain a part of the permanent record for the meeting itself. You are encouraged to submit public comments well in advance of the start of the meeting to provide DIA Board members with adequate time to read them in preparation for the meeting.
Please contact Ava Hill by telephone at (904) 255-5302 or by email at avah@coj.net if you have any questions regarding this notice or if you experience technical difficulties during the meeting.
If you have a disability that requires accommodations to participate in the above Downtown Investment Authority meeting, please contact the Disabled Services Division at: (904) 255-5466, TTY-(904) 255-5476, or email your request to KaraT@coj.net and we will provide reasonable assistance for you. The Florida Relay Service can be reached at 711. All requests must be received no later than 12:00 p.m. on June 6th, 2025. Requests for accommodations received after 12:00 p.m. on June 6th may not be met.
NOTE: If any person decides to appeal any decision made with respect to any matter considered at this meeting, such person will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, such person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
A recording of this meeting will be available upon request by emailing avah@coj.net after its conclusion.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION VIA ZOOM APPLICATION
1. If you have already registered for the Zoom application on your computer, enter the link below in the address line for Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge Internet Browser.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87990789951?pwd=6D95Mq0jlJ1V4PLG9oxpc7UWGLTOSL.1
Webinar ID: 879 9078 9951
Passcode: 062932
Public Comment
Verbal public comment is only available to in-person meeting attendees and not available to those attending virtually. However, written public comment may be submitted prior to the start of the meeting pursuant to the instructions above.
2. If you have not already registered for the Zoom application on your computer and wish to access the meeting, follow these instructions:
Sign up for the Zoom application by typing – Zoom.US – into Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge Internet Browser.
Enter the Zoom Webinar ID and meeting password listed below:
Webinar ID: 879 9078 9951
Passcode: 062932
Public Comment
Verbal public comment is only available to in-person meeting attendees and not available to those attending virtually. However, written public comment may be submitted prior to the start of the meeting pursuant to the instructions above.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR JOINING A ZOOM MEETING BY DIAL-IN PHONE ONLY
Dial: +1 (646) 558-8656. International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keJuzyhyuj
Enter the Zoom Webinar ID and meeting password listed below:
Webinar ID: 879 9078 9951
Passcode: 062932
If you join before the meeting has started, you will be prompted to press # to wait.
If you call using your mobile telephone or device, you will be prompted to enter a unique participant ID. Press # to skip.
Public Comment
Verbal public comment is only available to in-person meeting attendees and not available to those attending virtually. However, written public comment may be submitted prior to the start of the meeting pursuant to the instructions above.
Patrick Krechowski, Board Chair
Downtown Investment Authority
HYBRID VIRTUAL/IN-PERSON PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
June 2nd, 2025
9:30 A.M.
CEO CANDIDATE PANEL INTERVIEWS
(MEETING HELD VIRTUALLY & IN PERSON)
June 9th, 2025, at 9:45 A.M.
Notice is hereby given that the City of Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) will meet on Monday, June 9th, 2025, at 9:45 a.m. via Hybrid Virtual/In-Person meeting. The meeting noticed herein can be accessed virtually through the Zoom.US computer application or in-person at City Hall, Henry Cook Room. The purpose of this meeting is for the DIA Board to conduct interviews with candidates for the position of DIA Chief Executive Officer.
PHYSICAL LOCATION
Henry Cook Room
First Floor of City Hall at St. James
117 West Duval Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
VIRTUAL LOCATION
Interested persons desiring to attend this meeting virtually can do so via Zoom (including by computer or telephone) using the following meeting access information:
Join Zoom Webinar
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87990789951?pwd=6D95Mq0jlJ1V4PLG9oxpc7UWGLTOSL.1
Webinar ID: 879 9078 9951
Passcode: 062932
One tap mobile
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keJuzyhyuj
Only individuals attending the meeting in-person will have an opportunity to provide public comments. Persons who cannot attend the meeting in-person, but who wish to submit public comments regarding any matter on the agenda for consideration at the meeting, may do so by sending their public comments via electronic mail to DIAPublicComments@coj.net prior to the start of the meeting. Public comments received prior to the meeting will not be read during the meeting but will instead be forwarded to all DIA Board members for review in advance of the meeting and will remain a part of the permanent record for the meeting itself. You are encouraged to submit public comments well in advance of the start of the meeting to provide DIA Board members with adequate time to read them in preparation for the meeting.
Please contact Ava Hill by telephone at (904) 255-5302 or by email at avah@coj.net if you have any questions regarding this notice or if you experience technical difficulties during the meeting.
If you have a disability that requires accommodations to participate in the above Downtown Investment Authority meeting, please contact the Disabled Services Division at: (904) 255-5466, TTY-(904) 255-5476, or email your request to KaraT@coj.net and we will provide reasonable assistance for you. The Florida Relay Service can be reached at 711. All requests must be received no later than 12:00 p.m. on June 6th, 2025. Requests for accommodations received after 12:00 p.m. on June 6th may not be met.
NOTE: If any person decides to appeal any decision made with respect to any matter considered at this meeting, such person will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, such person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
A recording of this meeting will be available upon request by emailing avah@coj.net after its conclusion.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION VIA ZOOM APPLICATION
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87990789951?pwd=6D95Mq0jlJ1V4PLG9oxpc7UWGLTOSL.1
Webinar ID: 879 9078 9951
Passcode: 062932
Public Comment
Verbal public comment is only available to in-person meeting attendees and not available to those attending virtually. However, written public comment may be submitted prior to the start of the meeting pursuant to the instructions above.
2. If you have not already registered for the Zoom application on your computer and wish to access the meeting, follow these instructions:
Sign up for the Zoom application by typing – Zoom.US – into Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge Internet Browser.
Enter the Zoom Webinar ID and meeting password listed below:
Webinar ID: 879 9078 9951
Passcode: 062932
Public Comment
Verbal public comment is only available to in-person meeting attendees and not available to those attending virtually. However, written public comment may be submitted prior to the start of the meeting pursuant to the instructions above.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR JOINING A ZOOM MEETING BY DIAL-IN PHONE ONLY
Dial: +1 (646) 558-8656. International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keJuzyhyuj
Enter the Zoom Webinar ID and meeting password listed below:
Webinar ID: 879 9078 9951
Passcode: 062932
If you join before the meeting has started, you will be prompted to press # to wait.
If you call using your mobile telephone or device, you will be prompted to enter a unique participant ID. Press # to skip.
Public Comment
Verbal public comment is only available to in-person meeting attendees and not available to those attending virtually. However, written public comment may be submitted prior to the start of the meeting pursuant to the instructions above.
Downtown Investment Authority
20250612_DIA Retail Enhancement and Property Disposition Committee Meeting
City Hall at St. James
117 West Duval Street
1st Floor, Don Davis Room
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
VIRTUAL LOCATION
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81447313912?pwd=8CGgXeO9lJepk9r9n9J2RWttE9Ps0B.1
Meeting ID: 814 4731 3912
Passcode: 679409 9:30 AM
June 5th, 2025
8:30 A.M.
RETAIL ENHANCEMENT AND PROPERTY DISPOSITION COMMITTEE MEETING
(MEETING HELD VIRTUALLY & IN PERSON)
June 12th, 2025, at 9:30 A.M.
Notice is hereby given that the City of Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) Retail Enhancement and Property Disposition (REPD) Committee will meet on Thursday, June 12th, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. via Hybrid Virtual/In-Person meeting. The meeting noticed herein can be accessed virtually through the Zoom.US computer application or in-person at City Hall, Don Davis Room. The purpose of this meeting is for the DIA Committee to consider and take action on items on the REPD agenda.
PHYSICAL LOCATION
City Hall at St. James
117 West Duval Street
1st Floor, Don Davis Room
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
VIRTUAL LOCATION
Interested persons desiring to attend this meeting virtually can do so via Zoom (including by computer or telephone) using the following meeting access information:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81447313912?pwd=8CGgXeO9lJepk9r9n9J2RWttE9Ps0B.1
Meeting ID: 814 4731 3912
Passcode: 679409
One tap mobile
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kehlYuwSql
Only individuals attending the meeting will have an opportunity to provide public comments. Persons who cannot attend the meeting in-person, but who wish to submit public comments regarding any matter on the agenda for consideration at the meeting, may do so by sending their public comments via electronic mail to DIAPublicComments@coj.net prior to the start of the meeting. Public comments received prior to the meeting will not be read during the meeting but will instead be forwarded to all DIA Board members for review in advance of the meeting and will remain a part of the permanent record for the meeting itself. You are encouraged to submit public comments well in advance of the start of the meeting to provide DIA Board members with adequate time to read them in preparation for the meeting.
Please contact Ava Hill by telephone at (904) 255-5302 or by email at avah@coj.net if you have any questions regarding this notice or if you experience technical difficulties during the meeting.
If you have a disability that requires accommodations to participate in the above Downtown Investment Authority meeting, please contact the Disabled Services Division at: (904) 255-5466, TTY-(904) 255-5476, or email your request to KaraT@coj.net and we will provide reasonable assistance for you. The Florida Relay Service can be reached at 711. All requests must be received no later than 12:00 p.m. on June 11th, 2025. Requests for accommodations received after 12:00 p.m. on June 11th, may not be met.
NOTE: If any person decides to appeal any decision made with respect to any matter considered at this meeting, such person will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, such person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
A recording of this meeting will be available upon request by emailing AvaH@coj.net after its conclusion.
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Latest News
Pour Taproom and Pizza Dynamo planning June openings Downtown
Pizza Dynamo and Pour Taproom are tapped to open Downtown as soon as the first week of June.
Both passed health inspections May 15, according to the owners of the businesses in the VyStar Credit Union garage Downtown at 61 N. Laura St.
The two concepts feature indoor-outdoor bars and seating, as well as interior bars and tables.
They have separate entrances but a shared kitchen and other common space.
The city issued a permit Aug. 27 for Danis Construction LLC to build-out the projects at a cost of $3 million.
Pour Taproom
The Jacksonville Pour Taproom is the pub’s sixth location and a franchise. It is headquartered in Atlanta.
The 7,000-square-foot, two-story Pour Taproom focuses on self-service for its beer, wine and select specialty cocktails at 80 taps.
When customers arrive, they are given radio-frequency identification wristbands and open a tab. When theyfind a tap they want to try, they touch the wristband to it and make a pour. Their wristband maintains their tab.
Customers pay by the ounce.
Tony Draper is the owner of Pour Taproom. It is his first experience in the restaurant business.
He said the decision to open the bar is “two stories that run together.”
“Probably seven or eight years ago I went to a Pour Taproom and experienced the self-pour technology,” he said.
“I met some friends and I just really liked the idea that I didn’t have to wait to order a beer. I loved the on-demand aspect of the self-pour. It made an impression on me.”
At the time, Draper was in corporate sales with Jacksonville-based RF Smart. He said he liked the company and its culture and leadership, but said but he felt out of place “in the corporate world.”
“I just reached a point in my career. Call it a midlife crisis or a crisis of fulfillment,” he said.
“I didn’t really feel like I wanted to be in an office or traveling long term, but every time I did travel, I’d find a brewery. I’d just be sitting there thinking I would love to walk out of an office and do this,” he said.
“I threw that around enough at home, and my wife knew I was unhappy. She was like, ‘Why don’t you just do it?’”
Draper said Pour Taproom also will serve “elevated pub food,” including smashburgers, fish and chips, jumbo shrimp and wings. It will also allow customers to order from Pizza Dynamo next door.
He said the menu should be finalized next week.
Diners will scan QR codes at their seats to bring up a menu and place orders. Runners will serve the food.
Draper said he also hopes to use the space for corporate events.
Draper said it will open daily at 11 a.m. and close about 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday depending on demand. It may be open as late as midnight on Friday and Saturday. It may close earlier, possibly 8 p.m., on Sunday.
Pizza Dynamo
Restaurateur Jeremy Gatto is opening Pizza Dynamo.
He is the owner of Pizza Jeans — which stands for Just Eat A New York Slice — as well as Pielands Sub & Slice and Luca’s Brooklyn Pizzeria in the Atlanta area.
The 3,000-square-foot restaurant will serve whole pizzas, slices, calzones, sandwiches, salads and gelato.
“I’m a born-and-raised New Yorker, and I believe in my heart it’s the best pizza in the world,” he said.
“I make pizza exactly the way I want to make it based on what I think are the best New York pizzerias.”
In preparation for his pizza recipe, Gatto said he flew his business partners to New York, where they visited eight pizzerias in two days.
“They left the trip saying they knew exactly where I’m coming from,” he said.
Gatto said he imports his flour for pizza dough and tomatoes for sauce from Italy.
“I spared no expense on ingredients,” he said.
“This is the most money I’ve spent on my pizzerias.”
Originally, Pizza Dynamo was planned as another Pizza Jeans, but Gatto said he and his partners changed their minds “at the 25th hour.”
The primary differences between the two pizzerias are the flour used to make dough and the tomatoes, which he said have a completely different “flavor palate.”
“After we started kicking the tires and talking, we just thought ‘let’s do a completely different concept and make it exactly what we want,’” he said.
“There isn’t anybody else doing anything like this Downtown. I think we’ll be busy off the bat.”
Pizza Dynamo’s hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
By J. Brooks Terry, Reporter
Jacksonville Daily Record
Committee selects first 30 artists to be enshrined in Jacksonville 'Walk of Fame'
Four days after site plans were approved for a waterfront Music Heritage Park behind the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts, the first 30 music artists who will be enshrined amidst the music notes and treble clef have been selected.
A Downtown Investment Authority DIA special committee of local historians, musicians, authors and industry professionals met for a second time on May 19 to finalize the final 16 persons/bands who’ve contributed significantly to the city’s and to the country’s musical culture.
Nominees must've met at least one of three selection criteria: first, that the nominee must’ve been either born, raised or launched a music career in Jacksonville or Duval County; second, the nominee must've spent a significant amount of time in Jacksonville/Duval County; third, the nominee must’ve demonstrated significant accomplishments and longevity in the music industry.
After a blind vote, Jacksonville strategic initiatives coordinator, Ina Mezini, tallied nominations. 15 artists received nine or more votes, which was majority support. These included stalwarts like James Weldon and John Rosamond Johnson, Southern rockers like Lynyrd Skynyrd and more cultural contributors like Limp Bizkit.
At the May 19 meeting, the committee combined the Johnson brothers to create another opening. Committee members discussed the relative merits of the remaining 28 artists who received partial support — 20% to 50% of committee support (or three to eight committee votes).
This included discussions of bands like 69 Boys with members from different cities (Jacksonville and Orlando in this case.)
“It would be nice to finally recognize 69 Boys,” Jacksonville musician, documentarian and historian Nicholas “NICKFRESH” Puzo told the committee. “I knew Van Bryant personally back in the day, and he worked very hard to make sure not only that the 69 Boys got on the map, but also that Jacksonville got on the map.”
This also included discussion of lesser known bands like Rein Sanction that might’ve impacted the era and the genre in which they fall.
“They were out of Riverside, and they were big. They were signed to Sub Pop Records,” committee member Michael Ray FitzGerald said to the group. “They self-destructed after one or two albums, but their music was really groundbreaking. Stylistically, they were very important.”
FitzGerald is a media scholar, musician and former university instructor who is the author of five books including the award-winning “Jacksonville and the Roots of Southern Rock.”
After the 30 initial Walk of Fame inductees were selected, the committee selected three alternatives in case artists and/or artist estates don’t approve of the recognition (Because he is so famous, Ray Charles, for example, may be a challenge.)
These include mid-twentieth century crooner Billy Daniels, disco-era R&B singer Jackie Moore and early 2000s indie rockers, Black Kids.
As industry professionals in one form or another, committee members wanted to make sure that each generation and genre were fairly represented.
Artists not selected will remain on the consideration list for inductions further down the line — perhaps in a year or two.
There will also likely be observations for those folks who impacted the music industry, but were not a part of specific bands.
Without further ado, here are the original thirty artists selected to Jacksoville’s Walk of Fame in Music Heritage Park:
1. 38 Special
2. 69 Boys
3. 95 South
4. Allman Brothers
5. Blind Blake
6. Charlie “Hoss” Singleton
7. Classics IV
8. Frederick Delius
9. Glenn Jones
10. Gram Parsons
11. Jahaan Sweets
12. JJ Grey & Mofro
13. Johnson Brothers (James Weldon Johnson & John Rosamond Johnson)
14. Lil Duval
15. Limp Bizkit
16. Longineu Parsons, II
17. Lynyrd Skynyrd
18. Ma Rainey
19. Mae Axton
20. Marcus Roberts
21. Molly Hatchet
22. Pat Chapelle
23. Quad City DJs
24. Ray Charles
25. Shinedown
26. Tedeschi Trucks Band
27. Tim McGraw
28. Ulysses Owens, Jr.
29. Walter Orange
30. Yellowcard
Jacksonville Business Journal
Music Heritage Park approved for downtown Jacksonville, blending art and outdoor space
On May 15, the city of Jacksonville approved site plans for city planners to develop an outdoor music park behind the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts at 300 W. Water St.
Music Heritage Park (so-named by the Downtown Investment Authority) will be a continuation of downtown park development, sitting between Pearl and Hogan streets, just west of Riverfront Plaza.
In the works since 2020, there’s been a number of voices involved, so the DIA has taken its time to listen to the perspective of a variety of stakeholders.
This includes, of course, operators at the Jacksonville Symphony who offered perspective on the “profound role symphonic music has played in shaping our city’s cultural identity,” chief marketing officer Tori Fusinaz told the Business Journal.
“As we mark our 75th Anniversary season, we’re especially honored to see the Symphony’s impact represented in such a meaningful way. We hope this space becomes a lasting source of inspiration, sparking curiosity and a love of music for generations to come,” Fusinaz said.
Situated behind the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts, design for Music Heritage Park (from Hanson Professional Services, Inc.) shows a number of musical nods to this context.
The melodious proposal includes a sprawling riverfront complex accessed by sidewalks, seating areas and benches that meander by musically-themed stations.
There are at least eight musically-notated stops along the walkway for folks to relax and be surrounded by music. From a bird’s eye view, these stations are, appropriately, shaped like musical notes.
Musical Heritage Park is, in fact, punctuated by a large treble clef through its center, like a Cupid’s arrow through a heart.
Hanson Professional Services oversaw this design in collaboration with DIA input along with additional civic and public voices.
While permitting will still be in the works for Music Heritage Park, Acon Construction Co. will be permitted to begin construction as this is a design-build project — a construction plan where the design and construction phases are combined under a single contract with a single entity; in this case, the city of Jacksonville.
By Matt Denis, Reporter
Jacksonville Business Journal