In the midst of several construction sites around Jacksonville are projects that won't just add to the city's concrete jungle.
The city is getting new and revamped park spaces in areas with frontage along the St. Johns River.
On the City of Jacksonville's recently updated dinosaur-themed website, I Dig Jax, the city highlights six waterfront parks under construction. These are Metropolitan Park, Riverfront Plaza, Music Heritage Garden, Shipyards West Park, RiversEdge and St. Johns River Park, which surrounds the Southbank's Friendship Fountain.
“Riverfront parks are one of the transformational projects that will create the ignition point for downtown Jacksonville to take off," Mayor Donna Deegan said in an emailed response to the Business Journal. "It was the spark that made Tampa’s downtown ignite, and it will do the same for Jacksonville."
According to city staff, the agreement to build the Jacksonville Jaguars's Stadium of the Future includes "the largest community benefits agreement in NFL history," as it has fully funded the final construction of Shipyards West Park, Metropolitan Park and Riverfront Plaza.
Shipyards West Park will be 10 acres park space designed by Agency Landscape + Planning. In addition to providing connectivity to the riverwalk, it will have pickleball and volleyball courts, fishing piers, a kayak launch and a boardwalk. The park will also have a beach area, forest space and floating wetlands.
On July 29, a pre-application permit for Shipyards West Park was submitted to St. Johns River Water Management District by environmental consultant The NDN Companies and The City of Jacksonville.
Metropolitan Park is an existing park, located at 4110 Gator Bowl Drive and spans over 18 acres along the St. Johns River. Revitalization for this park has included a boardwalk, an increased tree canopy with a canopy walk, a performance lawn space, tailgate plaza and more.
Leading up to Metropolitan Park, there will be an enhanced pedestrian crossing area and a planted median. Designs are expected to be finalized this winter.
At the former site of The Landing, Riverfront Plaza is located in downtown next to the Main Street Bridge. It is being built in two phases. The first phase, which will include an elevated playground on top of a park pavilion building, a large flexible event lawn and riverwalk space.
It will also include space connecting Riverfront Plaza to the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts. The park pavilion building will include a small cafe space and restrooms. The second phase will bring a beer garden, bike and pedestrian connection to the Main Street Bridge and more. The first phase will be open in early 2026, and the second phase will begin in the fall.
Located just west of Riverfront Plaza, at 300 Water St., Music Heritage Garden will use musical motifs, such as a focal treble clef and music notes, to highlight the city's impact on music history. The park is currently under construction and is expected to be complete in spring 2026.
On the Southbank, RiversEdge will be built in phases and consist of multiple adjacent parks, centered around themes of health and fitness. One of the parks at RiversEdge, Northwest Park, has seven pieces of interactive art by Barcelona-based artist Anaisa Franco.
The area's main park will feature a sculpture by Mark Fornes. In June, the Downtown Investment Authority granted Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. an extension on the delivery of the park's first phase. The first phase should be completed by the end of the year.
Work is currently underway at St. Johns River Park to reshape the area surrounding Friendship Fountain. This includes a Jean Ribault-themed pirate ship playground, a garden, concession area that nods to Jacksonville's indigenous Timucua Native Americans, a wedding plaza and more. This project is slated to be completed in early 2026.
"These plans have incorporated feedback from dozens of public meetings on what citizens would like to see in the parks. We look forward to the continued design and construction that will ensure our downtown park system is a world class destination space and driver of economic development," Mayor Deegan said in a statement. "These investments will increase the quality of life for everyone, attract more visitors to our beautiful city, and deliver significant return for our citizens."
By Leah Foreman, ReporterJax Business Journal