There is a Plan for Downtown
By: Ron Moody, DIA Board Chair
The assertions that the city or the DIA are operating without a vision or a plan are simply inaccurate. The vision is there, the plan is in action, and while there is still much work to do, we have certainly come a long way since its inception. The master plan for the revitalization of Downtown—one adopted with extensive public involvement, input, and the benefit of professional planning and economic expertise—was approved by City Council in 2014 after more than two years of public meetings. The 300+ page master plan is currently in the midst of a five-year review and update and the DIA will be soliciting public input over the next few months. Sign up to receive updates at www.dwntwnjax.com.
The plan does not establish specific uses for each piece of public and private property within Downtown (i.e. apartments here, office there), but rather the general character of each neighborhood. The plan, however, does set goals and priorities for redevelopment based on a market feasibility study and our unique opportunities and challenges—creating a roadmap for the return of vibrancy.
The DIA has been following this plan since 2014, and it is working. While our accomplishments may not all be visible to the observer, they are real. Revitalization of Downtown is not a single project but rather continuous progress on multiple fronts in a consistent direction until we achieve that critical mass that is self-sustaining.
Why Residents Matter
CRA Redevelopment Goal #2: Increase rental and owner-occupied housing Downtown, targeting key demographic groups seeking a more urban lifestyle.
The number of housing units Downtown has grown from 1,898 to 4,002, allowing our Downtown population of residents to reach over 6000. Our target of 325 units per year (based on the 2014 market feasibility study and expected absorption) has grown to more than 600 units per year, and our residential occupancy rate is at 94% with rents continuing to climb.
The goal to reach 10,000 Downtown residents is even more important today than it was in 2014. With the major shifts in retail over the last decade, accelerated even more so by the pandemic, a residential population nearby is critical to retail success. And, we are seeing continued residential development right through the pandemic, unlike the last recession. Our momentum is reaching critical mass.
Major Employers Capitalize on Downtown Potential
CRA Redevelopment Goal #1: Reinforce downtown as the city’s unique epicenter for business, history, culture, education and entertainment.
Downtown Jacksonville is attracting major employers which in turn add jobs and enhance our workforce. The relocation of VyStar Credit Union’s corporate headquarters has brought more than 900 employees downtown, and the consolidation of FIS’s current headquarters into a new, 12-story, 300,000-square-foot headquarters will create roughly 500 additional jobs. Jacksonville’s talented and quality workforce of approximately 56,000 employees is just shy of reaching the CRA 2025 goal of 58,328 employees by 2025.
Additionally, the University of North Florida’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation located downtown provides a space for collaboration to Jacksonville's growing entrepreneurship ecosystem. The private capital investment represented by these businesses and residential developments are increasing our tax base year after year.
Reclaiming Downtown for Pedestrians and Bicyclists
CRA Redevelopment Goal #4: Improve walkability/bikeability and connectivity to adjacent neighborhoods and the St. Johns River while creating highly walkable nodes.
We are making great strides in downtown walkability and bikeability. Restoration of two-way streets—a goal for decades—has finally begun. DIA is using funds from the sale of the land for the new JEA headquarters to fund the construction, and the design has been bid and the contract awarded. Two segments of the Emerald Trail within Downtown are in design and will begin construction this year. In cooperation with Downtown Vision, a tree-planting initiative is underway. New streetlights have been added and more are planned, and public art has continued to grow throughout Downtown.
Activating Our Waterfront
CRA Redevelopment Goal #5: Establish a waterfront design framework to ensure a unique experience and sense of place.
Celebration of the river as a community asset is part of the plan. While hurricanes damaged Downtown docks and set us back, existing docks have been or are currently being replaced. New water taxi docks and recreational boat slips have been designed, permitted, and will begin construction soon at Jackson Street, Riverplace Tower, Fuller Warren Southbank and Post Street, providing boaters access to nearby restaurants, museums and shopping. A new marina is in design for the basin once covered by the old courthouse parking lot, providing protected docking out of the current. DIA recently approved a new private development at the site of River City Brewing which would restore those docks as well as provide a ships' store for the boat ramp.
Expansion of the Riverwalk on the Southbank beyond the School Board and in front of Baptist Medical Center will both begin construction soon. A series of connected park nodes along both the Northbank and Southbank Riverwalks are planned, with two key nodes already underway. Each node will help reveal and celebrate the story of Jacksonville and enrich the existing functional structures.
An RFP for the former Landing, now known as Riverfront Plaza, is currently in progress and has already enticed the interest of over 100 firms. The DIA understands the magnitude and importance of this site and as such, the aesthetic, functional and programmatic design of the public space and the integration of public art to create a recognizable symbol of Downtown Jacksonville are paramount. The intention is to create a vibrant and iconic public space on the premier waterfront for all to enjoy.
Looking Ahead at Riverfront Development
The DIA is charged with implementing the master plan while simultaneously responding to market-driven forces, such as unsolicited private interest in city-owned properties or a pandemic that shutters retail establishments. While the mixed-use entertainment venue proposed for Lot J was not located where we might have anticipated in 2014, the concept of mixed-use developments combining entertainment, retail and hospitality was expressly contemplated for the Sports and Entertainment District and the Shipyards land in particular. The National Park Service has rejected the idea of relocating the original 14.3 acre Metropolitan Park where the amphitheater and festival lawn are located, so it will remain at the eastern end of the Sports and Entertainment district waterfront. The DIA Board hasexpressed its intent that the acreage of Downtown riverfront park space should be as much or more than exists today and provide improved quality and connectivity to the central core.
In considering possible development opportunities presented by MOSH for a new museum site and Iguana Investment for a mixed use hotel, residences, office and retail site, as well as Riverfront Parks Now campaign for an even larger riverfront park network, the DIA will follow its established plan and processes, but we will also be responsive to the opportunities that the market presents to actually turn this part of Downtown into the activated corridor with landmark park space that has long been the heart of the vision.