Downtown Development Update: What's rising, what's delayed

[Ken_FSU]

Some positivity: It's really cool to see the boards removed from the Marble Bank building, the windows opened back up to sunlight, and the new construction fencing and signage around the building. No idea what the future holds for the Trio, but it feels like a step in the right direction.

[jaxlongtimer]

Thanks to JLT for the correction on my quick ramp calculations. However, wouldn't it require 4 switchbacks (at 1:12), that could not be stacked. 30 linear feet of ramp only drops you 30 inches, not enough vertical clearance. So, you've go 40 feet of length, and four runs (minimum) 3 feet, or 12 feet of width. Minimum 480 square feet. What sort of above-ground restroom could be provided in about 500 square feet?

For the record, I support providing safe, secure, and accessible restrooms in JWJ Park. My comments were based on concerns expressed that the park's space is limited for all the 'things' people want it to do. I don't recall how big (# of stalls) the restrooms had (have but buried?), but, in addition to ADA access, the restrooms would have to be reconfigured to meet ADA.

There used to be a building in Hemming Park, on the Monroe Street  side that housed, I believe a ticket office for city venues, and the Visitor's Bureau. What I don't remember is it if it had public restrooms. Could the new JWJ Park include a similar building, with public restrooms?

Charles, you make a good point about stacking this many switchbacks within two ramps wide.  You may need to go to at least 3 ramps wide which would be about the 15 feet you originally proposed for the width.  This is why 3D modeling is always a good idea when building something like this  .

I am not against public restrooms either, just highlighting the issues that need to be addressed to properly serve them up.  That picture from Ken... I wonder how the odors from that setup are managed  .

[MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain]

I missed the meeting, not sure if you were able to attend. But what's your take on the proposed Hard Rock?

Just saw the renderings on Florida Times site.

[Ken_FSU]

Anyone heard anything in the last few years about Jones Bros furniture? Felt like it was getting close a few times three or four years ago, but has fallen silent since.

[thelakelander]

They were doing some work inside about a year ago.

[Ken_FSU]

Looks like Gateway Jax is digging in on the $28 million completion grant request for Publix.

Should be the easiest yes the City Council makes this decade on completion grants.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2026/10/05/gateway-jax-n7-block-econ-impact.html

[Ken_FSU]

Finance Committee just voted to kick the can on Publix down the road again.

Truly unbelievable.

November 4th meeting will now be when the vote is held, pending Amendment 3 resolution.

Side note, it sure would be nice if we had a master plan for downtown redevelopment as a city. A potentially transformational project in Gateway Jax's Publix mixed used development is stuck in deferral hell because the city has already overcommitted downtown completion grant dollars to projects on downtown's periphery.

[jaxlongtimer]

I am not pretending to know the right answer here.  But, I do think the City should have some leverage in negotiations if Publix is that crucial to Gateway's success.  It seems Gateway is at the point of no return to need the Publix built.  Maybe Gateway sacrifices some of its usual return on investment with respect to getting the Publix built, i.e. Publix acts a bit like a "loss leader" to benefit the rest of the investments around it.  If Gateway is insisting on the same investment return on the Publix as all the rest of the Pearl, maybe that is asking too much here in light of the City's generous history with Gateway so far, other developer incentives given out, its tightening budget, changing priorities, and the impending Amendment 3 uncertainty.  Just saying...

[fsu813]

^ I believe the outstanding issue is paying for the hundreds of apartments, not necessarily the grocer.

[Ken_FSU]

I am not pretending to know the right answer here.  But, I do think the City should have some leverage in negotiations if Publix is that crucial to Gateway's success.  It seems Gateway is at the point of no return to need the Publix built.  Maybe Gateway sacrifices some of its usual return on investment with respect to getting the Publix built, i.e. Publix acts a bit like a "loss leader" to benefit the rest of the investments around it.  If Gateway is insisting on the same investment return on the Publix as all the rest of the Pearl, maybe that is asking too much here in light of the City's generous history with Gateway so far, other developer incentives given out, its tightening budget, changing priorities, and the impending Amendment 3 uncertainty.  Just saying...

Totally get this POV, though I tend to look at the other way around. I'm comfortable with the Pearl District, and particularly Publix, being a loss leader from the city's perspective, as I strongly believe that Moll's vision for this neighborhood will set the CBD forward more than the last 30 years of start & stop progress. There is a strong, nearly bulletproof track record of urban Publix stores spurring adjacent development to take advantage of the foot traffic, and I think developments like N8 become more feasible with an anchor amenity.

From a social equity perspective, this project also plugs two critical gaps. Grocery, obviously, but downtown also badly needs a pharmacy. Even more than grocery, pharmacy isn't an amenity as much as its essential urban infrastructure.

If it was my call (spoiler: it isn't), I'd sign off on the completion grant for N7, fulfill our existing obligation with the Pearl Square incentives we've already authorized (including N8), and then let Gateway Jax know that future cash completion grants are going to be very hard to come by. REV grants? Sure. Creative loans? Sure. 

But we need to save limited general fund completion grant dollars in reserve moving forward for pre-identified, prioritized projects like:

1. The Laura Street Trio rehab
2. Residential conversion of the old JEA Tower
3. Jones Bros Furniture rehab
4. Independent Life Building
5. Old Stanton
6. Sports & Entertainment district

Etc.

Whole thing would be a much easier debate had the city not committed nearly $40 million to Related for the Southbank, $8 for an unnecessary Southbank hospital hotel, etc.

[Ned Plimpton]

Maybe Gateway sacrifices some of its usual return on investment with respect to getting the Publix built, i.e. Publix acts a bit like a "loss leader" to benefit the rest of the investments around it.  If Gateway is insisting on the same investment return on the Publix as all the rest of the Pearl,

Landlords aren't hitting 18% returns by leasing to Publix.

Publix is one of the most sought-after grocery tenants in the country, which is exactly why they rarely pay premium rents. Every lease is heavily scrutinized, and they have little incentive to overpay for any location.

That's especially true in downtown Jacksonville. While there's a lot of optimism about the area's future, it's still an unproven urban grocery market. From Publix's perspective, this is likely a market with some risk, not one that commands a premium.

Publix is already being treated as a loss leader for Gateway, so the incentives likely aren't to try to get that lease to pencil.  It's to support the high rise construction before the demand is self sustaining for Pearl Square.

[marcuscnelson]

So apparently there's now some kind of DIA-funded festival street project going in on the Southbank.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/oct/12/flagler-avenue-to-become-a-festival-street-on-southbank/

Certainly not a terrible idea, but would be nice to know how it's meant to fit into Downtown more broadly, or if the changes for adjacent transit have any impact on the usefulness of this, or even what programming is meant to make use of this space.

[Charles Hunter]

Two questions
1. Would Mary Street be closed at Flagler during these festival events?
2. What is the traffic count on Flagler and on Mary?
3. How will access to the Hampton Inn parking and the parking deck next to Southern Grill?

The answers will help assess what impact these festival events will have on Southbank traffic. I don't see much negative impact, unless traffic is much higher than I expect.

Waiting to see the presentation posted here.

[tufsu1]

this project has been in the works for several years and was included in the last CRA plan - it will be funded using Southbank CRA revenues

[jaxlongtimer]

I read it is 800 feet long.  Will that be enough to build a robust following?  That doesn't see very long to me for this project but I guess it is a good start. Where will the parking be?

If it has success, the City needs to then revisit closing the nearby Main Street Bridge to cars and using it for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross back and forth over the river, maybe with a street market at the same time on the Northbank.  This would follow the very successful closure of the bridge (and Bay Street to the stadium) when we hosted the Super Bowl.  It was wall to wall pedestrians. 

The City claimed to learn some lessons from the Super Bowl hosting, but I have not seen a single one implemented.  Even most of the multimillion dollar bridge lights stopped working soon after, never to be fixed again. 

Closing streets on weekends is a very inexpensive way to bring vibrancy to Downtown.  Don't understand why we don't do it like so many other cities including New York and Tokyo.