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

[thelakelander]

My impression is that it'll get done one way or another. And I don't know if Howland wants the blame/burden of killing this alone.

As expected, it's going to get a full vote on Tuesday.

Good call! So happy to hear it. Also happy to hear that you're confident it has the votes it needs to pass. This one is too important to hang out to dry.

Here's the article, just in case anyone in public wants to attend the meeting:

https://www.news4jax.com/news/politics/2026/11/06/nearly-50m-downtown-publix-incentive-deal-heads-to-full-jacksonville-city-council-after-deadlock-in-committee/

[jcjohnpaint]

Council voting against should take note.

[MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain]

I hope this one passes as well as riverfront plaza. According to Moll, no further completion grants are needed. But we also don't want to set ourselves up to be in the position where we're strapped for cash.

Don't think we know the full extent of the A3 impact, but how do you justify cutting services and approve handing developers completion grants post A3 approvals?

With that being said, is there a possibility that N8 incentives can be diverted to N7 if it fails tomorrow? What would that entail? What does that do to N8 - can it move forward with rev grant only? And outside of PSquare/GJax what does this mean for other projects like Lot J and the former fairgrounds?

[tufsu1]

Viewpoint in JBJ from Brian Moll on the downtown Publix - imo, a well written piece with thoughtful insights

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2026/11/09/viewpoint-amendment-3-bryan-moll.html?utm_source=st&utm_medium=en&utm_campaign=ae&utm_content=JA&j=48332809&senddate=2026-11-09&utm_term=ep2&empos=p2

[thelakelander]

^Good editorial.

[jcjohnpaint]

Just a common sense argument for downtowns with clustered amenities everywhere. I don't know why so many on council don't see it this way. If I have a weekend work event at MOCA, chances are, we have my daughter with us, we stop at MOSH, get coffee and something to eat before we leave. We usually stop at Whole Foods or Fresh Market for groceries before going home. We are not going to drive all over the city to do this.

[jaxlongtimer]

This picture suggests the real reason the Four Seasons got built  .  Jags HQ's, penthouse, and yacht dock... very quaint arrangement.  Other than going to the stadium for games, Shad never has to mingle with the common folks.

[thelakelander]

Lol, it also shows what density and walkability can become. Continue to fill up those empty parking lots and common folks will be all around there too.

[Ned Plimpton]

Lol, it also shows what density and walkability can become. Continue to fill up those empty parking lots and common folks will be all around there too.

With 1 public restaurant and a smaller format YMCA open, the public has already responded in a big way.  The Y brings in 1,000+ per month and Asado Life is already booked to capacity on the weekends.  2027 will bring a hotel, several more F&B outlets, event space, and new office tenants to the area.

[NorrisFByrd]

That YMCA number caught my eye. I took my nephew there on a Saturday last month and the place was packed by ten, mostly families just hanging around after class. If a smaller format spot is pulling a thousand people a month already, the riverfront side is going to feel very different once the hotel and the extra food spots open. I just hope they keep some of the parking sensible for folks coming in from the Southside, because that walk from the garage in August is no joke.

[Steve]

Viewpoint in JBJ from Brian Moll on the downtown Publix - imo, a well written piece with thoughtful insights

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2026/11/09/viewpoint-amendment-3-bryan-moll.html?utm_source=st&utm_medium=en&utm_campaign=ae&utm_content=JA&j=48332809&senddate=2026-11-09&utm_term=ep2&empos=p2

I heard that the proposal for incentives was adjusted, with a materially lower completion grant but can't find a link to a reliable source.

[Steve]

Yes - the change is that $19M of the $28 completion grant would come from the CRA, and only the remainer from the general fund. Randy White is introducing it and implied he'd vote for it with the change.

Honestly if that gets it through, then I'm all for it. This and the Trio are the two lynchpins for the Northbank IMO.

[jaxlongtimer]

Yes - the change is that $19M of the $28 completion grant would come from the CRA, and only the remainer from the general fund. Randy White is introducing it and implied he'd vote for it with the change.

Honestly if that gets it through, then I'm all for it. This and the Trio are the two lynchpins for the Northbank IMO.

There will be some tradeoffs for this...

....The amendment would shift $4 million from the Shipyards West project, $4 million from a proposed restaurant in Riverfront Plaza and $4 million of community redevelopment area funds the Downtown Investment Authority would identify in the future.

In addition to that $12 million of transfers, the amendment would shift an existing $7 million obligation the city currently has for a planned 22-story residential tower in Pearl Square that has not yet started vertical construction. Gateway Jax has been building two other big apartment buildings and the 22-story tower would have been its third new building....

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2026/11/10/jacksonville-city-council-votes-on-downtown-publix-incentives-deal/92709356007/

[acme54321]

Yes - the change is that $19M of the $28 completion grant would come from the CRA, and only the remainer from the general fund. Randy White is introducing it and implied he'd vote for it with the change.

Honestly if that gets it through, then I'm all for it. This and the Trio are the two lynchpins for the Northbank IMO.

There will be some tradeoffs for this...

....The amendment would shift $4 million from the Shipyards West project, $4 million from a proposed restaurant in Riverfront Plaza and $4 million of community redevelopment area funds the Downtown Investment Authority would identify in the future.

In addition to that $12 million of transfers, the amendment would shift an existing $7 million obligation the city currently has for a planned 22-story residential tower in Pearl Square that has not yet started vertical construction. Gateway Jax has been building two other big apartment buildings and the 22-story tower would have been its third new building....

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2026/11/10/jacksonville-city-council-votes-on-downtown-publix-incentives-deal/92709356007/

So what does that mean for the 22 story tower on block N8?  That thing was supposed to start like a year ago it seems like.