Marina Proposed for Ford on Bay Inlet

[Ken_FSU]

DDRB to discuss conceptual plans for marina named for former Jacksonville mayor Hans Tanzler

A marina named for former Jacksonville mayor Hans Tanzler would fill a squarish inlet of the St. Johns River between Liberty and Market streets in the 200 block of East Bay Street under a conceptual plan up for discussion May 8 by the Downtown Development Review Board.

The DDRB agenda calls it the "Liberty Street Basin Marina – CIP Project (No Action)." The renderings by HDR Engineering and Pond & Co. call it the city of Jacksonville Liberty Street Marina.

Full story: https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/may/02/ddrb-to-discuss-conceptual-plans-for-marina-named-for-former-jacksonville-mayor-hans-tanzler/

[thelakelander]

What's your thoughts on the project?

[acme54321]

This seems super random.  Do we really need all of these new narinas downtown?  The one at berkman isn't seven full and there are already plans for 3 more, 4 with this.

[Ken_FSU]

What's your thoughts on the project?

Pretty much a copy and paste of my thoughts on 90% of the projects proposed over the last 20 years.

Absent a unified vision for the Northbank and its riverfront laid out in a true master plan, it's just a random marina in a vacuum that could make perfect sense and could make zero sense based on the surrounding context.

Would be absurd if the area is used for expanded conference space, could make more sense if the area was used for a Landing type dining & retail development.

Personally speaking, I think it's a cool, distinctive inlet that should be leveraged for some kind of fun, active public use, versus turned into a parking lot for boats.

If it was ME, I'd do something similar to maybe Lake Eola in Orlando or Echo Park in Long Beach and do pedal boat rentals. Would be fun for families, cheap to implement and operate, and views would be pretty sick at night.











Something like this horribly crude sketch:

[fsu813]

What's your thoughts on the project?

If it was ME, I'd do something similar to maybe Lake Eola in Orlando or Echo Park in Long Beach and do pedal boat rentals. Would be fun for families, cheap to implement and operate, and views would be pretty sick at night.











Something like this horribly crude sketch:

I believe something like that is envisioned for the sheltered open water space at Shipyards West assuming it's actually built out as public drafts have indicated thus far.

[Jax_Developer]

My bet with this is that the city is simply getting a permit ready for the eventual Ford on Bay developer. Even though that area is "owned" by COJ, I assume they still need to go through the lengthy Army Corps process which will take the better part of 2 years. If that is the case, they are trying to increase the marketability of the Ford on Bay site with a permitted marina by 2027-28. Would certainly make a dining & retail play more attractive. Wouldn't be surprised if this is altered in the future when the Ford on Bay parcel finally gets designed.

Yes there are more Marina's being built, but I think that's a good thing. There's a severe lack of boat parking in DT Jax compared to other FL cities. If downtown is really set to turn around, best believe there will need to be a lot more slips than are available now. You can see marina's expanding in basically every part of town that can permit it or has the space for it. All in all, I think it's hard to envision a revitalized DT Jax without a heavily expanded boaters 'system' in place. We have the most waterfront of any city in the US after all, why not take advantage of the sheer quantity of boat owners this city has? St. Augustine is certainly not missing a step when it comes to that.

[jaxlongtimer]

I am no boating expert, but I would think the currents and waves in the river could get way too rough for paddle boats or for kid oriented activities, as much as I would love to see that.  Too add, maybe also what lurks below the water line... potentially large and/or dangerous marine life and/or less than ideal water qualities.  A lake in Orlando doesn't have these issues.

The river taxi and other boat sightseeing/dinner/sunset tours are likely the best we can hope for but that can all be good too if done right.

Look at Sarasota's waterfront below and how many boats are anchored in the water beyond what the marina docks.  I will say that beachfront looks great... can we do a man-made beach on the banks of our river  ?

[fsu813]

I will say that beachfront looks great... can we do a man-made beach on the banks of our river  ?

Something like that is also envisioned for Shipyards West, on the main pier (furthest East), but without the natural sloped transition.

[Ken_FSU]

Makes me feel a little better that there's some strategy behind this knowing that you support it Bill, but $34 million is a good chunk of change.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/may/08/city-official-marina-honoring-former-jacksonville-mayor-hans-tanzler-would-cost-34-million/