Gateway Jax seeks first-round design approval for Riverfront Plaza tower

[MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain]

The moment we've(or at least me) all been waiting for! They did the rendering for riverfront plaza!

Initial thoughts, not flashy glass, but it seems more sophisticated high end. Wish there was a rooftop, seeing that it's right on the river.



Gateway Jax seeks first-round design approval for Riverfront Plaza tower

More than eight months after acquiring a development pad in Riverfront Plaza through a land swap with the city of Jacksonville, Gateway Jax is seeking conceptual design approval for its proposed hotel and residential tower on the site.

The Downtown Development Review Board is scheduled to consider the project, identified in board documents as the Riverfront Plaza Hotel & Residences, during its Sept. 10 meeting.

Gateway Jax's plans for the pad came to light in early 2025 after the city proposed an exchange of the property, which was then city owned, for the former Interline Brands building at 801 W. Bay St., which Gateway Jax bought in October 2024 for $4 million from HD Supply Facilities Maintenance Ltd. of Atlanta.

The city sought the Interline Brands building to provide it to the University of Florida for its graduate campus in LaVilla.

In December 2025, the city and Gateway Jax closed on the land swap. The city then transferred the Interline Brands building to UF, where the university is now holding the first classes in the graduate campus. A ribbon-cutting is set for Sept. 9.

The 1.26-acre development pad is at the northeast corner of Riverfront Plaza, the site of the demolished Jacksonville Landing.

The main entrance to the Riverfront Plaza Hotel & Residences, shown here, would be off Independent Drive.
The main entrance to the Riverfront Plaza Hotel & Residences, shown here, would be off Independent Drive.
Downtown Development Review Board
Renderings in the DDRB request show a 20-floor tower, with the top floor for mechanical equipment. Residential units would go up to the ninth floor and hotel units to the 19th. A mezzanine, second-floor parking, food and beverage spaces and a third-floor sky terrace also are depicted.

Renderings in the DDRB request show a 20-floor tower, with the top floor for mechanical equipment. Residential units would go up to the ninth floor and hotel units to the 19th. A mezzanine, second-floor parking, food and beverage spaces and a third-floor sky terrace also are depicted.

The main entrance would be off Independent Drive, and the property would be connected to the Riverfront Plaza park. The $38 million first phase of the park was completed in late 2025 and construction of the $46 million second phase is underway.

New York-based Cookfox Architects and the Canada-based Stantec engineering, architecture and environmental consulting company are shown on plans.

DDRB staff recommended approval of the conceptual design on condition that Gateway Jax make revisions before seeking final design approval. Among those changes, staff requested the developers address "extended blank wall conditions" on the east and west podium areas and meet Downtown design standards that "provide a pleasant, rich, and diverse experience for pedestrians by visually connecting activities occurring within a structure to the adjacent Sidewalk."

Another condition is for Gateway Jax to provide detailed plans for landscaping, the rooftop and any amenities planned for it as well as loading, trash and service areas.

The DDRB meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the main Jacksonville Public Library at 303 N. Laura St.

[Ken_FSU]

Would love to see this go forward. It adds much needed vibrancy to Riverfront Plaza. Plus, it adds around $700,000 a year into a dedicated fund for programming and upkeep of Riverfront Plaza. Best of all, despite elements of City Council inevitably complaining about the $20 million completion grant attached to the project, it is my understanding that the $20 million will be funded from the DIA's northbank TIF, versus the general fund. Feels like it pays for itself, while giving a private entity incentive to invest in and keep Riverfront Plaza active and safe.

Gotta say though, first glance, I don't love the way it integrates with the park. Feels less like the amenity-rich ground-floor extension of the park with residential/hotel above it that I was hoping for, and more like a hotel & residential building that happens to have park access, if that makes sense. Also agree that a rooftop restaurant feels like a must-have.

I think a lot of the public/private disconnect comes down to significant changes made to the design of Phase 2 of Riverfront Plaza. I've mentioned it before, but I absolutely loved the Civic Stairs with public art that were part of the winning submission. They reminded me a lot of the Chicago Riverwalk (first image), and created this awesome, iconic, sweeping promenade fronting the private development (original Riverfront Plaza drawings below).







The new design, which I honestly don't know what we were thinking with, turns the eastern half of the park from an iconic promenade with wide river access and sweeping river views, into a random winding passthrough, bottlenecked at both the river and the stairs. The private development now seems like something you accidentally stumble onto from the side, versus a key anchor more deeply integrated into the park.





It's obviously just the first round, but I think we can do a much better job connecting the public park with the private development, given the importance of the space and the public dollars involved.

[Aristocles]

Let's get that downtown population over 10,000

[jaxlongtimer]

^ Ken, I agree, the development looks less integrated with the park, essentially walled off, not "feathered" in at the edges.  The concept below looks far better in that regard.  I wonder why Gateway wouldn't push for this as it would increase the profile and interest in the restaurant(s) and provide hotel guests and residents a smoother and more inviting transition to the amenities of the park. If they have a concern about security at certain times, they could always gate off the top of the stairs and/or have security personnel keep an eye on that entry.

I don't know how the owner of the Wells Fargo building will feel about the obstruction of their river views but it seems a bit less intrusive and "competitive" for attention than the tower proposed a few years ago.



This is another view of the current rendering showing better how "cut off" the development is from the park:

[thelakelander]

Renderings: Riverfront Plaza Hotel & Residences



Gateway Jax seeks DDRB conceptual approval for its Riverfront Plaza Hotel & Residences project at the former Jacksonville Landing site. Let us known what you think!

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/renderings-riverfront-plaza-hotel-residences/

[simms3]

Not to be a negative nancy, but it still needs to make financial sense.

There's a lot of stuff in Jax totally struggling right now.  We need more (of):

- high paying jobs (A LOT more), for any project with high-end rents and/or luxury condos
- tourism (A LOT more), for a project like this with a high-end hotel component
- lower interest rates, which don't seem to be in sight at the moment

There's a lot of people really trying to do things in Jax, but at the end of the day it all boils down to our economic engine, which is more than a bit sluggish in my opinion, and macro force, which are relentlessly negative right now.

[Aristocles]

Not to be a negative nancy, but it still needs to make financial sense.

There's a lot of stuff in Jax totally struggling right now.  We need more (of):

- high paying jobs (A LOT more), for any project with high-end rents and/or luxury condos
- tourism (A LOT more), for a project like this with a high-end hotel component
- lower interest rates, which don't seem to be in sight at the moment

There's a lot of people really trying to do things in Jax, but at the end of the day it all boils down to our economic engine, which is more than a bit sluggish in my opinion, and macro force, which are relentlessly negative right now.

When trying to determine if what's proposed is economically feasible and a true go, look at who's underwriting it financially. Private lenders aren't going to throw large amounts of money at loser projects in bad markets. Moll's getting the money, which indicates Jax is a good investment. There is a good economy here, with a lot of financial and advanced manufacturing professionals. I think these sectors are just going to keep growing too. Given all this I believe there's a demand for what Gateway wants to build at Riverfront Plaza.

[MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain]

They have some really good series if you ever get the chance to listen besides the following, but what a find! Must listen

Below is a podcast hosted by TJ and Daniel Davis from the Chambers featuring guest Bryan Moll.

The full library can be found below.

JACKSONVILLE SPEAK EASY EPISODES

[Ken_FSU]

They have some really good series if you ever get the chance to listen besides the following, but what a find! Must listen

Below is a podcast hosted by TJ and Daniel Davis from the Chambers featuring guest Bryan Moll.

The full library can be found below.

JACKSONVILLE SPEAK EASY EPISODES

They have some really good series if you ever get the chance to listen besides the following, but what a find! Must listen

Below is a podcast hosted by TJ and Daniel Davis from the Chambers featuring guest Bryan Moll.

The full library can be found below.

JACKSONVILLE SPEAK EASY EPISODES

Great share!

Really, really interesting listen.

Loved Bryan Moll describing going to tree farms in North Carolina and hand-selecting the oak trees that will be transported to Pearl Square for shade. Super excited to hear him discussing preliminary plans to bring an Armature Works to Phase 2, as well as confirm that a publicly-accessible rooftop bar IS part of the Riverfront Plaza plan.

[thelakelander]

If they have plans for a food hall, COJ should scrap the one they have planned for the Shipyards park.

[Aristocles]

They have some really good series if you ever get the chance to listen besides the following, but what a find! Must listen

Below is a podcast hosted by TJ and Daniel Davis from the Chambers featuring guest Bryan Moll.

The full library can be found below.

JACKSONVILLE SPEAK EASY EPISODES

Just watched it. Moll's an excellent speaker! So articulate. Now I see how he can get the lenders behind him. The most important thing he said was "when you see buildings and development, there's data behind it. It has to be feasible based on the data." Also he said that, if it wasn't for his experience sizing up development potential, maybe he wouldn't have seen the opportunity in what looks like a down at the heels part of downtown. Given what I heard I'm really confident his development will be successful and transformative.

[jaxlongtimer]

Just watched it. Moll's an excellent speaker! So articulate. Now I see how he can get the lenders behind him. The most important thing he said was "when you see buildings and development, there's data behind it. It has to be feasible based on the data." Also he said that, if it wasn't for his experience sizing up development potential, maybe he wouldn't have seen the opportunity in what looks like a down at the heels part of downtown. Given what I heard I'm really confident his development will be successful and transformative.

Nothing against Moll, his team or Gateway.  I wish them the very best.  So far, so good.  But, it's not surprising developers are the ultimate optimists and great at selling that optimism to others.  They have to be as they are natural risk takers and need to bring along lenders, outside investors, etc. that are more cautious. Only the passage of time will tell if the optimism is warranted.

Many major developments in NE Florida have failed before finding success:  Queens Harbor, Sawgrass, Julington Creek, Amelia Island Plantation, Adams Mark (now Hyatt), Berkman, etc.  Add any number of shopping centers, office buildings, apartments, condos, etc.  All of them had financing or investors convinced by the "data" that big successes were just around the corner.  Nocatee stands out for not failing but the Davis's deep pockets likely floated it through slow times.

[thelakelander]

^On the other hand, if everyone was a pessimist and was too conservative to invest in anything worthwhile, we'd have a pretty bad and archaic quality-of-life. So happy that we have a good balance. I love the start they are off too, especially since they have found a way to go vertical in an area of this city that was long abandoned by the majority.

[jaxlongtimer]

^On the other hand, if everyone was a pessimist and was too conservative to invest in anything worthwhile, we'd have a pretty bad and archaic quality-of-life. So happy that we have a good balance. I love the start they are off too, especially since they have found a way to go vertical in an area of this city that was long abandoned by the majority.

That's the definitions of "opportunity"! Seeing success where others don't and going for it.

[Jankelope]

Gateway is more transformative than anything over in the sports/entertainment district thus far.

Don't get me wrong, I am excited about some of those projects, but Gateway Jax will prove to be the spark that was necessary to get the beginning of true vibrance between the Riverwalk and Downtown