Pearl Square (https://www.pearlsquare.com), once known as Pearl Street District, celebrated its groundbreaking (https://x.com/CityofJax/status/1851283694566375890) this morning in the North Core.
From the Mayor (https://x.com/MayorDeegan/status/1851286322549518656):
QuoteWith this key project, we are finally retiring Jacksonville's reputation as just a "city of renderings." Going from renderings to reality here in downtown Jacksonville is a huge priority for my administration, and we are well on our way with the Pearl Square.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GbEUUR_a4AAzguj?format=jpg&name=medium)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GbEUaY2bUAAdBfp?format=jpg&name=large)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GbEUghrbQAAOhYa?format=jpg&name=large)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GbEUnkHbQAAAt2Y?format=jpg&name=large)
Good Stuff
They started site clearing last week. Here's some pictures from this weekend:
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/UCU---October-2024/i-jbJNj9F/0/NNw5qPW9RPgzTtmXGf3R6P7M88KWGhFCwXQ93Q3VN/X2/20241029_125639-X2.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/UCU---October-2024/i-pbJbXr8/0/M3DPgtQ3LBcJhccKsdW5q7vVg7SD8Mdn7X5gCpZmZ/X2/20241029_095045-X2.jpg)
This might be the biggest housing project in the north core in a long time.
It already is. The last major project there was the adaptive reuse of Metropolitan Lofts, across the street, in the early 2000s. It will be nice to see some tower cranes in the actual Northbank core in a few months. Haven't seen that since the Hyatt was built a few decades ago.
Awesome and loin tingling.
This is a big fucking deal. Obviously a lot of background work went into this, but it was impressive to see it move from the first approvals at the city to the initial groundbreaking so quickly. More of this coming!
Something tells me that Gateway CEO Moll (correct spelling?) will have more of an influence on downtown than we think. I believe he's insane crazy and crazy insane about filling up almost ALL of the empty lots/parking lots in downtown Jacksonville; WHY he's really taking an intimate interest in downtown Jacksonville and the Urban Core, I don't know, and probably no one else knows; however, GO FOR IT!