Rather than RFPing the full parcel, will be roughly 1/3rd of the old Courthouse site.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/feb/02/dia-seeking-proposals-for-redevelopment-of-former-duval-county-courthouse-site-on-riverfront/
Looks like the Corner Lot (https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2026/04/01/hotel-and-culinary-school-proposed-on-downtown-jacksonville-riverfront/89421512007/?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=69cdaa8b444bac000194d4c4) is cooking up a proposal for the one-third of the Old Court House site.
QuoteCorner Lot proposes hotel and culinary school on old courthouse site
A riverfront development anchored by a culinary school that has sent more than 50,000 graduates into the workforce around the world will go before the Downtown Investment Authority board this month as a potential development on the old county courthouse site.
The culinary school is code-named Project Caymus and was not identified when a Downtown Investment Authority evaluation committee got first crack at reviewing the proposal on a city-owned site between the St. Johns River and Bay Street.
The description of Project Caymus resembles the famed Culinary Institute of America. Wade McArthur, property disposition manager for the investment authority, said Project Caymus is a "preeminent educational-focused institution which will establish its Southeast presence within the development."
...
Corner Lot Development Group, based in Jacksonville, is teaming up with Aspect on the proposal for constructing two buildings on about eight-tenths of an acre. The land is roughly one-third of the property where the old county courthouse once stood.
The estimated total development cost would be $160 million for a four-story building on the riverfront and a 14-story tower behind it at 330 E. Bay St.
The taller building would contain a 160-room hotel, 17,000 square feet of conference space and ground-floor restaurant and retail space facing Bay Street.
...
The four-story building on the riverwalk would have 25,000 square feet for Project Caymus including academic and administrative operations, professional development, continuing education programs, culinary demonstrations and teaching kitchen facilities
The other half of the four-story building would be available for tenants whose mission is similar to the school such as food entrepreneurs, hospitality companies, culinary media and professional service firms.
That building would have two ground-floor restaurants, a covered outdoor dining, a "restaurant promenade" and a place for "quick bite eats" at a cafe. The proposal also envisions a riverfront rooftop bar with views of the marina and St. Johns River along with an open-air lounge with river views.
...
[DIA CEO said,] "I think this project really is contingent on Project Caymus and if that does not move forward, I think the rest of the project becomes very difficult," he said during the evaluation committee meeting.
The proposal shows the developer would ask the city to provide the land for free and also provide 20 years of property tax rebates for 75% of the city property taxes generated by the new development.
The proposal says the developer would work with the city to find additional funding sources such as New Market Tax Credits, federal and state assistance, and a city completion grant to close the financing gap for the development.
The developer also says it would need 360 parking spaces next to the development.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/Urban-Project-Renderings/i-LGww9TN/0/MVJr4rwmRWNNMgvB3QLwDdstMkbwXfG5DMzWFZJKK/L/20260401_FOB_site_plan_t850-L.png)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/Urban-Project-Renderings/i-xSrgK82/0/KsFXSXwVZBPR49Wcgcc8xKqMdCNv8wCsGR5mDtKmS/XL/20260401_FOB_marina_view_t1100-XL.png)
CIA considering coming to Jax is the worst kept secret in town. Heard it is heavily dependent on major league incentives.
As much as this would bring vibrancy to Bay street, I don't agree with breaking up that site. If Jax wants to have a respectable convention center, this is the place to do it. Utilize the existing convention hotel with 100,000 square feet of meeting space and add a grand exhibit hall. Don't make a $200M problem into a $2B problem by trying to put the convention center on the jail site. You can fit an almost 100k exhibit hall on just the western block of the property. If it's determined that will support the convention needs of the next 50 years, then do that and proceed with the CIA project. Otherwise I don't know if the juice is worth the squeeze.
^It is a weird location. At the very least, shift to the opposite side of the block, so that you'd preserve two large parcels being immediately adjacent to one another. But being the broken record over the years, this is something that a real master plan would have addressed decades ago.
I think breaking it up was genius and putting this in between the two remaining parcels does make them more attractive.
^Not for a convention center exhibition hall or something that may need large contiguous space. The block across the street is also still tied with Hyatt and their first right of refusal. So whatever goes there is going to linked to that previous deal and what makes best sense for Hyatt's viability
I still think Shad has a dream of hosting the convention center near the stadium. Buying the fair grounds, developing the 4 seasons, supporting the MOSH move, upgrading the stadium, throwing dollars at Eastside upgrades, planning still for an entertainment complex... all ingredients for building a case for hosting a convention center in that area.
^That's all opinion....which is why things like master plans are needed, so that all public and private investment can swim in the same direction. Otherwise, we'll keep going in circles and spend another 40 years talking about dreams of revitalizing downtown.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on April 02, 2026, 12:51:46 PMI still think Shad has a dream of hosting the convention center near the stadium. Buying the fair grounds, developing the 4 seasons, supporting the MOSH move, upgrading the stadium, throwing dollars at Eastside upgrades, planning still for an entertainment complex... all ingredients for building a case for hosting a convention center in that area.
The more likely scenario at this point is the current jail site. After we find $500+ million to move it, then we can look for the $500+ million for a convention center.
Good thing UF won't be doing much to the Prime Osborn for at least 5 years :)
Quote from: tufsu1 on April 02, 2026, 03:44:35 PMQuote from: jaxlongtimer on April 02, 2026, 12:51:46 PMI still think Shad has a dream of hosting the convention center near the stadium. Buying the fair grounds, developing the 4 seasons, supporting the MOSH move, upgrading the stadium, throwing dollars at Eastside upgrades, planning still for an entertainment complex... all ingredients for building a case for hosting a convention center in that area.
The more likely scenario at this point is the current jail site. After we find $500+ million to move it, then we can look for the $500+ million for a convention center.
Good thing UF won't be doing much to the Prime Osborn for at least 5 years :)
If the City goes with Shad, no pressure anytime soon to move the jail for $500 million to a billion to get the convention center done. When money is tight, politicos love to kick the can down the road and the jail is a great project for doing so. Unless a court order requires it ;D .
^The Jags have said nothing in years about there being a convention center at the stadium. By the time this city gets around to building a real convention center, we'll all be dead. May as well put a box up at the Hyatt because it will fill the need for another +30 years.
Hold up—wasn't the original plan for the jail a true PPP where the private sector builds it and the city leases with a buyout option? That structure would actually make sense- as it gives them the room to build a convention center while pushing jail finances down the road. What happened to that framework?
On another note, I'm genuinely concerned about what it signals that we only got one proposal for this kind of work. Is Jacksonville really that far off the radar for national developers? I get that we're not New York or Chicago, but this isn't some obscure municipal services contract. If this was Tampa, Nashville, Charlotte, Denver, or Austin putting out similar RFPs, you'd have 3-4 serious bidders competing against each other just for the privilege of working on prime real estate. That's the heat we should be chasing.
When are we actually going to see developers actively bidding against themselves to land pieces of Jacksonville's best real estate? That's the inflection point we need.
On the design side—I'll admit it looks solid. But the financing structure is what concerns me. It feels like the city is getting fleeced on one of the last truly valuable riverfront parcels. Meanwhile, you've got a developer (Corner Lot) trying to land prime real estate for free while racking up massive incentives on 0.8 acres? That's a bad optics problem, not to mention a fiscal one.
We should be getting significantly better terms on iconic downtown riverfront parcels. Full stop.
Quote from: MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain on April 02, 2026, 08:05:09 PMOn another note, I'm genuinely concerned about what it signals that we only got one proposal for this kind of work.
...
We should be getting significantly better terms on iconic downtown riverfront parcels. Full stop.
The criteria of the RFP was likely determined by the proposed project, not the other way around.
...
"Should"? The market speaks. It's very difficult to get the appropriate financing/ROI for large, quality projects in many parts of Jax, including the Northbank of Downtown, without some form of incentives filling that gap. Of note: everything is more expensive than it was a few years ago, including building large projects.
Quote from: MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain on April 02, 2026, 08:05:09 PMHold up—wasn't the original plan for the jail a true PPP where the private sector builds it and the city leases with a buyout option? That structure would actually make sense- as it gives them the room to build a convention center while pushing jail finances down the road. What happened to that framework?
There's never been an official plan for a new convention center or a method to finance its construction. It something this town has talked about as far back as the Delaney administration two decades ago. It may take a decade to resolve the jail issue alone, much less figure out how to finance what comes to that property next.
Quote from: MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain on April 02, 2026, 08:05:09 PMOn another note, I'm genuinely concerned about what it signals that we only got one proposal for this kind of work. Is Jacksonville really that far off the radar for national developers? I get that we're not New York or Chicago, but this isn't some obscure municipal services contract. If this was Tampa, Nashville, Charlotte, Denver, or Austin putting out similar RFPs, you'd have 3-4 serious bidders competing against each other just for the privilege of working on prime real estate. That's the heat we should be chasing.
Anecdotal, but a friend of mine who runs a big regional civil engineering firm and who is from Jax tells me that no, Jax is not on the radar for national developers (I've asked....frequently). Jax doesn't come up at conferences as much more than an afterthought and is pretty quickly dismissed (unless it's for a strip mall or retail development or storage unit facility far from the core, on cheap land).
If Jax wants to improve downtown then they're going to aggressively have to take control of it themselves. National developers are not coming in to save it.
I'd argue that national developers are already here, but historically downtown revitalization has been more of a politically connected opportunity/obstacle thing to the development community, than market driven. This from conversations I've personally had with individuals in the development industry over the years, as well as things I've witnessed in the field and related professions like planning, architecture, engineering, etc. fields. However, I'd also argue that national developers aren't saving any downtown nationwide. The best places have local money, ambition and passion flowing into them.
^ In general this is something a lot of people seem to miss about how this work happens. I've talked to so many people who are shocked that the DR Hortons and Lennars of the world aren't generally in the business of urban infill. The key is almost always making the development environment affordable and accessible enough for smaller or upstart firms to enter the market, with the occasional participation by a Related or the like.
Seem like the Culinary Institute is public now. JDR Culinary Institute article (https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/apr/13/culinary-institute-of-america-alum-says-plans-in-motion-for-campus-in-jacksonville/)
QuoteThe partnership proposal comprises two buildings, including a 14-story tower with a hotel and conference center, as well as a restaurant and retail space facing Bay Street. The other building would include food and beverage uses on the ground floor topped by three floors of Class A office space.
The only thing that I question is the size of the facility. I understand that they aren't opening a whole new campus, but three stories of a pretty modest building seems small.
Makes sense if they are modeling it after the San Antonio campus which is only 30k square feet according to the article
QuoteChan said the San Antonio campus would most closely resemble the Jacksonville operation. The 30,000-square-foot school is in the renovated Pearl Brewing Co. facility near the San Antonio Riverwalk.
The San Antonio CIA campus has roughly 3k students. A similar amount at a Jax campus would be a major addition. Ideally, this would also elevate the city's culinary and cultural scene. Right now there are only CIA campuses in Napa, San Antonio, and the Hudson River Valley (Main Campus). That is good company.
In economic development, the most valuable projects are ones that bring new money and new residents that would not otherwise be located somewhere. The CIA, UF Downtown Campus, and Fleet Landing all have the potential to bring a lot of new money and residents to DT Jax from outside the city and metro area.
That net new residents/dollars factor should be heavily weighed when considering incentive packages, imo.
Quote from: CityLife on April 13, 2026, 02:11:39 PMIn economic development, the most valuable projects are ones that bring new money and new residents that would not otherwise be located somewhere. The CIA, UF Downtown Campus, and Fleet Landing all have the potential to bring a lot of new money and residents to DT Jax from outside the city and metro area.
Just curious, why are lumping Fleet Landing with the Campuses in terms of economic development? That is a retirement facility isn't it? Aside from just being a population base DT it seems unrelated.
Quote from: Nmhatt on April 13, 2026, 02:57:35 PMQuote from: CityLife on April 13, 2026, 02:11:39 PMIn economic development, the most valuable projects are ones that bring new money and new residents that would not otherwise be located somewhere. The CIA, UF Downtown Campus, and Fleet Landing all have the potential to bring a lot of new money and residents to DT Jax from outside the city and metro area.
Just curious, why are lumping Fleet Landing with the Campuses in terms of economic development? That is a retirement facility isn't it? Aside from just being a population base DT it seems unrelated.
I get the confusion. I'm not comparing Fleet Landing to the campuses in terms of function, but more in terms of bringing new people and new money into downtown. Fleet Landing is a different type of economic driver. It's not about jobs or students like UF or the CIA, it's about adding a full-time residential population with disposable income that wouldn't otherwise be living downtown.
The Atlantic Beach location has historically drawn a lot of military retirees from outside the area, and even if the downtown version ends up being less military-focused (which is likely), it should still attract a mix of people from outside Duval, along with some local downsizers. Either way, that's still net-new demand for downtown.
Also, most of the units proposed are independent living, so you're talking about residents who are: active, have time to spend downtown, and are likely to support restaurants, retail, and cultural spots.
And there's really nothing else like it in the downtown market, so it's not just more apartments or condos competing for the same pool, it's adding something completely new to the market and attracting some people that wouldn't have even considered downtown.
So while it's not the same type of impact as a university campus, it still a similar type of project that will bring in new residents, create vibrancy, and bring in new spending that wouldn't otherwise be there.
This project is requesting to purchase the land for $0 with a 75% REV Grant. They also 'need' 360 parking spaces for their development. Not to mention the the request for Completion Grants from local & state sources.
That's a bold ask. I'd much rather have a Fleet Landing than this. Why rush this parcel anyway? Give it a year or two...
Totally agree
Quote from: Jax_Developer on April 15, 2026, 07:27:16 PMThis project is requesting to purchase the land for $0 with a 75% REV Grant. They also 'need' 360 parking spaces for their development. Not to mention the the request for Completion Grants from local & state sources.
That's a bold ask. I'd much rather have a Fleet Landing than this. Why rush this parcel anyway? Give it a year or two...
From what I understand, my guess is the "bold ask" is related to the major league incentives that the CIA is asking for to come to Jax. Maybe, proportionally, on par with UF's ask. If true, the City is going to have to think hard on this one. I would, at a minimum, ask if the "benefits" would be tied to a long term commitment by CIA and to deliver on minimum impact standards such as # of students, depth of programs, minimum level of faculty, etc.
It would be nice to see something cemented prior given the development & investment are tied directly to their involvement.
Makes this a very muddied conversation & makes previous packages harder to compare.
I would rather the school be stand-alone and do something around the many vacant blocks by Gateway. It feels mottled into the tower and riverfront property. If the are interested, I would that will continue into the future.
I hate how we are parceling this property out like a suburban development. Just feel like there will be zero continuity across parcels.
Quote from: Jagsdrew on April 16, 2026, 08:29:12 AMI hate how we are parceling this property out like a suburban development. Just feel like there will be zero continuity across parcels.
You mean "hodgepodge" rather than planned, continuous, and consonant development on par with other parcels and the areas as a whole (thought out).
Jax is so close to having an actual night life scene for younger crowds. You have several hundred feet of frontage to flank Decca & Myth. Agreed with others that splitting this up for these proposed uses doesn't make sense. It will just overshadow the organic nightclubs literally across the street. Why not grow that? All for a big player like the Culinary School but I'm sure there are other great opportunities for them in literally every direction. It doesn't need to be in the only block that has any nightlife DT.
Quote from: Jax_Developer on April 16, 2026, 02:10:52 PMJax is so close to having an actual night life scene for younger crowds. You have several hundred feet of frontage to flank Decca & Myth. Agreed with others that splitting this up for these proposed uses doesn't make sense. It will just overshadow the organic nightclubs literally across the street. Why not grow that? All for a big player like the Culinary School but I'm sure there are other great opportunities for them in literally every direction. It doesn't need to be in the only block that has any nightlife DT.
I have been saying for maybe 15 years now, that COJ should make Bay Street one way in each direction and allow businesses to expand outdoor seating into the right-of-way. The r-o-w is huge, so there should be an opportunity make a truly awesome area. Everything on the south side of Bay that gets redeveloped should be required to have commercial spaces fronting onto Bay Street, and with that new outdoor seating area they would be foolish not to. I would also close down Bay Street from Main/Ocean to Liberty every Art Walk and Special Event at minimum, and would probably do so on weekends too. You can still get to the Hyatt/Ford on Bay from Independent Drive and everyone else can use Forsyth or Adams to go east/west, so that isn't an issue. The only hinderance to this idea is that little sprinter van that carries 40 passengers a day...
You don't need a synthetic entertainment district near the stadium or Gateway. You have it right here, and its next to the Florida Theater, JCPA, hotels, waterfront parks and is only a short walk to the sports district.
Clematis Street in WPB or Atlantic Avenue in Delray do not have nearly as much r-o-w to work with compared to Bay Street, but still have enough to create awesome dining/entertainment districts. WPB closes Clematis down every weekend for their farmers market and also for special events and so does Delray.
Doing something like this is far and away the biggest no brainer to me in Downtown Jax
Atlantic Avenue-Delray
(https://www.thepalmbeaches.com/wp-content/uploads/DelrayImage_2000-768x432.jpg)
Clematis during WPB Farmers Market, which extends to the waterfront parks
(https://gray-wflx-prod.gtv-cdn.com/resizer/v2/LJDNJRLQ4FBBFISYICGZC3TOQM.jpg?auth=fcb79623764dcb3770cb07a4d4cafbe8b6c5afa3ebc0abad18d7c6fbd68b73d1&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
Most restaurants outdoor seating is on the street side of sidewalk on Clematis
(https://www.wpbmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Clematis-St.-200-Block-Open-Back-for-Business.jpg)
^Something having a real master plan and following it would easily reveal.
FLASHBACK to 2005: For the Super Bowl, the Main Street bridge and Bay Street from Main to the Stadium were closed to traffic during the week. Bay Street was lined with street vendors. Musicians played on the Shipyard's property on a large stage. Activity was also at the Landing and the Baseball Grounds along with the NFL experience where Rivers Edge is going.
Pedestrian traffic all week from Friendship Park and Rivers Edge to the Landing and the Stadium was wall to wall.
On weekends, it would cost the City a few police to close off the Main Street Bridge and Bay Street and create a popup street festival, to bring back even a piece of Super Bowl week. Where is DVI and DIA to promote such simple steps?
I note that major cities such as Tokyo and NYC now close major throughfares on weekends, or even permanently, to create such pedestrian opportunities.
Simple, low cost, easy to implement. But, again, Jax has no vision (despite the "vision" name in DVI) or creative thoughts on how to do something unless it involves millions of dollars in "incentives." Small and easy projects just aren't sexy enough or ego satisfying.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on April 17, 2026, 12:14:01 AMOn weekends, it would cost the City a few police to close off the Main Street Bridge and Bay Street and create a popup street festival, to bring back even a piece of Super Bowl week. Where is DVI and DIA to promote such simple steps?
I note that major cities such as Tokyo and NYC now close major throughfares on weekends, or even permanently, to create such pedestrian opportunities.
Simple, low cost, easy to implement. But, again, Jax has no vision (despite the "vision" name in DVI) or creative thoughts on how to do something unless it involves millions of dollars in "incentives." Small and easy projects just aren't sexy enough or ego satisfying.
Those closures for a (hopefully) large event aren't as easy/cheap as they once were. Just in the past few years, the requirements and costs charged by JSO have skyrocketed. So much so, that legislation has been explored that would help curb costs to non-profits who host large events.
Quote from: CityLife on April 16, 2026, 04:21:14 PMI have been saying for maybe 15 years now, that COJ should make Bay Street one way in each direction and allow businesses to expand outdoor seating into the right-of-way. The r-o-w is huge, so there should be an opportunity make a truly awesome area. Everything on the south side of Bay that gets redeveloped should be required to have commercial spaces fronting onto Bay Street, and with that new outdoor seating area they would be foolish not to. I would also close down Bay Street from Main/Ocean to Liberty every Art Walk and Special Event at minimum, and would probably do so on weekends too. You can still get to the Hyatt/Ford on Bay from Independent Drive and everyone else can use Forsyth or Adams to go east/west, so that isn't an issue. The only hinderance to this idea is that little sprinter van that carries 40 passengers a day...
I'm just going to put this out there: even if you did a road diet to facilitate outdoor seating, community markets, and similar uses, you could still include a Skyway expansion down Bay Street as part of that plan. If you spend any time on Hogan Street, you'll notice there is a lot of space on the side of the street where the Skyway runs. The underside of the elevated track would be a great place for what you're describing, and it would also address your sprinter van comment.
Quote from: fsu813 on April 17, 2026, 04:45:22 AMQuote from: jaxlongtimer on April 17, 2026, 12:14:01 AMOn weekends, it would cost the City a few police to close off the Main Street Bridge and Bay Street and create a popup street festival, to bring back even a piece of Super Bowl week. Where is DVI and DIA to promote such simple steps?
I note that major cities such as Tokyo and NYC now close major throughfares on weekends, or even permanently, to create such pedestrian opportunities.
Simple, low cost, easy to implement. But, again, Jax has no vision (despite the "vision" name in DVI) or creative thoughts on how to do something unless it involves millions of dollars in "incentives." Small and easy projects just aren't sexy enough or ego satisfying.
Those closures for a (hopefully) large event aren't as easy/cheap as they once were. Just in the past few years, the requirements and costs charged by JSO have skyrocketed. So much so, that legislation has been explored that would help curb costs to non-profits who host large events.
That likely relates to the cost of hiring off-duty officers for events that aren't City-sponsored.
For special events, many cities don't rely solely on off-duty details. They reallocate on-duty personnel, adjust schedules, and use overtime, as needed. The city I work in, runs a monthly concert series using a mix of schedule adjustments and OT. It's a priority from the administration to have coverage there, so it's easy to for the PD to make it happen.
COJ/DIA should be able to allocate officers to support events if there's a clear public benefit and a push from the administration. With around 2k officers, it shouldn't be that hard to get five or so officers to cover the closure of Bay Street for occasional special events.
Jax obviously has serious crime issues to deal with all over town, but with the amount of money being invested into Downtown, imo, the City should be re-allocating extra police downtown anyways. Especially with all of the businesses threatening to leave and asking for retention incentives.
Quote from: Nmhatt on April 17, 2026, 08:40:17 AMQuote from: CityLife on April 16, 2026, 04:21:14 PMI have been saying for maybe 15 years now, that COJ should make Bay Street one way in each direction and allow businesses to expand outdoor seating into the right-of-way. The r-o-w is huge, so there should be an opportunity make a truly awesome area. Everything on the south side of Bay that gets redeveloped should be required to have commercial spaces fronting onto Bay Street, and with that new outdoor seating area they would be foolish not to. I would also close down Bay Street from Main/Ocean to Liberty every Art Walk and Special Event at minimum, and would probably do so on weekends too. You can still get to the Hyatt/Ford on Bay from Independent Drive and everyone else can use Forsyth or Adams to go east/west, so that isn't an issue. The only hinderance to this idea is that little sprinter van that carries 40 passengers a day...
I'm just going to put this out there: even if you did a road diet to facilitate outdoor seating, community markets, and similar uses, you could still include a Skyway expansion down Bay Street as part of that plan. If you spend any time on Hogan Street, you'll notice there is a lot of space on the side of the street where the Skyway runs. The underside of the elevated track would be a great place for what you're describing, and it would also address your sprinter van comment.
(https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/v2/D5622AQFL50lwmpA00Q/feedshare-shrink_2048_1536/feedshare-shrink_2048_1536/0/1726746794754?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=WYR4H09azOHRJtafptY6bv1uaAXMIhpTyQzyl9EylMc)
While I don't think the street would be as attractive, since a big plus of the road diet is the opportunity to add shade trees and expanded outdoor seating on the north side of Bay; it would still create a unique setting there and the Bay to stadium Skyway extension should have always been the move over U2C.
Right now, Bay is around 50' across from curb to curb, so there is room to take it down to 2 lanes and have the Skyway there. It just limits the potential for outdoor seating and landscaping, which is a trade-off that may be worth it for the benefits of the Skyway expansion.
Like Lake said, sure would be nice to have a good Downtown Master Plan to lean on. There is one from 2023 that had an opportunity to suggest improvements to Bay Street (see pages 21-23 below). Everything on Bay Street is focused on the "Bay Street Innovation Corridor"...
https://dia.jacksonville.gov/getattachment/dea6c0e6-f9f4-4436-beee-d1cb48608e7e/DIA-Downtown-Master-Plan-Summary_Web.pdf?lang=en-US
I'm afraid, without a proper Masterplan, the city is going to cut incentives.
Quote from: fsu813 on April 17, 2026, 04:45:22 AMQuote from: jaxlongtimer on April 17, 2026, 12:14:01 AMOn weekends, it would cost the City a few police to close off the Main Street Bridge and Bay Street and create a popup street festival, to bring back even a piece of Super Bowl week. Where is DVI and DIA to promote such simple steps?
I note that major cities such as Tokyo and NYC now close major throughfares on weekends, or even permanently, to create such pedestrian opportunities.
Simple, low cost, easy to implement. But, again, Jax has no vision (despite the "vision" name in DVI) or creative thoughts on how to do something unless it involves millions of dollars in "incentives." Small and easy projects just aren't sexy enough or ego satisfying.
Those closures for a (hopefully) large event aren't as easy/cheap as they once were. Just in the past few years, the requirements and costs charged by JSO have skyrocketed. So much so, that legislation has been explored that would help curb costs to non-profits who host large events.
Who do you think pays for the army of police for Jaguar game days? Not the Jags.
There should be a dedicated group of police assigned to the urban core for special events and to act as a show of force to convey a safe environment, etc. (I can add that when attending shows downtown, it can take 30 to 45 minutes or more for traffic to clear the traffic lights to exit the area. Not one cop for just an hour to control a light to move traffic out faster.)
The cost of cops would be a mere fraction of the interest on the hundreds of millions in incentives the City is doling out to developers and would go much further to boosting the popularity of Downtown. But, City leaders don't make such comparisons before throwing away taxpayer dollars. You can bet private businesses compare ROI in allocating their investment dollars.