Recent posts

#61

Downtown / Re: New Ford on Bay RFP

Last post by Bativac - April 03, 2026, 05:21:07 PM

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.

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.

#62

Downtown / Re: Ambassador Hotel Nears Fin...

Last post by thelakelander - April 03, 2026, 02:33:39 PM

No initial retail in this garage but they have thousands of retail and dining square footage in all their surrounding buildings. When the demand is there for this one, they have a ground floor corner that can become a future retail spot.

#63

Downtown / Re: Ambassador Hotel Nears Fin...

Last post by heights unknown - April 03, 2026, 02:13:37 PM

The garage, which is also on the DDRB agenda next week for final approval:

Any street level retail/commerce for this garage? The renderings don't show or mention that probability. Oops.......last rendering does say, "knock out panels for future retail use." But that's all. So I would guess no retail until further notice or in the future (street retail).

#64

Downtown / Re: Ambassador Hotel Nears Fin...

Last post by thelakelander - April 03, 2026, 12:31:40 PM

The garage, which is also on the DDRB agenda next week for final approval:

#65

Downtown / Re: Ambassador Hotel Nears Fin...

Last post by heights unknown - April 03, 2026, 12:16:51 PM

Hmmm. Didn't know they changed the garage exterior to match the appearance of the Hotel. Anyone got any rendering pics? Wow. But awesome. Hard to believe when I was in my late 20's and into my 30's I frequented the Bar, quite often, in the Basement. It was one of my stomping grounds and watering hole back then (80's into the 90's). Happy the wrecking ball was kept at bay. Awesome memories of that hotel LOL.

#66

Downtown / Re: Ambassador Hotel Nears Fin...

Last post by jaxjags - April 03, 2026, 10:58:17 AM

My biggest like is the change in the garage exterior to match the hotel. Looks like one of the nicest garages in DT if there can be such a thing.

#67

Downtown / Re: Ambassador Hotel Nears Fin...

Last post by Ken_FSU - April 03, 2026, 12:07:27 AM

Love it! One of my favorite buildings downtown. Big fan of the exterior space.

#68

Downtown / Ambassador Hotel Nears Final D...

Last post by thelakelander - April 02, 2026, 11:25:47 PM

The next chapter of downtown's architectural history is beginning to take shape as plans advance for the transformation of the historic Ambassador Hotel. Gateway Jax acquired the property in March 2025 for $17 million and plans to redevelop it into a 105-key hotel featuring a high-end restaurant and bar, conference space, and additional amenities. The project is scheduled to seek final approval from the Downtown Development Review Board on April 9, 2026. Here's a closer look at the adaptive reuse plans for this landmark property. Let us know what you think!

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/ambassador-hotel-nears-final-ddrb-approval/

#69

Science and Technology / Re: Wordle?

Last post by jaxlongtimer - April 02, 2026, 10:50:40 PM

Wordle 1,748 4/6

⬜⬜🟨🟩🟩
🟩⬜⬜🟩🟩
🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Connections
Puzzle #1026
🟩🟩🟪🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟪🟪🟪🟪

Strands #760
"On track"
🟡🔵🔵🔵
🔵🔵🔵

Pips #228 Easy 🟢
0:18 🍪
Pips #228 Medium 🟡
1:52
Pips #228 Hard 🔴
9:09

🙂 Daily Quordle 1529 - Total = 25
5️⃣7️⃣
4️⃣9️⃣
m-w.com/games/quordle/

#70

Downtown / Re: New Ford on Bay RFP

Last post by thelakelander - April 02, 2026, 09:14:42 PM

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?

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.