Downtown Development Update: What's rising, what's delayed

[thelakelander]

Will be glad see this one finished!

[Skybox111]

Well uf just postponed using interline building until fall 2026

[Ken_FSU]

Well uf just postponed using interline building until fall 2026

Sure feels like poor form given the rush to get the land swaps approved.

But the Fall semester is days away, the Fall 2025 timeline always felt a little ambitious, and I'm not reading anything to it.

Hopefully it sets UF up for a more successful launch a year from now.

[Tacachale]

Well uf just postponed using interline building until fall 2026

Sure feels like poor form given the rush to get the land swaps approved.

But the Fall semester is days away, the Fall 2025 timeline always felt a little ambitious, and I'm not reading anything to it.

Hopefully it sets UF up for a more successful launch a year from now.

It's disappointing but it makes sense. UF was always clear (including publicly to City Council) the goal was to get possession of the building to renovate it so several programs could be there for fall 2026, with the possibility Architecture could move in this fall. Apparently they've decided it makes more sense to do the whole building at once. The Architecture lab will still be Downtown in the meantime.

[CityLife]

I have a family member that is chief legal counsel for a top 25 national university. Was talking with them a few months back about Vanderbilt's campus in WPB and UF's Jax campus. They said that virtually every higher education institution is putting a pause on major expansion due to federal funding uncertainty. They said they would be shocked if either campus started soon, as everyone is still in wait and see mode.

I'm sure the complexity and timing of the land swap didn't help, but if I had to guess UF's inner turmoil with their presidency/deans and the federal funding was a bigger factor.

[heights unknown]

Well uf just postponed using interline building until fall 2026

? WHY? I don't get it. How does this affect the swap? (the swap was done right?)

[Tacachale]

Well uf just postponed using interline building until fall 2026

? WHY? I don't get it. How does this affect the swap? (the swap was done right?)

It doesn't affect the swap, which approved at the city level and moving forward later this month. They were always going to have to do interior buildout before most of the building was ready in 2026. See below:

It's disappointing but it makes sense. UF was always clear (including publicly to City Council) the goal was to get possession of the building to renovate it so several programs could be there for fall 2026, with the possibility Architecture could move in this fall. Apparently they've decided it makes more sense to do the whole building at once. The Architecture lab will still be Downtown in the meantime.

[heights unknown]

Well uf just postponed using interline building until fall 2026

? WHY? I don't get it. How does this affect the swap? (the swap was done right?)

It doesn't affect the swap, which approved at the city level and moving forward later this month. They were always going to have to do interior buildout before most of the building was ready in 2026. See below:

It's disappointing but it makes sense. UF was always clear (including publicly to City Council) the goal was to get possession of the building to renovate it so several programs could be there for fall 2026, with the possibility Architecture could move in this fall. Apparently they've decided it makes more sense to do the whole building at once. The Architecture lab will still be Downtown in the meantime.

Thanks Takachale ("T").

[acme54321]

Well uf just postponed using interline building until fall 2026

? WHY? I don't get it. How does this affect the swap? (the swap was done right?)

Their timeline to move into the building always seemed completely unrealistic. I think they were just leveraging it to get the deals done.  They have to do a complete interior build out, you can't reasonably do that in a few months.

[FlaBoy]

Well uf just postponed using interline building until fall 2026

? WHY? I don't get it. How does this affect the swap? (the swap was done right?)

Their timeline to move into the building always seemed completely unrealistic. I think they were just leveraging it to get the deals done.  They have to do a complete interior build out, you can't reasonably do that in a few months.

Should be in there in part by January 2026. Won't be long.

[jaxlongtimer]

Other than the architecture program that has been here all along, what new programs will be started in 2026?  I haven't seen much on the specifics of what's next, program-wise?  That seems odd at this point in time.

[heights unknown]

I'm not complaining trust me; but.......WHO the HELL told downtown Jacksonville to start waking up? Keep shaking her shoulders. Get her up and running!!!

[jaxlongtimer]

This project hints at another building going up in the heart of Downtown... a 500 vehicle parking garage expansion for a developer owning a nearby vacant lot that says stay tuned...

City issues permit for Amkin's $13 million Downtown garage expansion
The addition will add 500 spaces to the 1,000-spot facility at Bay and Pearl streets.

...Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne & Diebenow attorney Staci Rewis, who represented Amkin on the project, told the board the garage owner has "some future development plans" near the site but did not provide further details....

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/oct/03/city-issues-permit-for-amkins-13-million-downtown-garage-expansion/

[Charles Hunter]

How will construction affect the operations of the existing garage? Can they build the new portion, then tie it to the existing garage incrementally? The garage serves the adjacent Marriot Hotel, as well for events at the Performing Arts Center - what is utilization during weekdays?

[MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain]

On a typical weekday, the first couple of floors are reserved for hotel use. Starting from the third floor (I believe), the rest is occupied by staff from the EverBank building, along with the old Greyhound station parking lot. I'm not sure about the other nearby buildings.

It'll be interesting to see what ends up being proposed for that old Greyhound lot. A co-working/residential development would make a lot of sense in that area. I don't really see another hotel going there, since the area feels more like a business district — but I could be wrong. An overflow garage might also be a smart addition, depending on what's planned. Just thinking out loud.

Brickell in Miami, for example, is mostly residential now, and Amkin has ties to Related Group out of Miami. Whatever ends up being developed, I'm hoping it becomes Jacksonville's tallest tower. Curious to hear what others think.

On another note, now that he's acquired more land near Talleyrand and starting work on the garage, I wonder if we'll start seeing some movement around Friendship Fountain as well?