MOSH weighs relocating museum from its Southbank site in downtown Jacksonville

[Ken_FSU]

I will say this feels....weird. Like the rug is about to get pulled out underneath us.

I sure hope not. Current estimates for the building are $106 million ($102 million if they get their way with parking reduction). They've got $95 million committed from the state, city, and private donors. Another $8 million should be coming from the state. For the ~$35 million cost for exhibits, the board claims that they've identified another $80 million in potential donations to aggressively target. I do believe it's doable, particularly when you start to talk about corporate naming rights for exhibits, and I can't believe there's a universe where the city doesn't end up tossing in another $10 million or so to get it across the finish line.

But I do agree that something has seemed off since the abrupt, unexpected closure of the Southbank museum. At the time, the claim was that it would allow them to do better community education and outreach. Might be true, but their social media also went completely dark in August. Not a word publicly from MOSH in nearly 5 months. That's strange.

[Jankelope]

I feel like there may be some behind the scenes drama that we don't know about. I still don't really buy that closing the southbank museum allows them to "fully focus on the new location." With the CEO leaving, that feels more hollow than ever. What was the real reason for closing a perfectly good museum (with an AMAZING exhibit with Currents of Time)?

Does it have to do with something the city wants to do with that building ASAP that we haven't yet become privy to? Giving it to related?

[Fallen Buckeye]

New theory. Maybe there's some sort of time warp or time-space anomaly on the south bank. Friendship fountain was closed for years. Rivers Edge or Healthy Town or whatever it's called took over a decade to go anywhere. Still waiting for something to go up at River City Brewing Co. and now MOSH is primed to sit empty for years.

[jaxlongtimer]

New theory. Maybe there's some sort of time warp or time-space anomaly on the south bank. Friendship fountain was closed for years. Rivers Edge or Healthy Town or whatever it's called took over a decade to go anywhere. Still waiting for something to go up at River City Brewing Co. and now MOSH is primed to sit empty for years.

LOL, I think you could say much of the same about the Northbank/North Core until Deegan came in, and to some extent, can still say it in pockets.  Jax urban core has been in a time warp since WWII ended, for the most part.  Ironically, and sadly, that hasn't done much to save our historic buildings that might add further to that perception.

[Jones518]

This is good news for the Southbank, friendship fountain, former MOSH area:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/jan/12/downtown-jacksonville-south-bank-residences-in-permit-review-at-150-million/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAPR0v5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeDm1fqYSALxMcOJWoes3ztYxTfmJ1tlU5lJyPU-orLMEWPBW1apQeTA0hzdw_aem_BrW667If4EquyibH76gWcg



I don't understand how you apply for a permit without a contractor listed though... interesting


Fingers crossed this project crosses the finish line within the next 2-3 years.

[heights unknown]

This is good news for the Southbank, friendship fountain, former MOSH area:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/jan/12/downtown-jacksonville-south-bank-residences-in-permit-review-at-150-million/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAPR0v5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeDm1fqYSALxMcOJWoes3ztYxTfmJ1tlU5lJyPU-orLMEWPBW1apQeTA0hzdw_aem_BrW667If4EquyibH76gWcg



I don't understand how you apply for a permit without a contractor listed though... interesting


Fingers crossed this project crosses the finish line within the next 2-3 years.

I think, if I am not mistaken, that this is the Related Group Development at the old River City Brewing site. I read somewhere, about a month ago, that they are getting ready, very very soon after the first of the year, to turn dirt.

[Charles Hunter]

^ Right. The linked article says just that in the 2nd paragraph

The two residential towers of 25 and eight stories with an attached parking garage are planned at 835 Museum Circle on the Downtown Jacksonville Southbank where the River City Brewery restaurant closed five years ago and was demolished.

[heights unknown]

^ Right. The linked article says just that in the 2nd paragraph

The two residential towers of 25 and eight stories with an attached parking garage are planned at 835 Museum Circle on the Downtown Jacksonville Southbank where the River City Brewery restaurant closed five years ago and was demolished.

Didn't mean to offend you or anything; it's just that I didn't read the article; just went along with the statement(s) in the post. And yes, you are right!

[Jones518]

Why is the city trying to demolish the old MOSH building???!!??!

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/jan/13/city-seeking-to-demolish-closed-southbank-mosh/

Can we wait for a few more development on the Southbank first before anymore demolition? WTF!!!!!


Have we not learned our lesson yet?!

[Charles Hunter]

To provide a clean slate for park or private development?

[Jones518]

Booo!

Jacksonville loves jumping the gun...

[Ken_FSU]

Unless there's some secretive plan in place with Related, which there should not be without public input, this might be the most blatant red flag I've seen for the new DIA CEO.

1) Using the DIA's limited funds to tear down a beloved, functional building
2) While citing, without evidence, that the building "cannot be salvaged," despite the fact that it was fully open to the public just four months ago
3) To add temporary surface parking, and "future development"
4) With a six month or less target to have it demolished and paved over

HAS ANYONE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW WELL THIS STRATEGY HAS WORKED FOR JACKSONVILLE OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS, or even ten???

We demolished the Old Courthouse and Annex for Future Development. We demolished the old Grayhound Station for future development. We demolished the Ford Factory for future development. We demolished the Berkman 2 for future development. We demolished the Landing for future development. We demolished River City Brewing for future development. We sank a full city block into the river for future development. We demolished Kids Campus and the Met Park bandshell for future development. 

Definition of insanity would be to quickly tear down the MOSH, without discussing other cultural uses for the building, for short term parking and speculative future development, using DIA's limited budget, when MOSH still doesn't have a finalized plan for the Northbank.

It's astounding how much of our urban fabric we've leveled, and how many hundreds of millions of dollars we've spent to SUBTRACT from our urban landscape.

Absolutely zero reason this building needs to come down without a concrete plan for the site, a signed development agreement, and a use case that complements the park.

[thelakelander]

I haven't read the article but I have to say demolishing that building is pretty short sighted and flat out......dumb.

I can give you $835,000 reasons why that public money is better off being spent elsewhere in downtown in the short term. No offense to anyone, as I like the people there, but the DIA doesn't have any staff qualified to know if a building is salvageable for reuse. I'm not aware of a registered architect or structural engineer on staff and even if they were, that's a decision one person should not be making alone with a public facility. In the historic preservation world, we're witnessing reuse of structures that are actually in danger of collapsing. MOSH is likely more structurally solid that most of the new stick frame buildings popping up all over the urban core. Would not be surprised if there's something cooking behind closed doors that facilitates this move. Otherwise, there's no real reason to rush.

[Jones518]

There's no way the city is serious considering this...i cannot believe it. It's becoming harder and harder to be a fan of current leadership, DIA, city council, and the mayors office... I'm immensely disappointed!

[jaxlongtimer]

I am speculating that MOSH vacated the building and the CEO was motivated to resign as a result because the City wanted all along to take over this property ASAP and demolish the building.  No way it can be in as bad a shape as the City says.  Odd that MOSH planned to continue using the building until Curry pushed them to the Northbank.  Obviously, MOSH saw a future for this building and they should know it best.

LOL, we think the Skyway is worth saving but not this building?  Upside down thinking, typical of the City.