MOSH weighs relocating museum from its Southbank site in downtown Jacksonville

[Ken_FSU]

Here's a little more detail:

https://youtu.be/hZZVg4pfBFU?si=l0sBJ0C0GNicY0PG

Even the news anchor is having a tough time hiding how stupid she thinks this all is.

[thelakelander]

I think both the building and the Skyway are worth saving. But we can light that U2C nonsense on fire lol. In the building's case, its perfect for another cultural attraction to fill up that space. Plus, with the way MOSH is going, who knows if that plan for the Shipyards will ever materialize? We should at least have a vision for our Southbank public parcels and streets that's publicly vetted before unilaterally making decisions that could come back and bit us in our ass.....which is a bad pattern in our local history. We're well on our way to a nightmare scenario where we end up with no history and science museum.

And if a developer is interested in the parcel, let them come with an unsolicted proposal and pay for the demolition themselves. Otherwise, this is a public incentive provided for someone who will likely come with their hands open wide for more incentive money.

[jcjohnpaint]

Not to mention the entire northbank and southbank are full of vacant parcels.

[CityLife]

The fact that it has to be paved over for parking within 6 months makes me think it may be needed for construction staging/parking for the Related Group project. Along with the fact that the demo permit is being sought right after RG submitted for their building permit.

Hopefully whatever behind the scenes dealing that led to this decision comes to light soon.

[Jankelope]

I am starting to think that MOSH had no part in the decision to close their doors at the old museum. This is insane. I really felt like that building should have been adaptive reuse and was the best building downtown to actually be the elusive "Food Hall." I am imagining a multi-story building with a balcony that overlooks the fountain. My vision would have been this:

Boutique 33 room hotel (4th floor)
Food Hall with 10-15 vendors, and large outdoor balcony to overlook the fountain(3rd floor)
Sun Ray Cinema with 2 screens (1st and 2nd floor)
4 creative office spaces
4 fountain facing, ground level retail spaces.

[Ken_FSU]

I am starting to think that MOSH had no part in the decision to close their doors at the old museum. This is insane.

I would SINCERELY HOPE that the city wouldn't hang MOSH out to dry like this.

And make them take the negative hit from a PR perspective for a city decision to backtrack on their word to keep the museum open until the new one was ready for move-in.

[Ken_FSU]

P.S. If you want to make your voice heard to new DIA leadership who might not have as much perspective on our long, tragic history of speculative demolition:

https://dia.jacksonville.gov/about/dia-staff/tarbert

[Joey Mackey]

I'm actually not upset by this news. Definitely not my field, but I imagine renovating a four-story windowless building, built in the 60's, designed as museum, into some sort of residential/retail hot spot would be quite expensive. I also do not think this building has any "cool" exterior architecture worth preserving. FWIW, there is a lot of trash accumulating around the property right now, which is kind of hurting the vibe around Friendship Fountain. Better to just start from scratch, and hey, for the park lovers, maybe they will just expand the highly successful Friendship Fountain park. Just my 2 cents.

[Jankelope]

That's not the worst possible outcome, Joey, but I will quite upset if it just becomes parking. I can totally imagine someone in city being like "Oh the parking lot gets full every day, gotta build more parking" rather than starting to condition our citizens to parking in garages or hubs and walking 2 blocks (oh the horror)

[JaGoaT]

Knocking it down actually makes right now, what doesn't make sense is it just becoming surface parking. It should be another park/extension of friendship fountain along the southbank.

[Zac T]

I recall in the redevelopment agreement with Related for their Southbank tower, a right of first refusal for the MOSH site was included should the city decide to sell the property. After the success of their Jax Beach project, they indicated they were searching for sites Downtown for another condo (not apartments) project due to limited land availability at the beach.

Judging from Tarbert's comments, I have no doubt Related already has plans for this site and it will end up in their hands at some point

[Charles Hunter]

The demolition is on the agenda for the January 21 DIA Board meeting.
From the authorizing resolution (begins on page 48)

WHEREAS, after consideration of the costs associated with maintaining the now vacant
museum building (e.g. security, utilities) together with a desire for redevelopment of the site, it
has been determined that demolition of the building is in the public interest as well as in the
interest of DIA; and
WHEREAS, as the Community Redevelopment Agency, the site will be included in
DIA's inventory of properties for redevelopment; and

https://dia.jacksonville.gov/cms/getattachment/4846c520-07fe-41a3-a8f3-fc6b027066c2/20260121_DIA-Board-Meeting-Agenda-Packet

Now, the resolution doesn't cite a specific "desire for redevelopment," but it would fit the Related scenario.

[Jankelope]

Condos would be nice just because that is real estate that individuals can own rather than rent. We need way more condos just in general all through the city. They should be one of the main ways we are trying to address affordability (obviously not the riverfront ones) but new build condos that allow purchasing of housing at that $150,000-$250,000 range that is so rare.

Regarding condos on that spot, I have a little bit of reservation just because you only get a small amount of space to have that much access to Friendship Fountain. I kind of liked having a civic attraction there.

[jaxoNOLE]

I have no issue with Related putting condos up on the MOSH site, but if we're demolishing a functional building on the Taxpayer dime then I'd fully expect them to pay market price for that prime property and make the ROI work with strictly private dollars.

HA! Fat chance.

[jaxlongtimer]

I have no issue with Related putting condos up on the MOSH site, but if we're demolishing a functional building on the Taxpayer dime then I'd fully expect them to pay market price for that prime property and make the ROI work with strictly private dollars.

HA! Fat chance.

I see another parcel of public riverfront land being given away to developers.  Any incentives would just be salt in this wound.

This parcel is small enough that I would not expect any significant private project to be worth "selling it".  I support adding it to Friendship Park and keeping it in the public's hands.

When I visit other cities, they have much wider swaths of public land on their waterfronts.  I promise that one day people will regret having all these private projects abut our beautiful river.  Short term gain for long term loss.  No one seems to be able to see the future of this City.