First look: Hard Rock tower in downtown Jacksonville

Started by thelakelander, October 01, 2026, 05:11:34 PM

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thelakelander

October 01, 2026, 05:11:34 PM
"A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life." - Muhammad Ali

marcuscnelson

#1
October 01, 2026, 05:21:15 PM
Wait so is this an actual Hard Rock and not a Reverb? Look at us graduating to Arquitectonica! The way the lower floors pull away from the Riverwalk to create more space is compelling, too. Curious then if there might also be some kind of meeting space with how those lower floors facing Bay are set up. I can't tell if there's also parking, imagine there'll have to be given what nothing NAVI is.

That said, I am not ready to see the incentives request for this.
So, to the young people fighting in this movement for change, here is my charge: march in the streets, protest, run for school committee or city council or the state legislature. And win. - Ed Markey

thelakelander

#2
October 01, 2026, 07:31:19 PM
Yes, there is a ballroom and meeting space on the third floor. There's one level of parking for the 152 residential units. On the 18th floor (the curvy part in the rendering), there's a restaurant, bar and club. The riverfront has a few retail/dining spots at ground level. A Hard Rock store is proposed along Bay Street. The tower height is a little under 420 feet. They want to break ground in Q1 2027.
"A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life." - Muhammad Ali

MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain

#3
October 01, 2026, 07:36:52 PM
^I asked in the other chat in case you missed you. How did it go? Is there any chance your team suggested? One level of parking? Is that enough? Q1 seems aggressive. Hope all goes well.
Disclaimer: These comments reflect my personal opinion and observations only — always open to other viewpoints.

acme54321

#4
October 01, 2026, 08:34:02 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on October 01, 2026, 07:31:19 PMYes, there is a ballroom and meeting space on the third floor. There's one level of parking for the 152 residential units. On the 18th floor (the curvy part in the rendering), there's a restaurant, bar and club. The riverfront has a few retail/dining spots at ground level. A Hard Rock store is proposed along Bay Street. The tower height is a little under 420 feet. They want to break ground in Q1 2027.

Q1?  That's in like 3 months lol.  Sure.

jaxlongtimer

#5
October 01, 2026, 09:11:23 PM
In this rendering, that looks like one ugly building.  Too many contrasting elements/pieces that just don't fit together in a unified and pleasing way.  Choppy looking. The all glass sections don't look too interesting either. Hope they start over with the tower section or the DDRB insists on a whole new approach. 

Jagsdrew

#6
October 01, 2026, 10:42:32 PM
So is Munz working this development and RiversEdge too? Bc nothing is happening over there besides Bartram Park looking townhomes.
Twitter: @Jagsdrew

acme54321

#7
October 01, 2026, 10:45:00 PM
Quote from: Jagsdrew on October 01, 2026, 10:42:32 PMSo is Munz working this development and RiversEdge too? Bc nothing is happening over there besides Bartram Park looking townhomes.

Munz has been out of River's Edge for years.

Ken_FSU

#8
October 01, 2026, 10:46:42 PM Last Edit: October 01, 2026, 10:48:21 PM by Ken_FSU
Financial viability aside (an admittedly large aside), I absolutely love it. In a vacuum, it might not make perfect sense. But when you start looking at all the gaps it could help fill, I think it could be an incredible addition to help bridge the gap between the Sports District & the CBD.

Things I love:
1. We're doing very little as a city to set the Sports Complex & Met Park up as a major festival & event destination. Having a Hard Rock on the periphery instantly helps. We badly need a mid-range hotel to serve that area, and the amenities will be beneficial while we figure out what we're building around the stadium.
2. A Hard Rock gives us the ability to celebrate our Southern Rock heritage organically, with exhibits built into the hotel. Versus building something standalone that will struggle to draw visitors year-round.
3. The concert space and signature nightclub give Bay Street a genuine entertainment anchor with national brand recognition.

It's a very hard time to be asking for a cash completion grant, assuming that's on the table, but if the cash is there and some of these proposed projects start to come to fruition, the northbank riverfront starts to look pretty interesting. When you potentially start stacking projects like Riverfront Plaza's restaurant & Phase 2, Gateway's Riverfront Plaza Tower, the Culinary Institute, Shipyards West Park, potential food hall, Hard Rock, MOSH, the Four Seasons (and adjacent parcel), Met Park, and the Stadium, you've got a really nice mixed of residential, hotel, retail, restaurant, night life, green space, etc.

Cannot IMAGINE the Berkman 1 residents are crazy about this proposal though.

thelakelander

#9
Yesterday at 06:35:25 AM
Quote from: MakeDTjaxGre@tAgain on October 01, 2026, 07:36:52 PM^I asked in the other chat in case you missed you. How did it go? Is there any chance your team suggested? One level of parking? Is that enough? Q1 seems aggressive. Hope all goes well.

Here's a recap!

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/10/01/developer-unveils-plans-for-proposed-hard-rock-hotel-on-jacksonville-riverfront/
"A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life." - Muhammad Ali

copperfiend

#10
Yesterday at 09:00:00 AM
When booking, should I get the river view or the county jail view?

tufsu1

#11
Yesterday at 03:15:05 PM
Quote from: copperfiend on Yesterday at 09:00:00 AMWhen booking, should I get the river view or the county jail view?

well that would likely depend on how much extra you want to pay ;)

vicupstate

#12
Yesterday at 05:22:26 PM
If anyone thinks this project is going to actually get built, I've got a bridge to sell you.

Seen these pie-in-the-sky proposals a million times in Jacksonville. Seen this movie so many times I can act it out.

Just add it to the pile of renderings that never got off the drawing board. The economy is a lot worse than when other such proposals were floated to boot.
"The problem with quotes on the internet is you can never be certain they're authentic." - Abraham Lincoln

fsu813

#13
Today at 08:14:13 PM
Quote from: vicupstate on Yesterday at 05:22:26 PMIf anyone thinks this project is going to actually get built, I've got a bridge to sell you.


What are you talking about??? Developer says they're ready for ground breaking in a few months!!!

In the immortal words of Wesley Snipes, "Always bet on black".

jaxlongtimer

#14
Today at 09:58:41 PM Last Edit: Today at 10:05:07 PM by jaxlongtimer
Quote from: fsu813 on Today at 08:14:13 PM
Quote from: vicupstate on Yesterday at 05:22:26 PMIf anyone thinks this project is going to actually get built, I've got a bridge to sell you.


What are you talking about??? Developer says they're ready for ground breaking in a few months!!!

In the immortal words of Wesley Snipes, "Always bet on black".

I sure hope, if they really do build, the design is greatly modified or overhauled.  As I said before, this building looks ugly and disjointed to me, a Frankenstein of architecture.  That wave at the top in the renderings also looks overwhelmed by the mass of the building below it, an afterthought, a cry for "look at me as I have no other redeeming features", "flimsy", overly "busy", and cheap, like putting plastic pink flamingos in the front yard of the Biltmore Estate or having a wedding cake topper from the five and dime department.  ;D .
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