During the State of the Jaguars annual press conference, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan announced major plans for the Shipyards. Before discussing his vision, Khan admitted that the Shipyards property, which extends along the north bank of the St. Johns River from Berkman Plaza to Metropolitan Park, has seen its share of disappointments over the years.
There have been "lawsuits, bankruptcies, and too many failed attempts really to mention," Khan said. “We could even call it the Boulevard of Broken Dreams."
But Khan is optimistic about the future of the Shipyards. He commissioned the architectural firm Populous to design a proposal for the property. Senior Architect Ben Stindt says it is one of the most exciting projects he has worked on in his 20 year career.
“Mr. Khan challenged us to come up with a world class facility here, to come up with a world class development, and we took that challenge, and we think we were successful in bringing his vision," Stindt said.
The proposal is for a mixed-use development with areas to live, work, play and stay. The proposal includes a multi-level football practice facility, amphitheater, marina and a boardwalk. The USS Adams will also be permanently docked as a maritime museum.
We've included the video that Khan presented at the press event today below.
https://vimeo.com/119653089">Shipyards Video from https://vimeo.com/populous">Populous on Vimeo.
