Downtown Jacksonville

The city issued a permit Sept. 24 for Ruby Beach Brewing Co. to renovate space for its Downtown brewery in The Letter Shop Building at 228 E. Forsyth St.

The Jacksonville City Council will consider approving a lease and redevelopment agreement between the city and REVA Development Corp. for the Armory Building and an adjacent 3-acre site at its Sept. 22 meeting. 

The Downtown Investment Authority wants the National Park Service to consider trading Metropolitan Park for the city-owned Shipyards property.

Capt. Sandy Yawn, a star of Bravo TV's Below Deck Mediterranean series, is moving forward with plans to open a new Downtown Jacksonville restaurant and rooftop bar by announcing a name, website and renovation timeline.

The Berkman Plaza II could soon be sold, according to one of the owners of the unfinished Downtown structure.

When bulldozers knocked down the Jacksonville Landing, the nearby on-ramp to the Main Street bridge gave motorists, joggers, walkers and cyclists an up-close view of the demolition as they passed by it on daily commutes and workouts.

Downtown Investment Authority CEO Lori Boyer told the DIA board Aug. 19 that although Iguana Investments Florida LLC’s proposal to develop the Shipyards property has expired, “that should not be interpreted as a change in interest level by Iguana, Mr. Khan or anyone else” to develop the property. 

City Council’s Finance Committee voted unanimously Aug. 18 to withdraw Ordinance 2020-0555.

Mayor Lenny Curry’s administration will withdraw a bill that refunds $1.725 million in federal grant funding instead of finding a replacement for Metropolitan Park Downtown.

Downtown investor JWB Real Estate Capital bought the Federal Reserve Bank Building at 424 N Hogan St.

Synergy Technologies LLC, which was code-named project Skateboard, will add 300 jobs to its Jacksonville operation, according to an Aug. 4 JAXUSA Partnership news release.

Owners of the historic Seminole Building Downtown are setting the stage to branch into weddings, as well as other events.

Downtown Vision is hoping to help jump-start some commerce for Downtown Jacksonville businesses hit hard by the pandemic with a new gift card program.

The Downtown Investment Authority board voted 8-0 July 15 to reject an unsolicited proposal for a $550 million convention center at The Ford on Bay riverfront site.

A development team led by Jacobs Engineering Group resubmitted a $550 million unsolicited proposal to the city for a convention center at The Ford on Bay site as the Downtown Investment Authority prepares to vote on rejecting the proposal July 15.

A Minneapolis-based developer closed on 1.5 acres to build JEA’s next corporate headquarters in Downtown Jacksonville.

This year the city of Jacksonville is expanding its fireworks show to six locations around town.

The city is reviewing a building permit application for the site of Ruby Beach Brewing Co. at 228 E. Forsyth St. Downtown.

In a special meeting May 21, the JEA board unanimously approved plans for a six-story headquarters with 153,000 rentable square feet, and amended a lease agreement with Ryan to reduce the utility’s gross rent cost by $27 million over 15 years and lower construction costs by $10 million to $14 million.

Augustine Development Group’s request for a $3 million Historic Preservation Trust Fund grant to redevelop the Independent Life Building will move to the full Downtown Investment Authority board for final approval.

DIA’s Strategic Implementation Committee voted unanimously June 11 to approve the term sheet for the grant, according to WJCT News partner the Jacksonville Daily Record.

By the end of August, the corner of the Water Street Garage at the base of the Acosta Bridge might look anything but pedestrian.

It’s looking more likely that the Republican National Convention will be moved to Jacksonville in August.

The Confederate monument in Hemming Park in Downtown Jacksonville was removed early Tuesday morning before sunrise.

Amid a week filled with protests in Jacksonville – and across the country – Mayor Lenny Curry announced Friday he will be taking part in a walk next week.

David Sollars didn’t intend to organize a peaceful protest that stretched more than four blocks in  Downtown Jacksonville Tuesday evening. 

City spokesman James Croft said May 11 that the sodded Jacksonvlle Landing site Downtown will be available for events before it is redeveloped.

TIAA, which acquired Jacksonville-based EverBank Financial Corp. three years ago, is offering voluntary separation packages to 75% of its U.S. employees.