JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — If you walk along the St. Johns River near the Main St. Bridge in Downtown Jacksonville soon, you might notice more fencing and construction equipment where the Jacksonville Landing used to be. The City of Jacksonville announced construction on the new Riverfront Plaza will be ramping up over the next few weeks.
This announcement comes almost five years after the Jacksonville Landing was torn down. Lori Boyer, the CEO of the Downtown Investment Authority, said the Riverfront Plaza will feature a large greenspace for festivals or concerts, a playground on top of a cafe, and a splash pad.
"It was also envisioned that there would be a number of food and beverage establishments within the park that would be leased to commercial operators, but are really serving as park amenities and part of the park facility," Boyer explained.
This is part of the first phase of the project. Phase 1A started in July 2023 with the removal of a portion of Independent Dr. Along with construction of the playground and splash pad, Phase 1B will also include the infrastructure work along the riverwalk and bulkhead.
Boyer said the goal is to create a family-friendly destination for both the people living in Jacksonville and those visiting.
"There's not as many things to do with children as we want to see. So the playground is going to be very interesting and not like something you've seen in one of our existing parks," Boyer said.
Over the next few weeks, people will notice more fencing blocking off the green space and the riverwalk. Boyer said they will be putting up signs to help walkers and joggers find detours around the construction. While Boyer acknowledges the inconvenience this may cause some people downtown, she said it will be worth it.
"Our focus is very much building a residential population downtown. Having those Park amenities tremendously helps the investment community see the value in building residential downtown," Boyer said.
This phase of construction is expected to take about two years. During this time, Independent Dr. will still be open and the water taxi will be operational.