For Downtown Jacksonville there’s a great opportunity to enhance what once was the “RiverWalk” into the “riverfront”. Major corporations and investors are supporting what is said to be what “marks the beginning of a robust, inclusive and interactive community discussion about our important civic and natural asset, our riverfront and the values of public access to the river.”
Currently, the lands along the entire St. Johns River are 90% privately owned, but we have over 75 acres of publicly owned lands in downtown that provide a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity. We believe that the time is now to invest in and expand downtown riverfront public access with a connected network of parks and green space. A “Riverfront for All” providing overlapping benefits: community gathering, health and wellness, resiliency, and positive economic impact. Other cities have found that this approach has been critical to their downtowns. You can see some examples in the Riverfront Parks Now Presentation.
Why not Jacksonville?
An excerpt from the recent Great Cities Symposium 2022
“Jacksonville, it’s your time,” Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn stated to an enthusiastic crowd of 350 attendees at the 2022 Great Cities Symposium, held October 12th at the Garden Club of Jacksonville. With the energy of a new mayor and the proper utilization of the significant amount of publicly owned riverfront land, he said that Jacksonville has the potential to make a thriving downtown happen.
Buckhorn’s engaging talk centered upon how Tampa revitalized its downtown by focusing on the underutilized Hillsborough River, including the completion of the Tampa Riverwalk and the expansion of appealing waterfront parks and green spaces.
By the time Buckhorn left office in 2019, Downtown Tampa and its riverfront, once described as “stagnant and empty,” had been dramatically transformed into an area known for its vibrancy, with high quality public spaces, exciting eating opportunities, and abundance of urban dwellers.
“No one comes to your city because you have a Best Buy in the suburbs,” Buckhorn remarked as he emphasized the importance of creating vibrant downtowns to attract and keep young professionals in your city. He said that impetus for change was the goal of stopping the exodus of Tampa’s young talent to places like Charlotte and keeping them in Tampa. He said that today, Tampa is a major magnet for young professionals everywhere.
