The Shipyards: 20 Years of Renderings

Article by Ennis Davis, AICP

Jacksonville Shipyards, Inc. (JSI) - 1850s - 1992

Renamed the Jacksonville Shipyards, Inc. (JSI) in 1963 by W.R. Lovett, shipbuilding operates on this site dated as far back as the 1850s. For decades, JSI was one of Jacksonville’s largest employers and a dominate feature of the downtown scene and riverfront.

JSI’s decline began in the 1980s, shutting down briefly in 1990, laying off 800 workers. It would reopen briefly, only to close permanently in 1992 after selling its drydocks to a shipyard in Bahrain. 23 years later, Jacksonville is still struggling to find a new use for the industrial brownfield site.

Shipyard workers pose for a photograph during the late 19th century. Image courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.

A mid 20th century view of the Jacksonville Shipyards. Image courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.

A mid 20th century view of the Jacksonville Shipyards. Image courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.