<h1>DOWNTOWN</h1>
Downtown project locator map
1. Lexington Hotel & Conference Center Jacksonville Riverwalk
Vantage Hospitality Group is investing up to $20 million in the renovation of the Lexington Hotel & Conference Center Jacksonville Riverwalk.
<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Rooms will be renovated in phases with new carpeting, windows, balconies, doors and furnishings as well as redesigned bathrooms.
The hotel will remain open during the project.
The work will include an exterior re-facing, roof replacement, new windows, a renovated porte cochere in the front, the addition of a porte cochere at the entrance of the convention center in the back along Prudential Drive, a remodeled pool area and a redesigned fifth-floor terrace.
In the ground-floor public areas, the lobby, lounge and restaurant will see significant upgrades. Carpeting will be replaced by hard flooring and new furnishings will be added throughout, in addition to the drop ceilings.
The lobby will be redesigned and moved closer to the front, opening up a sight-line to the pool area. It also will have a coffee bar and an art wall and water feature that will front most of the elevators, which now are exposed.
The expanded lobby lounge will be rebuilt with a loggia so that part of the seating area will be outside under cover.
The fitness center will be renovated and the ground-floor restaurant will be renovated with a covered outdoor seating area.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div></i>
For more information: https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546154
2.The First Coast Mohs Skin Center
Plans are underway to transform a 1.2-acre site, at Park and Rosselle Streets, into a 2-story 11,516 square foot medical office building and associated retail. The First Coast Mohs Skin Center will occupy the first floor of the proposed Spanish-styled structure. “Mohs” refers to a technique that removes cancerous tissue with minimal effects to healthy tissue. The second floor will be for general offices. The building’s footprint will face Park Street with parking in the rear, along Rosselle and Chelsea Streets. The project was originally anticipated to be completed by November 2016. However, construction has not started as of October 15, 2016.
For more information: https://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2016-mar-medical-office-building-proposed-in-brooklyn
3. Beaver Street Villas
The Clara White Mission is nearing the end of its renovation of LaVilla’s long closed New Center Hotel, at 605 North Broad Street ,into street level offices and 16 upper level apartment units.
For more information: https://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-jul-more-downtown-mixed-use-beaver-street-villas
4. 100 North Laura Street
The renovation of 100 North Laura Street continues. Plans involve lobby renovations, exterior canopies, lighting and a new 4,700-square-foot restaurant that will be operated by Black Sheep. However, the restaurant will have a different concept and name than the popular Five Points establishment. Black Sheep intends to open the restaurant by Christmas 2016. In addition, new tenants include CenterState Bank and Farah & Farah’s call center. CenterState Bank plans to move its headquarters to the building’s 10th floor and open a bank branch at street level. Farah & Farah intends to open a call center on the building’s third floor.
For more information: https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/morning-edition/2015/11/black-sheeps-downtown-location-gets-approval-for.html
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=548302
5. Grabba Green
Grabbagreen, an Arizona-based restuarant and juice bar with 53 locations plans to open in Brooklyn Station this fall. Grabbagreen describes itself as healthy fast food with grain- and green-based bowls, smoothies and fresh-squeezed juices.
For more information: https://grabbagreen.com/restaurant-juice-bar-coming-to-brooklyn-station-2/
6. Public House Coffee
Public House Coffee plans to open a new “flagship” coffeehouse at the Jacksonville Landing this summer. The basic concept of Public House will be espresso-based coffee drinks and iced drinks, as well as drip coffee from beans roasted by the company, which it will also sell wholesale in the store. Public House also plans to serve pastries, as well as biscotti. The coffeehouse will be located in a storefront facing Independent Drive that was formerly occupied by Starbucks.
For more information: https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/morning-edition/2016/05/new-coffee-shop-plans-flagship-store-at-the.html
7. Coastline Drive
The City of Jacksonville is in the beginning stages of a $31 million project to reconstruct the Coastline Drive Bridge, Liberty Street Brige and remove the courthouse parking lot over the St. Johns River. In addition, a new Northbank Riverwalk will be constructed along Coastline Drive, Market Street, Courthouse Drive and Liberty Street.
For more information: https://www.moderncities.com/article/2016-sep-massive-northbank-riverfront-redevelopment-underway
8. Lofts of LaVilla
Construction is set to begin on Vestcor Companies Lofts of Lavilla. The $22-million, 5-story affordable housing project will contain 130 apartment units adjacent to the Skyway at Lee and Bay Streets. Supported by a $270,000 loan from the Downtown Economic Development Fund and $270,000 from the Jacksonville Housing Finance Authority, the project is anticipated for completion by the end of 2017.
For more information: https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=547776
9. City Hall
Renovation work continues to take place on the front facade of the historic St. James Building. Originally completed in 1912 as a department store, the building currently serves as Jacksonville’s City Hall.
