COJ and UF take first major step towards LaVilla campus

[thelakelander]

The City of Jacksonville has negotiated to provide 23 buildable acres to the University of Florida for the new graduate campus in downtown Jacksonville, pending an open and public disposition process. These parcels of land will begin moving through the Downtown Investment Authority process at the Retail Enhancement and Property Disposition Committee on February 13, followed by a full board vote on February 19. Upon DIA approval, the proposals will move to City Council. The first degree program is expected to begin in August 2025 with a main launch in 2026.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/coj-and-uf-take-first-major-step-towards-lavilla-campus/

[thelakelander]

City land swap with Gateway Jax would bring riverfront tower Downtown

In a Feb. 6 news release, the city said Gateway Jax planned to build a mixed-use development on the Riverfront Plaza development pad that would include 11 floors of residences, five floors of hotel rooms, two floors of podium parking and lobbies, a floor of public food and beverage space, and a public sky garden terrace.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/feb/06/city-land-swap-with-gateway-jax-would-bring-riverfront-tower-downtown/

[Steve]

Good with this....EXCEPT conveying the Train Station to UF. I realize it isn't a business, but I feel like this needs to stay in COJ hands.

Otherwise let's get it done.

[Steve]

Oh, and I think the ground level retail provision should be on Site A as well as Site B.

[Joey Mackey]

You're telling me the American Lion's Tower and the Ergisi Tower aren't happening?? [sarcasm]

[heights unknown]

You're telling me the American Lion's Tower and the Ergisi Tower aren't happening?? [sarcasm]

LOL...hee hee (sarcasm).

[heights unknown]

City land swap with Gateway Jax would bring riverfront tower Downtown

In a Feb. 6 news release, the city said Gateway Jax planned to build a mixed-use development on the Riverfront Plaza development pad that would include 11 floors of residences, five floors of hotel rooms, two floors of podium parking and lobbies, a floor of public food and beverage space, and a public sky garden terrace.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/feb/06/city-land-swap-with-gateway-jax-would-bring-riverfront-tower-downtown/

City land swap with Gateway Jax would bring riverfront tower Downtown

In a Feb. 6 news release, the city said Gateway Jax planned to build a mixed-use development on the Riverfront Plaza development pad that would include 11 floors of residences, five floors of hotel rooms, two floors of podium parking and lobbies, a floor of public food and beverage space, and a public sky garden terrace.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/feb/06/city-land-swap-with-gateway-jax-would-bring-riverfront-tower-downtown/

If Gateway also takes the Ergisi parcel, any word on whether they will develop it?

[heights unknown]

More news on this topic: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/city-of-jacksonville-university-of-florida-take-step-toward-new-graduate-campus/ar-AA1yynu2?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=96a552eb6e1a45e78bed394da3d9c187&ei=2

There's also a Gateway Jax design rendering/concept of their proposed tower on the old American Lion's site.

[Ken_FSU]

I do not want to jinx it, but I feel like we’re starting to cook.

Riverfront Plaza pads A and B in exchange for Interline is the equivalent of Luka for AD, but I’m here for it, and I think the city should pull the trigger on the swap. Seeing how quickly Pearl Square is shooting from the ground gives me endless confidence in Gateway Jax right now.

Keep the momentum going.

[jaxlongtimer]

FYI, the Times Union article noted that the Interline property needs to be appraised and that the Riverfront Plaza has to be put out for proposals from any others that might have interest in addition to Gateway.  The City is obligated to get the best overall deal.

So, stay tuned.

[Jagsdrew]

I do not want to jinx it, but I feel like we’re starting to cook.

Riverfront Plaza pads A and B in exchange for Interline is the equivalent of Luka for AD, but I’m here for it, and I think the city should pull the trigger on the swap. Seeing how quickly Pearl Square is shooting from the ground gives me endless confidence in Gateway Jax right now.

Keep the momentum going.

I thought Luka was overweight tho?!?

[Ken_FSU]

I do not want to jinx it, but I feel like we’re starting to cook.

Riverfront Plaza pads A and B in exchange for Interline is the equivalent of Luka for AD, but I’m here for it, and I think the city should pull the trigger on the swap. Seeing how quickly Pearl Square is shooting from the ground gives me endless confidence in Gateway Jax right now.

Keep the momentum going.

I thought Luka was overweight tho?!?

I will never, in my lifetime, understand this trade.

CRIMINAL to Mavs fans.

Everyone involved (Nico Harrison) should be run out of town.

A guy like Luka Doncic falls into a franchise's lap (if you're not the Lakers) once in a lifetime. It's even more rare that he loves the community and wants to retire as a Mav. And, it's even more rare that he's a unicorn in terms of marketability.

To piss that away for an older, injury-prone Anthony Davis and no serious draft capital is straight up malpractice. Because some idiot GM thinks Luka eats too much pie and drinks too much beer while putting up 30-9-9 a night.

It's a business, sure, but seeing how the Mavs treated Luka, and seeing how clearly devastated he is by the whole thing, makes me more a little more sympathetic to the Kevin Durants and Jimmy Butlers of the world trying to exercise some agency over their lives.

Who know else would make this trade? Nat Ford.

BUT I DIGRESS.

FYI, the Times Union article noted that the Interline property needs to be appraised and that the Riverfront Plaza has to be put out for proposals from any others that might have interest in addition to Gateway.  The City is obligated to get the best overall deal.

So, stay tuned.

In this specific case (a land swap with a property owner for a strategically important UF development parcel), I wonder what necessitates this RFP? Especially because it was just RFP'd maybe two years ago, American Lions was the only one who responded, and their proposal was wildly unrealistic and failed to materialize. Even if another developer came to the table with a proposal for Riverfront Plaza that was better on paper, it wouldn't solve the problem of opening up the Interline building for UF use.

[thelakelander]

Agree 100% about the Luka trade. The big NBA trade deadline winner is Bradley Beal!

[thelakelander]

If another developer came with something better, in a shorter amount of time than it took to come up with this proposal, then good for DT Jax. I doubt that happens, but if it did, I'd guess another comparable COJ owned parcel would possibly be considered for a swap.

[Ken_FSU]

In this specific case (a land swap with a property owner for a strategically important UF development parcel), I wonder what necessitates this RFP? Especially because it was just RFP'd maybe two years ago, American Lions was the only one who responded, and their proposal was wildly unrealistic and failed to materialize. Even if another developer came to the table with a proposal for Riverfront Plaza that was better on paper, it wouldn't solve the problem of opening up the Interline building for UF use.

Sounds like a couple of DIA Board members want to hit the brakes on this land swap because they feel it’s too rushed.

Totally fair to want to get a read on the incentives that Gateway Jax will be after for the Riverfront Plaza development, but the VERY last thing we need to do as a city is get in the way of UF’s progress and get in the way of Gateway Jax if they’ve got a reasonable plan and an ability to turn dirty quickly at Riverfront Plaza. Last thing we need is another two year disposition cycle leading to a random developer overpromising and then flaking out.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2025/02/13/uf-campus-gateway-land-swap-hurdles.html