Urbanism and Culture on Florida's First Coast. https://www.thejaxsonmag.com With Phase 1 of Riverfront Plaza completed, the City of Jacksonville is gearing up to move forward with the construction of Phase 2, which will include a beer garden, rain garden, and a bike and pedestrian connection to the Main Street Bridge. Here's a visual look at what's planned. Let us know what you think! - Quote: Phase 1 of Riverfront Plaza is now under construction and includes an elevated destination playground on top of a park pavilion building, a large flexible event lawn, as well as a new bulkhead, riverwalk, and a plaza space connecting Riverfront Plaza to the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts.... Mon, 11 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/renderings-of-riverfront-plaza-phase-2/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/renderings-of-riverfront-plaza-phase-2/ Construction sights and scenes from a recent April 2026 walk through downtown Jacksonville's rapidly rising Pearl Square District. - About Pearl Square The Pearl Square District two million square foot mixed-use neighborhood in downtown Jacksonville’s Northbank being developed by Gateway Jax. Gateway Jax is a Jacksonville-based investment and development firm founded in 2022. When completed, the $750 million development will result in the transformation of nine downtown blocks into... Fri, 01 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/sights-and-scenes-pearl-square-construction/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/sights-and-scenes-pearl-square-construction/ In honor of National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM), The Jaxson takes a closer look at a business that made a lasting impression on generations of Jaxsons who frequented the West Ashley Street strip. - On Saturdays in LaVilla, a quarter could carry a child into the Roosevelt Theatre for a matinee and still leave enough change for a paper bag of fries next door at the Roosevelt Grill. The walk home afterward required care. The fries were hot, the grease soaked quickly through the... Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/remembering-the-roosevelt-grill-of-west-ashley-street/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/remembering-the-roosevelt-grill-of-west-ashley-street/ Join the community at the 2nd annual Oyster Fest! There will be a live band, DJ, great food, local vendors, a Kid Zone, dancing, and laughter. - This year’s Oyster Fest takes place Saturday, April 18th, 2026 in Jacksonville’s Riverview neighborhood on the Trout River at 9620 Water St, Jacksonville, FL 32208. Tickets are available at this Eventbrite link. The event is free and open to the public. Hosted by the Riverview Community Collective, the day starts... Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/oyster-fest-2026/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/oyster-fest-2026/ For nearly half a century, the Railway Express Agency shaped Jacksonville’s economy and identity, leaving behind a legacy still felt today. - Early Foundations and Expansion In the late 1920s, as railroads defined the rhythm of American commerce, Jacksonville emerged as a vital logistics hub in the Southeast. At the heart of this activity stood the Railway Express Agency (REA) Terminal on Myrtle Avenue, strategically positioned near Union Terminal and operated by... Mon, 13 Apr 2026 03:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/50-years-of-freight-jacksonvilles-rea-terminal/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/50-years-of-freight-jacksonvilles-rea-terminal/ In the first decades of the twentieth century, when segregation narrowed opportunity and Black mobility was constrained by law, custom, and violence, African American women quietly built institutions that sustained community life. Among them was Alice Kirkpatrick, a Jacksonville businesswoman whose life’s work placed her at the center of Black enterprise, civic organization, and cultural exchange during the Jim Crow era. - Operating at a time when few African American women could claim ownership of large commercial property, Kirkpatrick emerged as both a skilled entrepreneur and a committed philanthropist. From her base in LaVilla, Jacksonville’s most vibrant Black neighborhood, she created spaces that offered dignity, safety, and connection. These spaces were not... Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/alice-kilpatrick-and-the-richmond-hotel/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/alice-kilpatrick-and-the-richmond-hotel/ The next chapter of downtown’s architectural history is beginning to take shape as plans advance for the transformation of the historic Ambassador Hotel. Gateway Jax acquired the property in March 2025 for $17 million and plans to redevelop it into a 105-key hotel featuring a high-end restaurant and bar, conference space, and additional amenities. The project is scheduled to seek final approval from the Downtown Development Review Board on April 9, 2026. Here’s a closer look at the adaptive reuse plans for this landmark property. Let us know what you think! - GENERAL INFORMATION Application 2026-005 seeks Final Approval for the renovation of the Gateway Ambassador Hotel, a locally designated historic landmark. The project has received a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) in accordance with Chapter 307 of the City of Jacksonville Ordinance Code. The proposed scope of work includes renovation of the... Thu, 02 Apr 2026 23:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/ambassador-hotel-nears-final-ddrb-approval/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/ambassador-hotel-nears-final-ddrb-approval/ Long before advanced manufacturing defined Jacksonville’s economy, one company helped lay its foundation, one casting at a time. The C.I. Capps Company grew from a small foundry into a cornerstone of the city’s industrial history. - Humble Beginnings: A Foundry is Born (1919) In the early 20th century, as Jacksonville emerged as a vital shipbuilding and industrial hub, one company helped shape the city’s manufacturing backbone, quite literally in iron, steel, and brass. The C.I. Capps Company, Inc., incorporated on March 6, 1919, began modestly in... Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-rise-and-fall-of-talleyrands-ci-capps-foundry/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-rise-and-fall-of-talleyrands-ci-capps-foundry/ As Jacksonville revisits the future of its Skyway system, the choices made today will shape how people move through Downtown for decades. The question isn’t just how to fix an aging system, it’s what kind of transit future the city truly wants. - The Background The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has launched a new Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study to evaluate options for rehabilitating and modernizing the Skyway as part of its Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C) program. Nearly three decades after the system was upgraded with Bombardier technology in 2000, the Skyway... Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/rethinking-the-skyway-whats-next-for-dt-transit/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/rethinking-the-skyway-whats-next-for-dt-transit/ Andrew Nicholas shares the deep history of the Latter-day Saints in Jacksonville. - The story of how Latter-day Saints came to Florida first began in the Panhandle, gradually spreading eastward in the 1890s, but it wasn’t until they reached Jacksonville that they were able to firmly plant The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Sunshine State. Missionaries first came to... Mon, 16 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/saints-of-jacksonville-a-history-of-the-mormon-church/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/saints-of-jacksonville-a-history-of-the-mormon-church/ Today, the average person will struggle to find a restaurant to dine along the river in downtown that is not located inside of a hotel. However, riverfront dining was a part of downtown's identity for more than a century. Here is a look at seven downtown riverfront dining experiences that no longer exist. - 1. Ocean Street Market *Location: The foot of Ocean Street * A 1928 Sanborn Map of the Ocean Street market. | Jacksonville Public Library Special Collections Department Prior to World War II, the foot of Ocean Street was Jacksonville’s answer to the kind of interactive riverfront tourists seek when visiting... Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0400 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/7-riverfront-dining-experiences-that-no-longer-exist/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/7-riverfront-dining-experiences-that-no-longer-exist/ After a failed attempt to acquire the DCPS Southbank headquarters, Fleet Landing now has plans for a 32-story tower in Brooklyn at 111 Riverside Avenue. The project will seek conceptual approval from the Downtown Development Review Board on March 12, 2026. Here is a look at the project's conceptual plans. Let us know what you think! - GENERAL INFORMATION Application 2026-003 seeks conceptual approval for a housing development serving the elderly. The project encompasses approximately 500,000 square feet and includes 239 residential units, 40 licensed care units, and a variety of resident amenities. The subject property is located on the site of the former Haskell headquarters in... Sat, 07 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0500 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/fleet-landing-riverside-seeks-ddrb-conceptual-approval/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/fleet-landing-riverside-seeks-ddrb-conceptual-approval/ Baptist Health is proposing to build a 15-story, 226-key hotel at its Southbank medical campus. The project will seek conceptual approval from the Downtown Development Review Board on March 12, 2026. Here is a look at the project's conceptual plans. Let us know what you think! - Application 2026-002 seeks conceptual approval for an approximately 226 key hotel with conference and event space, a rooftop lounge, restaurant, and ground floor café. The proposed 15-story hotel development would be a mix of boutique hotel and extended stay including amenities. The project incorporates 3-story parking on-site. The site is... Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:00:00 -0500 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/baptist-health-jax-hotel-headed-to-ddrb/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/baptist-health-jax-hotel-headed-to-ddrb/ We’re just two weeks out from State of the South: Jacksonville - sign up now before registration closes at the end of this week! - MDC and LISC Jacksonville are partnering to host a convening March 10th-12th at Mt. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church about community resilience in the face of development, climate, and other pressures. Session topics include Southern data, heirs’ property, community organizing, food access, family supports, disaster recovery, storytelling, and more. We are... Wed, 04 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0500 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/register-for-state-of-the-south-jacksonville/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/register-for-state-of-the-south-jacksonville/ On Friday, February 27, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority hosted a behind-the-scenes walking tour of the Jacksonville International Airport Concourse B construction site for members of the media. Here is a look at where things currently stand along with what's to come. - A rendering of Concourse B. | Jacksonville International Airport The behind-the-scenes tour was led by Nick Marollo, a Jacobs Engineering project representative. The behind-the-scenes tour began with a look at the lower level of Concourse B. Moving to the main level, here is a view of Concourse C. The Oak... Sat, 28 Feb 2026 20:00:00 -0500 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-jaxs-concourse-b/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-jaxs-concourse-b/ Founded in 1995 by Patrick D. Bienvenue, Rosemary Beach is a New Urbanism–inspired planned community located just west of Panama City Beach. Its design draws inspiration from the French Quarter in New Orleans. - Bisected by County Road 30A just west of U.S. 98, Rosemary Beach was designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company. The 105-acre, Gulf-front community includes more than 400 homesites and a mixed-use town center. The development is named for Rosemary Milligan, the entrepreneur who sold the Bienvenue family the property. A... Sun, 22 Feb 2026 20:00:00 -0500 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/a-walk-through-walton-countys-rosemary-beach/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/a-walk-through-walton-countys-rosemary-beach/ In honor of Black History Month, here are eleven historic African American cultural heritage destinations in Jacksonville to visit. - Cedar Point Preserve 7222 Cedar Point Rd. The ruins of the Fitzpatrick Plantation at Cedar Point are near the southern tip of Black Hammock Island. Built in the late 1700s, land was originally granted to Samuel Mills and later acquired by the Fitzpatrick family. Enslaved African laborers were forced to... Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:00:00 -0500 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/11-black-cultural-heritage-sites-to-visit-in-town/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/11-black-cultural-heritage-sites-to-visit-in-town/ The story of Jacksonville can be tasted as much as it can be told. Especially amongst Jacksonville's Gullah Geechee community. The Gullah Geechee descended from enslaved Central and West Africans who worked the plantations of the Lowcountry in the coastal Southeastern United States. After the abolition of slavery, the Gullah Geechee settled in remote areas, in particular the barrier islands stretching from North Carolina to Northeast Florida, where they formed a unique culture and strong communal ties that remain today. - Food has always been at the heart of Gullah Geechee life. This is certainly true in Jacksonville, where foodways are a bridge between land, water, ancestry, and memory. Drawing from West and Central African, Native American, European, and Caribbean traditions, the region’s cuisine tells a story of creativity born from... Wed, 11 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-gullah-geechee-roots-of-jacksonvilles-cuisine/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-gullah-geechee-roots-of-jacksonvilles-cuisine/ In town for a business trip, The Jaxson's Ennis Davis shares a few sights and scenes from the streets of a snow covered Downtown Cleveland. - The 52-story Terminal Tower was the second-tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1926. The 36-story Sherwin-Williams Headquarters was completed in 2024. At 616 feet, it is the fourth-tallest building in the city. Public Square is a five-acre central plaza in the heart of downtown Cleveland. It... Tue, 10 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/sights-scenes-downtown-cleveland/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/sights-scenes-downtown-cleveland/ In his first book since 2014, Jaxson co-owner Ennis Davis has collaborated with urban planner and historian Adrienne Burke to highlight the story of Jacksonville's Gullah Geechee Heritage. Preorder your author signed copy of Jacksonville's Gullah Geechee Heritage today. - Jacksonville’s Gullah Geechee Heritage The Jaxson is pleased to announce that one of our co-owners and editors is publishing a new book. Jacksonville’s Gullah Geechee Heritage, a collaboration between local urban planners and historians Ennis Davis and Adrienne Burke, will be released by Arcadia Publishing on April 28, 2026. Jacksonville,... Sun, 08 Feb 2026 20:00:00 -0500 https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/book-explores-jacksonvilles-gullah-geechee-heritage/ https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/book-explores-jacksonvilles-gullah-geechee-heritage/