JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There is talk of a new life for a project that was set to replace a former Jacksonville landmark, the now-demolished River City Brewing Company restaurant on the Southbank. There was history there, but now it looks like the city is ready to move forward to the future.
Plans for a new residential high-rise tower and restaurant are back in play, according to our news partner, the Jacksonville Daily Record.
The recently re-vamped Friendship Fountain is just one of many changes that could come to the area.
Since the River City Brewing Company was demolished nearly two years ago, the spot has been empty and awaiting development.
The Related Group out of Miami had plans last year to redevelop the site with housing and a restaurant but that was delayed because of rising construction costs. Now those plans now are back in play and the company is looking to get approval again for a 25-story mixed-use building.
The area, Friendship Park, is undergoing redevelopment and work continues for a kid’s play area. But some who live in the area like Bryan are concerned about how this will go.
“I’d like to see some condominiums around here,” he said. “Right now. It’s all apartments and transient people, there’s really no plans for long-term residents. So I would prefer a lower-rise building with more activation like food, restaurants, shops, places to park for those restaurants and shops, because San Marco’s biggest issue is people not being able to park and go into those places. So a lot of times they pass through and don’t stop.”
Bryan believes many living in the area are concerned now that the city is allowing a new storage facility and apartments to be built down the street despite objections from some in San Marco.
The Southbank project is under review again, according to the Daily Record, and a new project description filed with the city includes eight floors of luxury units and 1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartments. It also calls for parking for the complex and some spaces for visitors to the area.
The developer could invest over $200 million and is asking for $58 million in tax and various incentives from the city which would have to be approved by the city council.
A committee with the Downtown Investment Authority will go over these plans in a meeting on Friday.