Jacksonville Coffee Company

Jax Coffee Co. expands to Downtown with its fourth location! The downtown location will feature the same coffee menu and the same six to eight different types of beans roasted throughout Central and South America and West Africa. Founder Jose Parada, a native El Salvadoran, has a personal connection to some of these farms and has known of them since he was a boy. The cafe will also serve breakfast and lunch sourced from the Blueberry Bakery (Southern Grounds) and Cinotti’s Bakery-Sandwich Shop.

The store will also feature consumer and wholesale equipment from Parada’s complementary firm, First Coast Espresso.

The 600-square-foot space is smaller than its other locations but offers an urban feel that is not present at the stores on Beach Boulevard, in Southside or in the Town Center. Housed on the first floor of the Dyal-Upchurch Building, which was designed by architect Henry John Klutho, the building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

River House

This six-story, 264 unit apartment complex offering studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The complex consists of two residential buildings, one fronting the St. Johns River and another fronting Prudential Drive. Community amenities include a pool, courtyard, game areas, a social clubroom, billiards lounge, pet-grooming spa, and a health club that will feature yoga and spin studios as well as top-grade fitness equipment.

St John’s River Park Playground and Friendship Fountain

The City re-opened the renovated Friendship Fountain in February 2024 with a waterfall wall and nightly choreographed light shows. St John’s River Park Playground is officially open and includes themes around “Exploring the St. Johns River.” The space features a history-themed play Ship, “La Trinité,” restrooms, a wedding venue, picnic areas, and interpretive gardens to help tell the story of the city’s founding and the American Heritage River at the heart of our city.

Status: Recently Completed

Emerald Trail LaVilla Link

The first phase of the Emerald Trail is the 1.3-mile LaVilla Link which officially opened on May 6, 2024.

Construction of the project, connecting Brooklyn to LaVilla and the S-Line Rail Link—began in September 2021. The estimated project cost is $8.9 million. Baptist Health is the lead investor in the LaVilla Link.

A 14-foot-wide concrete pedestrian/bicycle trail is designed for both active and passive recreation with abundant shade trees and native plantings. It features several signature points of interest where users can pause and reflect.

In addition, the Trail honors the LaVilla neighborhood through wayfinding, storyboards and public art installations while connecting to the historic landmarks, Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park and Florida C. Dwight Memorial Playground (Park).

Beginning the journey at Stonewall Street in Brooklyn, the LaVilla Link crosses over the Park Street bridge. The two northbound lanes were repurposed for the Emerald Trail to allow for active recreation and plantings, including a bioswale to filter stormwater runoff. The Emerald Trail also took over the existing elevated walkway to create a pedestrian path separated from runners and cyclists.

Along the Park Street bridge an 1,100 foot-long mural celebrates the history of the LaVilla and Brooklyn neighborhoods. Created by Overstreet Ducasse, the mural was underwritten by Rushton and Charles Callaghan.

Atop the span, glass panels and an elevated concrete seating structure offer a unique view of McCoys Creek and the railroad tracks. A shade structure is planned for later this year. The Park Street Overlook is supported by a gift from the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.

A road diet along Lee Street from Water to Houston Street slows traffic and creates a tree-lined canopy along the Emerald Trail. Planted beds along the trail provide separation from vehicle traffic and will create shade as the trees mature.

Continuing north on Lee Street, the trail connects to the new Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park, expected to open in late June. The Park will honor two of Jacksonville’s most famous residents, James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson. The Johnson brothers wrote “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” often called the Black National Anthem, at their home in the LaVilla neighborhood in the early 1900s.

Just beyond the park, between Monroe and Duval streets, is the LaVilla Pond. This was an existing retention pond that has been reimagined with a boardwalk made from recycled materials, and a seating platform with swings. A variety of aquatic/wetland plants and grasses were planted along the bank to create a living shoreline that will help to improve water quality, reduce erosion, and provide habitat for birds, fish and pollinators. The LaVilla Pond overlook is supported by a gift from David and Monique Miller.

As the trail heads west along Church Street a butterfly garden sponsored by the Late Bloomers Garden Club adds beauty and food for pollinators.

There is also a StoryWalk® where steps and story time come together. The rotating installation features a series of 20 mounted displays depicting sequential pages from a children’s picture book. The project is made possible by Baptist Health and is supported by the Library Foundation of Jacksonville and Groundwork Jacksonville.

At Eaverson Street, the trail connects to the Florida C. Dwight Memorial Playground which was upgraded by the City Parks Department in preparation for the trail, and includes new playground equipment, a basketball court and a skateboard ramp. The site also features a rain garden, with water-loving native plants that will capture, clean and absorb stormwater runoff and filter pollutants. The environmental feature is supported by a gift from the Pajcic family.

At its northern end, the LaVilla Link connects to the existing S-line Rail Trail at State Street. This area has great potential for future activation. The property owner has exciting plans for the large warehouses, one dating back to the late 1800s. His vision for the 500,000 square foot property includes creating a center for commercial, performing and visual arts with retail shops, dining and an outdoor event space, similar to King Plow Arts Center in Atlanta.

The Cady Club

Opening Spring 2025, The Cady Club will offer a cafe and event space. The 9,300-square-foot, two-story structure, first known as the Cady Building, was built in 1930. A lounge will serve coffee and snacks in addition to beer and wine, and compliment second- and first-floor event spaces.

The DIA approved a $96,427 Retail Enhancement Grant toward the approximately $400,000 build-out in Nov. 2023.

Kasper Architects

Kasper Architects has expanded its Jacksonville presence with this second, Downtown office, opened in Fall 2024. Kasper Architects is a full service architectural and interior design firm.

Pour Taproom

Opening June 2025, Pour Taproom boasts 80 beers on tap as well as an awesome pub fare. Locally owned, Pour has prioritized Duval and Florida craft brews, featuring plenty of sours, innovative flavors, and mixed drinks too. A mezzanine, small stage, and plentiful seating even make Pour Taproom an excellent event venue. And with tons of TVs, if you’re not at the game, this is where you’ll be watching it!

A partnership between Atlanta-based Pour Taproom and VyStar, this first Florida franchise, in the ground floor of the newly constructed parking garage on Laura Street (adjacent to Pizza Dynamo), will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Dorothy’s Downtown

From the team behind The District Springfield comes Dorothy’s Downtown: a vibrant new addition to Jacksonville’s culinary scene. Opened in May 2025, the restaurant brings upscale Southern and Creole flavors to the former original Burrito Gallery space beneath Indochine, which remains upstairs.

Serving dinner seven days a week, plus weekend brunch, Dorothy’s pairs bold, soulful cooking with warm hospitality.

The project was made possible in part by support from the Downtown Investment Authority’s Food and Beverage Retail Enhancement Program – further fueling the revival of Jacksonville’s urban core.

Co-Op Frose & Eatery

The first Florida franchise of this popular Charleston based concept. Located in one retail space of the newly renovated First Baptist Convention Center, Co-Op will also utilize half of the patio of the renovated Federal Reserve on the Hogan Street Cycle track. Slated for completion in Fall of 2024.

Pizza Dynamo

Pizza Dynamo is a spinoff of Pizza Jean in Atlanta’s Ponce City Market. With its own menu and vibe, Pizza Dynamo opened June 2025 adjacent to Pour Taproom in the new VyStar parking garage retail bay.