The Jacksonville Transportation Authority board is discussing a mixed-use development next to the Rosa Parks Skyway station. | Jacksonville Transportation Authority
Published on December 14, 2023 at 5:45 pm
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A terminus of the Jacksonville Skyway may soon become the beginning of housing opportunities in Downtown Jacksonville.
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority board on Thursday unanimously approved a term-sheet with developer Gateway Jax to convert a 1.47-acre parcel adjacent to the Rosa Parks Transit Station on Union Street into a mixed-use development.
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The development will have 250 units with 25 of them set aside for people and families who make between 80% and 120% of Jacksonville’s average median income, which is $64,138.
The term sheet allows JTA chief executive Nathaniel Ford to negotiate a 99-year lease with Gateway Jax leaders. That is expected to be signed by the middle of next year.
“Our latest collaborations with Corner Lot Development Group and Gateway Jax underscore our dedication to advancing mobility in our city and ensuring accessible and affordable housing for our community,” JTA CEO Nathaniel Ford Sr. said in a statement. “Our vision is to see Jacksonville evolve into a city where affordable living and efficient transportation coalesce, making it a model for urban development. We are proud to be at the forefront of this journey, as together we work to make Jacksonville a more vibrant and connected city for all its residents.”
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Board member Aundra Wallace asked JTA Executive Vice President Cleveland Ferguson III to ensure that the mandate for affordable housing in the project is for a full 30 years as opposed to 15 years with the potential for a second 15-year agreement. Ferguson obliged.
“It’s a great day for economic development in the city of Jacksonville,” Ferguson said.
Board chairwoman Debbie Buckland added: “It really is. Right in time for Christmas.”
The board approved a pair of transit oriented developments near Downtown that, if completed, would add a total of 38 affordable housing units.
“It does make me proud,” Buckland said. “That’s housing for our teachers, our bus operators and first responders. It’s a good thing.”
Gateway Jax CEO Bryan Moll said the grassy property alongside Union Street is part of $500 million in development along Pearl Street. He said the development will feature 100,000 square feet of retail space anchored by a grocery store.
Moll expects to break ground in late 2025 or early 2026 if the design is approved by the Downtown Investment Authority. He said the Skyway is a fantastic piece of infrastructure.
“Really great transit systems, especially urban transit systems, connect where people live to where they work, shop and play,” Moll said. “And today the Skyway system really connects a lot of office buildings to other office buildings. There’s a little bit of residential Downtown today, but not a lot. What we’re doing is building a tremendous amount of residential and multifamily in Downtown.”
Lead image: The Jacksonville Transportation Authority board is discussing a mixed-use development next to the Rosa Parks Skyway station. | Jacksonville Transportation Authority
