Jacksonville Skyline | High Reason/Rudy Balasko
Published on November 19, 2025 at 10:54 am
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An unformed narrative and still-emerging built environment have left the Jacksonville identity vague, impeding our potential.
Think about the times you have chosen a place to visit or live.
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You chose the place because of the combination of characteristics that form a desirable image in your mind: its history and authentic experiences; its cultural, entertainment and industrial hallmarks; and, especially, its natural and built environments. They all combine to send you an invitation. The city’s reputation, formed by its inimitable character, and its defining sense of place, owns a place in your mind.
Quick, think of Charleston. Now Nashville. In your mind’s eye are pictures and expectations of these places. Through luck or through pluck, these peer Southern cities have excelled at creating distinct and ownable place personas. Even with its impressive growth trajectory and enviable natural setting and experiences, Jacksonville has not—yet.
Why does that matter? With so much growth and so much love for this place, something must be going right here. Plenty is going right. Our momentum is remarkable. Consider these exciting projects in the urban core alone: Riverfront Plaza, the Emerald Trail, the Four Seasons Hotel, the new MOSH, the Jacksonville History Center, the Stadium of the Future, Metropolitan Park, Shipyards West Park, Gateway Jax, JTA’s cutting-edge Regional Transportation and Autonomous Innovation Centers, numerous corporate expansions, and the planned UF campus, among others.
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Our lack of an identity matters because we’re not reaching our highest potential. We must express and own our story before our growth writes it for us. Our talented economic development professionals are creating big wins, but our vague identity and narrative have an impact on tourism, investment, job creation and talent attraction.
The greater impact may be inward facing. Our residents aren’t lifted by the sense of belonging and the pride that come with living within a cohesive, well-defined culture and an inspiring built environment. We are limiting opportunity and access to a better lived experience. We owe ourselves more, and we should aspire to more.
Our opportunity is to define the quality of place we want and define our narrative. Because it has the potential to both attract and retain residents and workers, quality of place is an essential ingredient for enduring success as a city in the century ahead. With exceptional placemaking will come a more resonant story and narrative. Think of world-class cities. Inspiring built environments and storied character are their inextricable qualities. The place is the brand, and the brand is the place.
Define Jacksonville’s identity
The Jacksonville Civic Council is asking residents to complete a short survey to help define what makes Jacksonville unique. What are our defining assets, characteristics and distinctions? What is your opinion of our public spaces, parks and access points to our natural assets and the water? From this research, we will form a DNA and vision for our place – a simple statement of what we stand for and what drives us. The DNA and vision will inform what the pillars and principles of our storytelling and placemaking should be.
Visit https://jaxciviccouncil.com/2025/11/13/jacksonville-community-identity-survey/ to read more and take the survey. Help develop our authentic story as we aim to build a world-class city and destination of choice that benefits everyone in the region.
