Development boom in Jacksonville’s Brooklyn neighborhood

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nearly $270 million in projects are either underway or are in the planning stages along Riverside Avenue in Jacksonville’s Brooklyn neighborhood.

Almost everywhere you look in the area, there are cranes, construction and mounds of dirt. It’s a sign of the growth.

In Brooklyn Place, there are already restaurants such as Burrito Gallery and other stores open but more are coming. As the Jacksonville Daily Record reports, Panera Bread, Chipotle and Bento Asian Kitchen and Sushi will lease the space, and they could open as early as this summer. It’s a nearly $2 million project.

Popping up next to 220 Riverside Apartments is the Vista Brooklyn Apartments. It’s labeled as a high end apartment complex with 13,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. It’s a $60 million project that’s expected to bring more than 300 units. It’s expected to open in 2021.

To the west, a seven story hotel with about 130 rooms is underway. The Daily Record says Residence Inn by Marriott is in the early stages of development. It's a more than $10 million project off of Oak Street.

Then there’s the Florida Blue Parking Garage right across the street at Magnolia and Park streets. The Daily Record said the four-story garage will have under 900 spots. Construction is set to begin in less than a week. The city has filled in the retention pond that was previously there.

FIS is building a 300,000 square foot new world headquarters at 323 Riverside on the waterfront. It plans to consolidate its three facilities in Jacksonville into the new building. It also announced it will be employing 500 people within the next decade.

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The building is expected to be 12 stories and will take two years to complete.