JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nearly seven years after the former Duval County Courthouse was demolished, Jacksonville officials say they are moving closer to activating the long-vacant riverfront property at 330 E. Bay St., a site many leaders see as a key to revitalizing downtown.
During a meeting of the Jacksonville City Council’s Special Committee on the Future of Downtown on Tuesday, Downtown Investment Authority CEO Colin Tarbert presented updated concepts and a proposed phased development strategy for the property known as “Ford on Bay,” which sits along the St. Johns River near sports and entertainment venues.
The courthouse was demolished in 2019 after work began in late 2018, but the land has remained largely empty since then. Tarbert told council members the authority is now focused on finding a developer to activate the western portion of the site with restaurants, nightlife and public-facing uses tied to the riverwalk.
“We think people are interested in 330 East Bay Street,” Tarbert said, describing the latest renderings as a “placeholder” showing what could be built if the site is developed incrementally rather than all at once.
The DIA presented a massing study with multiple development options, including concepts that reduce visible parking structures and limit the amount of parking on site. One preferred scheme avoids exposing a parking garage altogether and shifts some residential demand to existing underused garages through monthly parking passes, an idea council members said could help incentivize development.
Several council members pressed the authority on timing and certainty, questioning whether the plans reflect real interest from developers or are purely conceptual.
“This is great that we have this in front of us, but why are we looking at this right now?” Council member Raul Arias asked. “Do you have any hotels or developers that said, ‘I want to create something like this,’ or are we just creating this and it might be totally different from this?”
Council member Matt Carlucci called the Bay Street corridor a critical piece of downtown’s future, particularly for sports and entertainment activity tied to nearby venues.
That focus on downtown redevelopment has already been backed by significant city funding. Last year, council members approved legislation appropriating $45 million from the city’s self-insurance fund reserves for downtown and related countywide projects. Under the final measure, $30 million was directed to the Downtown Economic Development Fund for a riverfront residential incentives contingency account, while the remaining $15 million was placed in a special City Council contingency account.
“I have always felt that that Bay Street area there is one of the great keys to that section of the core of downtown,” Carlucci said. “That has the potential to be one of the hottest spots right there. I’d put a stake in the ground on that damn $30 million if I was you guys.”
Carlucci and Arias also emphasized the importance of guaranteeing nightlife and retail uses as the city invests public dollars into downtown development.
“I want to be able to make sure that we guarantee that we see nightlife and retail,” Arias said, referring to roughly $30 million in city incentives. “We know what we want, and we want to see it there.”
Tarbert responded that the DIA expects a mix of active uses.
“I think you’re definitely going to see restaurants here, nightlife, hotels,” he said, while acknowledging concerns from council members about too much residential development and not enough commercial or entertainment space.
As part of the next steps, the DIA plans to issue a Notice of Disposition by the end of the month to solicit a qualified developer for the western portion of the former courthouse site. Responses would be due by March, with the eastern portion of Ford on Bay targeted for a separate solicitation in late 2026.
The phased approach, Tarbert said, is intended to preserve long-term flexibility while ensuring high-quality outcomes that enhance downtown’s appeal as a destination.
Other updates presented to the committee included projects tied to a proposed Baptist Health hotel, demolition of the former Museum of Science & History building, Snyder Memorial Church and tracking of completion grants. Tarbert also noted that the nearby Police Memorial Building is expected to be officially vacated within about a year, potentially opening additional downtown real estate for redevelopment.