JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority board voted on Wednesday to take a final preparatory step toward offering the city-owned historic Snyder Memorial Church for redevelopment proposals, according to our news partners at the Jacksonville Daily Record.
According to DIA documents, the former church on N. Laura St. has not been used for religious services since the 1970s, and later was deconsecrated by United Methodist Church. It is on the National Register of Historic Buildings and has been designated as a local historic landmark by the city.
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“The Snyder Memorial Church is on the national register of historic places, and it’s a locally landmarked structure of Jacksonville,” said Dr. Alan Bliss, CEO of the Jacksonville History Center. “It fully deserves that recognition because it’s one of the first significant buildings that was built after the fire.”
The board voted 9-0 on a resolution to establish a predisposition marketing period to garner interest from prospective developers and give them time to craft proposals for adaptive reuses of the 122-year-old building. The resolution also establishes a conceptual framework and evaluation criteria for a future notice of disposition.
The DIA Resolution 2026-02-01 authorizes Cushman & Wakefield to help the DIA during the predisposition period in soliciting proposals for sale or lease of the structure, which the city has owned since 2004.
The city has committed $4.5 million toward critical repairs, including the roof and foundation, making the building safe and attractive to developers. Possible uses include offices, restaurants, or event venues, aiming to blend Jacksonville’s historic character with 21st-century growth.