Downtown Jacksonville business owners say change is finally reaching a long-quiet stretch of the North Core — and the latest development could bring some of the biggest momentum yet. – Downtown Jacksonville business owners say change is finally reaching a long-quiet stretch of the North Core — and the latest development could bring some of the biggest momentum yet.
Developers behind the multi-billion-dollar Pearl Square project have announced 655 Pearl, a six-story, 100,000-square-foot office building that will anchor the $750 million mixed-use neighborhood now under construction.
It’s the first new multi-tenant office tower planned for Jacksonville’s North Core in more than 20 years.
For longtime business owners working just feet from the cranes and construction fencing, the announcement marks another step toward a downtown that feels alive again.
‘Everything is growing’
Marvin Hearman has watched the area stall and start again for years. His family-run restaurant, Starving Like Marvin, sits in the center of the Pearl Square footprint.
He told News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson that business is good, but the neighborhood needs more energy.
However, he said he noticed the momentum in the area shifting.
“Last four years, business has been pretty good, and it’s going to get even better,” Hearman said. “I heard previously that tenants didn’t do too well. So for us to come in and knock it out of the box, and it’s growing — everything is growing.”
Hearman added the construction surrounding his restaurant is already shaping the way he operates.
With more residents, office workers, and visitors expected to move through the area, he plans to extend his hours — possibly from closing at 6pm to as late as 1 or 2 a.m.
“We’re all excited. I wish they could open up tomorrow so I can put my chef hat on,” he said with a laugh.
What 655 Pearl will bring
The newly announced office building is designed by Morris Adjmi Architects and BDG Architects, with a ground-floor retail level spanning roughly 25,000 square feet.
According to JLL — the firm overseeing leasing for the project — 655 Pearl is meant to feel less like a traditional office building and more like part of an active urban neighborhood.
JLL’s Michael Loftin said companies today are looking for energized, amenity-rich environments that help attract talent.
“Workspace is no longer viewed as a static line item, but as a strategic tool to attract talent, support culture, and bring people together,” Loftin said in a statement. Employees will be at the center of a dynamic ecosystem of retail, dining, hospitality, and public spaces — all steps from their desks.”
Construction is anticipated to break ground in 2027, with completion expected in 2028.
Impact could be immediate
At E-Luxe Hair Studio, located next to the development, hairstylist Sabrina Sellers said increased foot traffic is exactly what the area has needed.
“I feel like this side of downtown has been dead for a little while,” she said. “It’s going to bring more business — and more food is great, especially for lunch breaks for us, because we like to eat.”
Larger push to remake downtown
The 655 Pearl addition is the newest to the sprawling Pearl Square plan — a nine-block district expected to bring:
- More than 1,200 new apartments and condos
- A full-service Publix grocery store
- Multiple restaurants, including upcoming Italian and Japanese concepts
- Renovated boutique hotel space
- Public plazas, parks, farmers markets, wellness events, and curbless pedestrian-friendly streets
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Earlier phases of the project, including residential units and retail space, are slated to open this summer with the arrival of the Vandeveer apartments.
Business owners say the scope of the project is what stands out most — not just one building, but a full neighborhood taking shape around them.
‘About to get better’
For Hearman and Sellers, the hope is simple: more people walking by, more activity, and more reasons for customers to stay downtown.
“Downtown has been kind of shaky for a long time,” Hearman said. “With the new development and everything, it’s about to get better.”
Developers say that transformation is exactly the point — and that 655 Pearl is one of many pieces still to come.