JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For years, Jacksonville has been trying to answer an important question: What will downtown become?
Now, several major projects are moving closer to reality — from a new riverfront destination where the Jacksonville Landing once stood, to a potential Culinary Institute of America campus and a proposed Publix-anchored development in Pearl Square.
City leaders say each project plays a different role in creating a downtown that attracts more residents, visitors and businesses.
But as construction moves forward, another question remains: Can these projects create enough momentum to bring more private investment downtown and reduce the city’s role in helping fund future developments?
A new chapter at the riverfront
Nearly seven years after the Jacksonville Landing closed, Riverfront Plaza is beginning to take shape.
The city recently selected European Street Cafe, a beloved Jacksonville staple, as the first permanent restaurant at the new riverfront park.
For owner Andy Zarka, the opportunity is personal.
“The Landing meant so much to me growing up in Jacksonville. It was a place that I would come with my folks, and then in college we would come, and then after I had a daughter, we’d come down here and sit on the river, watch the dolphins, watch the fountain,” Zarka said. “It’s a special, special place to me, and so to have the privilege and the honor of opening this location in that historic spot.”
Zarka says opening at Riverfront Plaza is a chance to help create those same memories for a new generation.
The 2,400-square-foot café is expected to open in late fall 2026. It will offer European Street favorites, along with coffee, desserts, beer and wine, while also providing grab-and-go options for downtown workers and a gathering place for families and visitors.
Zarka says adding more activity, especially after business hours, is a key part of changing the way people experience downtown.
“Let’s make this more of an evening-time, nighttime location. There’s always that stigma: It becomes a ghost town after the offices close. We’ve been coming down here at night just to check it out, and that’s changing,” Zarka said. “Families are coming down here. They’re hanging out. They’re here in the evening. Let’s give them more to do, and more things to see.”
Culinary Institute of America
While Riverfront Plaza focuses on creating a gathering place along the river, city leaders say another project could help bring people to downtown from across the region: The proposed Culinary Institute of America campus.
Jacksonville city council members confirmed with News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson that the school selected the city as its future Southeast hub.
The project would be part of a larger riverfront development and is expected to include education, hospitality training and opportunities tied to tourism and conventions.
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The City Council previously approved up to $35 million in support for the project.
Councilman Jimmy Peluso says those dollars have already been identified and would not come from the city’s general fund or reserves.
“It’s not any money coming out of any reserves or the general fund. These are dollars that were already set aside about a year ago, so this isn’t affecting the taxpayer today,” Peluso explained.
The approval, however, does not mean the project is finished.
The Downtown Investment Authority still has to negotiate the final agreement, including details about the campus design, the property and the construction timeline.
Peluso says the impact could stretch far beyond Jacksonville.
“It’s not just for Jacksonville, it’s not just for Florida, it’s pretty much for everything south of Virginia and as far west as I think for Mississippi,” Peluso said. “We are going to be this massive hub for the Culinary Institute of America. We got selected; it’s kind of putting the ball back in our court, or at least the Downtown Investment Authority’s court, to negotiate a deal with CIA, to figure out, OK, we know CIA wants to come here, let’s make sure we have a package that helps build out their campus.”
Pearl Square and the Publix question
While Riverfront Plaza and the CIA project continue moving forward, city leaders say another development is critical to creating a complete downtown ecosystem: Pearl Square.
The proposed nine-block development would include apartments, retail space and a Publix grocery store with a pharmacy — something downtown residents have long needed.
Peluso says the grocery store is more than just another business. It would serve as an anchor to help support the surrounding development.
“I think the Publix deal and the tower they are building. Keep in mind it’s not just a Publix, and a parking garage and a tower will have a ton of residents in them, so that’s good for a couple of reasons,” Peluso said. “We just can’t do half measures. We can’t do a few things here or there and then do other projects that really bring it all together. If we want downtown to succeed, let’s just finish up this project of the Pearl Street District, and we will be in a great spot; we really would be.”
Unlike Riverfront Plaza and the CIA project, the Publix tower is still waiting on a final funding agreement.
Peluso says completing projects like Pearl Square is important because downtown developments often rely on each other.
“The one project that we still haven’t approved is that Publix project. Will it be a completion grant, or will it be a tax abatement? Will there be other options? I don’t know yet, but I am confident in this council and the mayor’s office that recognizes the value and the need to get this project completed,” Peluso said.
The bigger downtown question
City leaders say public support has helped bring major projects to Jacksonville, but the long-term goal is to create enough momentum that developers and businesses invest without needing as much city assistance.
“It’s going to make it easier for banks to lend, which is a big deal when it comes to downtown projects; you need those banks to want to lend and want to see their return on investment,” Peluso said. “Now they are going to see progress firsthand. We are going to see less and less incentives coming from the city, and that’s a big deal for us; things are going to become more self-sufficient.”
For Jacksonville, the challenge now is making sure these projects move forward together.
Because city leaders say downtown’s future will not be defined by one restaurant, one school or one development. It will depend on whether all the pieces work together.