DOWNTOWN

A prime spot on East Bay Street in downtown Jacksonville is in line for big changes.

More than 100 projects are planned to transform Jacksonville’s downtown, including the highly anticipated Shipyard West and the Riverfront Plaza developments.

A well-worn maxim in gambling says you should assume everyone is lying to you at all times. This rule also seems to apply to debates about online sports betting.

Jacksonville’s downtown is undergoing some changes with new development, but there is one problem that’s going to get worse as the city’s core grows — parking.

On Sept. 16, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a fresh condemnation of a pair of Republican governors — Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas — who have sent groups of migrants to Democratic areas, accusing them of employing “the kinds of tactics we see from smugglers in places like Mexico and Guatemala.”

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has been grumbling about the Florida-Georgia game being held in Jacksonville for years, and during Southeastern Conference Media Days this week, he renewed his calls for the annual rivalry game to be played on the universities’ campuses instead.

Jacksonville is another step closer to moving the Sulzbacher Center from downtown to the Northside.

A News4JAX Insider can win a VIP experience for four to the "Oh Say Can You Sing" finale.

A News4JAX Insider can win a VIP experience for four to the "Oh Say Can You Sing" finale.

The USS Orleck has been docked on the Northbank since the end of March, and visitors will soon have a chance to experience what life was like on board.

The Jacksonville Jazz Fest is back for yet another star-studded event sure to draw countless visitors with events spreading out over several days through downtown. City leaders have outlined what you need to know as you plan your day. That includes navigating the traffic.

Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s development company, Iguana Investments, has agreed to purchase the Jacksonville Fairgrounds downtown. In turn, the far will move west more than 15 miles away.

Downtown has a different look now that the Jacksonville Fire Museum and the USS Orleck are along the St. Johns River, but it’s going to be a while before either open to the public.

The vision for a museum district is starting to take shape downtown with the impending arrival of the USS Orleck and the move of the Jacksonville Fire Museum this weekend.

A UNF poll released Thursday shines light on what Jacksonville residents support and oppose, covering topics like elections, sports — and also the most important issues they feel Jacksonville is facing.

The mayor's declaration comes as protesters opposed to COVID-19 restrictions continue to paralyze Ottawa's downtown.

The mayor's declaration comes as protesters opposed to COVID-19 restrictions continue to paralyze Ottawa's downtown.

The owners of a company operating hundreds of pop-up COVID-19 testing sites across the country, including one in Jacksonville, have been the subject of several investigations by major media outlets over how they’re spending their money.

The Minnesota Attorney General’s office is accusing the Center for Covid Control of deceptive and fraudulent practices.

A new implosion date for the Berkman II building in Downtown Jacksonville could be identified in a matter of days, but the demolition “definitely will not be on January 8."

Last Saturday, the afternoon high temperature reached 83° tying the previous record. Today, Saturday, we once again will be rapidly warming into the 80s with a decent shot of tying (again) the old record of 83°. Interestingly, that old record was just a few years ago, 2016. That was the same year Hurricane Matthew raced, just off the beaches, up the Coast.

City leaders are looking to the future after Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer was fired before the end of his first season with the team.

The Jacksonville Public Library’s main location downtown will reopen to the public next month, the city announced Tuesday.

A guide to planning a visit to the popular festival, which takes place the weekend before Thanksgiving.

The festivities were set to begin with “Duuuval’s Bold City Bash’ concert, but it was canceled due to potential severe weather. Still -- many other events are a go for the Florida-Georgia weekend.

Now that Jacksonville City Council has given thumbs up to helping Jaguars owner Shad Khan build a luxury hotel on the old Shipyards project, we’re looking into what happens next.

Jacksonville’s main library Downtown is closed indefinitely for upgrades as it hosts the city’s state-run COVID antibody treatment clinic.

The Local Station continues an Independence Day tradition by broadcasting the city of Jacksonville’s Fourth of July fireworks show live for at-home viewing.

This one felt better.At least, that was my feeling after hearing the Jaguars most recent development pitch, a plan that includes a Four Seasons Hotel and Residence, upgraded marina, an office building, and an improved sports performance center.

Drivers and residents parking in most on-street parking spots Downtown are noticing a steep increase in parking rates at the digital meters.

Within hours of city crews arriving with a truck that scooped claw-fulls of items into a dumpster bed, hundreds of remaining tents had dwindled to just over a dozen in a makeshift homeless camp in Downtown Jacksonville. Daryus Sando, who called the tent city home for two months, said seeing the city crews made the deadline suddenly very real. The shelter was 0.3 miles from the “tent city” area, about a 6-minute walk. Ashley Street shelter for those who were living in tent city. Paul Stasi with CRM described the shelter like a temporary disaster shelter the city would set up for a situation like a hurricane.

The City of Jacksonville officially launched a one-year pilot program for e-scooters, e-bicycles and dockless bicycles in Downtown Jacksonville on Thursday. Locals and visitors can rent and ride these electric scooters via smartphone applications. “I’m so excited that Micromobility has come to Downtown Jacksonville,” Cumber said. Dockless Mobility Program Vendors include: Blue Duck, Helbiz, LINK and SPIN. Each company will deploy 100 electric scooters for a total of 400, all operating within the Dockless Mobility Zone (DMZ).

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – This week the Downtown Development Review Board approved the historic Laura Street Trio project, according to News4Jax partners at the Jax Daily Record. (Copyright 2021 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.) (Copyright 2021 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.) The city also approved plans for a concert venue attached to a rooftop bar on Bay Street, also known as Project 323. (Copyright 2021 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Fire and Rescue crews battled a massive fire at an abandoned funeral home Downtown that took a little over an hour to get under control and involved the collapse of the roof and second floor, fire officials said. Flames could be seen pouring from the building at Main and Union streets as firefighters battled to douse the fire with several ladder trucks from above. Eventually, more than 45 apparatus and over 110 firefighters were on scene to battle the blaze, which they were able to get under control in a little over an hour. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry tweeted video of the firefighters, asking for prayers as they battled the dangerous blaze. Riska said State, Union and Laura streets downtown were all closed as firefighters battled the flames, but that they would reopen as crews were released from the scene.

Singer Petula Clark has spoken out in confusion about the use of her 1964 song “Downtown” by the man who set off a bomb in an RV on a Nashville street on Christmas Day. “Why this violent act — leaving behind it such devastation?” the British singer said in a statement posted Tuesday on Facebook. “A few hours later — I was told that the music in the background of that strange announcement — was me — singing ‘Downtown’! AdvertisementOn Facebook, 88-year-old Clark tried to make sense of why her song was used but didn’t come to a clear conclusion. “Of course, the opening lyric is, ‘When you’re alone and life is making you lonely you can always go Downtown,’” she wrote.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Standing on the Jacksonville Jaguars indoor practice field Monday, Jaguars owner Shad Khan and Mayor Lenny Curry announced new plans for the development at Lot J, a project that has been years in the making. The total direct public investment from the city will be over $152 million which includes $77.7 million for city-owned infrastructure, Curry said. “This project will provide an immediate boost to our economy with the creation of 2,300 construction jobs,” Curry said. “We have a lot of other priorities in the city and they are going to cost some money so I don’t want to pit Lot J against those other needs. Rendering of Lot J development (Copyright 2020 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded to house fire in the Downtown area around 11:30 p.m. Friday. Responding crew members could see the flames burning from outside the home. Within minutes, the department said that the fire was under control. After an initial search of the home, JFRD said there was no one inside. The State Fire Marshal has been called to lead an investigation into the late night house fire.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. There will be no COVID-19 testing at three Jacksonville churches on Saturday, even though it had been planned for weeks. News4Jax found out Friday night the scheduled coronavirus testing has been canceled at The Bethel Church and Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church downtown, and at Citadel Church in Arlington. Bishop Rudolph McKissick from The Bethel Church said it was a complete surprise and it strikes a nerve. I guess that would have to come from the department the State Department of Health, and the Chamber of Commerce.Duval County has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. In Jacksonville, an additional 744 COVID-19 cases were reported Friday, just 23 cases behind Duval Countys single-day record of 767 cases, reported July 2.

Jacksonville is the front-runner to host some or all of the Republican National Convention, a committee chairwoman said Wednesday. St. Johns has about 6,300 hotel rooms countywide. Former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney has insight from helping organize the Super Bowl in 2005 when a surplus of visitors came to the city. “Super Bowl is 100-120,000 people, and the convention maybe half of that, so there should be enough hotel rooms, again, depending on what kind of outpouring comes out,” Delaney said. Ron DeSantis has previously said that Orlando and Miami could be ideal locations because of the number of hotel rooms.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Charter Revision Commission for Jacksonville released a final report on FridayThe CRC has worked since last July putting together recommendations for changes to the city’s charter. At the top of the list for potential changes would be creating the Urban Core Development Authority. The idea addresses complaints that certain parts of Duval County have been left behind in the 50 years since consolidation. There were three sections on elections or voting and under “miscellaneous," the Commission weighed in on JEA, Duval County schools and the Office of General Counsel. Members of the CRC have committed to speaking with members of the Mayor’s office and City Council to address their concerns.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A woman was injured Monday night after she was struck by a car while crossing a street in downtown Jacksonville. According to the Jacksonville Sheirff’s Office, the unidentified woman was crossing north on West Union Street just after 9 p.m. when she was hit by a vehicle heading east. She was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. JSO said she was not in the crosswalk and the driver is cooperating with authorities. The road was closed between Laura and Julia streets while JSO Traffic Homicide investigated.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville is one step closer to having new homes and businesses along the St. Johns River downtown. Two developers have been bidding to develop East Bay Street, where the old courthouse and City Hall annex once stood. The first bidder, Spandrel Development Partners, specializes in developing “mixed-use, multi-family, hospitality and retail projects in target cities of growth," according to its website. On Monday, members of the Downtown Investment Authority committee for development recommended that Spandrel Development Partners be given the bid for the property. If the full board agrees to have Spandrel Development Partners develop the riverfront site then the group and DIA will agree on the terms of the project.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Just a year ago, the old City Hall was imploded and the old Duval County Courthouse was demolished. Today, all that’s left on the Bay Street site is a field of green grass. The bidding was opened at 2 p.m for the opportunity to build on the prime property on the downtown Jacksonville riverfront, but only two developers expressed interest — one company out of New York and another based in Miami. Mayor Lenny Curry, who has become known for tearing buildings down in downtown Jacksonville, spoke about the proposals Wednesday. We obviously want to develop the area but we know we have investors with capital that is liquid that are ready to go,” Curry said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There’s now just one large structure left at the Jacksonville Landing as demolition crews keep taking down the iconic riverfront mall. The one large building left is the one closest to the Main Street Bridge, which housed Koja Sushi and other restaurants. The building like it on the other side, which housed Hooters and The American Grill, is now gone, reduced to rubble. “Something we could come down here every day, like The Landing used to be,” Rogers said. Some of the outer walls facing Independent Drive are still standing as well.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville family is heading into the holiday season with three members fighting three different kinds of cancer. The Desclefs family owns and operates a French-American restaurant called the Magnificat Cafe across from Hemming Plaza in downtown Jacksonville. Farah and Farah, a personal injury law firm in Jacksonville, heard about the family and is stepping up to help. Farah and Farah is pledging $10,000 as a donation match for all sales at the restaurant from Dec. 9 through Dec. 13 to benefit the Desclefs. Click here to donate to The Desclefs Family Cancer FundFarah and Farah is asking the community to drop by and grab a bite to eat at the Magnificat Cafe next week (Monday - Friday).

It’s been almost five years since a portion of Liberty Street near the old courthouse collapsed into the St. Johns River. A City report says planned repairs won’t be done until April 2020. On Feb. 1, 2015, the second collapse of Liberty Street occurred. Instead of fixing that portion of Liberty Street, it has been demolished along with the parking that was adjacent to the Old Duval County courthouse. Also since the collapse, the old courthouse and City Hall have been leveled.

News4Jax reporter Tera Lageman joins us outside the courthouse Downtown with more on the trial. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

News4Jax reporter Ashley Harding joins us from Downtown where Karina Brown and Reggie Brown arrive to court.

The Mathews Bridge reopened Tuesday afternoon just before 3 p.m. after it had been closed down in both directions while police investigated a suspicious item. The package was found to be "nothing of concern," Jacksonville police said. Traffic into and out of Downtown was briefly rerouted over the Hart Bridge. "Thank you for your patience as we make safety a priority for everyone," the Sheriff's Office posted in a Tweet. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Of the more than 100 teens and children shot in Jacksonville in the last two years, 75 were black males, according to data from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. The data showed that no juveniles had been shot in the Downtown ZIP code (32202) from the beginning of 2015 through September 2016. In Duval County, 106 juveniles -- under 18 years old -- were shot in less than two years: from January 2015 to September 2016. The I-TEAM created a color-coded interactive ZIP code map that shows the most dangerous zones around the city. To see how many people were shot in your ZIP code, check out the map below.