News Releases
What's Coming Soon
There's no shortage of exciting things on the horizon in Jacksonville. Here's a list of what's to come.
Dining
City Grille & Raw Bar
The upscale restaurant offering steaks, seafood and craft cocktails on Downtown's Southbank will open in 2023.
Gemma Fish + Oyster
Gemma Fish + Oyster will offer varieties of oysters, seafood towers, pokes, salmon tartare, ceviches and non-seafood dishes. Opening is expected in fall 2023.
Happy Brew Coffee Shop
Happy Brew is a not-for-profit coffee shop that will employ young adults with intellectual and developmental differences while serving a unique blend of coffee in a welcoming and friendly environment in San Marco. An opening date is to be determined.
Hardwicks Bar
Hardwicks Bar will be the first LGBTQIA+ bar to open in Jacksonville in 20 years. Located at the corner of Adams and Ocean Streets in Downtown, the bar is projected to open in March 2023.
Jekyll Brewing
An Alpharetta, Ga.-based craft brewery is expected to open in 2023 at the Jax Beach Town Center.
Southern Grounds - JAX
With a belief in creating a community around great coffee and food, Southern Grounds chef-driven coffee house will open adjacent to the TSA area (pre-security) at Jacksonville International Airport in 2023.
Taverna Oceana
Chef Sam and Kiley Efron, the husband-and-wife team behind Taverna in San Marco, will open Taverna Oceana in 2023. Taverna Oceana will be a new raw bar and seafood-focused concept, conveniently located next door to Taverna in San Marco Square.
Tulua Bistro
Tulua Bistro prides itself on offering unique dishes in a welcoming and inspiring atmosphere. The new location is expected to open in the Springfield neighborhood in 2023.
Attractions
Florida Theatre VIP Area
Expansion of the historic Florida Theatre will create a 3,000-square-foot VIP lounge connected with the mezzanine. The $10 million renovation is scheduled to be completed in time for the venue’s centennial celebration in 2027.
Jacksonville Naval Museum
The forthcoming Jacksonville Naval Museum, featuring the USS Orleck, will honor veterans and Jacksonville’s naval heritage while providing educational opportunities. The grand opening date is to be determined.
Jacksonville Shipyards
The Jacksonville Shipyards, including a restored Met Park, will deliver a Downtown experience that blends urban design with waterfront entertainment. Plans include Jacksonville's first 5-star hotel, The Four Seasons, and a modernized city-owned marina with a park and a multifunctional building that will include a restaurant.
Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens REZOOVENATION
The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens announced improvement plans including the VyStar SkySpace, an open-air roof structure as part of an innovative, immersive arrival experience, and both new and expanded animal habitats.
Jax Beach Town Center
About a block from the Atlantic Ocean and Seawalk Pavilion, the two-story, modern building with a rooftop dining area is expected to be complete in 2023. It will feature Oaxaca Club, offering an innovative menu of chef-inspired cuisine highlighting the Mexican state of Oaxaca and Jekyll Brewing, an Alpharetta, Ga.-based craft brewery.
Museum of Science and History Relocation
MOSH will move across the St. Johns River to the Northbank. Moving allows MOSH to meet the growing demand for exhibits and programs that inspire innovation. The new Museum will comprise dedicated areas for exhibitions, classes and events, while also incorporating a new-and-improved space for the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium.
St. Johns River Park and Friendship Fountain
The St. Johns River Park and Friendship Fountain redesigned park and fountain will include a botanical garden, play park, splash pad and overall upgrades. It is projected to open in 2023.
To be Named Live Music Venue
A new live music and events space is being built at a new development, Dennis + Ives, in the Rail Yard District. The name for the space, as well as the projected opening date, are to be determined.
Hotels
Ambassador Hotel + Annex
The long-vacant, historic Ambassador Hotel is being converted into a 100 room hotel property. It will include a restaurant, lounge, meeting space, fitness center and guest laundry area.
Cambria Hotel & Suites
Construction is underway for the Cambria Hotel & Suites at 7826 Ozark Drive in the Gate Parkway area east of I-295. An opening date is to be announced.
Four Points Sheraton Jacksonville Baymeadows
Complete room renovations are underway at the property and are expected to be complete in early 2023.
The Four Seasons
Jacksonville's first 5-star hotel, The Four Seasons, will be part of the The Jacksonville Shipyards, a modernized city-owned marina with a park and a multifunctional building that will include a restaurant. Anticipated is in 2026.
Home2Suites by Hilton Brooklyn
The six-story, 100-room Home2Suites by Hilton hotel is currently under construction in the Brooklyn area. An anticipated opening date is to be determined.
Hilton Hotel at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
A new eight-story Hilton Hotel with 252 guest rooms is planned at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Construction is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2022, with estimated completion in early 2024.
Laura Street Trio
Located Downtown, the former Florida Bank Building, Florida Life Building and Bisbee Building will be renovated into a 145-room Marriott Autograph Hotel along with retail space, a restaurant, lounge and specialty food store. The Trio are part of the National Jacksonville Historic District and were built from 1902 to 1912 as the city rebuilt after The Great Fire.
Springhill Suites Jacksonville Beach Pier
The 136 room oceanfront hotel and restaurant is projected to open in spring 2023.
WaterWalk Hotel
An extended stay hotel with apartment-style living, WaterWalk Hotel will open on the Southside in fall 2023.
For a full list of current hotel development pipeline, click here.
Outdoors
Artist Walk
Artist Walk will be a plaza space with flexible lawn area, sculptures, seating and an artistic skatepark extending from the Riverside Arts Market on Riverside Avenue northwest to Park Street under Interstate 95 and connect to College Street. The completion date for the walk is to be determined.
Emerald Trail
When complete, the Emerald Trail will encompass approximately 30 miles of trails, greenways and parks that encircle the urban core and link at least 14 historic neighborhoods to downtown, Hogans Creek, McCoys Creek and the St. Johns River.
Jacksonville Shipyards
The Jacksonville Shipyards, including a restored Met Park, will deliver a Downtown experience that blends urban design with waterfront entertainment. Plans include Jacksonville's first 5-star hotel, The Four Seasons, and a modernized city-owned marina with a park and a multifunctional building that will include a restaurant.
Life Ev'ry Voice and Sing Park
Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park will be located at 120 Lee St., which is where James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnsons composed their famous song “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” now known as the Black national anthem, in February 1900. Construction is expected to be complete in fall 2023.
Riverfront Jacksonville
Riverfront Jacksonville is a multi-phased, mixed-use plan that will bring more than 2.3 million square feet of new mixed-use programs to the city’s Central Business District on the Northbank.
RiversEdge
RiversEdge will include more than four acres of public park spaces, including a large central riverfront park on the Southbank. Expected to be complete in 2024, there will be 950 residential units, 147 hotel rooms, 200,000 square feet of retail space, 134,000 square feet of retail space and a 125-slip marina.
St. Johns River Park and Friendship Fountain
The St. Johns River Park and Friendship Fountain redesigned park and fountain will include a botanical garden, play park, splash pad and overall upgrades. It is projected to open in 2023.