Populous' has released plans to redevelop Jacksonville, Florida’s riverfront Shipyards district into a massive recreation and entertainment hub. Unveiled by the Jacksonville Jaguars' team owner Shad Khan and president Mark Lamping, the property will be injected with life to better stimulate economic activity in the area and make the forgotten plot a bustling destination for locals and tourists alike.
Read on after the break for more information and an animation of the Shipyards vision.
What was once a busy manufacturing and repair locale for a variety of boats has declined over the last few decades into an abandoned stretch of land. The new vision for the downtown aims to make the riverfront a pedestrian-oriented space that acts not only as a thoroughfare to nearby places, but also as a supplement to the surrounding activities to better activate it. These moves will also speak to their location by adhering to the local design characteristics of Jacksonville.
Envisioned in the comprehensive plans to activate the waterfront are a public park and riverwalk. Additional program will occupy the remaining space depending on the sways of the local market, such as businesses, residential, restaurants, a hotel, public areas, and a marina. Before any plans are solidified, market research on Jacksonville's development trends would be conducted to choose the most appropriate uses for the space.
The next step in the process of making the Shipyards plan a reality will be a proposal to the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) next week for further review. Looking to the bright future the new design would bring, Khan reflected, "It is our hope that the DIA shares our sense of urgency and resolve. The opportunity to change Jacksonville is here."
Architects
Location
Shipyards DistrictArea
194249.0 sqmProject Year
2015Photographs
Courtesy of Populous
