JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Under a watchful eye, hundreds of families poured into The Block Jax for its opening weekend.
“There’s probably 42 cameras on site,” founder and owner Daniel Moffatt said.
Moffatt welcomed crowds to the new venue, which blends an outdoor food hall, playground and dog park — all with a strong focus on safety. That emphasis comes at a time when public spaces across the Jacksonville area have faced concerns over teen takeovers.
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“If you’re not 18 years old and up, you need to be with parents unless parents are on site,” Moffatt said. “If kids are 15 or 16, they have the ability to walk around, but parents are still with them.”
He says the goal is to keep the space family-friendly — with a clear emphasis on supervision.
“We just don’t want people here that are without parental guidance,” Moffatt said. “Sixteen-year-olds don’t need to be wandering around a place like this without parents.”
The safety measures are designed with both parents and pets in mind.
We’ve all heard of “Duval” — but at The Block, it might feel more like “Dog-val.”
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One couple visiting with their dog, Milo, said the atmosphere stood out right away. Sitting in a stroller, the 2-year-old pup sniffed out the scene — careful but curious, much like his owner, John Rivera.
“I have security concerns because I’m originally from Chicago, and we have Navy Pier,” Rivera said. “We stopped going because of security. There were a lot of shootings and robberies.”
Now, the Riveras are giving a different kind of outdoor entertainment venue a try — this time in Jacksonville.
“We’ve seen this online and it looks beautiful,” Sarah Rivera said.
The Block Jax features eight food vendors and can hold just under 1,100 people.
“We like tacos, so we know they got tacos here,” John Rivera added.
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For now, a balloon arch marks the entrance, but the owner says a permanent gate is coming soon — aimed at keeping safety as high as the energy.
Moffatt also says there is no entrance fee unless there’s a ticketed event or special concert. Parking is free, with 125 spaces available.
Security will be on site Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
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