JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville’s Northbank and Riverwalk revamp is one step closer to becoming a reality.
Three firms are now competing to design the project.
Peggy Jones remembers the Landing in its heyday. Then she moved away for several years, and when she came back, was sad to see it was gone.
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“Back when it started it was great,” she said.
She’s hoping the revamping of Jacksonville’s Northbank and Riverwalk will bring back excitement.
The project is a huge undertaking that requires an experienced design team.
Right now, the Downtown Investment Authority has narrowed its list down to three design firms -- all of which are competing for the project. The three firms are Agency Landscape + Planning, Olin and Perkins&Will.
Action News Jax reached out to the firms; Agency responded.
The firm’s co-founder Gina Ford tells Action News Jax her team surveyed people throughout Jacksonville to get an idea of what they want.
“We’re all motivated by community, and community engagement as a really important part of design,” Ford added.
Ford found that people like Peggy Jones want more day-to-day, fun activities.
“Hopefully restaurants and some shopping kind of like what was here or what the Landing was when it first opened,” Jones suggested.
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The other firms have done some notable projects, too. Olin designed New York City’s Battery Park City and the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota.
Perkins&Will has done Waterfront Botanical Gardens in Louisville and Houston’s historic Emancipation Park.
As for Jones, she’s feeling good about the future.
“I hope they come up with something good,” she said.
The three firms have to have their designs done by late June; they will present their ideas to the DIA in August.
After that, the DIA will decide which firm wins the project.
Cox Media Group
