'There’s nothing to do on the waterfront,' DIA discusses projects for riverfront in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Riverfront development in Jacksonville could take some time. The Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) looked at some temporary options for the space long the St. Johns, during its’ Friday meeting.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

In the long term, the DIA wants to add more bars and restaurants along the river. In the short-term, we could see some temporary options takeover the green space. Some of those include a roller skating rink with options for fitness classes and bike and scooter rentals. One board member did raise the concern over protecting that area during inclement weather. For now, it’s just an idea on the table.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

The DIA also discussed, in the long term, adding food trucks, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops along the river. The hope is to model some of the ideas after other places in Florida. For example, Tampa’s Armature works area, which has restaurants and shops all in one venue.

Read: Jacksonville’s Riverfront Plaza project officially starts construction

“One of the things we kept hearing in public surveys was ‘there’s nothing to do on the waterfront we want places to go.’ This is trying to find locations. Find the right mix of facilities and service in those places. So, that’s really the main focus,” Lori Boyer, Chief Executive Officer for the DIA, said.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

There were no final decision made on Friday. Boyer said we will likely see some timelines at the February DIA meeting.

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.