Gateway Jax CEO: Investing in Downtown takes time, planning, skill — but change is coming

“Transformational development” has been a buzz phrase in Jacksonville for many years. Although several impactful projects are underway downtown, including new parks along the riverfront, the Emerald Trail and the new Four Seasons project by Iguana Investments to name a few, some people are weary of hearing about downtown’s future and have a “believe it when I see it” attitude.

I’m happy to report you’ll soon see a transformational development project break ground in the Urban Core.

Transformational developments take time, impeccable planning and an experienced team — all things Gateway Jax has invested in. Our Pearl Street project is heading to City Council for an incentives package to complement the immense private investment from Gateway Jax’s sponsors, DLP Capital and JWB Real Estate Capital.

If all goes as planned, we’ll move forward with a first-of-its-kind, mixed-use development in the North Core two blocks from City Hall in the next few months — breathing life into a budding, but often forgotten, sector of the Urban Core.

I have worked on similarly transformative projects like this in “up-and-coming” areas of Washington, D.C., and Tampa — and I know what happens when vision meets reality. We’re not simply here to build a few high-rises and leave; we are committed to this project, its future phases and this city. Jacksonville has waited long enough to see its full potential realized, and we’re ready to play our part.