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Downtown Jacksonville is the historic core and
central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
(CBD) of Jacksonville, Florida USA. It comprises the earliest area of the city to be developed and is located in its geographic center along the narrowing point of the St. Johns River. There are various definitions of what constitutes Jacksonville's downtown; the one used by the city government and other entities defines it as including eight districts: the Central Core (or Northbank), the Southbank, LaVilla, Brooklyn, the Working Waterfront, the Cathedral, the Church, and the Entertainment & Sports District. The area features offices for major corporations such as CSX Corporation, Fidelity National Financial, TIAA Bank,
Black Knight Financial Black Knight, Inc. (), is an American corporation that provides integrated technology, services, data and analytics to the mortgage lending, servicing and real estate industries, as well as the capital and secondary markets. Black Knight is als ...
,
One Call Care Management 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
, Suddath, Interline Brands Haskell,
FIS FIS or fis may refer to: Science and technology * '' Fis'', an ''E. Coli'' gene * Fis phenomenon, a phenomenon in linguistics * F♯ (musical note) * Flight information service, an air traffic control service * Frame Information Structure, a ...
, and
Stein Mart Stein Mart was an American discount men's and women's department store chain based in Jacksonville, Florida. Stein Mart had locations primarily in the Southeast, Texas, and California. Stein Mart stores sold recent trends in clothing for both m ...
.


History

The site of modern Downtown Jacksonville originated at a crossing of the St. Johns River known to the Seminole as ''Wacca Pilatka'', to the Spanish as the ''Pass de San Nicolas'', and to later British settlers as the Cow Ford. Histories of the city report that there was once an Indian village at the site called Ossachite. White settlement in the area began during Florida's
British period British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
(1763–1783), when the East Florida government built the King's Road to connect
St. Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afri ...
with the British colonies to the north. A
ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...
and tavern were built, and when Spanish rule resumed in Florida, Fort San Nicolas was built beside the southern landing of the King's Road ferry. American farmer Robert Pritchard became the first white settler on the north bank of the Cow Ford when he received a 450-acre land grant from the Spanish government in 1791, however, he died shortly after and the area was abandoned. The settlement that became Jacksonville largely formed from two land grants issued in 1816: one to Maria Taylor, née Suarez, and one to Juan LeMaestre. Over time a small settlement including some homes, an inn and a store grew at the Cow Ford, and in 1822, shortly after Spain ceded the Floridas to the United States, resident Isaiah D. Hart proposed establishing a town on the north bank. Hart eventually convinced his neighbors to join him in donating land for the venture, and the first streets were platted in June. The settlement was named "Jacksonville" after Andrew Jackson, who had become popular among many Floridians for his actions in the First Seminole War. It was incorporated in 1832. The town grew in fits and starts: it saw disruption during the
Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans and ...
(1835–1842), and the business district burned down in 1854 when sparks from the steamboat ''Florida'' started a fire. During the American Civil War, Jacksonville was home to many Union sympathizers, and was occupied for most of the war by Union troops who took the city four separate times. The war devastated Jacksonville and caused over half the population to flee. After the war, the city rebounded quickly when it became Florida's first major tourist destination; though tourism declined by the late 1880s growth and industry continued apace through the late 19th century. On May 3, 1901, downtown Jacksonville was ravaged by a fire that started at a fiber factory. Known as the Great Fire of 1901, it was one of the worst disasters in Florida history and the largest urban fire in the southeastern United States. In just eight hours, it destroyed the business district and left approximately 10,000 residents homeless. Architect Henry John Klutho was a primary figure in the reconstruction of the city.


Geography

Multiple definitions of Downtown Jacksonville are in common use. Often, the name "Downtown" is used exclusively for the historical core. This is bounded roughly by State Street to the north, Hogans Creek to the east, the St. Johns River to the south, and the LaVilla neighborhood to the west. This definition is used, for example, by the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission and their book, ''Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage''. However, the City of Jacksonville and other entities use a wider definition that includes not only the Downtown Core (also known as the Northbank), but surrounding areas on both sides of the river. In this definition, the boundaries are State Street to the north, the St. Johns River to the east, and
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
to the south and west. This area covers . Downtown Vision, Inc., which oversees Jacksonville's downtown improvement district, covers an even smaller area of about 90 blocks in the Downtown Core and Southbank, bounded by Church Street in the north, Market Street in the east, Prudential Drive in the south, and Broad Street in the west. Under the broader definition, Downtown Jacksonville is divided into several districts or neighborhood. In addition to the historical Downtown Core, the most commonly used districts are: the Southbank, a commercial and residential district directly across the St. Johns River from the Downtown Core; LaVilla, a historically African-American neighborhood west of the Downtown Core; Brooklyn, to the southwest of the Downtown Core; and the Stadium District, an area containing the city's major sports and entertainment venues to the east of the Downtown Core. A
historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...
encompassing a significant portion of downtown Jacksonville was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Its boundaries are roughly Beaver Street to the north, Catherine and Liberty Streets to the east, the St. Johns River to the south, and North Pearl Street to the west. This area is significant for its pre-1965 architecture, most of which post-dates Jacksonville's great 1901 fire.


Districts of Downtown Jacksonville


Central Core

Also known as the Northbank, is Jacksonville's traditional city center and what most people associate with Downtown and Jacksonville in general. It is the location of many government offices, including
City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office headquarters, and the Bryan Simpson United States Courthouse, and amenities such as the Jacksonville Main Library, the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, and the
Jacksonville Riverwalk The Jacksonville Riverwalks are a network of multi-use trails and open space developments along both the north and south banks of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. The roughly Downtown Northbank portion travels alongside the Hyatt R ...
. Several of the city's largest skyscrapers are located there, such as the Bank of America Tower, the Wells Fargo Center, TIAA Bank Center, and the SunTrust Tower, and are home to some of the city's major employers, such as TIAA Bank and CSX Corporation.


The Cathedral District

Located in the northeast corner, near Hogans Creek. The 36-block area encompasses 118 acres. It is currently being redeveloped into a leafy, green, vibrant neighborhood where a diverse array of residents can live, work, shop, eat, play and pray. The District extends north to south from State Street to Adams Street and east to west from Main Street to N. Liberty Street. This mixed-used neighborhood is home to many of Jacksonville's landmark churches, including St. John's Episcopal Cathedral, the Mount Zion AME Church, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, First Presbyterian Church, and the First United Methodist Church. Due to the area's close proximity to the former courthouse many of the residential structures have been converted into attorneys' offices.


The Entertainment & Sports District

also known as the East Bay Street District and other names, exists in the southwest corner of the Downtown Core, centered on East Bay Street. This area was historically industrial before the abandonment of the Jacksonville Shipyards and related industries. Committed to creating an authentic entertainment experience, The Elbow offers a wealth of diverse, walkable and award-winning culinary, nightlife, live music and performance venues. Cultivated around the historic Florida Theatre, The Elbow is one destination that encompasses many diverse restaurants, bars, and breweries. The formal boundaries are Bay Street to Adams Street and Main Street to Liberty Street. The Sports District, also known as the Sports Complex, is located east of the Downtown Core, and contains Jacksonville's major sporting and entertainment venues. Historically part of Jacksonville's Eastside, it is home to TIAA Bank Field, the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Daily's Place Amphitheater, Metropolitan Park, and the Greater Jacksonville Fair and Expo Center. TIAA Bank Field occupies the footprint of the old
Gator Bowl Stadium The Gator Bowl was an American football stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally built in 1927, all but a small portion was razed in 1994 in preparation for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars' inaugural season; the reconstructed stadium became Jac ...
, which was razed in 1994.


Southbank

A mixed commercial and residential district on the southern shore of the St. Johns River, directly across from the Northbank. It is closely associated with (and sometimes considered part of) Jacksonville's San Marco neighborhood. It includes large office towers such as the
Aetna Building Eight Forty One is a , 22-floor office building on the south bank of St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. Completed in 1955, it was the tallest building in the city for 13 years until surpassed by the Riverplace Tower. It was "The Tallest Of ...
, Riverplace Tower, and Baptist Medical Center. Residential towers include The Peninsula, The Strand, and San Marco Place. There are six major hotels on the Southbank, including Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Riverfront and Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk as well as amenities such as the
Museum of Science and History The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) is a museum in Jacksonville, Florida. It is a private, non-profit institution located on the Southbank Riverwalk, and the city's most visited museum. It specializes in science and local history exhibits. It f ...
,
Friendship Fountain Friendship Fountain is a large fountain in Jacksonville, Florida. It is in St. Johns River Park (also known as Friendship Fountain Park) at the west end of Downtown Jacksonville's Southbank Riverwalk attraction. The world's largest and tallest fou ...
and the Southbank Riverwalk. Though historically poorly designed for pedestrians, the city hopes to better integrate it with the rest of Downtown as well as San Marco.


LaVilla

A district immediately west of the Downtown Core. Jacksonville's first suburb, the predominantly African-American neighborhood was an independent municipality until being annexed in 1887. The area of the neighborhood north of Adams Street emerged as a mecca of African-American culture, and was home to many venues showcasing black performers, such as the Ritz Theatre. The southern part of the neighborhood was a major railroad hub and was also Jacksonville's chief red light district for a period.Wood 1992, pp. 86–89 :The neighborhood went into serious decline in the 1960s, and has not recovered.
Urban renewal Urban renewal (also called urban regeneration in the United Kingdom and urban redevelopment in the United States) is a program of land redevelopment often used to address urban decay in cities. Urban renewal involves the clearing out of blighte ...
projects commenced in the 1980s, resulting in the loss of many buildings. More recent projects have aimed at bringing commercial development and public amenities to the area.


Brooklyn

Located at the far southwestern corner of downtown, it comprises the area south of Lavilla and north and west of
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
. Originally a residential suburb, it was annexed into Jacksonville in 1887. It is connected to Jacksonville's
Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
neighborhood by Riverside Avenue. It is home to Fidelity National Financial, TIAA Bank, and
FIS FIS or fis may refer to: Science and technology * '' Fis'', an ''E. Coli'' gene * Fis phenomenon, a phenomenon in linguistics * F♯ (musical note) * Flight information service, an air traffic control service * Frame Information Structure, a ...
corporate headquarters, and other offices. :Commercial and industrial uses became prominent in the 20th century, and many commercial office buildings were constructed along the river. Subsequently, a rift emerged between the office-centered part of the neighborhood on the river and the traditional neighborhood further inland. As a result, in the 21st century the city re-introduced residential zoning and the neighborhood has become the site of mixed-use developments.


Adjacent neighborhoods

*
Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...
* Eastside * Arlington * St. Nicholas * San Marco *
Riverside and Avondale Riverside and Avondale are two adjacent and closely associated neighborhoods, alternatively considered one continuous neighborhood, of Jacksonville, Florida. The area is primarily residential, but includes some commercial districts, including Fi ...
* Mixon Town *
New Town New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
* Durkeeville


Architecture

The 14 tallest standard structures:


Parks and plazas

Downtown is home to numerous parks, large and small: * Treaty Oak Park *
Hemming Park James Weldon Johnson Park is a public park in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Originally a village green, it was the first and is the oldest park in the city. History Beginnings The area was established as a public square in 1857 by Isaiah H ...
* Metropolitan Park *
Friendship Fountain Friendship Fountain is a large fountain in Jacksonville, Florida. It is in St. Johns River Park (also known as Friendship Fountain Park) at the west end of Downtown Jacksonville's Southbank Riverwalk attraction. The world's largest and tallest fou ...
* Brooklyn Park * Courthouse Lawn * Plaza at TIAA Bank Center * Northbank Riverwalk * Southbank Riverwalk


Economy


Tourism

The following attractions are located in the downtown Jacksonville area: * TIAA Bank Field * Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville * Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena *
Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center is a convention center located in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Opened in 1986, it was built incorporating Jacksonville Terminal Complex / Union Station as well as several thousand square feet of newly bui ...
* Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville *
Museum of Science and History The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) is a museum in Jacksonville, Florida. It is a private, non-profit institution located on the Southbank Riverwalk, and the city's most visited museum. It specializes in science and local history exhibits. It f ...
*
Jacksonville Fire Museum The Jacksonville Fire Museum is part of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department's Fire Prevention Division. The museum is home to artifacts detailing the history of the fire service not only in Jacksonville, but the entire state of Florida. E ...
* Ritz Theatre & Museum * Florida Theatre * Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts The following hotels are located in the downtown Jacksonville area: * DoubleTree by Hilton Jacksonville Riverfront * Extended Stay America Jacksonville Central * Hampton Inn Jacksonville Downtown * Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville Downtown * Homewood Suites Jacksonville Downtown Southbank * Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront * Omni Jacksonville Hotel * Lexington Hotel and Conference Center Jacksonville Riverfront


Transportation

Downtown Jacksonville transportation options include
bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...
,
JTA Skyway The Jacksonville Skyway is an automated people mover in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, operated by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA). Opening in 1989 with three stations in Downtown Jacksonville, the Skyway was extended in 19 ...
, water taxi, as well as major roadways.


Public transportation

Downtown is served by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority's zero-fare automated people mover system (known as the "Skyway") and an extensive bus network. The Skyway has the following stations: ''Current Skyway Stations'' * Rosa L. Parks/FSCJ located at the northernmost extent of downtown, serving Florida State College at Jacksonville and the neighborhood of Springfield. * Hemming Plaza at Hogan Street & Duval Street, serving City Hall, U.S. Federal Courthouse, and Main Library. *
Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
at Hogan Street & Bay Street, serving TIAA Bank Center, Omni Hotel, Jacksonville Landing, Bank of America Tower, and BB&T Tower. * Jefferson at Jefferson Street & Bay Street, serving the Federal Reserve Building and Courthouse. *
Convention Center A convention center (American English; or conference centre in British English) is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typica ...
on Bay Street serving the
Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center is a convention center located in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Opened in 1986, it was built incorporating Jacksonville Terminal Complex / Union Station as well as several thousand square feet of newly bui ...
. * San Marco near the Acosta Bridge on San Marco Blvd. It serves the Museum of Science and History, Baptist Medical Center, and the Prudential Building. * Riverplace on Flagler Ave services Riverplace Tower. * Kings Avenue at Kings Ave & Prudential Dr and is the southern terminus of the Skyway Downtown is also home to Greyhound's Jacksonville bus terminal.


Bridges

Jacksonville is nicknamed "The River City". Historically, life in the city existed around the economic activity along the shores of the St. Johns River. Downtown lies on a portion of river that narrows before it empties out into the Atlantic Ocean. The areas strategic location makes it home to a high concentration of bridges. Just in Downtown, there are 5 bridges (listed below) connecting the two halves of Duval County. * Fuller Warren Bridge *
Acosta Bridge The St. Elmo W. Acosta Bridge spans the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida on a fixed span. It is named for City Councilman St. Elmo W. Acosta, who convinced voters to approve a $950,000 bond issue for the original bridge at the site. It ...
* Main Street Bridge * Hart Bridge * Mathews Bridge


Highways

Major roadways serving Downtown from the suburbs include (
I-10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
) from
Baldwin Baldwin is a Germanic name, composed of the elements ''bald'' "bold" and ''win'' "friend". People * Baldwin (name) Places Canada * Baldwin, York Regional Municipality, Ontario * Baldwin, Ontario, in Sudbury District * Baldwin's Mills, Qu ...
, ( I-95) North from the airport area, ( I-95) South from
St. Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afri ...
, Arlington Expressway from the Beaches, and the Hart Expressway from the Southside area. Other important roadways are U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 17, and U.S. Route 90. Downtown is also the southern terminus of U.S. Route 23.


See also

* Neighborhoods of Jacksonville * Architecture of Jacksonville * National Register of Historic Places listings in Duval County, Florida


References


External links

* * {{Neighborhoods of Jacksonville Neighborhoods in Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville Historic districts in Florida National Register of Historic Places in Duval County, Florida