The old Jacksonville Landing site is finally getting a makeover.
After more than three years of waiting for development, the city of Jacksonville said construction will begin Monday at Riverfront Plaza.
The goal of the construction is to transform Riverfront Plaza into a park with a large green space and public amenities. Crews will build walkways, gardens, and a cafe with a playground.
The construction beginning on Monday is only phase one of a project which will cost roughly $25 million.
The city will pay for the whole project with funds from the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.
Lori Boyer, CEO of the Downtown Investment Authority, said she expects that the project will be completed in a little more than a year.
“I think that the Public Works estimate on it is around 15 to 18 months,” Boyer said. “But that’s always subject to change, whether there’s weather delays or supply chain delays, you know, any of that kind of stuff. But at the moment, we’re looking forward to finally getting it out of the way.”
This first phase of construction does not include the park’s infamous ‘JAX’ sculpture. That design is still not final.
Construction will cause road closures in the area. Independent Drive is the only road closure that’s been announced, but more streets could close as construction continues.