The Phoenix Arts & Innovation District redevelopment project underway in North Springfield progressed June 6 when the Jacksonville Planning Commission recommended approvals of land use and rezoning requests for the project.
The commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval of a future land use map amendment from community/general commercial and light industrial to regional commercial with site-specific future land use element and to rezone the property from Planned Unit Development and light industrial to Planned Unit Development.
Attorney Emily Pierce of Rogers Towers, who represented developer Future of Cities, said the requests were aimed at replacing “Band-Aid” rezoning approved for the site after the adoption of the city’s 2045 comprehensive plan prohibited outdoor activities at light-industrial properties.
The “Band-Aid” was a rezoning to PUD and for a land use amendment change to community/general commercial. Pierce said that in working with the city Planning and Development staff, the developers landed on using the regional commercial approach, which is written specifically for infill development.
“We promised we’d come back with a much more comprehensive master plan and here we are today,” Pierce told the commission.
The commission’s actions send the rezoning requests to the City Council.
Miami-based Future of Cities is planning the Phoenix district on an 8.3-acre site that mostly comprises vacant warehouse and industrial buildings and empty parcels. The site is 2 miles north of Downtown and bordered by Main, 15th and Liberty streets and an east-west rail line.
The two-phase plan calls for the property to be transformed into restaurants, artists’ studios, a market area, co-working space, offices, retail, event space and residential units. Construction of the initial phase began in December 2023.
The Planning Commission’s votes came as City Council considers Resolution 2024-0418 to approve $5.5 million in city incentives for the district. The resolution would provide a $1.5 million city Recapture Enhanced Value grant plus $2 million completion grants each for Phase One and Phase Two of construction.