When Jacksonville beach welcomed its city cousins for the Opening of the beaches festival last month, visitors who hadn’t been to the beach since last summer — or since last month for that matter — saw a city undergoing a stunning transformation.
From high-rise oceanfront condominiums to a new hotel, restaurants, office complexes, pier and townhome projects, there’s a whole new look to the beach community.
Of course, change means saying goodbye to some old haunts, which locals will have to do when the popular First Street Grille closes. The developer of the Acquilas projects has a contract on the site and plans to build a third condo tower.
But there’s good news for Super Bowl visitors looking for hotel rooms. The Fairfield Inn & Suites Marriott is almost complete and should be open by early summer.
Here’s a look at some of the residential projects already built, under construction or planned for Jacksonville Beach:
• Eastwinds, 1505 First St. S., nine stories, 16 units
• Oceania, 1415 First St. S., 12 stories, 44 units
• Landmark, 1301 First St. N. 12, stories, 43 units
• Oceanic, 205 First St. S., 11 stories, 12 units
• La Cocina, 922 First St. S., four stories, eight units
• Acquilas I, 917 First St. N. 12, stories, 48 units
• Marbella, 917 First St. S., 12 stories, 22 units
• Watermark, 50 Third Ave. S., 11 stories, 25 units
• Acquilas II, 1201 First St. N., 12 stories, 48 units
• 19th Avenue North condos, 116 19th Ave. N., seven stories, 18 units
• Ihla Bela, Second Street South, three stories, five units
• Ten North, 1034 First St. N., nine stories, 25 units
• Days Inn Hotel site, 1031 First St. S. 14 stories, 87 condos, nine townhomes
• Gillespie First Street North Condos, First Street North between 12th and 13 avenues, five stories, eight units
• North Shore, First Street North between 10th and 11th avenues, eight stories, 325 units
• Latitude 30, corner of First Street South and Fifth Avenue South, nine stories, 17 units
• Ocean 9 Villas, Ninth Avenue South between First and Second streets, nine stories, 15 units
• Park View Villas, Sixth Avenue South between First and Second streets, two stories, 30 units
• Third Avenue S. Villas, First Street and Third Avenue South, seven stories, eight units.