from staff
Jack Diamond, former senior principal with the Rink Design Partnership, has formed Diamond Architectural Group.
Diamond, a former Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce chair and an architect known as “Mr. Downtown,” has opened an interim office on the Southbank.
Diamond will operate in Suite 300 at 1650 Prudential Drive, in the Dupont Center. He said it was time “to draft a new kind of design platform for a new century.”
Diamond wants to capitalize on digital communications and to align architects and firms across the country.
He said it was also time, “in my opinion, to demonstrate that succeeding in today’s complex business environment requires a true commitment to sound core values, to the willingness to take risks, to the ability to adapt to new business practices and to the courage to find alignment between professionals who have the tenacity to weather the many changes that are part of our world today.”
Diamond, 65, has designed many of the city’s signature structures, including the South Central Office Operation Center for the Prudential Insurance Company of America, Southern Bell Tower (now the AT&T tower), SunTrust Tower (formerly the Jacksonville Center), the Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse and the Times-Union Center for Performing Arts.
He also has designed projects at Vicar’s Landing, Glenmoor at St. Johns Life Care Community and multiple projects at the University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville Kent Campus.
Diamond also has worked on the last three master plans for Downtown as well as the City Hall at St. James building.
He came to Jacksonville in 1970, where he worked for KBJ Architects for 27 years, including the last 14 years as its president.
He has served as chair of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, the University of North Florida Foundation, the Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs of Northeast Florida, the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast, Visit Jacksonville and the United Way campaign.
Diamond started Diamond Architects 13 years ago before merging with architect Jim Rink and Rink Design Partnership. That firm has been winding up operations.
“Going forward, my commitment to my current clients as well as our future projects is to bring bold innovation, quality design and practical business acumen combined with the same commitment to responsibility and outstanding service that has marked my career,” said Diamond.
Diamond will be tapping the talents of Craig Davisson, Jason Faulkner and others with whom he has worked through the years.
Diamond will be honored by OneJax Thursday for his involvement in making a difference in the quality of life in the Jacksonville community.
“I sincerely look forward to the commitment of creating socially significant projects that make a difference in each community and meeting the creative expectations of each client in the years to come,” said Diamond.