• The Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce wants to launch a competition for architects and designers to propose plans for renovating its Downtown building, including its exterior and its first- and third-floor interiors. In return, the winner would receive recognition, an upgraded one-year chamber membership and tickets to chamber events for a year, as well as other perks. “Unfortunately, the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce is not in a financial position to renovate the property on its own,” said the chamber in a report filed with the Downtown Development Review Board of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission.
• The chamber’s “Downtown’s New Front Door” project is one of several discussion items on the agenda at DDRB’s 2 p.m. meeting Thursday at JEDC offices at 1 W. Adams St. Other discussion items include the Laura Street facade improvement grant program, the proposed Monroe Street closure at the new Duval County Courthouse and the proposed pedestrian bridge at the new courthouse.
• Action items for the DDRB include a liquor-license minimum-distance waiver for the former Haydon Burns Public Library to reduce the distance required between a liquor-license location and church property. The overall concept for the building, at 122 N. Ocean St., is described as mixed-use, including food, dancing, a bowling alley and recording studios.
• The First District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission received 25 applications for two open seats after the resignations of Judges Charles Kahn Jr. and Peter Webster. Six of those applicants have ties to Jacksonville and they include Circuit Judges Jim Daniel and Waddell Wallace, Florida Solicitor General Scott Makar, City Council member and attorney Kevin Hyde and attorneys Charles Cranford and Tara Sa’id. The First DCA JNC will meet April 12 to decide who will be interviewed and interviews will take place April 20-22 in Tallahassee.
• Waffle House plans a restaurant at northeast Atlantic Boulevard and Brookview Drive. An ordinance for a fair-share agreement with the City is under review. The ordinance states that Waffle House plans a 1,800-square-foot restaurant on less than an acre.
• Matt Rapp, executive director of The Players Championship, is the featured speaker at the Arlington Council of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow at Jacksonville University in the Kinne Center. Cost is $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Info: www.arlingtoncouncil.org.
• The City Department of Recreation and Community Services, also known as JaxParks, said it received national accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. JaxParks is one of only 99 agencies in the country to receive the accreditation.
• The Naval Air Station Jacksonville Public Affairs Office said that in preparation for carrier qualification on board USS George H.W. Bush, T-45 aircraft will be conducting landing practices 8 a.m.-1 p.m. through Thursday at the Whitehouse Outlying Field. It said the telephone number for noise complaints is 542-2511.