Plans for an apartment community in the parking lot of The Avenues mall advanced June 20 with the recommendation of the Jacksonville Planning Commission.
The commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval of Ordinance 2025-0367, which rezones the entire 94.6-acre site of The Avenues from Planned Unit Development to a new PUD that will allow for 266 apartments at the north end of the mall near the parking garage owned by the Dillard’s department store chain. The apartments would be built on a 3.46-acre portion of the mall property.
The current PUD does not permit residential uses on the site.
With the commission’s vote, the rezoning request moves to the City Council Land Use and Zoning Committee.
A staff report from the city Planning and Development Department lists owners of the property as Jacksonville Avenues Limited Partnership, based in Indianapolis; Mall of the Avenues 6 Limited Partnership, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Store 2430 LLC, based in Plano, Texas; Dillards Inc., based in Fort Worth, Texas; and Belk Inc., based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The applicant for the rezoning is the Brennan Manna Diamond law firm representing Jacksonville real estate developer Corner Lot.
A site plan shows a four-story apartment building with a clubhouse on the east side and two courtyards, including one with a pool. The building is about 289,000 square feet.
The community would include 23,500 square feet of recreation space, including two courtyards, a clubhouse, fitness center, pool and at least 1.3 parking spaces per unit.
The site design incorporates improved sidewalks that extend on the east, south, and west sides of the building and connect into the Dillard’s parking garage. A plan says 400 spaces in the Dillard’s garage would be for apartment use only.
Plans also call for landscaping changes and tree replacement. The developer has committed to replacing all trees removed.
The PUD is specific to the site plan, establishing that the multifamily unit cannot move to another portion of the property.
Planning staff supported the rezoning, finding the project consistent and compatible with the existing adjacent properties.
Planning staff emphasized the project’s role in promoting smart growth principles: It utilizes infill land, is served by full urban utilities and aligns with goals of the 2045 Comprehensive Plan by supporting mixed-use development and transit-adjacent residences.
They found the project will be beneficial to the surrounding community and the project also enables alternate use to meet demand for housing.
“Looks like a cool project,” Planning Commission Chairman Michael McGowan said. “I wish you the best of luck on this as it moves forward.”
