Blackwater Development announced that it is taking the next step in the transformation of the 58-year-old Regency Square Mall to launch the first phase of redevelopment of the Arlington property as The Nexus at Regency.
Lake City-based Blackwater said it is submitting an application for civil engineering permits Sept. 18 with the initial phase focusing on the front 11 acres along Atlantic Boulevard and Monument Road.
Blackwater said the area is designed “to set the tone for the broader 77-acre project,” which is at 9501 Arlington Expressway.
The permits encompass:
• Construction of new roads and infrastructure providing access to future outparcels.
• Installation of water, sewer and electric systems to service the outparcels.
• Development of a new roundabout at the main entrance to improve traffic flow and circulation around the property.
• Implementation of a landscaping plan “that will help bring freshness and vibrancy to the project from the very start.”
“These infrastructure improvements represent the foundation of The Nexus at Regency. With roads, utilities, and landscaping in place, we can begin unlocking the front 11 acres and creating opportunities for new tenants to join this transformational project,” said Rurmell McGee, founder of Blackwater Development, in a news release.
Blackwater said the roundabout, a centerpiece of the infrastructure plan, is designed to enhance traffic efficiency and create “a welcoming gateway into the property.”
It said the landscaping plan “will add greenery and life to the site, signaling to the Arlington community that meaningful change is already underway.”
Blackwater Development said it looks forward to announcing the first wave of tenants when agreements are finalized.
“We know the community is eager to see who will be part of this new beginning,” McGee said, adding that Blackwater looks forward “to making those announcements soon.”
Blackwater said that by starting with critical infrastructure, “the team is ensuring that the site is positioned for long-term success, laying the groundwork for a vibrant, mixed-use community that will honor Regency’s history while shaping its future.”
“This milestone demonstrates Blackwater Development’s commitment to building The Nexus at Regency with care, strategy, and attention to detail.”
Blackwater Development took a significant step Aug. 7 when it appointed Thomas Duke Architect as the principal architectural firm for The Nexus at Regency.
“Their expertise will be essential in crafting a development that embodies our vision to help revitalize the Arlington area,” McGee said then in a news release.
“The Nexus at Regency offers a rare opportunity to create something truly iconic and enduring for Jacksonville,” Principal-in-Charge Thomas Duke said in the release.
“We are proud to lead the design of a project that aims to unite the community, promote economic development, and enhance the built environment of the Regency corridor.”
The purchase
Blackwater Development LLC bought the bulk of the Arlington mall property April 9 for $19.1 million from New York-based limited liability companies associated with Mason Asset Management and Namdar Realty Group.
Impact Church, Dillard’s Clearance Center and the former Sears store at the mall property are separately owned and were not involved in the sale. The church and Dillard’s continue to operate.
Regency Square Mall’s last two interior East Mall tenants closed May 31.
Blackwater Development bought 960,162 square feet of commercial space. Most of that space is expected to be demolished and the acreage redeveloped.
In April 2025, Blackwater paid $20,000 to the city to settle $1.922 million in code compliance fines that the seller piled up as the mall deteriorated with damaged ceilings, floors and other elements.
Blackwater has up to two years to comply with the settlement obligations or lose the money and face the resumption of fines.
One way to comply is demolition, which is what Blackwater intends to do.
Blackwater said upon the purchase that it will rename the property as The Nexus at Regency and redevelop it with multifamily residential communities, financial institutions and nationally recognized retail brands.
McGee called the project “a groundbreaking mixed-use development that aims to transform the Arlington area of Jacksonville.”
The plans so far
Previously filed plans have indicated 11 outparcels wrapping around the southeast corner of the property at Atlantic Boulevard and Monument Road.
Blackwater said previously that outparcels will be available for retail, bank and other uses.
City utility JEA issued a service availability determination letter April 30, 2025, for a 2,786-square-foot Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers fast-food restaurant on a 1.34-acre outparcel. It would have a double drive-thru and an outdoor patio.
The restaurant would seat 120 customers inside and out, up from 75 on a previous request in February.
A service availability request means a project is being explored and does not indicate a deal is done.
A site plan indicates that Raising Cane’s could be on Outparcel 1, which is at a main entrance into the mall.
The map shows the site is where Atlantic Boulevard meets the Arlington Expressway in the front of the Arlington mall.
The entrance roadway would divide the mall parcels with Impact Church to the west and potential redeveloped property to the east, where the existing mall likely would be demolished.
JEA previously received a service availability request, and issued a determination letter Dec. 26, 2024, for a proposed 5,200-square-foot convenience store and gas station on a 1.42-acre site that appears to be Outparcel 5.
It is called “CK Atlantic Blvd & Monument Rd,” hinting that it could be a Circle K.
The gas station site plan shows it along another proposed access road off of Atlantic Boulevard.
The outparcels are shown as 1.16 to 2.21 acres.
The existing Firestone auto care store is shown on the 1.23-acre corner Outparcel 7.
Based on the gas station and convenience store site plan dated Sept. 25, 2024, by EnVision Design & Engineering of Jacksonville, it appears that the eastern part of the mall would be redeveloped, although no specific uses are indicated.
While the plans do not specify demolition, the enclosed east mall is listed as “Main Parcel 2.”
The parking lot to the north is “Main Parcel 1.”
A roadway with a roundabout runs north from Regency Square Boulevard south to where the Arlington Expressway connects with Atlantic Boulevard.
Impact Church is northwest of the roundabout.
The 41.84-acre eastern site is at northwest Atlantic Boulevard and Monument Road.
The 35-acre site is west of that, north of the Arlington Expressway.
The project will need city, planning and building approvals.