Installations of doors and balconies are among signs of progress at the apartment-retail complex at 960 E. Adams, which is being rebuilt after being heavily damaged by a January 2024 fire.
In September 2024, Jacksonville City Council approved a $15.45 million incentives package to rebuild the 247-unit development, which also will include 4,700 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and a seven-story parking garage that survived the fire.
The complex was within days of opening when fire spread through the building. Flames destroyed most of the wooden portions of the structure, which included five stories of wood framing over a two-story concrete pedestal. The cause of the blaze was not determined.
Ameris Bank announced in June it had opened a Northbank branch at 200 W. Forsyth St., where it is also working to install a drive-thru.
The bank, a subsidiary of Ameris Bancorp, said it renovated the ground-floor 5,250-square-foot space where it will offer retail banking, business banking and mortgage lending. The location employs more than 10 people, bringing a total of more than 330 Ameris employees to metro Jacksonville.
Ameris Bank anchors Riverplace Tower on the Southbank and continues to maintain a branch there.
In March 2025, Jacksonville City Council enacted an ordinance adopting an exception to Downtown zoning codes to allow Ameris to include the drive-thru.
In September, Ameris submitted plans to the city for the drive-thru.
Contractors for the city completed work in July to narrow the portion of Park Street between Forest and Stonewall streets from four lanes to two and incorporate other changes to make the stretch more inviting to pedestrians and bicyclists. The $10.9 million project also included installation of trees and landscaping, wider sidewalks and traffic-calming devices such as roundabouts.
The reconfigured street, which connects on the north end to the Emerald Trail, is designed to spur mixed-use development by making the area more walkable and bikeable.
Lettuce Eat, which recently opened at 333 E. Bay, could have at least three new neighbors soon under plans submitted to the Downtown Investment Authority.
In May, the DIA board approved incentives for Keane’s Tavern at 315 E. Bay St. and Besa Bakery and Tea Room Speakeasy at 301 E. Bay St.
In mid-September, the DIA board approved an incentive for Breezy Jazz House to move from 1402 San Marco Blvd. to 337 E. Bay St.
The incentives were $200,000 for the pub, $215,000 for the bakery and $132,662 for the jazz club.
Lettuce Eat offers a soup, salad and fresh fruit bar and also serves specialty salads, soups and to-go salads sold by the pound, among other menu items.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to an email from the establishment.
Redesign of the park between the Four Seasons and WJCT studios is nearing completion.
In September, renderings of the latest designs were shared during a town hall meeting, with a request for public input to help with the finishing touches.
Plans call for a performance lawn and hillside play area.
According to jacksonville.gov/idigjax, which tracks several city projects, $12.5 million in funding for construction is included in the capital project plan beginning in the fall of 2026.
Once underway, construction should take 12 to 18 months.