A developer selected by the city of Jacksonville seven years ago to resurrect the historic Florida National Guard Armory building in Springfield will get a chance to purchase the city-owned building under action Jan. 13 by Jacksonville City Council.
Council voted 17-0, with members Rory Diamond and Terrance Freeman away from the dais, to sell the city-owned building to Fort Lauderdale-based REVA Development Corp. for $3.04 million.
The Council vote constituted final action on the sale, completing seven years of city involvement with REVA for rehabilitation of the structure.
The 2.49-acre property at 928 N. Liberty St. will be sold to Armory Redevelopment Associates LLC, a subsidiary of REVA, under Ordinance 2025-0876. The city will receive $2.55 million in new revenue from the sale, with the remaining $496,537.10 being repayment for a grant previously awarded to REVA by the city.
In 2019, the city selected REVA to redevelop the Armory into a mixed-use facility with art galleries and studios, co-working spaces, a food hall, performance space and a microbrewery. The city began leasing the property to REVA in 2020.
REVA has not completed the project or said it has changed its redevelopment plans.
Revenue from sale
Council members had differing ideas on how the city could use the revenue from the sale.
Member Jimmy Peluso, who represents the district encompassing the Armory property, said the city should place about $500,000 into the Northwest Jacksonville Economic Fund, replenishing funds previously spent.
Members Diamond and Ron Salem argued the city should sell more properties and use the revenue to pay off completion grants for development projects.
In the lease, the city also provided an optional parcel for sale adjacent to the Armory to the LLC for $846,000. REVA planned to develop 100 workforce apartments there. However, plans for the Emerald Trail park project run through that parcel, making the affordable housing no longer viable for REVA.
Armory issues
According to a 2022 city summary, the three-story Armory building needed asbestos, lead-based paint and mold abatement; HVAC, plumbing, electrical and telecommunications replacement; fire protection and sprinkler system installation; waterproofing; re-roofing; and framing and floor rehabilitation.
The city estimated costs of stabilization at $15 million. REVA listed the full cost of the Armory redevelopment at $30 million in 2024.
REVA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose name is an acronym for Real Estate Ventures for the Arts, lists the total cost of the project at $30 million, including work to reduce flooding.
In an October memo presented to the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee, the city’s Office of Economic Development said REVA has done roof repairs and other small improvements. The city issued a roofing permit for the building in 2024.
The 80,826-square-foot Armory has endured flooding over the years, including when Hurricane Irma left 12 to 16 inches of standing water in the structure during 2017.
The Armory was vacant for 10 years before REVA’s takeover of the space.
Armory history
Constructed in 1916, the Armory has since been property of both the city and the state of Florida.
According to The Jaxson online magazine, the building served the military reserve force and was a destination for dances, cultural events, high school graduations and concerts. The Armory’s facilities included a kitchen, mess hall, band room, billiard room, rifle range, swimming pool and bowling alley.