City council considers ‘Lighthouse Garage’ facelift in Downtown Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A downtown Jacksonville landmark could soon get a facelift. The former First Baptist Church Lighthouse Garage could soon become more than just a spot to park, but only if City Council signs off on the deal.

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Plans show the developer will renovate the existing garage and add storefronts including a restaurant.

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The proposal is back on the city council agenda Tuesday night.

Roaming Ronin food truck is one of many small businesses downtown that appreciate the potential growth. He’s stationed two times a week at James Weldon Johnson Park.

“We do really good down here at JWJ. The opportunities they provide for us to come out and serve,” Nic Evans, the owner, said. “As long as the city develops businesses like this and provides parking for other small business to attach to it — I think everyone will flourish.”

The “lighthouse garage” renovation is part of the Pearl Street District of the Gateway Jax Project. Overall, the developer is spending hundreds of millions to bring new buildings to four parcels downtown.

READ: Jacksonville City Council creating special committee to look at downtown development

It will include nearly 1,000 residential units and will get a total of almost $39 million in “completion grants” from the city. That grant money would come directly from the city’s general fund.

Action News Jax reported last week that some council members are asking the Downtown Investment Authority to slow down that type of investment.

“I’m not saying it’s unwarranted. We need to do that right now if we are going to move these [projects],” Lori Boyer, the CEO of the DIA, said. “But do we move one or two or three of them and then let them spawn further development,” she suggested.

Two other projects are waiting on completion grants, including the Four Seasons and Related Group’s Southbank high rise.

If the project is approved through council, construction is expected to start by February next year according to the project term sheet.

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