Empty retail spaces in the city of Jacksonville’s Edward Ball Building will be spruced up and offered to new tenants with funding approved Nov. 20 by the Downtown Investment Authority board.
The DIA board voted 9-0 to transfer $300,000 from the DIA’s Facade Grant Program to improve the vacant spaces along the east side of the building at 214 N. Hogan St.
A resolution for the budget transfer, 2024-11-09, was on the board’s consent agenda and was approved without comment.
On Nov. 19, DIA CEO Lori Boyer told the Finance and Budget Committee that the improvements were in preparation for the Emerald Trail being extended along Hogan Street. According to Groundwork Jacksonville, which is partnering with the city to build the trail, the 0.9-mile Hogan Street Link of the trail has been designed and is scheduled for commencement of construction in spring 2025.
The link connects the St. Johns River to Florida State College at Jacksonville and Springfield.
Boyer said the proposed retail space improvements also were spurred by comments by members of the City Council Special Committee on the Future of Downtown and others advocating a greater emphasis on redeveloping the Downtown core.
Boyer said the former Knott & Co. Jewelers and Downtown Vision Inc. office spaces could be improved.
She said transfer would leave the Facade Grant Program with adequate funding, based on demand for the incentives.