All right.

Yeah.

All right.

Good morning.

It is Monday, uh May 11th, 9 a.m.

We're gonna go ahead and get started on special committee uh the future downtown with introductions to the left.

Brittany Norris for the administration, Colleen Hamsey, Council of Research, Carleton Office of General Counsel.

Philip Peterson, Council Earth's Office.

Ron Salem group two at large.

Joe Carlucci, district five.

And Matt Carlucci at large group four.

And we are hopefully still expecting Councilmember Peluso and Councilmember Arias.

Uh I don't know if we we didn't get any letters on them, and then Councilmember Johnson, I know was gonna join us since he's got a bill that is coming up later on.

So um let's go ahead and get into the agenda here.

Um, so item number one, we're gonna have Miss Edgecombe come up and give us kind of a recap of uh basically year to date and then state of downtown report.

Where is she at?

Is she here?

Oh man, she is slacking.

Well, Daryl, you're just gonna have to pinch it then, man.

Uh okay.

Um, so we're gonna go to Gerald Joseph with Parks Department, and he's gonna give us all his fun updates, and then Mr.

Tarbert, and then we'll kick it over to Miss Edgecomb whenever she gets here.

So take it away, Mr.

Joseph.

You have three minutes.

I'm just joking.

Good morning, Daryl Joseph.

I'll take two and a half.

So, uh Eric, is there a clicker?

The presentation.

Okay.

All right.

So I'm gonna add Lib a little bit since they don't have the presentation loaded.

Um, first of all, Daryl Joe's uh director of park, city of Jacksonville.

Great to be here with y'all.

Um just as it relates to downtown and a lot of our park development and work that's happening along the riverfront.

Uh just really pleased to say that um the influx of activity construction activation that we're seeing has been um nothing short of amazing.

Uh one thing I will say is we have coming up this Wednesday um an open house.

We've really been intentional as it relates to getting public feedback on what we do.

Uh so riverfront plaza, uh, the next phase of work is underway.

Uh so we actually will be doing um uh open house.

Do you have a handout?

Is there a printout or is there something on the screens?

Yeah, this should be they're loading the presentation.

Laura actually had the presentation sent over to them.

There she is, Miss Laura Eshcombe, ladies and gentlemen.

In the house, she is in the house.

Um where did Eric go?

You don't have the present.

Yeah, I think he's working on it.

Yep.

Wizard in the back room is gonna get it clicked on here.

But go ahead.

We'll just kind of listen to you, I guess, for now, and then they'll get it queued up.

Uh one thing that's not in my presentation, so I don't have to repeat myself.

The cafe space that's at Riverfront Plaza.

We've actually put out a bid for a vendor to come in and operate that.

Uh, that will be for breakfast, lunch, as well as dinner.

Um we look forward to awarding that contract later on this week uh and have that vendor open that cafe space uh by the fall of this year.

So really excited.

Um hopefully later this week I'll be able to announce who that vendor will be.

Um, but reputable company uh that will be operating that space.

So another thing to do while you're at Riverfront Plaza.

Which one was that?

I'm sorry, Riverfront Plaza.

Yeah, this is the Riverfront Plaza, the CAPA space.

Okay, and sorry, real quick, I just jump in for a question and um buy some time while they're trying to figure this out.

Um, once it's announced and everything, what's the timeline for them?

Like to where someone can walk in and actually get something?

Yeah, it'll be fall of this year.

Fall, okay, yeah.

Yeah, sorry if you said that.

Yeah, so there's a build out.

We actually uh left it as a shill.

So they'll be doing the build out over the next couple of months.

Um the goal will be fall of this year for opening.

Okay, cool.

You want to go back to the agenda, start with Laura, and we roll through it from there.

Do y'all, our presentation pretty much flows from that standpoint.

So we'll go for we'll go that way.

But I know Laura has a presentation too, so hopefully they have that one.

Just words, great.

No pictures.

Yeah, and leave the pretty things to the people doing the work.

Good morning, everyone.

Laura Phillips, Edge Comb address on file.

Sorry, the I made it through the train but didn't keep from getting stuck at the bridge.

That's okay.

So the dis so the issue is not in district five, it was in district seven.

100%.

Okay, just want to make sure.

All right, but I am gonna pull up the presentation just for myself so that I can see it and make sure that I go through this in the correct order.

Basically, so I'm gonna be super short and sweet.

Um as usual, just a reminder that the charge is to strengthen how Jack Small Plans for governs and invests in the urban core.

Um, particularly um, we've been spending this time uh looking at the mapping and alignment of the roles in the public realm, as well as looking at the strategy for the CRA development and project negotiations.

Um as we are coming now almost to the end of this particular 25-26 um special committee.

Really excited to give a small update, knowing that in June I'll have a full report for y'all on focus area one, um, and then addition to that recommendations for um what we'll do next.

Just to recap, we had identified that the gaps were lack of clear role definition, a lack of sustainable funding and capacity, a lack of consistent vibrancy and density, and a lack of overarching downtown marketing and positioning strategies.

Um back in March, y'all um approved a coordinated set of legislative actions that were intended to strengthen alignment across downtown governance funding and operations, and you also requested a series of third-party facilitated um interagency working sessions with participation from the DIA, Parks and Rec, Public Works, Office of Sports and Entertainment, Downtown Vision.

Um, and we added the Jack Small Riverfront Alliance, as well as the chair of the expanded special committee.

Just want to let y'all know that basically the update today is that meetings are moving forward alongside the office of uh general counsel and the key stakeholders.

So that would be uh downtown vision as well as Friends of Gymswell and Johnson Park as we are moving forward to um uh pull JW Friends of JWJ underneath the DVI umbrella.

Um there are also um other um conversations that we're having on the CR the bit uh the bid expansion to match the boundaries of the CRA.

So working alongside OGC in that, those are moving forward, and we'll have another update again come June.

Um and then in addition to that uh the work of bringing everyone together, as you can imagine.

Everyone's really busy.

There's a lot going on.

Um, but it is a substantial effort and the work is continuing.

Um we have a series of a series of meetings that have been occurring as um the JRA is finalizing their contract with the city, and once that's um been figured out, then we will be able to pull that all into the overall matrix and um come forth with recommendations in the June meeting on how to improve the coordination, clarifying the roles in a series of matrix as well as um funding needs um across the agencies on how to either do um just the municipal services or the enhanced municipal services as they will be identified in the report.

Um this also helps us when we are talking with private stakeholders, looking towards the philanthropic arm in this overall P3 models that we'll need for both the both DVI and the JRA.

Um basically proposed next steps for me at least on focus area one.

Um I'll return in June with a 2025-26 expanded special committee of the future of downtown focus area one final report.

Um that will basically uh wrap up and summarize the charge as was presented to this particular committee and give you also recommendations on how to take that forward into the 26-27 fiscal year, as we know downtown is still ever growing and that the momentum is very strong.

And also to note now, this is the only one where we wish I did have a slide.

Um the state of downtown report was just released.

So for those of you that don't know, downtown vision is responsible for the research that takes place when we look at who does what, whether it's office vacancies, we aggregate that information, how many visitors we're having in downtown, we aggregate that as well.

Um, and I say we because it's been publicly announced, I now work for downtown vision.

Um, and part of that is we release a report every year that gives a roadmap as well as talking points to anyone who's talking about downtown.

Um, and that particular report was just released a handful of weeks ago.

Um, happy to present it.

Um we are in the middle of printing copies, or I would have had copies for you already.

Um, but I'm happy to send you all the link.

I would love for you guys to kind of dig into it as you have questions.

Um, it will be important to recognize that we are almost at this, we're a little over 9,000 um residents in downtown, which is really exciting when you look at how we have gone from just 2016 to 2025, 26 within less than 10 years, and we are well on track to uh surpass that also we have roughly 20,000 visitors a month that are coming just for our public realm who do not live or work or play in downtown, or they're playing, but they don't live or work in downtown.

So we are these the the investment that you made through putting dollars towards public space, spending your time now, listening to those of us that are doing the work, trying to help us take that go even forward even further.

Um, it's clearly impacting the city as a whole.

And what we hope to also provide in addition to the state of downtown report, um, in the final report that I provide for y'all, it will also show that economic impact, what that looks like, what the future plans are as well.

I know that um Daryl's gonna speak a little bit about what they've been able to do in just the last couple of months as we go forward.

Um, it's very important that we are recognizing the true economic impact of this as well as the community um need and buy-in for uh for our um true critical quality of life.

And with that, I am done.

I see George talking to Joe.

George, are you okay?

Do y'all have it?

He wants you to repeat the whole thing.

Okay, we're good.

Um, so thank you, Ms.

Edgecombe.

I had a quick question.

I don't know if we're um ready to get the presentation for parkshed or not.

We also have two committee members in the queue.

Um, I'll let them go first with proper rules of order here, and then I'll go with my question.

So, council member Salem.

Thank you, Chair.

Through the chair to Ms.

Etchcombe.

Um, I have read the report.

I believe the Daily Record did a nice job of uh publishing it a week or so ago.

Yes, sir.

The the number that really frustrated me was the space of office space where we've had a significant precipitous decrease over the last several years of office space.

And I know one of the things that uh the council heard was the homeless population, which which I think we've done a pretty admirable job through the PAF program of getting many of the homeless out of downtown and into into services, but the numbers still seem to be improving at all.

Is there a strategy that that somewhat is putting together to try to uh keep people downtown uh number one and attract people downtown for that matter?

Yes, so part of what is going on in addition to these sort of special committees, the DIA is looking at um attraction, it means a lot of things for a lot of different people, right?

You come downtown because you want to, from a work standpoint, you want to feel safe, and that's a perception because we know statistically that this is the safest area in Jacksonville, but perception is reality for a lot of people.

And so when you look at streetscapes, when you walk by uh when you're walking down the street, if there's a vacant building and it is dark and gloomy and doesn't feel safe, then you don't feel safe, and you don't want to be in downtown, and you see it could be any time of the day.

Um, and so the DIA right now is actually looking at streetscape, um, a new streetscape program, downtown vision is gonna be working alongside them, and looking at activating vacant storefronts.

So some kind of this boots on the ground, the DIA and DVI are very are working very closely in that area.

We're also talking about and working with the private developers, not only on what that looks like from a baseline, you know, street level, but also what can we do from the private sector?

We know that governance is critical to everything that we do, but a lot of time the money speaks more than what we can do in meetings that take time sometimes things take too long when we're in this in these, you know, it is difficult sometimes to really move the ball at the momentum we need to going as quickly as the momentum of downtown is growing right now.

And so we're having conversations with the private development and the private side and the philanthropic side in general over the unhoused population, what we can do in that arena as well as what we can be doing for those vacant storefronts.

Um I've had several meetings in the last couple weeks.

I was in Denver uh two weeks ago, just specifically on the unhoused population side of it, working alongside the mayor's office and with our um uh continuum of care.

There will be conversations coming forward, working alongside HIC, as well as what you're doing with the um social committee for homelessness on doge to see where the dollars are and what we can actually do now that we have some sort of a plan.

Um, and then in addition to that, looking at what the when I talked about the financial needs and the things we'll need for this vibrancy and this feeling and this this perception of safety and people wanting to be down here.

Um we are looking at um, that's some of the work that the DIA and DVI as well as the JRA, once they come on board, we'll be talking through.

Um again, there is a baseline that the city will need to be able to provide, and then the enhanced municipal services above and beyond that private sector, philanthropic sector.

I can assure you though, it is part of our conversations on a very regular basis.

I just if I can continue.

I I just am concerned and I see some of the gateway people in the back as as we're adding um that type of space downtown with future development.

I worry about some of these older buildings, and they're just my concern is that they're just gonna be vacant.

So um, when you look at there's actually one of the things that uh downtown vision is doing right now, um, per the request of the DIA is looking at every single vacant storefront in downtown.

So we can identify what are those storefronts.

We can identify who those landlords, who they are, we can figure out in what area are they in, what is that what is that best suited for?

As you know, the DIA has um like a food and beverage district, right?

We have a nightlife district, we have pockets up from our true urban planning side on what we're doing in downtown.

Um, and so when we look at when we're able to identify where are those vacant spaces, we can then identify what are the needs in those spaces as we go forward.

There are conversations that are happening every day with um developers and investors from outside of Jacksonville who are chomping at the bit to come in.

They just need to know where they should go, and so part of the work that we're doing right now is so that we can provide them around the fall.

Um, we're looking at providing and putting together a summit so we can put together and actually identify the areas that are needed and necessary to have those people come in.

Because ultimately, our downtown is again y'all know I I grew up here, I have stories from my grandparents, I have stories from my parents.

I downtown for me was a bustling business, but downtown's now more like a neighborhood.

I mean, it really is genuinely becoming more as we have more residents, more things to do here, more places to eat.

It's becoming more of a neighborhood, and so we have to balance between office and neighborhood.

Thank you, Chair.

Okay, I think it's an important point, and I'm glad Councilman Salem, absolutely.

Someone is focused on it.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

All right, I agree though.

The that needs to be the next kind of maybe focus that we look at.

And I know DIA's got their their hands wrapped around that.

Um, but a lot of it does come down to the landlords.

Um, Matt Carlucci.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

And I I want to pick up on uh what both the chair and Mr.

Salem were talking about, but I don't want to drag it on through here.

They've already said some of what I wanted to say.

What I would like to ask is um after this meeting, are you gonna be around or do you need to go somewhere after this meeting?

Um, well, this meeting will probably wrap early, but um, regardless.

So I will definitely have time, but regardless, uh, Councilman Carlucci, I'll make time for you after this.

I'm happy to be here.

Okay.

Well, I appreciate I just don't want to interrupt your time, but um, but I if if you and I could meet maybe after this meeting, I have some ideas.

Okay, also have a feeling I know what part of that problem is, and how maybe we can uh work through that to get some of these buildings occupied.

Wonderful.

Uh so we could talk about that, that would be super.

Absolutely, yes, sir.

And if there's somebody from the mayor's office that would like to join me, I'd be uh happy to have them to join me, Brittany.

And uh okay, thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right, uh, the question, the two questions I have are um it sounds like you're we kind of been working on this like org chart type of everybody who's doing everything, whatever.

Um did I hear you right when you said the JRA is pretty much um you know five-yard line, they're getting everything wrapped up with the mayor's office, and then once that becomes concrete, you can kind of disseminate the actual org chart and everything.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

Um is there a timeline, Miss Norris on like the JRA?

Where I I got I had an update like two weeks ago, I just don't know what where it's at.

I don't need like specifics, I just want to know like who's waiting on what.

Miss Ott's also in the room.

If you'd like to let I just want to know who's waiting on what, that's all I really want to know.

I would need to get an update from Director Jones.

Oh, here comes here.

All right.

All right, good morning again, Daryl Joseph.

So as it relates to the JRA agreement, uh the agreement is with Office of General Council.

They're actually uh JRAs sent that over to us, uh, so they should have a draft back to them early this week.

Uh, and then we'll be moving forward to the legislative process.

Okay, okay, cool.

Thanks.

That's all I needed.

Um, and then the second thing uh with the regards to the state of downtown report, um the residents are like 9,000, whatever.

Um what's the ratio?

Like how many units do we have?

So we so this is this is always the fun game, right?

We have to remember that we are for almost four square miles, and so everyone's like 10,000 people will be great and we'll be fine.

Um we ultimately need more like 10,000 units, which gets us roughly 17,000 uh residents.

We are well on our way right now to 6,000 units in downtown.

Um, but the under construct between what we have inventory already and then under construction.

So we are well on our way.

What we have coming in the pipeline and coming down the way by 28, 29, we will surpass that 10,000 unit number.

Okay.

So I just want to make sure we're asking um, and this is probably obvious, but when when y'all get the number for residents, are y'all just asking all of basically the giant developments like hey, what's your occupancy?

And then you're just adding all those up.

So some of there's a couple different ways that we um aggregate that information.

Yes, clearly we're talking about the property owner management groups and those sorts of things, um, as well as looking.

I mean, every when when you have residency, right?

You have to you have um either your registered to vote or you're registered, you know, at that address.

So we do look at actually what the um the census shows uh and here and what's actually registered here in Duval County within a particular uh set of boundaries.

Okay, okay, cool.

Um those are all the questions I have.

So I think we are good to go.

Okay, thank you so much, Miss Edgecombe.

And now, Mr.

Joseph, I believe we have your presentation queued up.

All right, they're working or scooting along.

All right, we got it.

Again, General Joseph Parks Department.

Um, thank you all for the time today.

Uh so as it relates to parks and our riverfront.

Um as I mentioned before, providing or receiving community input has been kind of the pillar of where we actually have moved forward with as far as getting information on what these parks need to be uh and making sure these are parks for everyone.

Uh so this Wednesday uh we actually have an open house inside the cafe space at Riverfront Plaza.

Uh that is at four, starting at four o'clock and goes to 6 30.

Uh so that will actually provide information and share what the phase two of work will look like.

Um, just pleased to say that we work really closely uh with Gateway Jacks uh as relates to making sure our spaces speak to each other.

Um so we've really worked well with that group and want to thank them publicly for their work.

Construction phase two at Riverfront Plaza is underway.

One thing that we have done is making sure that we have access from Riverfront Plaza that allows you to get down to the Hyatt.

That river walk space in that direction is open and available to the public.

The slides that you see before you is Shipyards West as well as Matt Park.

Both of these can both of these projects will start construction this year.

Shipyards West.

This summer will be moving forward with the phase one of that one first, which will be this the space closest to the Orlic, and then move throughout the park.

And then Met Park will be done all at one time.

Met Park will be complete by the end of 2027, and then Shipyards West will follow in 2028.

Additional openings.

So this Wednesday, we will be opening the North Bank River Walk, the section near McCoy's Creek.

That will be reopened to the public.

A lot of excitement, and in addition to that, the musical garden behind the performing arts center also will be open this Wednesday.

Corkscrew Park, which received a lot of use prior to it closing down.

This was almost our fitness hub for downtown.

A lot of fitness equipment, work with D VI to actually activate that space.

So we're just really looking forward to expanding and providing another location that could actually be activated.

This is pictures of the music, Riverfront Music Garden.

So again, we'll open this Wednesday morning.

Activation, can't can't say enough as relates to my parks team as far as making sure it's great to have amazing spaces, but they're not so amazing if no one's using them.

One thing I can truly say is these spaces are getting daily use.

We actually have the numbers to back those up.

Speaking of numbers, 32,000 eggs is what we distributed for Easter this year.

Great celebration down at Riverfront Plaza.

Over 10,000 visitors for the event, 20 community partners, and we actually had some high school students volunteering as well.

The Saturday sounds at Friendship Fountain has truly been popular, providing something for people to do on a consistent basis.

We actually have that every Saturday.

There's something to do at the fountain in addition to the light show.

That restroom facility is open now.

So you actually have a restroom facility to utilize as well.

Movie night.

It's a monthly event.

We've actually purchased an LED screen that provides us an opportunity to start the movies earlier.

Our visitation for this has been really consistent.

So we look forward to moving these out throughout the year and throughout the summer.

This has been really successful, just tying into the business community, helping activate these spaces.

A lot of these businesses have also then moved into brick and mortar, really filling the buzz of downtown and keeping that activation and keeping that activity current.

One fun fact Friendship Fountain and River's Edge have been the most utilized.

We're currently booked out at those lotion locations to the end of June.

Again, our social media presence and Garrett on my team and Eric have done a great job as far as making sure people know what we're doing.

So please follow us.

We have a Jack's Park app.

Those that are on Instagram, Facebook, follow us so you can find out what we're doing.

We don't take it for granted that everyone has social media.

So really working for different ways to try to make sure that we get the word out of all the exciting things that are happening in downtown Jacksonville.

All right.

Councilman, really quick.

I don't know if now's the time.

Leslie with the dinner boat is actually here.

If I can give her two minutes of my time as well, I would like for her to just give a quick update on what she has going on with the Jax River Jack's yacht.

Okay, yeah, we can do like two minutes for that.

Um I want to welcome Councilmember Peluso uh for joining us and yeah.

Good morning, everyone.

My name is Leslie from Jack's Yacht Charter.

And if you have not been on board the Royal Princess, I want to invite you.

We're talking about the state of downtown in the future, and honestly, I really feel we are part of the future right now.

I can barely talk because I was yesterday, we had a double Mother's Day open to the public.

We were sold out for our brunch cruise, and then we had another cruise in the evening with my children.

We are family-owned and veteran women-owned business with over 20 years experience in New York, and we're now here in Jacksonville, and you have to experience this firsthand to see the emotional impact it's making on people who've somehow never been on a yacht.

And it's beautiful and it's exciting, and we're showcasing downtown Jacksonville.

But we can only do that with funds that we need.

In August, we have to get hauled out to get our bottom inspected.

We're working, we're hoping to get into Fink and Thierry, which is right across the river from us.

We've met with the CEO.

A haul out of this nature could cost 50 to 100,000.

This is we are we fund everything ourselves, and if there is money in downtown to help small businesses renovate buildings, we may not be brick and mortar on the land, but we certainly are brick and mortar on the water.

And we want to be part of that pie.

I don't know how it the process works, but I would like to talk to you all about that.

Um I have some paperwork here, but I just want to say, relax in Jacks aboard the Royal Princess.

Thank you.

All right, thank you so much.

Yeah, I've been on uh the yacht I think once or twice now, and it's absolutely it's beautiful, it's amazing.

So congratulations on having uh a great Mother's Day yesterday.

Um, so uh Mr.

Joseph, did you have anything else that you wanted to add?

Because we have a few people in the queue for questions.

Yeah, just checking to see if we had any questions.

Okay, great.

Yeah, uh Councilmember Salem and then Councilmember Pelusa.

Thank you, Chair.

Through the chair to Mr.

Joseph.

You might recall in finance uh eighteen months ago or so, we had quite a debate about parks and funding and and actually uh uh we trim some dollars from uh I believe was Metropolitan Park, if I recall correctly.

Are we in budget as you look forward?

Are we gonna have any issues staying within the budget that we set up?

I think the chair to Councilman Salem, thank you for that question.

Yeah, I do yes, I do recall.

Um we are on on time and we're on budget at this point.

Um these projects have gone really well.

Haskell has been our construction partner on these projects, so really looking at ways that we can be most efficient, but also get to the finish line of constructing the pro constructing the projects and making sure that the projects um are what we intended from the beginning.

So short answer is yes, sir, we're we're on budget on these projects.

And second question if I can, and this to you or the or the lady that was speaking about the yacht or don't recall your name.

Is that is that purely a private effort?

The yacht is owned by someone and it's a it's a for-profit type effort.

Can you help me understand that?

Yes, sir.

It's a private um entity that manages and and operates the yacht.

We parks that are RFP request for proposal, uh seeking someone to activate um is exactly what they're doing.

So we manage their contract, but it's privately funded, privately owned.

Um they actually pay us a fee monthly to actually use our docking space.

So there's no city dollars going towards this effort.

They're paying us to use our dock.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Very helpful.

All right, Councilmember Pelusa, you recognize time.

Thank you, Chair, and I apologize for being late, but I did hear much of the presentation while I was coming in.

Thank you, Daryl, for a great update per usual.

Very excited about the programming of these parks.

That was the first Easter event that we've done here in this in that part or in the city, right?

So with the with the eggs with the egg hunt.

We did we did one last year at Friendship Fountain.

Um the space at Friendship Fountain didn't serve to be adequate, or uh, as far as the number of people that came out, riverfront plaza gives us more space.

Uh so this is our second year of doing the kind of citywide egg hunt.

Um last year we thought 10,000 eggs was a lot.

We actually, you know, increased that number to the almost 30,000.

Yeah, I mean, more any amount of eggs you put out, they're eventually gonna get found.

Uh no, I mean great great cities have great parks um and great programming, and that's just a piece of that.

So I'm very grateful to you for that.

I think that the pictures alone looked phenomenal, and and the the weather seemed great.

Um so one of the one of the things that I've been talking to a few folks about actually, real quick, phase two for riverfront plaza.

Is that at all being affected by the the gateway tower and all that?

Is that going to be completed on time, or are we still waiting on them for a few things?

Through the chair to Councilman Peluso.

So as relates to phase two Riverfront Plaza, uh, we work hand in hand as relates to their development, making sure the two projects speak to each other, but we're not waiting on their project, we're moving forward with the park space.

Okay, good.

Just want to make sure, because I've had a few people talk about that too.

Um, the entire river walk.

Right now, it's my understanding that there's multiple different contractors that have different segments of the river walk that they're doing planning on.

Is there ever going to be an appetite to have kind of one solid plan for all of the river walk and possible expansion uh to make it wider things like that in the future?

Through the chair to Councilman Peluso, we're working with one of our design partners currently uh on a riverwalk continuity plan.

Uh one thing that I've never seen is truly just a full image, basically showing what the future of the river walk is.

Uh so we should have that later on this year.

Um, no matter who's scheduled to actually build it, basically, it will actually show those locations and show everything that for us from a connectivity standpoint.

Yeah.

And even dreaming in the future of how the river walk can expand down to memorial park.

Well, for one, I would love for it to expand a memorial park.

I think myself and many others would.

Continuity plan is great and all, you know.

I what we kind of have a continuity plan currently, right?

I mean, I think it's all about getting maybe one contractor to do the whole thing, and then whatever developer just must must align with that, as opposed to having all these different contractors.

That's something that I've been wanting to talk about.

A few folks with the riverfront.

Um parks, you know, folks have come out.

I'm sure Laura's talked to them as well.

Um, but but that's just something that I know I'm interested in, Chair, and I kind of want to see if that's that there's an appetite for that.

So that we have a better consistent idea of what the what the river walks gonna look like, what year it's gonna be done, things like that.

Um to the point of the the cruise.

Uh, very, very excited uh uh for for your success.

One of my questions is you're gonna be in dry dock in August.

Do you know how long that's gonna be sorry?

Hopefully, as short as possible.

Um I just want to add Mr.

Salem.

We are working with the city as much as we can.

You have a the third Thursday of every month is Zip and Stroll, where last time we had 200 people walking up and down the South Bank, and we do a complimentary open house where we invite anyone to come on board between 5 p.m.

and 8 p.m.

And then if they want to cruise for an hour, we only charge 35 dollars.

It is exploding.

People are like, this is the most amazing thing.

Thank you.

I get thank yous.

Who who thanks me?

I've never had that in New York.

Anyway, um, so we also are working with Blue Water Maritime.

We're gonna be offering some educational opportunities to mariners who want to learn about there's no K-boat in this harbor.

A K-boat is any yacht over 149 passengers.

Ma'am, just just in the end, because we have so much time left.

So the question was about being in dry docking.

Oh, dry dock, I'm sorry.

30 days, two months.

Hopefully no more than two weeks.

Okay, I just want to make sure that's what I'm hoping.

Good.

The reason is obviously we're gonna have the Jaguar season, and I would imagine you guys will want to be active, especially in those early months when the weather's gonna be really nice.

Gotcha.

Um to that point though, I I do kind of concur.

I mean, if the city or DIA or whomever can kind of be helpful to that effort, we really haven't seen the the river being utilized in this manner in quite some time.

And so especially as we're kind of activating, uh I think it's there's high value in making sure that we have some sort of uh activity for people to go to uh all days of the week, right?

I'm I was concerned about the Everbank deal because I don't think that we're going to see people here on the weekends hanging out in the Everbank Tower.

So, when you have activities and things that people can do all seven days a week, that that makes me a little bit more comfortable about putting in uh public dollars.

So that's just kind of my opinion.

Thank you, Darrell.

Thank you, ma'am.

All right.

Thank you.

And Darrell, the North Bank Riverwalk opening is you said this Wednesday.

What time?

Uh 11 a.m.

11 a.m.

Okay, and I'm assuming like they're just walking from there down to the music garden as well.

So so we'll actually have an event at the music garden will actually be the ribbon cutting.

Okay.

For both.

Uh so that's Wednesday morning at 11 a.m.

Okay, so the ribbon cutting's actually at the music garden and then the river walks just open.

Okay.

Okay, cool.

Cool.

All right, uh, that's all I think we have.

We don't have any other speakers in the queue.

Michelle, I meant to ask you this question related to Ms.

Edgecombe's um presentation.

I know you've been working tirelessly on all these bills.

The James Wolden Johnson uh legislation where they're gonna be moving into DVI, where is that at?

To the chair.

So the current contract for maintenance and programming in James Weldon Johnson Park, um, it's on its second amendment and final amendment.

It um concludes September 30th.

So the new contract will take place October 1 with the annual appropriation that is um goes to parks for that purpose.

Um so that legislation is being drafted now to allot that to DBI instead of the friends of group.

Okay, so when can we expect to have that like filed?

I know it won't take effect until October, but I'd like this committee to introduce that.

Sure.

So that's the intent to have the the special committee introduce it.

Another component that needs to be worked out is the contract.

So the legislation um authorizes the mayor to sign the contract between parks and DVI, and the terms of that need to be negotiated.

So they're while they're working on that, I'm working on the legislation, and when they get that, um kind of iron those terms out, we'll we'll move forward.

Okay, and then the second item that I know you have worked on among like six other ones is the DVI expansion.

Is that where is that at in uh all the grand scheme of things?

Um, so through the chair, so expanding the yes, expanding the bid boundary to encompass the entire CRA boundary.

Um, I've been working with the folks at DVI and and um talk to DIA a little bit about this.

Um, the plan to implement it for fiscal year 2028, um, requires the filing of legislation this spring with declaring the intent to use the uniform method under chapter 190 of Florida statutes.

This spring, you mean like next what are we in next?

Uh okay.

Got it.

Okay.

So through the chair, the plan is to use um chapter 197 to declare intent to use the uniform method this spring, um, and then have hold the public hearing, all the proper notices for that, and then the second step is the um certification of the assessment rule come next spring.

So that's the easy way to do it.

It requires it's a multi-step process under Florida statutes.

There's public hearings, there's newspaper notice, there's mailed notice required.

There is potentially it possible to implement fiscal year 2027.

It's much more complicated and requires a double the legislation, double the public hearings notice, et cetera, because you have to implement under chapter 170 and Chapter 197.

Possible a lot more difficult up to you all from a policy standpoint of when you want to implement this and and what your what your goals are in that regard.

Okay.

No, I mean I think I think in this instance you know more time's not a bad thing.

So I'm not in a rush to do it.

I am just wanting kind of to know is that so this spring there's a bill that's filed all the public hearings all the whatever whatever and then it goes to the next phase the following spring.

That's what I'm hearing.

Yeah so through the chair what what I would do now for fiscal year 2028 implementation is declare intent to use the uniform method of collection under 197 now there is a public hearing that would be held after it needs to be noticed for four consecutive weeks and then we'll hold a public hearing go through that then it must be sent to department of revenue the tax collector and a property appraiser.

So that's kind of what would happen this summer that first step um and then the second step is the legislation come next spring.

Okay.

Cool.

Thank you so much I appreciate that all right now we are in the last part of our agenda today.

So Mr.

Tarbert come on down.

Sure.

Uh good morning uh members of the committee uh my name's Colin Tarbert I'm the CEO of the downtown investment authority and um today I'm also joined by a number of board meet board members and staff.

So we will go through this.

I want to start off with a couple pieces of legislation that we've been working with the chair on and wanted to present to the committee there's two here that I believe we've filed last week.

One is um in the downtown revitalization downtown economic development fund uh which is a fund that DIA oversees uh we had some interest earnings um because we had completion grant funding sitting there and so there's about one point one million dollars of of earnings that accrued in that account and so uh we we've made the suggestion to the chair and to the committee that those funds um be earmarked for completion grants um that are coming up in the fiscal year because we know that there's an additional there's additional funding that's needed to for those and so we basically sort of said we we found this you know 1.1 million dollars um in conversations with the chair and that um you know that could essentially go towards uh completion grants to help offset the general fund uh so that's one piece of legislation and then the second one here um is just uh a fee framework uh this was presented to the board um actually both of these items were presented to the board last month um the fee framework is what we talked about a little bit before just DIA having the ability to charge administrative fees for some of the work that we do specifically with developers so one of the changes that we've made um is to contract out third party underwriting uh so we've got three financial consultants to help DIA this was in part because of Mr.

Kelly's retirement and so for a portion of those fees that are related directly to a project that a developer is bringing to us uh we want to be also be able to actually you know recoup those costs um and there may be some other fees that we're looking at in terms of just administrative costs for Rev grants and loans that are particular to a developer or to a project um not for you know small businesses or other programs like that so those are the the two pieces of legislation we wanted to present to the special committee today okay great no those are um let me just check if there's anyone in the queue for these I don't have anyone um but yeah no that we're that that is great um yeah obviously the interest earnings are gonna go kind of back to our uh list of completion grants that got to that has to get paid down um and then obviously your free your fee uh framework is kind of already done I think partly in practice uh so now this is kind of just codifying it but obviously will that have a will that have an impact on y'all's kind of administrative budget so to speak in your office or is it kind of a net zero sum?

It'll it'll be sort of net uh we're basically just charging the the fee to the developer that we have to cost so it'll still be cost to us for the financial consultant when they're not doing work specifically for a project just doing more general analysis for us.

Okay awesome go to the next slide uh so the next slide is um the next two items are items that are coming up to the DIA board uh for consideration this month um so next Wednesday May 20th uh we plan to present the next two items and so uh as we've been doing with the special committee previewing it with you all and getting your feedback prior to the board meeting uh the first one is for the riverfront riverfront plaza restaurant parcel um you may remember that we issued a uh a notice of disposition this to uh solicit proposals for a restaurant operator um at riverfront plaza we received two proposals um one local one uh more national and uh we had a DIA evaluation committee that met um on April 30th reviewed both proposals one was Prohibition Kition um which is uh an entity that's located out of St.

Augustine the second was Atlas restaurant group uh group that's headquartered in Baltimore Atlas scored higher they scored about 90 out of 100 and the other scored uh roughly 71 out of 100 and so there will be a recommendation going to the board um to move forward with the Atlas group um there would be a restaurant that would be constructed on the pad um and then the uh tenant would um do the fit out for the for the core and shell i mean sorry for the for the restaurant the city would fund the core and shell and um the idea would have all of this open if we can move quickly enough for that uh riverfront plaza phase two opening at the end of 2027 give it to the next one yeah you can keep going and we'll ask questions at the end and then the um the second one is gateway jacks hotel Marydell uh also known as the ambassador um they recently kind of came up with a new brand a new uh name for the project um this is a historic redevelopment it's about a hundred and ninety one or hundred and nine 109 keys total 50 million dollar um total development cost uh this would include a new uh restaurant um operated by indigo road hospitality group which would also be operating the hotel and so there's a DPRP request of ten point one million dollars for this project under the current analysis that we did they'd actually be eligible for up to 15 million dollars um but in conversations with the developer and based on the financial analysis that we're doing and that we'll present uh we think that the 10 million dollar DPRP request um will is sufficient for the developer to get the returns that would be structured like uh the other you know the typical DPRP program where it's um two components that are forgivable loans and then one component that is um a loan that is paid back that's roughly 20 percent so to call it two million dollars uh which of the ten would be a loan that would be repaid uh under the program um this one has a very high uh return on investment for the city typically d PRP we we the threshold is 0.5 uh this one is point um oh sorry it's one point eight um in excess just because it's a hotel it generates a lot of taxes and revenue for the city it has high employment for the city uh this is the first project that we've used um uh third party consultant to do the analysis for and so that'll be presented to the board uh next week but the consultant on this one is CHM Warnick their national firm that specializes in hotel asset management evaluation etc.

And so again that'll be presented next uh week for the board's consideration this would need um general funds for the DPRP program.

There's a number that are coming through the council right now.

Specifically, if you include this one, there's there's roughly three.

There is the N7 Publix project for lack of a better description, mixed use uh apartments and grocery.

The second one is the Baptist Hotel project.

And then the third one would be this um while there's other projects that are out there, we don't have any additional requests for uh general funds at this time.

And so I'm hoping that these three, if we can move them through council over the summer and fund them, the other projects that we have that we're working on or will be funded through essentially DIA and or um funding that's already been earmarked kind of in the general fund.

So those projects include um Snyder, which DIA has funding for, uh Mags Cafe was recently approved by you all.

Thank you.

That's also being funded through uh DIA.

Um so the goal would be hopefully there would be at least a a pause for general funds.

Um as we move through these projects and projects come online, we'll be able to judge the market a lot better.

I can stop there for questions.

The next slide is um, let me check real quick.

Okay, yeah, let's stop there for questions and then we can go into the the parking slide, which I know will have questions as well.

Um Councilmember Matt Carlucci.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Did we um talk about the uh the dining on the river there at the uh plaza yet?

Yes, this is I I just brought up the slide.

Yes.

Yeah, okay, okay.

I thought we did.

Um did we decide what kind of what is what it's going to be?

What kind of food?

There's uh there's there's two proposals.

The proposal that scored highest, and that would be presented to the board next week, um, is kind of a upscale yet still you know approachable seafood uh restaurant.

Um that's presented by Atlas Group.

The other proposal was more of a gastro pub with live entertainment, which was Prohibition Kitchen.

So the proposal that scored higher was more of a sit-down um oyster bar, seafood restaurant.

Um still reasonable but a little bit more upscale in terms of uh seafood scored higher?

Yes.

Okay, good.

Um I'm just saying this, throwing it out there.

Um, I I would use a different word than gastro pub.

I might call it a uh I don't know a fork and barrel, uh a uh craft barn kitchen, uh a cookhouse.

Uh the other name is just a little bit of a uh turn off to me, just throwing that out there, but I'm glad seafood won.

Thanks.

All right, next we have Councilmember Salem.

Thank you, Chair.

Through the chair, Mr.

Talbert, thank you for coming.

You piqued my interest with these hotels and general fund dollars.

Uh, the publics, I think most of us were aware of.

As you know, the council has worked extremely hard to reduce the commitments that we have in the future on completion grants.

Can you run through um I are all three of these completion grants?

Question number one, question number two.

How much are they that you're gonna be requesting, and in what years are you gonna be requesting?

Sure.

I might not have the the years off the top of my head.

Um, so two of the three that I mentioned this morning have gone through uh the DIA board and then will be presented to the council.

The first is we'll call it Publix N7.

Uh that one I believe is 28.5 million dollars.

Um, and if I got that wrong, Cindy Tremer will correct me.

Um, smiling.

Okay.

She nodding, yes.

Um, the second project is the Baptist Health Hotel project.

That's a total of eight million dollars.

Um that one is split over two years.

Um both of those projects have not, you know, broken ground yet.

Um, if they're approved, they could break ground.

I think the N7 project is pretty far along, so that could break ground towards the end of this year.

Um Baptist is still in design, so that probably wouldn't break around till next year.

And I'd say each of those projects is at least an 18-month project to kind of project it out.

Um, we do have it on the um completion grant tracking list, so we can get you those fiscal years.

I just don't want to misspeak um in those, but let's just assume it's about two years, two years from out.

The project that's in front of you right now, Hotel Merydale, could actually probably happen faster just because you already have the structure there.

It's a historic renovation, so it's not um it's not easy, but it's also could move could move a little bit faster and potentially be completed before those other two projects.

And this is 10 point one million dollars.

Okay.

I think it's around 46 if I'm doing the math right.

And it's it from what once you're indicating you don't have the dollars within your own CRA to support these, uh you're looking for the general fund to support these.

Yeah, we wouldn't have it at this magnitude if within the CRA.

We've we've kind of tapped out the CRA for the smaller projects being Snyder, Mags.

Um Snyder was I think four and a half million.

Mags is about three and a half million.

Right.

Um so we've we've tried to fund those out of what we can, yes.

Well, last question.

I obviously we prefer um my mind just went blank loans.

Rev grants.

Thank you, uh Councilmember Corlucci.

Rev grants versus completion grants.

Is there any way to convert some of these to rev grants versus completion grants?

These these do have rev on them for the Baptist Hotel.

Uh we looked at that kind of under two different programs and move forward with the program that we could have a higher rev on to lower the completion grant.

Um so we will do that and we'll kind of present that to the board, understanding that that's the preference.

Um, but these are basically um kind of maxing out the the rev, I believe, where we can, and then there's still that financial financial gap.

So I I guess it's a total of around 46, 47 million dollars.

Correct.

Over potentially several years.

I yeah, I'd like to see those put on the spreadsheet and see how they play out.

And if you can get that uh to the auditors to where we could see that, that'd be very helpful to me.

Yeah, absolutely.

Thank you, sir.

Sure.

All right.

And and yeah, I do I do agree with just I do kind of want to see an updated spreadsheet from kind of when we started this committee, or when we even started this uh fiscal year, we've made significant, you know, um payments towards these completion grants.

So I'd love to see kind of the new timeline um uh so to speak of all those.

Um okay, we'll go to Councilmember Pelusa.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh, thank you, Colin, for the update.

I know there's more to it, and we just stopped here, so I might as well buggy about a few things.

Um the first one is I'm I'm still I'm grateful that you guys are doing DPRP.

I still think it's a good program.

I know that some people get a little bit uh uh upset about you know the need for going into the general fund, but this is a historical building as well.

So that needs to be reminded that we are we are imbuing a lot of love and attention to these historic properties, and we can't build them again.

So so the historical component is is why the price is where it is, and I'm perfectly fine with that because I think there's a public interest and involved.

On top of that, as I look at like the how much the taxes are on that property right now, it's only 29 grand.

Imagine what's gonna happen once we start seeing a hotel go there and and values just skyrocket.

Like, we're gonna be collecting so much more dollars.

I mean, one of the things we consistently see in the daily record is all these properties that are just not, you know, carrying their weight when it comes to to property taxes, and and I'm assuming at least on commercial properties and properties like this, we'll still have property taxes.

So, like things like that are just we need to keep in the back of our mind.

Every year we don't do anything, we're missing out.

The opportunity cost is too great.

So, so very grateful uh to see that move forward, and I and I expect to support it heavily.

Uh, but let's go to the restaurant on the park.

Um I'll probably come and speak on the 20th.

Uh I'm still I'm still not fully sold.

Uh I my big issue continues to be you got that, you got the beer hall, we're gonna have the tower with multiple restaurants in it.

I think you do the restaurant or the beer hall, pick one.

Like the the cost for the shell is how much four million?

But the eight million for the restaurant corn shell, the private sector will invest another four plus million dollars.

That's still city money, right?

That that's still a considerable amount.

And it's just a matter of if we've already, you know, it there just doesn't seem like there's enough not enough park for all that private development.

I'm fine with some of it.

I'm I'm I supported the tower.

I still do.

I think a hotel there is okay.

I think to pick one or the other, and I'm gonna I'm gonna pursue that with your board, and hopefully uh we can kind of get some answers on that.

So I'm just putting that out there now, and that's that's it's just just not enough park.

Thanks.

All right, we have Council Member Matt Collicki.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, when's your next meeting?

I want to be there and argue with Peluso through the chair.

Next Wednesday at 2 p.m., anyway.

Um, the um the completion grant, that that's on the uh grocery store, is that correct?

I'm going back to that.

Yeah, the completion grant for N7 is the entire project.

So it's 250 apartments, structured parking, and um the grocery store.

So the total project is in excess of you know 100 plus million dollars.

But the whole project has a completion grant in there.

Yes.

Okay.

Is part of the reason that it has a completion grant in there, because I'm I'm just asking, um, because of the uh the margin of of profit, uh, the spread of the profit on the grocery stores on all grocery stores is so thin.

Would that be one reason?

I'm just I'm just asking.

Yeah, that's one reason in the sense that the well it's a large uh square footage of of retail.

It the grocery stores, you know, notoriously pay not a lot in rent, and so that project in some ways is a little bit I want to call it a loss leader, but basically they're they're probably gonna have a lower return on that overall project in order to support the grocery store, which will support the rest of the retail that's going in throughout that development.

As I understand it, as we went through talking over the last two terms about food deserts.

One reason uh areas sometimes can't sustain a grocery store is there's just not much margin for profit on grocery stores.

You've got to have an immense amount of uh volume of people buying because it's not like um a retail store where you could mark something up double.

Um there's just not that much uh room on a gallon of milk, you know, like there would be something in a retail store for profit, and that that's what I'm trying to get to, because we all would rather have rev grants because it's not cash out of the general fund, and so that's kind of why I'm asking, why there has to be a uh completion grant on there, and it is the grocery store part of that reason why that the completion grant is needed.

Very much so.

The the grocery store is very expensive to build, it doesn't produce a lot of rent income for the developer for the very reason you're saying that it's a you know the one percent margin for for a grocery store uh in most cases, and I'd also say that this grocery store not only will it serve the new kind of downtown neighborhood of Pearl Square, but I think it will also probably be the closest grocery store to Springfield, which I've had a number of Springfield residents also kind of remark about their excitement, which hopefully will support increased home values in Springfield, not just you know in the downtown core, but it's it's sort of an investment um in the in the greater area, and that's why we need uh a relatively large completion grant on this project.

Um it's also the the 250 apartments will be concrete construction, which I think for the downtown core might be the first one.

And so again, you're you're bringing in a higher level quality of construction, which is also it will increase rents, but it'll also be you know, substantial cost up front.

What what is exciting just as an observation for whatever it's worth there's worth a lot to me is um uh twenty-four, twenty-five years ago, there was a big push towards identifying the historic buildings downtown, um, that were to be identified as those worth saving towards restoring.

Uh and so much of what that North Core area is doing is restoring a lot of the buildings that were identified in that.

Uh Jones Brothers is one of them.

Uh the Baptist, I think uh I'm not sure if uh the Baptist uh building is it's one of them, I'm not sure if it's connected in um with, I think it's connected in uh one that's being restored.

But the ambassador hotel, I'd never really looked at that before because it's kind of covered up with uh with trees and scrub oaks and I mean you just couldn't really see it, but when you get back and you really take a look at it, it's it's a beautiful old building and it's exciting to see it.

And when you look at it in the rendering, it's it's really nice.

And um, if I'm not mistaken, I don't see any uh darn oak trees.

I mean uh palm trees around it, which especially pleases me.

And so uh I really am glad to see it coming out like it is.

So uh and with the public's going in there, that's gonna be a great anchor for downtown.

So uh the completion grant probably is a big reason why that's in there, just by thinking.

Thank you.

All right, and we have Councilmember Palouso.

Think thank you, uh Chair.

Uh uh to Colin, just real quick on the public's deal.

Um, you guys have been in communication with certain council members about like having another revenue stream come through to the city to help kind of offset this this grant.

Is that accurate or is that kind of folded a bit?

Uh, there was a general conversation that I had with one council member about the idea of you know trying to raise um completion grant money through like a tax credit concept.

Um, but it was a very short conversation.

Okay.

Point being is there there could be more to that.

Uh, same thing with the Baptist Hotel.

Uh if we if we added an additional assessment on some of those keys, um, and the dollars from that assessment goes towards homelessness initiatives commission, something you and I kind of helped put together.

I think that can make it a really easier uh uh digestible incentive deal um for us to give to them.

And that's just my thoughts.

I mean, there's other ways to kind of help make sure these are a little bit more cost neutral and easier for us to handle.

Thank you.

All right, and I'm just gonna state two two or three things before we go on.

Uh, we have no other speakers in the queue.

Um, first, I'm glad to know that the third-party underwriter um got the ambassador deal kind of done and locked up, and just an observation is that the DPRP program generally yields like less than one on ROI, and this is at 1.8.

So that's that's a win as far as I'm concerned.

Like, you know, Councilmember MacLeod just said it's a beautiful building.

It's gonna generate, you know, tons for the um the hotel tax or whatever.

Um, so that's that's gonna be a big win for us.

And then the Atlas Restaurant Group, you know, that that is a that is a that's a big deal.

They're they're a national firm, and you know, look, when when we were doing the CEO search for DIA, one of the things that we wanted to see with the new CEO is hey, can you bring a Rolodex of new people, new partners that want to come to Jacksonville?

And you know, to your credit, you you delivered on that, and I just want to commend you and and just recognize that um because that's that's what we need.

We need more attention and more partners and people looking at Jacksonville.

So thank you for your work there.

Um, and now on to your favorite topic, parking.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um past council president uh Salem had asked that we present an update on the parking rate.

So just want to fulfill your commitment here.

Um this was approved by uh the DIA uh board and now I think it's been uh I think sent to you all for um any comments, I think is the way it will work.

If there are none, it will take effect on June 30th.

Um so I would kind of categorize these as more tweaks and updates to um to the parking.

Um one and and some of this was already being done in practice.

We just wanted to codify it.

So um in terms of the event rates um for kind of regular downtown events, uh we've been charging uh $10 um for those events.

If it's a larger event, um, like a Florida Georgia type event, it's $20 dollars.

Um both of those are still below what uh private um industry is charging.

So we're still making it you know relatively cost of uh cost um effective for for patrons, and then um because of the activity that we've been seeing downtown, especially in the Bay Street area.

Um we've been opening the Yates garage in particular it it in the evening and just charging and the weekends and just charging a five dollar flat rate uh to try to have some cost recovery um for that, but we've those those garages had priorly they've been closed prior to to that.

So um we wanted to just codify that.

And then in terms of the Ed Ball garage rates, um, we kind of simplified them.

I don't know if you can read the um the sign there, but if you if you look at the the rates, they're the kind of unusual.

Um and so we basically just kind of standardized it.

Uh we also reduced the the total rate from fifty dollars to thirty dollars.

It had initially been raised um to discourage employee parking there all day.

Um but folks were getting kind of caught in meetings and hearings and then coming out and getting a $50 um, you know, charge to park there.

So we reduced that to $30 and then um I think we we increased the hourly rate to four dollars per hour for the first four hours.

Um and then um lastly, I just have a note here um as we go through the budget process.

We are hoping to uh create some additional part-time um positions for parking.

Um, this is in an effort to actually reduce parking costs um because we're paying overtime um for a number of additional um parking needs that we have, especially on the weekends and the evenings with um increased um increased parking demand, and so that might be a conversation that we have during the budget.

If we could have a few more part-time positions, we won't have to spend as much in overtime.

We'll also be able to not um burn out employees.

Um so that's the update on the on the parking rates and um uh Peter Sherwell's here too.

If you have any more detailed questions that I can't answer.

All right, Councilmember Salem, you're recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

Theater chair, Mr.

Talbert.

These rates are set by DIA and do not come to the council, is that correct?

They're set by DIA, and then I think we present them to um the council, but not for uh not as legislative.

I think it's just you're able to give us any feedback or request changes.

Okay.

It it sounds reasonable what you're proposing.

Number two, another uh a pet peeve of mine that I've raised throughout my tenure on the council are city vehicles parked all over downtown, taking up spaces that um people could use for restaurants, uh lunch, uh, etc.

And I'm not gonna pick on a particular department because I think everyone is guilty to some extent.

I know at times different administrations have tried to uh attack that and were able to get vehicles off the street.

Um do you have any feelings about that?

Is there anything being done to try to get uh these city vehicles off the street?

I I think the gentleman behind you might have some thoughts.

Okay.

You might have some too.

I'll let you take that.

Uh Peter Sure, Office of Public Parking, uh through the chair to councilman Salem.

Yes, we are actively issuing parking citations to city fleet vehicles.

Uh that began in January following uh last July.

We implemented a warning system to all those fleet vehicles, notifying them that they are required by the code to either pay the meter or have a permit that is purchased through our office.

So for six months we issued warnings.

This is escalated to citations.

We've had many great partners in the different depart departments with their directors, communicating to their staff that if they do get a parking ticket, they are personally responsible for paying them uh as they would with the traffic uh violation.

How's that working?

To the chair, is is that having an impact?

I'm very curious to to some of the repercussions of that.

No, I can answer that real quick.

It's working great because I've gotten two tickets in the last uh like three weeks because my the decal uh I don't have the right color decal.

So yeah, no, they're doing a great job.

So yeah, go ahead.

So I I mean, can you see a visible impact on that throughout downtown?

Yeah, I feel like walking around you see a lot less fleet vehicles parking on the meters than we did even six months or a year ago, um, which you know opens up availability for our stakeholders that want to come in, support the local businesses, do business at the city buildings.

I I wasn't aware of that.

I think that's great.

I like the idea of a warning system, and uh I hope it continues.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh did you have anything else, Mr.

Tarbert?

Or I I did I did want to just touch on the office office vacancy that was brought up.

I know it's not a slide, but um because it was a topic, I just wanted to talk.

We did have a conversation at the Strategic Implementation Committee of the DIA board uh last month, and um I'd I'd say the office vacancy challenge here is um it's probably the toughest real estate issue that we we have to grapple with.

Um we do have way more office space than we probably need or that's ever gonna come back.

Um, but it's it's more finite than just sort of like this overall issue.

Um there's there's seven buildings that that we're looking at in particular, and they're almost all clustered in the downtown core, um, especially along that Hogan Street area.

Um and so they have very high office vacancy, they're older buildings, the ownership is sort of unique in terms of uh a lot of them don't have debt on them, or they're locally owned.

Um, and so I just say all that to to let you know that we are working on that and trying to figure out probably um a phased approach.

Um Mr.

Edgecombe touched on retail vacancy.

We're working with public works to improve the streetscape area.

We've met with I've met with I think at least three of the seven building owners to start to just see if we can kind of spruce up the area and make it feel a little bit more alive, but to fill one to two million square feet of office space and older obsolete buildings is a long-term strategy.

Um, and we're probably gonna have to look at conversions um and other improvements to those buildings.

I would say though, um, because the comment was made about gateway building and additional office building.

Um I think that's a good thing.

Um the Jaguars office building that open is 83% lease.

It'll probably be 100% lease very soon.

So it's not that there's not a demand for office space, it's just the quality of office space and what people want in terms of amenities, and so us collectively making investments in the public spaces, the grocery store, those are probably the best investments that we can make in order to re to fill those office buildings either with additional offices or converting those to residential, but it's a long-term, you know, problem that we have to solve, but we are sort of working on it.

Um even though we don't have like a crystal clear solution today.

I just want them to mention that to the committee.

All right, yeah, no, thank you for that.

And um and Mr.

Peterson, did you have anything?

You're in the queue.

Did you want to put us on track with anything?

All right, and then we'll go to Councilmember Matt Calushi, Councilmember Peluso.

We'll wrap up Mr.

Tarver's presentation, then we have uh two other things.

And we want to welcome Councilmember Rockman Johnson.

Thank you for being here.

Mr.

Pearson.

To the chair to the committee uh to Councilmember Salem's question earlier on parking rates.

The DIA has the ability to alter parking rates.

They notify city council, and those rates take effective 60 days after the notification, unless council does something different.

So that notification came from Mr.

Tarbert at the end of April, so they'll begin at the end uh beginning of July, unless y'all do something different.

All right, Councilmember Matthew.

Uh thank you, Ms.

Chair.

Mr.

Tarbert, I had asked Ms.

Edgecombe if she could uh meet in my council office for just a few minutes.

Could you join after this meeting?

Her as well as me was meeting the green room.

We'll go up to my office and uh just got an idea and about the office vacancy issue.

Happy to okay, thank you.

Councilmember Palooza.

Thank you, Chair.

Was that the end of the presentation?

Well, one of the one of my questions I I didn't see it brought up there.

So this month related group is doing a ribbon cutting or groundbreaking correct.

Say that again sorry.

The related group is doing a groundbreaking correct correct next Wednesday I think at 10 30.

Okay.

Yeah May 20th 1030 just want to make sure that this committee knows about it that I think many of us should be there.

Um will there be a do we know if there's gonna be a groundbreaking for the N8 tower the tower.

What's the big tower the gateway tower?

I believe that is N8 I cannot speak to that.

I haven't seen anything yet I know they're doing the um site work.

Cool all right more cranes in the air that's what I like to say thank you.

All right uh thank you Mr.

Tarbert we have we have no other speakers in the queue I did want to extend the floor to Mr Patrick Krachowski the board chair for DIA for a few minutes um and then we'll go to Councilmember Johnson to kind of talk to us about his uh legislation.

So go ahead, floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair Patrick Krachowski, current chair of the downtown investment authority I'll be very quick.

Colin didn't mention it because it wasn't on his agenda but he was in Nashville last week at the Urban Land Institute Spring national meeting that's 5,000 real estate professionals from all over the country frankly all over the globe and not only did he attend he had a a session on the agenda talking about downtown incentives and how to make these things work so um I encourage you to reach out to him and ask him about it.

But it's very unique to be on such a large agenda this is a second time Jacksonville has been on a ULI national meeting agenda um and I applaud Colin for going up there and handling that.

Real quick I've got a couple more meetings as chair and then I'm done as chair.

So it's been two years that I've been chair if you think about what we've been encountering the past two years and working with this committee.

Really value the questions uh you all ask and the discussions you can see behind me we've got um three or four or maybe more board members I suspect even in attendance if I had to guess um our next board chair is likely in this group so we're gonna change our slate of officers here in the next couple months we'll probably finalize that in July just wanted to give you a heads up on that so that you can uh stop calling me and call somebody else um but I appreciate all the work um that the committee does and again I want to applaud Colin for what he's done both internally with the agency itself and externally inviting people to come see Jacksonville and to start moving dirt and going vertical so appreciate the time Mr.

Chair thank you thank you appreciate it yeah no seriously thank you for for your time uh DIA and obviously you're not going anywhere because uh you know you don't really get to leave until we appoint someone else so we we hold the keys to the uh next appointment there but but no the the DIA board meetings I've been to and that I've watched from afar um you know and I've texted a lot of y'all individually you guys are an outstanding board like a a insanely cut above the rest in my opinion uh it's y'all look at everything the the the way that I would want y'all to look at it and you ask tough questions in your board you don't just rubber stamp stuff you all are y'all are really really doing a fantastic job um and and so yeah we'll just we'll keep up we'll all keep up the good work um but okay I think we are all set as far as the agenda goes but now I did want to extend the floor to Councilmember Johnson because I know you have a piece of legislation that kind of pertains to some of the things that we're doing here.

Thank you so much Mr.

Chair and I echo your sentiments about the DIA board uh and special especially with Patrick Patrick I don't know where you think you're going but we're still gonna be calling on you sir uh so thank you for your service to this city uh and Mr.

Chair I certainly appreciate the opportunity to uh address this uh let me say and I also get a chance to to watch this meeting and and I thank you for um not just today but the work that this committee has done because a vibrant downtown means a vibrant Jacksonville uh one of the things that I wanted to bring forth it's ordinance uh it will be introduced on tomorrow night at council meeting.

It's on the agenda 2026 377 uh you all have received uh or should be receiving in a moment uh a handout.

They got the okay uh with the information on it.

Um what i've asked is uh with the legislation, and i uh was at the cultural council awards this weekend, and uh councilman Arias who came up with the uh initial legislation about the downtown entertainment district was affectionately called Mr.

3 a.m.

all weekend as he was walking through the building.

So quite funny, but it was uh the people I believe welcomed this opportunity.

And all this does uh as you can see the specifics here, uh, the ordinance you'll have a copy of the ordinance as well.

Uh what it does though is gives a report.

Data is so important when we determine what we're doing, and I think to have the rich data to to see is this working and does it need to be expanded?

Do we need to go to 5 a.m.?

Does it need to stay at three?

Where does it go?

I know uh councilman Salem was in my meeting the other day, and one of the things was it was defined to a special area.

It shouldn't be all of the areas, it's a special area.

So when we look at and and I liken it to looking at Beale Street in Memphis, um, or the quarter in New Orleans or other places that have an entertainment district, there's a specific geographic area that it that's there.

Uh but the report would uh talk to many of our key partners, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the Fire and Rescue Department, Code Enforcement, the DIA, the Office of Economic Development, visit Jacksonville, uh, businesses in the area, restaurants, transportation providers, and of course, residents that live downtown.

All of that would go into this report.

It would then be presented to the council, and then the council president and uh whomever the designees can look at it and say this needs to be assigned to this committee, and they can look at it and then come back with a recommendation.

So all the ordinance does is simply provide a report so that we can move forward and if it makes sense, create a logical entertainment district that's something that will be a multi-decade, multi-billion dollar economic driver for Jacksonville.

And I certainly will take any questions.

Okay, great.

Yeah, let's um let's get any questions answered.

I know I was in your first meeting, uh, Councilmember Salem was were you there, Councilmember Peluso?

No, okay.

All right.

So uh Councilmember Peluso and then Councilmember Salem.

Okay, Councilmember Salem.

Thank you, Chair.

I think I was the only negative vote or just a few votes on the expansion to Brooklyn to 3 a.m.

I was concerned that there appeared to be a commitment from the Arias bill to expand the core downtown to 3 a.m., gather data, etc.

before we move further, and then we jumped into Brooklyn.

Um I'm very supportive of this.

Um I think if it ever goes to 5 a.m., it ought to be restricted to an area downtown and not beyond the core downtown, in my opinion.

Um, world has changed, people stay up late.

There's all sorts of transportation um uh availability for people to get home.

So I I think it's it's gonna happen, but it ought to be at a restricted area.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Did you have a did you want to have a response?

Well, I attend to uh kind of I I jokingly say to Councilman Salem, you know, I learned I'm what not one of those people that stay up late.

I learned that uh at the Cultural Council Awards this weekend.

Uh but I will say it was an opportunity for those that do.

We want to be able to provide those welcoming places to the city in a special district.

So I I so totally understand.

And the report itself, Dr.

Salem is gonna focus on that core area.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah, and what I like is you know, we're doing it from a you know empirical standpoint where we know we're not just you know flippantly doing it and saying, Oh, we think it's gonna work.

Um, so you know what I don't know, has the bill been filed?

It looks like it's got it's been filed.

Oh, you said it's getting filed.

It was on the agenda, so it's introduced tomorrow night.

Okay.

Um Rebecca, can you add me as a co-sponsor to the bill?

Um and Councilmember Salem.

All right, there we go.

And all right, Councilmember Peluso, did you want to Colin, do you mind coming up?

So I do have I did have one more uh thing that I wanted to bring up.

Um we do talk a lot about these very large projects, these very large uh groups.

One of the reasons why I actually did the Brooklyn bill was because there is a long standing small business that had been investing in the greater downtown area for many, many years.

There is a group here right downtown, the real tin cafe.

Uh they've been trying to make sure that they can play music um with with the speaker system until I think it's 10 or 11 o'clock.

Just want to make sure that the uh uh permit process is getting a little bit better.

I want to make sure these small businesses that have been here and have been investing for a very long time are in a better spot.

Let's have Mr.

Talbert answer first before we go to Councilmember Rockman.

Councilmember Johnson, did you have a not to cut off the I didn't want to put him in that spot, Mr.

Chair, to Mr.

Peluso through the chair.

I don't think it's fair to put him in that spot.

And I've let me just say I've known the Daril Tings group for more than 30 years.

I've been working with them on this issue, not because, and I certainly understand it's your district, council member, but uh Hannaf came to in fact he was at the meeting that we had about this specific issue that I'm talking about, and that's when he brought it up to me.

Um DIA and Mr.

Talbert has done an amazing job and they've approved everything.

It's no longer with them, it's with the city, and that issue I personally went over.

It's gonna be resolved by Friday.

But I just wanted to put that.

I don't want to start.

That's great.

I appreciate everything you just said.

That's awesome.

I've also been speaking with uh the owner of that building and the Daryl Ting Cafe.

I'd really like to get an answer from the DIA director uh about the permitting process and what things we need to do to make sure it's corrected so that we have more outdoor activities.

All right, that's all.

Go ahead, Chair.

Maybe you don't mind.

Yeah, go ahead, Ms.

Tarbert.

Sure.

The team has been working on it more than I have directly.

So I think what um Councilman Johnson said is is accurate.

I know we have been working with them to get them in compliance and to get them their permits.

I can't speak to the uh the current status of that, but I'm happy to follow up with you.

Through the chair, I think part of the part of the purpose of this committee is also to make sure we can find efficiencies on different things within our downtown, you know, the greater CRA area, right?

So if there's ways that we can help make sure the permitting process for items like that go through DIA and don't have to go through a mishmash of, oh, is it public works, is it planning, is it special events, this and that, that could also be a value to this special committee, I would think, right?

Let's let's make sure we do have kind of a one-stop shop.

That would be ideal to me.

And and if you need just kind of want to get your thoughts on that so that we don't find ourselves in a spot like this again, and make sure that we can do other things later on in life.

So I don't know if you got a comment on that.

No, I think this is kind of the overall um conversations we've been having about who does what and how the process works.

I mean one-stop shops sound good in theory, but typically like they're very hard to implement because there's gonna be other agencies involved in whatever DIA is doing and vice versa, but to the extent that we all know what the stops are and can communicate that to small businesses so they're not surprised or held up, but totally agree with that.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right, committee members, we have nothing else on the agenda.

We don't have a date yet for the next meeting.

Um, but uh legislation is coming.

It's getting introduced uh tomorrow.

Council for a few of the things Mr.

Tarbert uh has spoken on, and Councilmember Johnson's legislation is also getting introduced tomorrow.

So uh we are making good progress here, and thank you all for coming, and we will see you next time.

Meeting is adjourned.