“I Dig Jax tells that story, the story of both dirt turning on a range of projects, and people getting excited about their city as we continue to grow,” said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. “I’m very glad to be able to share these updates and to proudly proclaim that I Dig Jax!”
 
Deegan made the announcement alongside other city leaders on the Riverfront Plaza job site. Phase 1 of Riverfront Plaza is now under construction and is expected to be completed late this year. The park will feature an elevated destination playground on top of a park pavilion building, a large flexible event lawn, as well as a new bulkhead, riverwalk, and a plaza space connecting Riverfront Plaza to the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts. The pavilion building will include a small café space, restrooms, mechanical rooms and storage space to support the park.
 
Phase 2 of Riverfront Plaza will include a beer garden, rain garden, and a bike and pedestrian connection to the Main Street Bridge. Phase 2 is anticipated to start in early 2026 with an anticipated completion of 2027.
 
“I well remember the design competition in 2021 that resulted in the selection of Perkins and Will as the design firm for Riverfront Plaza,” said Lori Boyer, CEO of Downtown Investment Authority. “Their design is now taking shape before our eyes with the park pavilion building, rooftop playground, large flex lawn, plaza connecting to the Performing Arts Center and the open view corridor down Laura Street to the river, not to mention a new and more resilient bulkhead.”
 
Other City of Jacksonville projects moving forward include the Hogan Street Cycle Track, a segment of the Emerald Trail, the restoration of two-way streets downtown along Adams and Forsyth Streets, a Park Street Road Diet, the McCoys Creek Outfall, a Music Heritage Garden at the Jacksonville Performing Arts Center, and the new St. Johns River Park alongside the reopened Friendship Fountain.
 
“We reopened Friendship Fountain a year ago this month and there have been more than 30 planned activations there already,” said Daryl Joseph, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services. “The Fountain has also welcomed close to 600,000 visitors. Also, last summer, we opened the City’s New Skate Park under the Fuller Warren Bridge. This is another very successful new park and we are excited for the future parks along the waterfront as well.”
 
Private projects underway in the city’s Urban Core include construction of the relocated Museum of Science and History on the Northbank, the new Pearl Square District, the RiversEdge community on the Southbank, a University of Florida graduate campus planned for LaVilla, plus the NFL Jaguars Stadium of the Future and the adjacent Four Seasons hotel.
 
Meanwhile, design work is also underway on both the new Shipyards West Park and an updated Metropolitan Park, both sited along the Northbank.
 
“The $300 million Community Benefits Agreement that we negotiated as a part of the Stadium of the Future deal was the largest in NFL history, and it will make generational investments to ensure every one of our neighbors has the opportunity to thrive,” said Mayor Deegan. “In addition, it will also fund the completion of our world-class riverfront park system. This kind of system was the spark that made Tampa’s downtown ignite, and it will do the same for Jacksonville.”
 
For more information about the “I Dig Jax” projects, visit www.idigjax.com.