How to Find the Best Real Estate Agent in Highlands, Jacksonville

The Finance Committee deferred a $49.65 million incentive package for Gateway Jax's $140.15 million high-rise anchored by a Publix at 119 W. Beaver St. The tower is planned with 259 apartments and about 400 parking spaces. The committee is scheduled to revisit the bill Nov. 4, the day after the Amendment 3 vote.

Why it matters The timing of the first full-size grocery store in the Downtown core depends on the incentive vote, affecting nearby retail access. The project is about 7 miles south of Highlands, elsewhere in Duval County.

JEA is moving forward with three water reclamation projects (Blacks Ford in northwest St. Johns County, over $220 million; near Jacksonville International Airport, about $193 million; East Arlington, just under $165 million) and the $117 million Fulton Cut transmission line clearance over the St. Johns River near Blount Island. Fulton Cut, shared with JAXPORT and the city, is expected to finish in summer 2027 and all four projects by 2030.

Why it matters Raised power lines support larger ship access to port terminals, and new reclamation capacity supports growth in surrounding areas. The site is about 10 miles east of Highlands.

Gateway Jax is requesting about $55.4 million in incentives for a 17-story, roughly $271.5 million Riverfront Plaza tower with 130 to 170 hotel rooms and 50 to 150 residences on Independent Drive. It also seeks a $15 million loan for the nearly $50 million renovation of the former Ambassador Hotel at 420 Julia Street. The Downtown Investment Authority board votes Sept. 16 and City Council has the final say.

Why it matters If approved, the projects would add hotel rooms, residences and restaurants along the Downtown riverfront. The site is about 8 miles south of Highlands.

The Downtown Development Review Board voted 7-0 on Sept. 10 for a six to eight story, roughly 185,000 square foot academic building on a 2.34-acre site bounded by West Bay, Forsyth and North Lee streets. It is the first new building in a multiphase UF graduate and semiconductor institute campus estimated at $345 million. UF hopes to break ground in December, pending final design review and permitting.

Why it matters A large graduate campus adds education and technology jobs and daytime foot traffic to the western Downtown core. The site is about 8 miles south of Highlands.

News4Jax reported that the Culinary Institute of America chose downtown Jacksonville for its Southeast hub, to be located at 330 E. Bay Street on the Northbank riverfront. The campus would anchor a $160.5 million hotel and convention center development. The city previously approved up to $35 million in incentives, and the Downtown Investment Authority is finalizing agreements on design and property details.

Why it matters Anchors a major downtown riverfront redevelopment that pairs an educational campus with hotel and convention space, adding institutional and commercial investment to the urban core alongside Riverfront Plaza and Pearl Square. The project is about 8 miles south of Highlands, elsewhere in Duval County.

At its February 2026 State of the Ports address, JAXPORT outlined a $250 million modernization of Blount Island's container and vehicle-handling capabilities and reported record fiscal-2025 cargo volumes. The port also said an air-draft expansion to accommodate larger ships is on track to finish by the end of 2026.

Why it matters Continued heavy investment in the Blount Island port complex anchors long-term industrial employment on the northeast side, a structural demand driver for the surrounding area. The site is about 10 miles east of Highlands.