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

Jacksonville Today reported that JWB Real Estate Capital secured about $28.59 million in gap funding for 108 income-restricted units across three Westside sites on Tracy, Justina and Ricker roads. Plans include 38 townhome-style units and two sets of 35 efficiency units, priced at or below 60% of area median income for 50 years. Groundbreaking is expected by September 2026 with completion in 2027.

Why it matters Adds new income-restricted rental and townhome housing supply on the Westside, increasing the stock of long-term affordable units and drawing public and tax-credit investment into three infill sites. The project is about 14 miles south of Highlands, elsewhere in Duval County.

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.

Master developer Hillwood contracted with the City of Jacksonville for 192 acres at AllianceFlorida at Cecil Commerce Center on Jacksonville's Westside, continuing the buildout of the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field into an industrial and logistics park.

Why it matters Continued absorption of large industrial parcels at Cecil signals sustained employment growth on the Westside, which can support housing demand across nearby communities. The project is about 19 miles southwest of Highlands, elsewhere in Duval County.

Southeast Toyota Distributors dedicated a new vehicle processing facility at JAXPORT's Blount Island Marine Terminal in April 2026. The company put the investment at $170 million and said the facility created more than 400 full-time jobs, most of them hired locally.

Why it matters A large new employment center on Blount Island adds sustained local job demand, a factor that has historically supported nearby housing absorption. The project is about 10 miles east of Highlands, elsewhere in Duval County.

Hillwood asked to mass grade a site at AllianceFlorida at Cecil Commerce Center to prepare for a possible 1 million-square-foot building, a step that typically precedes a large industrial or distribution user committing to the Westside park.

Why it matters A build-ready million-square-foot pad points to a potential large employer on the Westside, the kind of jobs anchor that can lift demand for nearby housing. The project is about 19 miles southwest 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.