A Fleet Landing retirement community has received conceptual approval for a new location in Brooklyn.
The Downtown Development Review Board (DDRB) voted 5-1 in favor of the development at its meeting on Thursday, March 12, with Board Member Ennis Davis opposing and Board Member Joseph Loretta abstaining.
The Fleet Landing Riverside residential development will be situated in the Brooklyn neighborhood at the site of the former Haskell headquarters, between One Riverside and the Winston Family YMCA. The existing structure would be demolished to make way for the new residential development, which would encompass nearly 780,000 gross square feet, 239 independent living residences, 28 assisted living residences, 18 memory care suites and a host of amenities, including a performing arts center, fitness and wellness facilities, swimming pool, resort-style spa and multiple dining venues.
The plans include two interconnected residential structures: a low-rise building facing Riverside Avenue and a 32-story residential tower oriented perpendicular to the river. The site plan also depicts a parking garage, an amenity podium, an amenity deck, and an auditorium open to the public.
Facing Riverside Avenue, the ground level is planned for commercial spaces as well.
This would be the third residential development for the nonprofit corporation, which opened its first campus in Atlantic Beach in 1990. Its second campus, located in Nocatee, is currently under construction and is expected to open next year. Fleet Landing previously submitted a bid to acquire the Duval County Public Schools administrative headquarters on Prudential Drive, which the school board ultimately voted down.
At the March 12 DDRB meeting, Fleet Landing CEO Josh Ashby said this development would meet the needs of retirees who are well-established in their homes in the surrounding neighborhoods.
“We’ve been pursuing an opportunity, as you’re probably aware, for more than the last year, trying to find the location that would allow us to reach all of those historic neighborhoods, from Ortega Avondale to San Marco and San Jose, and we believe this is the best site, both for our clientele who will call Fleet Landing Riverside home, but also as an opportunity for us to be a catalyst to the surrounding community,” Ashby said.
Ashby explained that Fleet Landing’s financing mechanism requires conceptual approval to access the next tranche of financing in the development cycle, which meant board members reviewed more conceptualized, very early design renderings that architect JP Emery of global architecture and design firm Gensler called “early design intent.”
“We will come back to you with full architecture plans, full hardscape, landscape, streetscape,” Emery told board members. “…This is by no means fully baked, and we do sincerely welcome feedback as we work our way through these images.”
Though overall supportive of the project, board members provided significant feedback on the designs and finer details.
“This is a unique project trying to get financed at a conceptual level, but I also don’t want you coming back with a full set of plans for final permit and final approval before getting additional input,” Board Member Ennis Davis said.
Board Member Matt Brockelman encouraged the development team to focus on maximizing the pedestrian experience along Riverside Avenue as it connects to the Riverwalk.
“I think that would go a long way, along with respecting the Riverwalk experience itself,” Brockelman said.
DDRB Chair Linzee Ott echoed Ashby’s remarks that this project would fill a community need.
“I think also the active, seasoned adults that will live at this project will contribute to Downtown’s vibrancy to the Brooklyn neighborhood and to the riverfront, and that’s a demographic that we want in the Urban Core,” Ott said.
Attorney Cyndy Trimmer, representing the applicant, expressed a willingness to consider a workshop if needed.
In an email following the DDRB meeting, Fleet Landing Vice President of Sales and Marketing April Morin shared the following statement with Resident News:
“We were encouraged by the warm reception the Fleet Landing Riverside project received from the Downtown Development Review Board during last week’s initial review. The presentation provided an important opportunity to introduce our vision and gather valuable feedback as we continue refining plans for a new riverfront senior living community in downtown Jacksonville. The Board’s thoughtful input will help guide the development as the design process progresses, and our team looks forward to returning for future review. Fleet Landing is about more than a place to live; it’s a lifestyle centered on community, connection, and vibrant living, and we’re excited about the opportunity to bring that lifestyle to the riverfront and adjacent neighborhoods.”
