Southern tradition showcased at annual ball
Five Southern Belles made a grand entrance under raised swords at the 48th Annual Confederate Ball, held March 4 at the Florida Yacht Club in Ortega. This year’s Belles include Elizabeth Grich, whose Confederate ancestor is William Derr, a 2nd Lieutenant in the Virginia Cavalry; Hannah Arnold, whose ancestor is Stephen Roberson of the Georgia […]
Another step completed for removal of derelict boat
City Council has approved three grant agreements to appropriate nearly $53,000 to remove three derelict vessels, including one in the Ortega River, from Jacksonville waterways. Ordinance 2017-99 authorizes the Small-Scale Derelict Vessel Removal Project Agreement between the City of Jacksonville and the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) for $30,000; a grant of $11,275 from the […]
Working group established to evaluate 2030 Mobility Plan’s first five years
T.R. Hainline, Ortega Forest resident and attorney and shareholder at Rogers Towers, has been named as chair of the Mobility Plan Working Group, a joint appointment by the Office of the Mayor and the City Council President. The group was formed to evaluate the 2030 Mobility Plan, established in 2010, and Chapter 655 of the […]
JCCI evolves as leader of new PACT
An organization with beginnings that date back more than 125 years has rebranded itself in order to survive. The Jacksonville Community Council Inc. (JCCI) announced in February the evolution of its organization from a stand-alone entity leading the civic engagement process to a civic pact called the Citizen Engagement PACT. This announcement comes nearly a […]
Bald eagle fledglings take flight in Ortega
Ortega residents have been on high alert, waiting for two new bald eagles to develop wings large enough to venture from their Yerkes Park nest. For the past couple of weeks, neighbors have been observed sitting in the park or standing in their yards or in the middle of McGirts Boulevard keeping their eyes on […]
Southbank apartment complex construction right on track
Except for a “couple of weeks” delay due to Hurricane Matthew, construction on Alliance Residential’s Broadstone River House $26.6 million Southbank housing complex has been progressing pretty much according to plan. “Things have been going along smoothly,” said Tim Graff, vice president of development for Alliance Residential. Planned for the site, which is adjacent to […]
Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center construction on schedule
Steel fabrication continues on a new addition to the Baptist MD Anderson Cancer, with the frame of the nine-story structure expected to be finished within the next three to four months. When the addition is completed, projected for spring 2018, the new 330,000-square-foot facility will be connected via a skybridge to the current Baptist MD […]
San Marco hotel purchased by Virginia based firm
A familiar Southbank landlord is the new owner of the Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites at 1201 Kings Ave. in San Marco. In early March, Lingerfelt CommonWealth Partners LLC, a commercial real estate investment firm based in Richmond, Virginia, purchased the 221-room, eight-story hotel for $24.7 million from San Marco Hotel Partners LLC, according […]
