City officials joined with community leaders and business owners June 12 to celebrate the resurgence of Jacksonville’s Rail Yard District and discuss how the area can become a vibrant economic engine for the city.
Held at The Glass Factory, the inaugural “Local-Motion Luncheon” was sponsored by the Rail Yard District Business Council (RDBC) – a nonprofit founded in 2017 to champion the historic Jacksonville neighborhood that many in attendance said has been often overlooked.
“RDBC is more than just another nonprofit,” said Beaver Street Fisheries President Jeff Edwards, the business council’s immediate past president. “It’s a beacon of hope, a catalyst for change and a driving force for empowerment.”
While the business council’s initial focus was on making the neighborhood more attractive by repairing streets and sidewalks and improving drainage, Edwards said, the group hopes to play a central role in the rebirth of Jacksonville’s Urban Core by encouraging development that brings more residents to the area.
Historic yet hidden
The origins of the Rail Yard District go back to the 1800s, when the railroad first came to Florida. Today, the area bounded by I-10, I-95 and Downtown Jacksonville is home to more than 10,000 residents and 350 businesses that together employ more than 6,000 people and generate $3 billion in annual revenue.
Yet despite the strategic location and a strong business base dating back decades, local leaders say, the area has lagged behind other Jacksonville neighborhoods.
“There are so many strong neighborhoods in Jacksonville, it’s incredibly easy to get lost in the shuffle,” District 7 City Councilmember Jimmy Peluso told luncheon attendees. “I’m extremely excited by what’s happening here.”
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, the event’s keynote speaker, agreed.
“While the Rail Yard District is only 4.5 square miles, it packs a very big punch,” she said. “This has been quite the energetic, can-do group since they put this organization together.”
Deegan detailed some of the major initiatives now occurring in Downtown Jacksonville that her administration believes will spur revitalization across the Urban Core. In addition to the record $147 million grant the city received to complete the Emerald Trail project years ahead of schedule, Deegan said, the stadium deal recently approved by the City Council will inject millions of dollars into downtown projects for workforce housing, riverfront beautification and more.
“That will allow us to reinvest in those neighborhoods that have been left behind for far too long.”
Honoring partners
A highlight of the Local-Motion Luncheon was the presentation of the RDBC’s inaugural All Aboard Award to LISC Jacksonville in recognition of its help and support in revitalizing the Rail Yard District.
“The vision of LISC is how do we make some of our most challenged communities into destinations – places that people want to live and raise families?” LISC Jacksonville Executive Director Dr. Irvin PeDro Cohen said in accepting the award. “Thank you for welcoming the stranger to the table to help you be all you can be.”
RDBC’s Edwards went even further.
“The concept of the Rail Yard District would not have been possible without the support of LISC,” he said.
Naming the area the “Rail Yard District,” in fact, was a conscious effort by the business council to create a positive new brand for the neighborhood. In a video shown at the luncheon, local architect Thomas Duke said that when he first moved his business to the neighborhood, clients had a hard time identifying where his offices were. That changed, he said, with the Rail Yard District rebrand.
“It’s been night and day,” he said. “You really have a sort of pride in being here.”
Current RDBC President Annie Murphy of Eco Relics said the next step for the business council is to hire an executive director to advance the group’s goal of adding more residents to patronize the growing number of businesses that call the Rail Yard District Home.
“The history, character and diversity of the Rail Yard District give us a unique placemaking opportunity to make it a shining star in Northeast Florida,” she said. “The RDBC demonstrates how businesses partnering with residents can truly elevate a community to new heights.”
RDBC Board Member Frank Wallmeyer noted that his company, Standard Feed & Seed, has been located in the Rail Yard District for nearly 80 years. He believes organizations like the Rail Yard District Business Council create opportunities for businesses to support one another and improve the community.
“I’m a big fan of the collaborative process,” Wallmeyer said. “Through (RDBC), business owners can share their challenges and opportunities to create synergy. The more that we can help bring new businesses and residents to the neighborhood, the better it will be for everybody.”
