George Saoud joins DIA Board of Directors

Lawyer, real estate entrepreneur and small business owner George Saoud is the newest appointment to Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) Board of Directors. Appointed by Mayor Lenny Curry, Saoud is set to replace Todd Froats. Saoud’s first full term will expire June 30, 2026. He has served as the in-house legal counsel for Fidelity National […]
Celebrate All Things Local on 904 Day

A grassroots campaign to celebrate all things Northeast Florida is encouraging residents to go local this Labor Day weekend. Across the region, businesses and other organizations will offer a variety of “904” specials in honor of “904 Day,” officially celebrated on Sunday, September 4, 2022. Residents and visitors alike can join the 904 Day celebration […]
Authentic Jacksonville: The Hardwick at Ford on Bay

The proposed project for the Hardwick at Ford on Bay is moving on to the next stage of its process. In January of this year, the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) voted to award the project to Atlanta-based developer Carter and in May approved the project’s terms and conditions. The Jacksonville Office of General Counsel is […]
Storage facility ordinance losing favor?

Councilwoman LeAnna Cumber was successful on June 14 at stalling a proposed ordinance to bring more self-storage units to downtown neighborhoods. The ordinance, sparking an outpouring of opposition among residents who flooded city council inboxes, would permit mixed-use self-storage facilities by exception within 500 feet of the downtown overlay district. That means developers would be […]
DDRB Approves Site Plan For One Riverside
The Jacksonville Downtown Development Review Board has approved the site plan for the One Riverside Development. The 18.84-acre mixed-use development will be on the old site of the Times-Union Building. The plans by Fuqua Development include a grocer, retail shops, a restaurant accessible from the Riverwalk, an initial 271 residential housing units, and a parking […]