Downtown Jacksonville

Downtown Jacksonville is the historic core and central business district (CBD) of Jacksonville, Florida USA. It comprises the earliest area of the city to be developed and is located in its geographic center along the narrowing point of the St. Johns River. There are various definitions of what constitutes Jacksonville's downtown; the one used by the city government and other entities defines it as including eight districts: the Central Core (or Northbank), the Southbank, LaVilla, Brooklyn, the Working Waterfront, the Cathedral, the Church, and the Entertainment & Sports District. The area features offices for major corporations such as CSX Corporation, Fidelity National Financial, TIAA Bank, Black Knight Financial, One Call Care Management, Suddath, Interline Brands Haskell, FIS, and Stein Mart.

History

The site of modern Downtown Jacksonville originated at a crossing of the St. Johns River known to the Seminole as ''Wacca Pilatka'', to the Spanish as the ''Pass de San Nicolas'', and to later British settlers as the Cow Ford. Histories of the city report that there was once an Indian village at the site called Ossachite. White settlement in the area began during Florida's British period (1763–1783), when the East Florida government built the King's Road to connect St. Augustine with the British colonies to the north. A ferry and tavern were built, and when Spanish rule resumed in Florida, Fort San Nicolas was built beside the southern landing of the King's Road ferry. American farmer Robert Pritchard became the first white settler on the north bank of the Cow Ford when he received a 450-acre land grant from the Spanish government in 1791, however, he died shortly after and the area was abandoned.

The settlement that became Jacksonville largely formed from two land grants issued in 1816: one to Maria Taylor, née Suarez, and one to Juan LeMaestre. Over time a small settlement including some homes, an inn and a store grew at the Cow Ford, and in 1822, shortly after Spain ceded the Floridas to the United States, resident Isaiah D. Hart proposed establishing a town on the north bank. Hart eventually convinced his neighbors to join him in donating land for the venture, and the first streets were platted in June. The settlement was named "Jacksonville" after Andrew Jackson, who had become popular among many Floridians for his actions in the First Seminole War. It was incorporated in 1832.

The town grew in fits and starts: it saw disruption during the Second Seminole War (1835–1842), and the business district burned down in 1854 when sparks from the steamboat ''Florida'' started a fire. During the American Civil War, Jacksonville was home to many Union sympathizers, and was occupied for most of the war by Union troops who took the city four separate times. The war devastated Jacksonville and caused over half the population to flee. After the war, the city rebounded quickly when it became Florida's first major tourist destination; though tourism declined by the late 1880s growth and industry continued apace through the late 19th century.

On May 3, 1901, downtown Jacksonville was ravaged by a fire that started at a fiber factory. Known as the Great Fire of 1901, it was one of the worst disasters in Florida history and the largest urban fire in the southeastern United States. In just eight hours, it destroyed the business district and left approximately 10,000 residents homeless. Architect Henry John Klutho was a primary figure in the reconstruction of the city.

Geography

Multiple definitions of Downtown Jacksonville are in common use. Often, the name "Downtown" is used exclusively for the historical core. This is bounded roughly by State Street to the north, Hogans Creek to the east, the St. Johns River to the south, and the LaVilla neighborhood to the west. This definition is used, for example, by the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission and their book, ''Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage''. However, the City of Jacksonville and other entities use a wider definition that includes not only the Downtown Core (also known as the Northbank), but surrounding areas on both sides of the river. In this definition, the boundaries are State Street to the north, the St. Johns River to the east, and Interstate 95 to the south and west. This area covers . Downtown Vision, Inc., which oversees Jacksonville's downtown improvement district, covers an even smaller area of about 90 blocks in the Downtown Core and Southbank, bounded by Church Street in the north, Market Street in the east, Prudential Drive in the south, and Broad Street in the west.

Under the broader definition, Downtown Jacksonville is divided into several districts or neighborhood. In addition to the historical Downtown Core, the most commonly used districts are: the Southbank, a commercial and residential district directly across the St. Johns River from the Downtown Core; LaVilla, a historically African-American neighborhood west of the Downtown Core; Brooklyn, to the southwest of the Downtown Core; and the Stadium District, an area containing the city's major sports and entertainment venues to the east of the Downtown Core.

A historic district encompassing a significant portion of downtown Jacksonville was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Its boundaries are roughly Beaver Street to the north, Catherine and Liberty Streets to the east, the St. Johns River to the south, and North Pearl Street to the west. This area is significant for its pre-1965 architecture, most of which post-dates Jacksonville's great 1901 fire.

Districts of Downtown Jacksonville

Central Core

Also known as the Northbank, is Jacksonville's traditional city center and what most people associate with Downtown and Jacksonville in general. It is the location of many government offices, including City Hall, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office headquarters, and the Bryan Simpson United States Courthouse, and amenities such as the Jacksonville Main Library, the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, and the Jacksonville Riverwalk. Several of the city's largest skyscrapers are located there, such as the Bank of America Tower, the Wells Fargo Center, TIAA Bank Center