JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The new Riverfront Plaza park on the Northbank of the St. Johns River is officially open.
On Friday morning, Jacksonville leaders cut the ribbon on the first phase of the project that is transforming the former site of The Jacksonville Landing.
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“I’ve been going to the Landing since I was a kid,” Jacksonville resident Rachel Harris said. “I watched it die out and then I watched the demolition of it and then I watched the renderings of the new park.”
As the ribbon was cut, people were heard saying, “This is our park.”
Families were out at the park right after its opening enjoying all it has to offer, including an interactive playground.
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“I’m a mom of young babies, so I love it,” Jacksonville resident Linda Schneader said. “I think it shows the city is putting families first.”
Phase 1 includes the playground and green space along the Riverwalk, but there is more to come for Riverfront Plaza.
Crews will start working on Phase 2 of the project in early 2026. That will include a beer garden, rain garden, and a bike and pedestrian connection to the Main Street Bridge.
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This development is paving the way for more families and visitors to come Downtown.
“The park is going to attract a lot of people and when you attract a lot of people that is going to be good for the businesses down here,” Jacksonville City Councilman Matt Carlucci said. “Downtown is going to be discovered again.”
This park is the first of several new parks planned along the river. Shipyards West and Metropolitan parks are both others that are in the works.
If you are visiting the new Riverfront Plaza, you can utilize on-street parking or garages that are in close distance to the park.
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