Demolition Begins as Incentives Negotiated | Jacksonville News

Demolition has begun at the former First Baptist Church auditorium, clearing the way for a new apartment tower with a Publix grocery store — a major downtown development poised to open before the 2028 holidays. Developer Gateway Jax is racing against time, starting demolition now while incentives are still being negotiated, to avoid pushing the Publix launch to 2029. Originally seeking $49.6 million in city incentives — including hefty cash grants — the proposal faced pushback from some council members worried about straining the general fund. Now, Gateway Jax is ready to scale back the cash portion and explore alternatives like expanded tax rebates, pending approval from the Downtown Investment Authority. Despite the negotiations, the Mayor remains firmly behind the project, calling it essential for downtown’s growth — and the wrecking ball is already rolling. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/84dcd5656e273e06