What is Shipyards West Park?
The 10-acre Shipyards West is positioned to be an amazing waterfront park in a string of public spaces that reconnect the city to its waterfront and river. When complete, the park will include places for gathering where users can explore nature and play, learn about the City’s history, and honor the City’s heroes, and relax while enjoying a meal with friends, fishing, or simply taking in the beauty of the St. Johns River.
Over the next several months, the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) and the City are partnering with a team of landscape architects, designers, engineers, ecologists, and community engagement experts to design the park together with city stakeholders and the broader community.
The team’s goal is to understand the planning efforts that have come before it, how its shipbuilding past will inform what is possible in the park’s design, and what the neighborhoods that surround this space envision for its future. It’s your opportunity to help shape the future of the Jacksonville riverfront and its connections to your community!
Project Timeline
The team has undertake a year-long community engagement and decision-making process to create the future design of Shipyards West Park. Our work will build on previous planning efforts and improvements by the City, the Downtown Investment Authority, and its partners.
Throughout the process, the team will lead community meetings and engage the surrounding communities for pop-up activities, surveys and conversations with the park’s future neighbors.
See the details below.
A Community Led Process
Community engagement is critical to this project. Throughout the planning process we will have many opportunities for community members to share their ideas and feedback to inform decisions along the way. To stay informed about the latest planning and development news and happenings at the park, please email us at hello@adgmark.com or call us at 904-800-8685.
The project is broken out into three phases, or waves over 12 months. In each wave, we will share updates on the project and ask you to help guide important park decisions. Please check back here to see all design updates.
The proposed design is centered on four principles that touch history, gathering, nature, and water access. The west side of the site celebrates its history, with the USS Orleck and Fire Museum. The flex lawn acts as the Green Heart - a gathering place for recreation, games, and play. Dining and picnic areas can be found on the east side of the site, whether that’s having a meal at the Food Hall, Restaurant, or grilling out on the pier. The riverwalk meanders along the river’s edge and features several overlooks, a beach, and a future boardwalk over the water. The site is bookended by two main buildings - the park support building to the west, which includes a visitor center, ticketing offices, events pavilion, parking, and other important uses to help maintain and run the park. The eastern building, the Food Hall, provides space for vendors to sell food and drink as well as space for retail, with additional parking for visitors driving to the park.