JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville City Council is set to discuss an ordinance introduced by Mayor Donna Deegan that would allocate $1.5 million for the LaVilla Transit Innovation and Equity Project.
The item is on the agenda for Tuesday’s council meeting, but it’s unclear if it will be discussed during the session.
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The plan would combine a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau with $250,000 in in-kind city contributions to fund planning efforts for transforming downtown Jacksonville’s Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center into a modern transit hub.
The project is located in District 7, represented by Councilmember Jimmy Peluso, who expressed strong support for the proposal in a written statement. He emphasized the importance of passing the ordinance to secure $1.25 million in federal funding for revitalizing the Prime Osborn Convention Center and enhancing regional connectivity.
“Jacksonville is a city built on rail, and it’s been a real shame that we’ve turned our back on it,” Peluso said. He highlighted the administration’s efforts to reconnect Jacksonville with the rest of Florida and the region through modern transit planning.
The grant, part of the Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program will enable the city to explore restoring the Prime Osborn as a central rail station, a role it served in the past, and integrating other transit-oriented development options.
The project is part of a larger national effort under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“We’ve been working with the Build America Bureau for many months to take this idea from concept to the planning stage,” said Deegan in a September 2024 news release. “This is an exciting opportunity to restore the Prime Osborn to its glory as Jacksonville’s central rail station and create more passenger rail options for our citizens and visitors alike. The LaVilla Transit Innovation and Equity Project will transform our downtown and create new economic development opportunities.”
The LaVilla Transit Innovation and Equity Project would span 36 months and is designed to integrate multiple modes of transportation, improve community accessibility, and promote sustainable development.
