JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville city council members are set to meet Wednesday to discuss the next steps in acquiring the property for the new University of Florida graduate campus.
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The building, located in LaVilla and owned by Gateway Jax, has been the subject of ongoing debates as city leaders have been weighing two main options for acquiring the property: a land swap or a direct purchase.
Each option has its supporters, including Mayor Donna Deegan, who favors the land swap, and Councilman Ron Salem, who advocates for a direct purchase.
In a one-on-one interview with News4JAX, Bryan Moll, CEO of Gateway Jax, expressed his commitment to bringing the UF grad campus to Jacksonville.
“Getting UF here and getting UF into 801 Bay Street is the most important thing, and on their timeline,” Moll stated.
Moll supports the land swap, which would grant Gateway Jax riverfront property near the Main Street bridge in exchange for the building on West Bay Street, saying his goal, if the land swap goes through, is to enhance downtown Jacksonville by adding a hotel and expanding food and beverage options to complement the Riverfront Plaza.
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Moll added that the overall goal of the land swap is about making this area of downtown a place for people to go.
“I think it’s just so important that we do something on that parcel, and that we help activate the waterfront,” Moll said. “This is meant to be an urban, world-class park, and we feel very strongly that in order for it to be world-class and activated, you need that use there. So, whether it’s us or anyone else, we will always be supporters of doing something on that site.”
Moll said one aspect that has already been agreed upon with the Downtown Investment Authority is a 2% surcharge on the hotel rooms, adding that it would generate, on average, $700,000 a year over the next 30 years.
He said that revenue would go toward things like events, programming, and maintenance in the park.
Though he knows there will always be naysayers when it comes to building up downtown, Moll is confident it will pay off in the years to come.
“Jacksonville is an amazing place. I’m relatively new here, just under three years, and have fallen in love with the city,” Moll said. “In order for downtown Jacksonville, I think, to truly realize its potential, we have to create a world-class riverfront. And that’s one of the reasons why we’re interested in the swap...we can help do that.”
News4JAX also asked Moll what his plan B would be if officials decide to move forward with the building purchase.
“We’re always going to be supportive of something happening on that development pad, whether it’s us or others,” Moll said. “I think the time is now to make it happen, and that is one of the reasons why we are strong supporters of the swap...Having UF be able to get into 801 Bay Street as soon as they can is most important.”
The council meeting, scheduled for Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., will explore these options further.
While some council members, like Nick Howland, have proposed alternative solutions, Moll remains confident that the land swap is the best approach.
The full conversation with Gateway Jax’s CEO can be watched in its entirety below.
