JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The message from the public was clear: Don’t sell to that buyer. And on Tuesday night, the Duval County School Board listened.
In a unanimous 7-0 vote, board members rejected a proposal that would have sold the district’s riverfront headquarters to Fleet Landing, a nonprofit planning to redevelop the site into a retirement community.
The decision came after months of discussion.
Concerns from the school board and from local residents sparked a long discussion about whether the $20 million offer from Fleet Landing was in the best interest of the future development of the Southbank.
“I have not gotten a lot of good feedback from constituents,” District 7 board member Melody Bolduc said during the meeting. “Just because it’s the ‘best deal’ in the eyes of a very qualified realtor… if the city doesn’t like it, are we expected just to say yes?”
Fleet Landing shared the following statement with News4JAX about the Board’s decision:
As you can expect, we are disappointed in the outcome of the vote last night.
From our CEO, Josh Ashby who attended the meeting: “Fleet Landing’s proposal represented the highest value to the District and was deemed the most likely to close. Should the Board choose to sell the property, we would welcome the opportunity to continue working collaboratively toward a plan that advances the District’s goals and contributes to the vitality of Jacksonville’s riverfront.”
Fleet Landing remains steadfast in our commitment to Jacksonville and our mission to serve with excellence and compassion. We believe deeply in the potential of this project to bring lasting value to the community — opening the riverfront to the public, creating local jobs, and contributing millions in new tax revenue to support schools and city services.
Fleet Landing
VOTE: What do you want to see replace the School Board building on Jacksonville’s Southbank?
A riverfront rethink
Fleet Landing was selected as the top bidder earlier this year, beating out nine other proposals for the 1701 Prudential Drive site — a prime piece of real estate steps from the St. Johns River and the Southbank Riverwalk.
The district had also been considering purchasing a $14 million building on Prominence Parkway in Baymeadows to serve as its new administrative headquarters.
Both the sale and purchase proposals failed on Tuesday night.
Board members said the deal lacked public buy-in and raised too many unanswered questions about long-term value, taxes, and timing.
“I have prayed that if I’m wrong about this, that God would show me,” said District 3 board member Cindy Pearson. “As I’ve continued to pray about it, I remain steadfast that this is too risky and not a good deal for DCPS.”
Public opposition led the charge
Leading up to the vote, no members of the public spoke in favor of the deal.
Instead, residents expressed frustration — not just with the idea of a retirement community on the riverfront, but with what they felt was a rushed and unclear process.
Some questioned whether the property was being undervalued. Others pushed for amenities that would better serve the entire city, such as restaurants, parks, or a space for families.
“I love the retirees,” said Jacksonville resident Kisha Shabazz during a previous interview. “But there is so much more you can do with that space... Why not use it for upscale dining and really leverage the river and what it’s there for?”
District 5 Board Member Reginald Blount echoed those sentiments, urging the board to slow down and reconsider all available options.
“I don’t feel comfortable where we are now,” Blount said. “I really think it should be a little more discussion. I would hope that even the other offers that came down, there should be more discussion about it, because we don’t have to move.”
What’s next?
For now, the district will remain headquartered on the Southbank. But the conversation about what should happen to the property — and whether the district should move — is far from over.
Multiple board members made clear that while they’re open to relocating in the future, they want a better deal, a clearer plan, and a process that puts the community first.
“I think we can all agree this property has value,” Bolduc said. “But how we handle it matters just as much as what we get for it.”
According to a release from the school district after the decision, the district “will continue to explore other strategies to achieve cost savings and operational improvements.”
DCPS said the community’s engagement in the process was appreciated.
“We appreciate the thoughtful input that shaped this outcome,” said Dr. Christopher Bernier, Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools. “We will continue to provide updates through our channels as we explore alternative relocation options.”
News4JAX Reporter Briana Brownlee filed a public request asking for all of the bids submitted and the scoring sheets. At the time of this publication, the request hadn’t been fulfilled. Please check back for updates.