Jacksonville Landing
Encyclopedia
The Jacksonville Landing is a 125000 square feet (11,613 m²) shopping and dining complex in Jacksonville, Florida
. It was built by the Rouse Company and opened in 1987. It has been compared to New York City
's South Street Seaport
, Boston
's Faneuil Hall
or Miami's Bayside, all developed by Rouse.
In 2003, the Rouse Company announced it would sell the Jacksonville Landing to local developer Toney Sleiman for $5.1 million. The Florida Times-Union revealed that Sleiman, who bought the buildings but not the city-owned land, would not have to pay the $100,000 rent required by the City of Jacksonville for the land until the city provided the 800 parking spaces it had promised the previous owners.
In 2010, the 23-year obligation was finally resolved. The Jacksonville City Council
passed a bill to contribute $3.5 million toward Sleiman's purchase of an existing parking lot across from the Landing. That money included a 20-year parking validation program at a cost of $2.5 million to the city. Mayor John Peyton
vetoed the bill, but the council voted unanimously to override the veto.
. The 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) complex features 65 stores as well as dining, with full-service restaurants plus a food court, and entertainment. The Landing stages a variety of special events. There is weekly live music on the courtyard stage. Most events take place in the open brick courtyard in the center of the horseshoe shaped structure. Just before the Georgia-Florida football game in 2007, the Landing installed a 19x15 foot JumboTron
in the courtyard.
Weekly events include year-round live entertainment in the center courtyard every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The bands offer a variety of music including classic rock, oldies, contemporary, jazz, and top 40. The Landing also hosts national country concerts and classic rock concerts in the spring, summer and fall each year.
In September, 2010, The Landing announced a partnership with Downtown Vision to host an every Friday Farmer's Market from 10 AM to 2 PM. The market was relocated from Hemming Plaza. Since relocating to The Landing the market has been a huge hit with patrons. The market averages over 40 vendors each week.
The Landing also hosts a myriad of events for the community such as charity walks and runs and the Earth Day Ecology Fair.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It was built by the Rouse Company and opened in 1987. It has been compared to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's South Street Seaport
South Street Seaport
The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is a designated historic district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District...
, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's Faneuil Hall
Faneuil Hall
Faneuil Hall , located near the waterfront and today's Government Center, in Boston, Massachusetts, has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. It was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis, and others encouraging independence from Great Britain, and is now part of...
or Miami's Bayside, all developed by Rouse.
History
The Jacksonville Landing was designed and built by the Rouse Company, who developed a number of similar structures in other cities. It opened its doors on June 25, 1987. The Jacksonville Landing hosted a week long celebration featuring a balloon release, community choirs and national acts. The Rouse company partnered with City of Jacksonville, who contributed $20 million to the construction.In 2003, the Rouse Company announced it would sell the Jacksonville Landing to local developer Toney Sleiman for $5.1 million. The Florida Times-Union revealed that Sleiman, who bought the buildings but not the city-owned land, would not have to pay the $100,000 rent required by the City of Jacksonville for the land until the city provided the 800 parking spaces it had promised the previous owners.
In 2010, the 23-year obligation was finally resolved. The Jacksonville City Council
Jacksonville City Council
The Jacksonville City Council is the legislative governing body of the city of Jacksonville, Florida.-Composition:The Jacksonville City Council is composed of nineteen members who are elected to four-year terms and serve as part-time legislators...
passed a bill to contribute $3.5 million toward Sleiman's purchase of an existing parking lot across from the Landing. That money included a 20-year parking validation program at a cost of $2.5 million to the city. Mayor John Peyton
John Peyton
John Peyton may refer to:*John Peyton, Baron Peyton of Yeovil, , British politician who served as Minister for Transport*John Peyton John Peyton may refer to:*John Peyton, Baron Peyton of Yeovil, (1919–2006), British politician who served as Minister for Transport*John Peyton John Peyton may refer...
vetoed the bill, but the council voted unanimously to override the veto.
Location and services
The two-level glass-and-steel complex with the orange roof is located on the north bank of the St. Johns RiverSt. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
. The 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) complex features 65 stores as well as dining, with full-service restaurants plus a food court, and entertainment. The Landing stages a variety of special events. There is weekly live music on the courtyard stage. Most events take place in the open brick courtyard in the center of the horseshoe shaped structure. Just before the Georgia-Florida football game in 2007, the Landing installed a 19x15 foot JumboTron
Jumbotron
A JumboTron is a large-screen television using technology developed by Sony, typically used in sports stadiums and concert venues to show close-up shots of the event. Although JumboTron is a registered trademark owned by the Sony Corporation, the word jumbotron is often used by the public as a...
in the courtyard.
Patronage
The Jacksonville Landing (usually referred to as just the Landing by locals) has a local patronage base of over 65,000 Downtown office workers and over 1,000,000 residents in the surrounding metropolitan area of North Florida. According to various Florida travel sources, it has been "an icon" for Jacksonville and "one of the most recognized attractions in Northeast Florida" since it opened in June, 1987. Downtown Improvement District (DID) for Jacksonville claims it is a popular tourist destination.Events
The Landing hosts more than 300 events each year including Florida/Georgia Weekend Celebrations, the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, New Year’s Eve and Gator Bowl Celebrations, St. Patrick’s Day and July 4th.Weekly events include year-round live entertainment in the center courtyard every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The bands offer a variety of music including classic rock, oldies, contemporary, jazz, and top 40. The Landing also hosts national country concerts and classic rock concerts in the spring, summer and fall each year.
In September, 2010, The Landing announced a partnership with Downtown Vision to host an every Friday Farmer's Market from 10 AM to 2 PM. The market was relocated from Hemming Plaza. Since relocating to The Landing the market has been a huge hit with patrons. The market averages over 40 vendors each week.
The Landing also hosts a myriad of events for the community such as charity walks and runs and the Earth Day Ecology Fair.