The Jacksonville Riverfront Plaza is a 7.61-acre downtown destination park, including a one-of-kind playground, splash pad, café building with roof plantings, lushly planted gardens, event lawn, and a future beer garden with a pedestrian bridge from park level up to the Main Street bridge. The park is located at the site of the former Jacksonville Landing entertainment area. The mission is to deliver a shared “living room” for all residents of Jacksonville that provides quality of life, and offers cultural and social connection though a variety of experiential and programming opportunities.

GAI’s role is landscape architect of record and civil engineer as subconsultant to Perkins&Will for the overall park. GAI also supported the team in the finalization of the park master plan, design concepts, all planting design, and transfer of the design concept into construction bid documents, including permits. The design included significant coordination with adjacent and ongoing projects such as the Times-Union Performing Arts Center Music Park to the west, the St. Johns River bulkhead design and construction to the south, and a future project within the FDOT right-of-way that connects under the Main Street Bridge.

Today, the $35 million Phase 1 portion of the park is complete and in use. Phase 2 is planned for construction later in 2026.