The 25 biggest projects in Deegan's budget are topped by stadium, UF Health and fairgrounds.

David Bauerlein, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
·9 min read
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, at right, is joined by city Chief Financial Officer Anna Brosche while answering questions from reporters about her proposed 2024-25 budget.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, at right, is joined by city Chief Financial Officer Anna Brosche while answering questions from reporters about her proposed 2024-25 budget.

Mayor Donna Deegan's proposed 2024-25 budget has one big-ticket item that's no surprise — the renovation of the city-owned football stadium — but it also has other multimillion dollar construction projects that highlight some of her priorities.

Those include continued investment in the UF Health campus on Eighth Street, advancing work on the Emerald Trail and related work on McCoys and Hogans creeks, enhancements to the riverwalk and parks in downtown, the relocations of the Museum of Science and History to a new site on the downtown riverfront and the Jacksonville Fairgrounds to the Westside, and another round of money for construction of a new library branch in the Oceanway area.

Here is a rundown of the 25 biggest construction projects by dollar amount in Deegan's proposed budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.

EverBank Stadium renovation: $150 million

As expected, this marks the first installment for the city's share of the $1.4 billion cost of renovating the city-owned football stadium in order to keep the Jaguars in Jacksonville for another 30 years. The stadium renovation is the single biggest city project ever so it will continue to take up a big chunk of the money available for public works funding. The city's portion of the cost will be $775 million so future budgets will add more big payments in the following three years through 2028 when the rebuilt stadium is slated to finished.

Jaguars president Mark Lamping, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, and the city of Jacksonville's chief negotiator on the stadium deal Mike Weinstein met at the Jaguars Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 26, 2024 to address the media and team personnel about the newly approved stadium renovation deal.
Jaguars president Mark Lamping, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, and the city of Jacksonville's chief negotiator on the stadium deal Mike Weinstein met at the Jaguars Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 26, 2024 to address the media and team personnel about the newly approved stadium renovation deal.

UF Health Jacksonville building improvements: $38 million

The UF Health campus isn't in the same category as the stadium for spending but it is accumulating a big chunk of the city's budget on a year-in, year-out basis.

The city previously authorized $115 million for repairs and renovations of the city-owned buildings that UF Health uses for the safety-net hospital campus on Eighth Street. Deegan calls for an additional $38 million in next year's budget. She pencils in another $96 million over the following four years ($24 million each year) for the UF Health campus buildings. If the city follows through on that, it would add up to $249 million in past and future spending on the medical campus over a decade.

The UF Health Jacksonville campus on Eighth Street could get another dose of spending from the city for repairs and renovations of the city-owned buildings used by the University of Florida for the region's safety net hospital. Mayor Donna Deegan proposes $38 million for the campus in next year's budget.
The UF Health Jacksonville campus on Eighth Street could get another dose of spending from the city for repairs and renovations of the city-owned buildings used by the University of Florida for the region's safety net hospital. Mayor Donna Deegan proposes $38 million for the campus in next year's budget.

Street resurfacing: $22 million

This annual funding pays for continuing repair of streets across the city by putting fresh layers of asphalt on them. The city scores streets for the pavement condition to decide where to send the asphalt-laying crews.

Jacksonville Fairground relocation: $16.7 million

The city and the Greater Jacksonville Fair Association are teaming up to relocate the fairgrounds from the sports complex to a new location on the Westside in the large regional park that already contains the Jacksonville Equestrian Center and Cecil Aquatics Center. The additional money for the city's portion of the work will bring its overall cost to $43.9 million for the construction of the new fairgrounds.

The midway of the new fairgrounds that will be built on the Westside is shown in this rendering as the midway would look when the annual Jacksonville Fair brings in rides and other attractions.
The midway of the new fairgrounds that will be built on the Westside is shown in this rendering as the midway would look when the annual Jacksonville Fair brings in rides and other attractions.

Trail Ridge Landfill expansion: $15.5 million

The city will expand the landfill on the far Westside so it will not run out of space for garbage disposal. This has been an annual expense for the city to stay ahead of the curve.

Met Park marine fire station, museum and dock design: $14.3 million

Combined with prior year funding authorization, this will bring the total to about $36.5 million for moving the fire museum to a different site on the downtown riverfront, relocating the Fire Station No. 39, a dock and boathouse, plus any needed river dredging. The city is doing the work on these public building in connection with Jaguars owner Shad Khan building the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Jacksonville on the riverfront.

Hollybrooke Park: $13.5 million

The cleanup of Hollybrooke Park in the Lackawanna neighborhood stems from the Burke Street Pond cleanup from a consent decree between the city and the state Department of Environmental Protection. The city's McCoys Creek floodplain work for the creek's north branch runs through the property and that work cannot start until the site is fully remediated. Groundwork Jacksonville received a $5 million federal cleanup grant. Deegan's five-year program contains another $14.3 million in the second year and then $2 million in the third year for cleanup.

Southbank Riverwalk extension: $13.2 million

The money will pay for building two new floating docks between the Charthouse restaurant and the Duval County Public Schools headquarters building on the downtown Southbank. The city also will extend the Southbank Riverwalk to the Fuller Warren Bridge in front of the Baptist Medical Center campus.

Two runners use the Southbank Riverwalk in 2021. The Southbank Riverwalk isn't as long as the one on the Northbank but Mayor Donna Deegan proposes an extension to the Fuller Warren Bridge in front of the Baptist Medical Center campus.
Two runners use the Southbank Riverwalk in 2021. The Southbank Riverwalk isn't as long as the one on the Northbank but Mayor Donna Deegan proposes an extension to the Fuller Warren Bridge in front of the Baptist Medical Center campus.

New fire station No. 66 in Arlington: $12.9 million

The city will find a site in the area of Merrill Road and Hartsfield Road of the Arlington neighborhood for construction of a new fire station. The station will reduce response time for fire and emergency medical service callouts.

Baseball Grounds: $11.3 million

A major renovation of the stadium where the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp play in the downtown sports complex will get another round of funding. The $11.3 million combined with previously authorized funding will bring the total to $31.8 million for improvements that Major League Baseball requires for the Shrimp, a Triple-A farm team, to keep playing at the stadium.

Ken Babby, owner of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, has said Project Next will “re-establish the ballpark as a premier minor league stadium and real destination in downtown Jacksonville." The plans include building a new entrance where the right field bleachers were previously and adding team offices, event space, more concourse space and concessions.

Renderings from a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp news conference on Feb. 28 show plans for Project Next, the renovations that will start soon at 121 Financial Ballpark.
Renderings from a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp news conference on Feb. 28 show plans for Project Next, the renovations that will start soon at 121 Financial Ballpark.

McCoys Creek waste oil discharge cleanup: $10.5 million

Deegan's proposed five-year capital improvements program calls for $10.5 million in 2024-25 followed by another $4.5 million the next year and then $500,000 the third year for a total spending amount of $15.5 million.

McCoys Creek branches: $10.35 million

The improvements to the "tail waters" so there is less flooding and better access to the creek for recreational opportunities. This is part of a large project combining McCoys Creek with the Emerald Trail network and tackling long-standing flooding problems for neighborhoods along the creek.

An overflow from McCoys Creek on King Street in October 1994 shows the chronic flooding that residents along the creek have suffered over the years. The city is working on a plan to move water through the creek in a way that will reduce the risk of flooding on neighborhood streets and homes.
An overflow from McCoys Creek on King Street in October 1994 shows the chronic flooding that residents along the creek have suffered over the years. The city is working on a plan to move water through the creek in a way that will reduce the risk of flooding on neighborhood streets and homes.

Water and wastewater system maintenance: $9.1 million

The money will help pay for construction of centralized water and wastewater treatment systems in order to phase out on-site treatment systems.

Met Park's marina on the Northbank: $9 million

The final piece of funding for the $43 million project that will replace the marina, pier, marina support building and other park improvements at Met Park.

Mayport dock construction: $8 million

The construction of the docks is part of the Mayport community redevelopment plan and will support shrimpers, commercial fishermen and recreational boating. Part of the riverfront in Mayport is vacant land but it will gain new development from an Ocearch headquarters building and Mayport remains a popular destination for seafood. The funding will bring the total amount for dock redevelopment to $15.5 million, leaving one more installment the following year for a total of $20.5 million for dock construction.

A $6 million pier built by the city of Jacksonville allows Ocearch to dock its research vessel in Mayport between journeys that tag sharks for tracking around the world. Mayor Donna Deegan's proposed budget would add another $8 million next year for redevelopment of docks along the Mayport waterfront.
A $6 million pier built by the city of Jacksonville allows Ocearch to dock its research vessel in Mayport between journeys that tag sharks for tracking around the world. Mayor Donna Deegan's proposed budget would add another $8 million next year for redevelopment of docks along the Mayport waterfront.

Riverfront Plaza: $6 million

The construction of the new park at the former site of the demolished Jacksonville Landing would get another $6 million toward a total cost of about $68 million for the park on the downtown riverfront. Future funding amounts totaling $35 million are included in future years of the five-year capital improvements program.

Northbank Riverwalk bulkhead: $5.95 million

The city is continuing to replace the bulkhead from the Acosta Bridge all the way to Metropolitan Park. This is the latest addition to the construction budget for that work.

McCoys Creek Greenway outfall at St. Johns River: $5.1 million

The final installment in a $58 million project for better drainage from Myrtle Avenue to where the creek flows into the St. Johns River. The McCoys Creek greenway will include reconstructing a piece of the Northbank Riverwalk between Corkscrew Park and the current outfall of the creek into the river. The work is rerouting that part of the creek closer to the Acosta Bridge. That portion of the creek had been covered for decades by the former Florida Times-Union building but with the new alignment, it will be open again to daylight for people to walk along it.

The new channel for McCoys Creek is taking shape as the riverwalk bridge over the outlet point is being demolished on the riverfront property in Jacksonville's Brooklyn neighborhood where McCoys Creek will be rerouted from the man-made tunnel under the former Florida Times-Union property. The reconfigured flow of the creek will be diverted east of the current development to park space adjacent to it where it will feed into the St. Johns River.

Armsdale Road drainage: $5.1 million

The city has been fielding complaints about flooding from residents who live along Armsdale Road on the Northside. The city will build a new pipe system with inlets and driveway repairs along Armsdale Road between Duval Road and Blockhouse Creek Court.

Shipyards West park: $5 million

The former shipyards between Bay Street and the St. Johns River still has piers jutting into the river from its era as a working waterfront. The city plans to build a new 9-acre park called Shipyards West that would include the pier where the USS Orleck floating museum docks out to the future site of the relocated Museum of Science and History. The city previously set aside $15 million for Shipyards West. Deegan would add another $5 million followed by $35 million in two years and then a final $5 million for the $60 million project.

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Jacksonville Zoo improvements: $4 million

The city owns the facilities where the Jacksonville Zoo is located off Heckscher Drive on the Northside and has been putting in money on a dollar-for-dollar match with private contributions. Deegan proposes $4 million as the city's commitment and she would continue that $4 million amount each year of the five-year capital improvements program.

St. Johns River Park: $3.8 million

St. Johns River Park is located on the Southbank in the same area as Friendship Fountain. The park is part of the larger plan by the city to boost the appeal of downtown's riverfront access that's open to the public.

A family sits at the edge of Friendship Fountain when visitors made their way in February to the newly rebuilt Friendship Fountain on the Southbank of Jacksonville in an area called St. Johns River Park.
A family sits at the edge of Friendship Fountain when visitors made their way in February to the newly rebuilt Friendship Fountain on the Southbank of Jacksonville in an area called St. Johns River Park.

Mike McCue Boat Ramp bulkhead: $3.52 million

The busy ramp on Second Avenue North in Jacksonville Beach for launching boats to the Intracoastal Waterway will get funding for the replacement of its bulkhead.

MOSH relocation and park design: $3 million

The first year of the five-year capital improvements program would put an initial $3 million toward a $50 million contribution by the city for a new Museum of Science and History building on the riverfront near the sports complex and the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Jacksonville being built by Jaguars owner Shad Khan. Deegan's five-year plan calls for another $47 million for MOSH in the following two years.

An artist's rendering shows the exterior of MOSH's new museum on the Northbank in downtown Jacksonville.
An artist's rendering shows the exterior of MOSH's new museum on the Northbank in downtown Jacksonville.

New Oceanway library: $3 million

The $3 million will be in addition to $15.85 million previously authorized for construction of a new library serving the fast-growing Northside area. The city expects the area served by the 30,000 square foot library branch will grow by 35% over the next decade. Currently, the only library access is at lockers at Oceanway Community Center. The library will include a children's area, teen area, community meeting rooms, study rooms, and computer labs.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Here are the top 25 projects in Mayor Donna Deegan's budget