JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville has had a housing problem for years now and this might apart of the solution; new apartments could soon be built on the campus of the Avenues Mall.
Things are changing around the mall. Buffalo Wild Wings has closed and Forever 21 is gone, but the mall is still open and people can still shop.
Back in July, city council approved rezoning to allow for the construction of the apartments in the parking lot area.
Councilman Raul Arias represents the district where the apartments will be built.
“You see different parts of town needing some more housing and this part of Southside actually needs it,” Arias said.
Arias said at first, some neighbors didn’t want to see the development because of misinformation.
The four-story complex will be built near the Dillard’s store and will have 266 units. Now, the area is being used for motorcycle training, but it will become home to many families soon.
“It’s a way to regenerate and bring some innovation to that mall,” Arias said.
As one of the fastest-growing districts in the city, the housing is long overdue and could be the catalyst for more activity with the mall right next door.
The mayor’s office released a statement on the apartments coming to the area:
“The City of Jacksonville supports additional housing supply to keep up with our rapidly growing community. It is a smart use of an existing space, and we hope that more developments move forward with this same innovation.”
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