Construction coming in 2026 of restaurant next to Friendship Fountain
Jacksonville is moving forward with plans to build a new restaurant in St. Johns River Park, next to Friendship Fountain, using a design by CD+Urban Studio.
The architectural firm presented final renderings of the chosen design at a Dec. 11 meeting of the Downtown Development Review Board.
The restaurant will bring riverfront dining back to an area that lost that feature when River City Brewing Company closed in 2021. The associated group demolished that restaurant building to make way for a planned residential tower.
When will the work start?
The city plans to begin construction on the restaurant in early to mid 2026. The city will own the building and lease it to a private restaurateur.
What will the restaurant serve?
The city’s description of the project says public feedback has been supportive of a “casual, open-air concept,” family-friendly and pet-friendly. Rather than fine dining with enclosed seating, the emphasis will be on full-service dining with takeout options, according to a city summary.
The building will have a rooftop bar and lounge.
Renderings show the view diners will have from inside a restaurant planned for St. Johns River Park near the Friendship Fountain on the South Shore of downtown Jacksonville. Large windows overlook the river and Main Street Bridge.
What inspired the design features of the restaurant buildings?
The design draws inspiration from the park’s existing pumping station, the St. Johns River, the city’s maritime history, mid-century architecture and the work of Bob Broward, Taylor Hardwick and William Morgan on buildings throughout Jacksonville. Hardwick designed the Friendship Fountain.
“We designed a building that seems to complement the park motif,” said Joe Cronk of Cronk Duch Architecture and CD+Urban Studio.
A rendering shows the walkways leading to the planned restaurant at St. Johns River Park in downtown Jacksonville. The Downtown Development Review Board was given a presentation on the latest design at its December 11, 2025 meeting.
How big will the restaurant be?
The two-story building will feature indoor and outdoor dining areas on both floors. The first floor will include 2,400 square feet of air-conditioned space and 1,000 square feet of outdoor dining. The second floor with the roof will include 1,500 square feet of “open-air dining” plus 500 square feet of covered dining, according to the presentation.
Where will the restaurant be located?
The restaurant will be next at Friendship Fountain in St. Johns River Park, which recently opened a new playground next to the Main Street Bridge.
The restaurant will be located approximately 60 feet from the St. Johns River, leaving open space along the river’s edge while still being close enough to provide a view of the river during dinner.
The restaurant planned for downtown Southbank will be close to the St. Johns River and the Friendship Fountain in St. Johns River Park. A rendering shows where the restaurant would be located.
When Related Group builds its high-rise building, the tower will be located next to the new restaurant, on the other side of the Friendship Fountain.
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Friendship Fountain: The reimagined and renovated Friendship Fountain returns to action on the Jacksonville Riverfront
How does the city finance the restaurant?
The Downtown Investment Authority is using its tax increment financing district to set aside $3.25 million for construction of the building. Meanwhile, the city has invested nearly $5.2 million to build improvements to St. Johns River Park.
The city says revenue from leasing the building to a restaurant operator will be used to maintain the building and also support maintenance of St. Johns River Park.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Design presented for new downtown Jacksonville riverfront restaurant
