The Atlantic Beach community is one step closer to unveiling its latest crown jewel, the Marsh Oaks Community Center, currently in the throes of construction next to the Beaches Veterans Memorial Park. Upon completion, this center is poised to serve as both a refuge against the ravages of tempests and a nexus of local activity, as laid out in an announcement from the City of Atlantic Beach. Acquired in 2024, the former 4,500-square-foot assisted living facility situated at 100 W. 1st Street is rapidly transforming into a multipurpose haven for recreation, staff operations, and a variety of civic gatherings, including private events.
ACON Construction, spearheading the center's renovation, is looking to quickly complete essential upgrades with a focus on hurricane hardening. In a pursuit to ensure the integrity of the center against storms boasting winds upwards of 140 mph, the project has already seen a new hardened roof in place. Additional reinforcements are tying the structure together, an interlacing of walls, floor, and roof for added resilience. According to an article published by the City of Atlantic Beach, the next critical upgrade includes getting impact-resistant doors and windows by June 10 to make certain they can be installed by June 20, maintaining the pace for a June completion.
Post hardening, the focus will shift indoors and outdoors. The City of Jacksonville, through a $500,000 grant, has earmarked funds for interior and external aesthetic enhancements. Accompanying this will be a revamp of the center's parking and surrounding greeneries, a makeover that bids farewell to the old and welcomes a new lot complete with landscaping. This phase of the project enjoys financial support from a $200,000 Community Development Block Grant, as per the City of Atlantic Beach's plans.
