Jacksonville is getting ready to put real money on the line to keep its Emerald Trail vision moving, and a string of creekfront parcels is suddenly in the spotlight.
City officials on Tuesday advanced a plan to unlock $12.59 million in local funds to buy land for the Emerald Trail, a 30-mile network of paths and parks threading through the urban core. The cash would go toward acquiring 17 parcels along Hogans Creek to link the trail from the Sports and Entertainment District to the Northbank Riverwalk. City staff say the buys are meant to clear property, environmental and flood-mitigation hurdles that have slowed that key downtown connection.
On March 23, the Mayor's Budget Review Committee voted to let the Public Works Department file legislation authorizing the transfer, a step Public Works says is needed to purchase the parcels and carry out restoration and decontamination work. The department is also asking for authority to use a declaration of taking and for the Office of General Counsel to start condemnation proceedings if voluntary deals fall through, according to the Jax Daily Record.
Which Parcels Are on the Chopping Block
City documents say the 17 parcels range from tiny 0.05-acre slivers to a 7.42-acre tract, and the largest piece runs along the west bank of Hogans Creek at 601 E. Adams St. County records tie that property to the Duval County Land Trust. Other owners on the city's list include Kraft Heinz, Southern Region Industrial Realty, entities linked to developer Jessica Miner and executive Barbara Jaffe, and Contega Business Services.
A parcel at 2330 Boulevard St., north of downtown, is also in the acquisition mix. Staff say assembling these properties is necessary to stitch together an unbroken greenway along the creek and through the core, per the Jax Daily Record.
Why the City Says It Needs the Land
Public Works describes the proposed land buys as key to restoration, decontamination and flood-mitigation work along Hogans Creek, as well as to finally tying the Emerald Trail into the Northbank Riverwalk and nearby downtown venues. Those project elements and funding lines show up in the city's capital improvement program and budget materials, and the legislative backup points to Hogan Street and Hogans Creek project entries in the city's planning documents. They are listed in the packet posted to City Council Legistar.
Funding Gap Puts Pressure on Local Dollars
The push to purchase the land comes after a major funding stumble. Unobligated federal grants, including a proposed $147 million award for the Emerald Trail, were wiped out in July 2025, creating a sizable gap for the unfinished segments. Groundwork Jacksonville acknowledged the loss in a public message, according to Groundwork Jacksonville.
At the groundbreaking for the Hogan Street Link, leaders warned that losing the federal money could slow or stall work on remaining stretches. Private sponsors, including VyStar Credit Union, have stepped in to help keep the Hogan Street leg moving, according to Jacksonville Today.
What Comes Next
With the Budget Review Committee's signoff in hand, Public Works can now file the budget-transfer bill with City Council. Council approval will be required before the city can spend the $12.59 million or move ahead with any declaration of taking for reluctant sellers.
If the ordinance is introduced, it will appear in the council's Legistar system and follow the usual path through committee hearings and full council votes, as outlined in the city's budget materials on City Council Legistar.
What It Could Mean for Downtown
If Jacksonville can secure the riverfront parcels, the city would be closer to building a continuous Emerald Trail through downtown, adding new flood controls along Hogans Creek and carving out fresh public green space in an area long dominated by asphalt and parking lots. Developers and residents have argued that a completed trail segment could help spark new investment downtown.
The $12.59 million will not finish the Emerald Trail, but city planners say locking down the Hogan Street and Hogans Creek connections would be a critical step toward turning the long-planned loop into something residents can actually walk, bike and jog on from one end of downtown to the other.
