Jacksonville council approves incentives for downtown grocery and housing project

Jacksonville’s City Council narrowly approved public incentives for Gateway Jax’s Pearl Square development, which is expected to include a downtown grocery store, apartments and retail. The revised package includes a $9.2 million city cash payment after completion, $12 million from the Downtown Investment Authority, $7 million tied to another developer project and $21.75 million in phased property-tax credits. Supporters say the project would bring a long-sought grocery store to a food desert, add housing and retail, and expand downtown’s tax base; critics questioned the subsidy and its timing as a voter-approved property-tax cut is expected to reduce city revenue and pressure the budget.