LETTERS FROM OUR LEADERSHIP
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Downtown Vision, it is my pleasure to share our Strategic Plan, a roadmap that reflects both the vibrancy of our urban core today and the bold aspirations we hold for its future.
ALLAN IOSUE BOARD CHAIR
Downtown Jacksonville stands at an exciting moment in its evolution. In recent years, we have seen remarkable momentum: new residential growth, major public and private investments, an expanding network of small businesses and a renewed commitment to placemaking and public spaces. At the center of this progress is a community that believes in Downtown’s potential and is willing to work together to move it forward.
This Strategic Plan represents that belief. It outlines our shared priorities for strengthening the economic vitality, cultural identity, walkability, and overall experience of Downtown Jacksonville. It reaffirms the essential role of our Business Improvement District and reflects the collective insight of our staff, partners, stakeholders and residents. Most importantly, it sets a clear direction for how we will continue championing a thriving, connected and inclusive Downtown.
I want to thank our members, stakeholders and the Downtown Vision team for their tireless dedication, as well as the many partners who contributed their expertise and perspective throughout the planning process. Your passion for Downtown Jacksonville is evident on every page of this plan.
Together, we have an extraordinary opportunity to continue shaping a Downtown that our community is proud to call home. I look forward to working with all of you as we continue to bring this vision to life.
With appreciation,
Allan Iosue Board Chair
It is with great pride that we present Downtown Vision’s Strategic Plan, an actionable, forward-thinking plan that reflects our commitment to making Downtown Jacksonville more vibrant, welcoming and successful!
Over the past several years, our city’s core has experienced renewed momentum. From transformative public and private investments to a growing residential population and a surge in cultural activity, Downtown Jacksonville is evolving rapidly for the better.
JAKE GORDON CEO
As the Business Improvement District non-profit, our role is to help catalyze that momentum into further action, support the people and places driving it and ensure that Downtown continues to grow with intention, creativity and prosperity.
This Strategic Plan outlines how we move towards that direction. Built through months of collaboration with our Board of Directors, staff, Downtown stakeholders, community partners and residents, this strategic plan captures the priorities that matter most to our city’s future.
In the pages to follow, you’ll find clear goals for strengthening safety, enriching public spaces, enhancing the visitor experience, elevating our marketing and events, and ensuring Downtown remains a hub of opportunity and connection. I want to recognize the Downtown Vision team for their extraordinary work, not only in shaping this plan, but in bringing our mission to life every day. Their dedication is matched by the support of our Board and the countless property owners and partners who share our belief in a thriving and well-positioned Downtown Jacksonville.
This plan is more than a document. It is our commitment to our community, to our property owners and partners to support the future of our urban core.
We look forward to the work ahead and to the future successes we will achieve together.
Sincerely,
Jacob A. Gordon Esq. Chief Executive Officer
DEVELOPMENT Supporting AN EVOLVING DOWNTOWN
The January 28, 2026 update to the Downtown Vision Strategic Plan reflects a comprehensive, collaborative effort involving Downtown Vision staff, the Board of Directors and a broad network of stakeholders. This process was designed to ensure the organization’s direction remains aligned with the evolving needs, expectations and priorities of those who live, work, visit and invest in Downtown Jacksonville.
The collective input, representing a substantial investment of time, insight and expertise, helps position Downtown Vision for sustained success in a rapidly transforming urban environment.
To support this work, Downtown Vision engaged facilitators to gather feedback, synthesize findings and shape recommendations. The following pages summarize the key activities and contributions that informed the final plan.
ENGAGEMENT AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT
• Electronic surveys of a focus group of Downtown residents, followed by a facilitated discussion
• Electronic surveys of Downtown developers and commercial property owners/representatives, followed by a facilitated discussion
• Electronic surveys of the Downtown Vision Board of Directors
• Five one-on-one interviews conducted between a facilitating consultant and individual Board members
STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS
• Facilitated strategic planning session with the Downtown Vision Executive Committee
• Facilitated strategic planning session with the Downtown Vision Board of Directors
ANALYSIS AND PLAN DEVELOPMENT
• Facilitator prepared summary document of all feedback and resulting recommendations
• Proposed Strategic Plan updates as recommended by Downtown Vision staff and the facillitator consultant, focused on:
• Short-Term Action Items
• Long-Term Strategic Plan Points
The Downtown Vision Strategic Plan Update was finalized and distributed on January 28, 2026
GUIDING PRINCIPLES & STRATEGIC PILLARS
OUR MISSION
OUR VISION
Create and support a vibrant Downtown and promote Downtown as an exciting place to live, work, visit and invest.
A dynamic, 24-hour, pedestrian-friendly Downtown Jacksonville that serves as the premier center for the arts, dining, retail, entertainment, business and urban living in Northeast Florida.
OUR STRATEGIC AREAS OF FOCUS
Railyard District
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, PONTE VEDRA, ST. JOHNS & ST. AUGUSTINE
Riverside & Avondale Springfield
San Marco
ARLINGTON & THE BEACHES
DOWNTOWN BOUNDARY (CITY OF JACKSONVILLE & DIA)
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOUNDARY (DVI)
RIVERWALK
AREAS OF FOCUS
The following Long-Term Strategy Points and Short-Term Actions Items are divided amongst three areas of focus:
Stakeholder ENGAGEMENT AND REPRESENTATION
Goal Statement: Downtown Vision must enhance its level of engagement with its core stakeholders to ensure its services and investments are of the highest quality and reflect the needs of the BID. The organization shall further work to serve as an effective voice for its constituents, ensuring that their perspectives and priorities are considered in community decisions impacting the Downtown Jacksonville environment.
Growth AND SUSTAINABILITY
Goal Statement: Downtown Vision’s future effectiveness will depend on its ability to scale its operations and provide services to meet the changing needs of the BID. The organization must ensure access to a robust and diverse array of resources sufficient to 1) Enable sustainability and growth in line with Downtown Jacksonville’s trajectory and 2) Maintain its autonomous decision making in service of its mission.
Partnerships AND COLLABORATION
Goal Statement: The Downtown Jacksonville eco-system includes an expanding array of individuals and organizations focused on goals that complement and overlap with the Downtown Vision mission. To maximize the return on the community’s investment in Downtown, the organization must actively coordinate and collaborate with partner entities to avoid duplicity and ensure effective allocation of resources and responsibilities.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT & REPRESENTATION
SHORT-TERM ACTION ITEMS (ONE TO TWO YEARS)
Develop and implement a strategy and add capacity to increase engagement and generate feedback from core stakeholders
Improve efforts to leverage the capacity of the Board of Directors in fundraising, stakeholder outreach and government affairs efforts
Work to clarify and articulate Downtown Vision’s role in Downtown’s management.
LONG-TERM STRATEGY (THREE TO FIVE YEARS)
• Downtown Vision has strengthened its active line of communication with all developers and property owners/managers within the service area.
• Downtown Vision remains the premiere Downtown management nonprofit in Jacksonville and the leading subject-matter expert across each of its strategic pillars
• Downtown Vision has expanded its role as an influential voice in community decisions concerning Downtown’s advancement and progress
GROWTH & SUSTAINABILITY
SHORT-TERM ACTION ITEMS (ONE TO TWO YEARS)
Finalize and execute an improved fundraising strategy to scale services and diversify revenue sources
Evaluate changes to the assessment boundaries and terms to ensure financial sustainability and alignment with Downtown’s trajectory Assess and improve the “business plan” for Downtown Vision projects to maximize sustainability and return on investment
LONG-TERM STRATEGY (THREE TO FIVE YEARS)
• Downtown Vision’s fundraising generates a diverse mix of revenues enabling effective service delivery absent reliance on any single contributor
• Downtown Vision has well-established boundaries that are well-aligned with Downtown’s growth patterns and support financial sustainability
• Downtown Vision’s services have scaled substantially to meet the diverse needs of a more active and populous Downtown
PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATION
SHORT-TERM ACTION ITEMS (ONE TO TWO YEARS)
Actively coordinate with complementary entities in efforts to refine the division of responsibilities related to Downtown’s management, activation and marketing Evaluate potential fundraising, fee-for-service arrangements, partnerships, new functions and other opportunities considering impacts to DVI’s mission, capacity and autonomy
LONG-TERM STRATEGY (THREE TO FIVE YEARS)
• Downtown Vision has effective and well-coordinated partnerships with complementary entities both in and outside of its service area
• Downtown Vision’s mix of independent functions, partnerships and fee-for-service arrangements appropriately balances the organization’s access to resources and autonomy
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FY26 BOARD
Allan Iosue, Chair, Haskell
Kerri Stewart, Vice Chair, Miller Electric
Will Landreth, Treasurer, Truist
Paul Davison, Immediate Past Chair, Independent Board Member
Oliver Barakat, CBRE Group, Inc.
Kaci Barnes, PNC Bank
Caryn Carreiro, Bradford Allen
Austin Collins, First Baptist Church
Ellen Cotrill, Avant Construction
Steve Crosby, Independent Board Member
Katie Ensign, Baptist Health Foundation
Soo Gilvarry, Lotus Commercial USA LLC
Paul Grainger, Iconic Real Estate
Jan Hanak, Regency Centers
Elias Hionides, PETRA
Vincent McCormack, Perdue, Inc.
Chad Meadows, VyStar Credit Union
Robert Maldonado, Resident
Christian Oldenburg, Ash Properties / Atlantic Self Storage
Bill Prescott, Heritage Capital Group
Roger Rassman, Community First Credit Union
John Ream, Connect Agency
Lyndsay Rossman, Jacksonville Jaguars
Eric Shullman, Gateway Jax
Steve Sprecher, Pinnacle Financial Partners
Cyndy Trimmer, Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne & Diebenow
City of Jacksonville and Designated Members
Council Member Raul Arias, Jacksonville City Council, District 11 (non-voting)
Colin Tarbert, Downtown Investment Authority (DIA)
Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., Jacksonville Transportation Authority
Assistant Chief Jimmy Ricks, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Aundra Wallace, JAXUSA Partnership
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FY26 STAFF
Staff
Jacob A. Gordon, Esq., Chief Executive Officer
Eric Miller, Esq., Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel
Erika Hooper, Executive Assistant to the CEO
Laura Phillips Edgecombe Vice President of Urban Systems
Kady Yellow, Vice President of Placemaking and Activations
Noah Moran, Senior Director of Administration
Laken Gudzak, Director of Marketing and Communications
Eduardo Santos, Director of District Services
Haley Wright, Director of Activations, Curation and Outreach
Rachael Wyant, Director of Research
Phoebe Mullis, Associate Director of Activations, Logistics and Permitting
Savanne Giroire, Communications Manager
Chelbi Robinson
Placemaking Assistant and Research Fellow
Jason Hatley, Operations Manager
Mike Ryan, Operations Supervisor
Robert Harris, Next Step Team Lead
Troy Harris, District Coverage
Kay Huggins, Safety Team Lead
Chad King, Clean Team Lead
Chris Simmons, Outreach Coordinator
Jay Barber, Outreach Coordinator
Keishawn Barry, Mike Carpenter, Bob Cofer, Russell Hill, Brandy Hicks, Chase Isacs, Denise Johnson, Potrena Jones, Alton Kox, Richard Malcolm, Dulani Mitchell, JP Perkins, Henry Reddish, Trai Robinson
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
Wesly Michael Rakim Edwards
Shane Heuer
Savanne Giroire
Toni Smailagic
FACILITATED BY:
Kevin Blalock, CSR
Ayla Calumpang, CSR
Downtown Ambassadors
