Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office begins partial move to Riverside

After about three years of considerations and plans, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is in the process of moving its downtown administrative offices to the nearby Florida Blue tower at 532 Riverside Ave. Its lease is for three floors.

Sheriff’s Office headquarters had been located in the Police Memorial Building at 501 E. Bay St. since 1977. The building has become outdated and there also has been years of discussion about relocating the attached jail.

The Florida Blue Tower is located at 532 Riverside Avenue in Jacksonville, Fla., Wednesday, July 22, 2026. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Starting Friday, Sept. 11, the public counter at Bay Street will temporarily close and will reopen at the new facility on Septe. 28, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The District 1 Substation at 5258-13 Norwood Ave. will be closed starting Friday as it moves to the new hub as well. District 2 – 6 Substations will remain open for the entirety of the move, so there will be no lapse in public services. Substation hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, located at 501 E. Bay Street in downtown Jacksonville, Fla. Friday, July 10, 2026. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

During the relocation, performer work applications/renewals and associated fees for replaced/lost cards will be accepted at the District 4 Substation inside the Cedar Hills Shopping Center, 3726 Blanding Blvd. The Prescription Drug Drop Box is not available during this time while it is being relocated to the Riverside office.”The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office remains fully operational during the transition to the new headquarters,” its Public Information Office said. “JSO will keep the public updated and release more details when the public services facilities are up and running in Riverside later this month. That will include exact addresses for services, parking information and other relevant details to serve the city.”

The move helps the agency more effectively serve and protect the growing population in Jacksonville, the Sheriff’s Office said.

A demonstration of JSO’s new drones and technology

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Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Detective Thomas Strickland, one of the members of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Team, flies an interior drone while demonstrating the Drone First Responder pilot program on July 22, 2026, at its Florida Blue building offices in Riverside. The program was funded by $610,000 from the state that allowed the department to purchase 25 interior drones, 10 exterior drones and one fixed-wing mapping drone. Sheriff T.K. Waters said the drones would be used for all calls when needed and not for surveillance. (Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union)

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office begins partial move to Riverside