Downtown Jacksonville business owners say change is finally reaching a long-quiet stretch of the North Core \u2014 and the latest development could bring some of the biggest momentum yet. \u2013 Downtown Jacksonville business owners say change is finally reaching a long-quiet stretch of the North Core \u2014 and the latest development could bring some of the biggest momentum yet.<\/p>\n
Developers behind the multi-billion-dollar Pearl Square project <\/a>have announced 655 Pearl, a six-story, 100,000-square-foot office building that will anchor the $750 million mixed-use neighborhood now under construction. <\/p>\n It\u2019s the first new multi-tenant office tower planned for Jacksonville\u2019s North Core in more than 20 years.<\/p>\n For longtime business owners working just feet from the cranes and construction fencing, the announcement marks another step toward a downtown that feels alive again.<\/p>\n \u2018Everything is growing\u2019<\/p>\n Marvin Hearman has watched the area stall and start again for years. His family-run restaurant, Starving Like Marvin<\/a>, sits in the center of the Pearl Square footprint. <\/p>\n He told News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee<\/a> and photojournalist Jesse Hanson that business is good, but the neighborhood needs more energy. <\/p>\n However, he said he noticed the momentum in the area shifting. <\/p>\n \u201cLast four years, business has been pretty good, and it\u2019s going to get even better,\u201d Hearman said. \u201cI heard previously that tenants didn\u2019t do too well. So for us to come in and knock it out of the box, and it\u2019s growing \u2014 everything is growing.\u201d<\/p>\n Marvin Hearman, owner of Starving like Marvin (Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n Hearman added the construction surrounding his restaurant is already shaping the way he operates. <\/p>\n With more residents, office workers, and visitors expected to move through the area, he plans to extend his hours \u2014 possibly from closing at 6pm to as late as 1 or 2 a.m.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all excited. I wish they could open up tomorrow so I can put my chef hat on,\u201d he said with a laugh.<\/p>\n What 655 Pearl will bring<\/p>\n The newly announced office building is designed by Morris Adjmi Architects and BDG Architects, with a ground-floor retail level spanning roughly 25,000 square feet.<\/p>\n According to JLL \u2014 the firm overseeing leasing for the project \u2014 655 Pearl is meant to feel less like a traditional office building and more like part of an active urban neighborhood.<\/p>\n JLL\u2019s Michael Loftin said companies today are looking for energized, amenity-rich environments that help attract talent.<\/p>\n 655 Pearl Rendering, courtesy JLL Media (Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n \u201cWorkspace is no longer viewed as a static line item, but as a strategic tool to attract talent, support culture, and bring people together,\u201d Loftin said in a statement. Employees will be at the center of a dynamic ecosystem of retail, dining, hospitality, and public spaces \u2014 all steps from their desks.\u201d<\/p>\n Construction is anticipated to break ground in 2027, with completion expected in 2028.<\/p>\n Impact could be immediate<\/p>\n At E-Luxe Hair Studio, located next to the development, hairstylist Sabrina Sellers<\/a> said increased foot traffic is exactly what the area has needed.<\/p>\n Sabrina Sellers, E-Luxe Hair Studio (Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like this side of downtown has been dead for a little while,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s going to bring more business \u2014 and more food is great, especially for lunch breaks for us, because we like to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n Larger push to remake downtown<\/p>\n