After years of stop‑and‑start plans, the century‑old Armory on the edge of Springfield and Downtown Jacksonville looks closer than ever to a serious comeback as a food hall, microbrewery and creative‑arts hub. Armory Redevelopment Associates, the nonprofit arm of Fort Lauderdale‑based REVA Development that has leased the building since 2020, is now working to buy and overhaul the long‑vacant, 80,826‑square‑foot landmark. For nearby residents and local developers, the effort is shaping up as a test case for whether hefty remediation costs and historic‑reuse incentives can turn a blighted block into jobs and small‑business space instead of another cautionary tale.
In January, City Council committees and then the full council advanced an ordinance to sell roughly 2.49 acres around the Armory to Armory Redevelopment Associates for about $3.04 million, clearing a major procedural hurdle for the deal. As reported by News4Jax, city officials described the sale as a key step to unlocking the financing and remediation work the building still needs.
The Armory, at 851 N. Market St. on the line between Springfield and Downtown, has been on the city’s redevelopment radar since REVA won a request for proposals in 2019. Plans call for a mix of gallery and maker spaces, performance rooms and a multi‑vendor “Made at the Armory” food hall that supporters say could pull new visitors into the neighborhood. As documented by Jacksonville Today, the project has wound its way through permits, committee debates and years of community meetings…