Hailing it as an innovative adaptation amid the struggles of brick-and-mortar retailers to compete with online shopping, the Jacksonville City Council approved a rezoning to allow for construction of apartments in the parking lot of The Avenues mall.
In a 17-0 vote, Council granted final approval July 22 on Ordinance 2025-0367, which rezones 94.6 acres of The Avenues from Planned Unit Development to a new PUD that allows for 266 apartments. The mall is north of the junction of Philips Highway and Southside Boulevard.
The apartments are planned for a 3.46-acre portion of the property at the north end of the mall near the parking garage owned by the Dillard’s department store chain.
The previous PUD did not permit residential uses on the site…