J Magazine Winter 2018

WILL DICKEY
Debbie Buckland, 2019 Chair of
the JAX Chamber Board of Directors
JAX Chamber
Incoming Chamber chair sees a
different Downtown emerging
ong before she was named 2019 Chair of the
L JAX Chamber Board of Directors, Debbie
Buckland, BB&T Jacksonville market
president, was a strong advocate for Downtown
Jacksonville. Serving on the Board of
Directors of Downtown Vision since
2009, with two years as president,
has given her a unique insight into
the future of the city’s core.
“We must take full advantage
of our greatest asset, that beautiful
body of water that runs through Downtown — the St.
Johns River,” she said. “Other cities, like San Antonio,
have done it — so can we. Downtown Jacksonville
flanks the river on both sides. The location is ideal.”
Buckland cited the 2017 Chamber leadership trip to
Toronto as both a model and a cautionary tale.
“Toronto is an awesome city with a thriving downtown
and lots of residential housing,” she said. “But
J PARTNER PROFILE
By Barbara Gavan
where they failed was in not paying attention on the
front-end to parks and transit, things that make life
easier and more enjoyable for residents. I’m happy
to say Jacksonville is doing a great job in both areas,
especially what Nat Ford is doing
at JTA, revamping the Skyway and
looking into a system of autonomous
vehicles.”
Buckland also pointed with
pride to growth in Downtown’s
housing market that includes both
workforce and market-priced residences.
“Kudos to the DIA and city leaders — we already
have 4,000 to 5,000 units Downtown and many more
projects in the pipeline,” she said. “With sufficient
housing, a new convention center, the new hotels being
planned, in six to 12 months, Downtown Jacksonville
will have a whole new profile and mood. It will be
so different in such a positive way.”
QUICK
TAKES
IT IS TIME
FOR A FRESH
LOOK AT
DOWNTOWN
“A big part of my
role is to fight the
old perceptions
that Downtown
Jacksonville is
stagnant because
perceptions can
become reality
if they are not
confronted and
corrected. For
instance, people
don’t seem to
realize that
Downtown is
one of the safest
neighborhoods in
the city and offers
so many residential
opportunities.
Education is the
key.”
DOWNTOWN
EMPLOYMENT
WILL
DRAW NEW
RESIDENTS
“We still need
more jobs
Downtown. With
more corporate
investment, there
will be more
employment and
more residents.
We especially
want to attract
millennials, who
are drawn to
meaningful work
and an active,
vibrant city center.
More density
means more
people Downtown
on a regular basis,
engaging in life.”
WINTER 2018-19 | J MAGAZINE 27