November 24, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Sights and scenes from the November 24, 2025 ribbon cutting at RiversEdge Parks. Considered to be an extension of the Southbank Riverwalk, this chain of new parks is located on...
Read more
June 12, 2025 | Bill Delaney
A walk inside the former Neff House on Fort George Island. Built in 1926, it was later home to the Betz family, who in 1974 found a strange metal orb...
Read more
June 3, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Here are five facts about Milldale: A long-forgotten industrial mill town born from Panama Park’s Cummer Lumber Company.
Read more
March 19, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Located one hour south of Jacksonville, Ravine Gardens State Park is built around two natural, steep ravines created by water flows beneath the ridges flanking the west bank of the...
Read more
September 9, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A natural getaway within the city limits of Jacksonville, Cedar Point Preserve is located on Black Hammock Island. Home to 6,000 years of civilization, the barrier island has a fascinating...
Read more
July 31, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Located 20 minutes north of Downtown Atlanta, the Galleria Specialty Mall is equivalent of a time warp back to the 1980s.
Read more
July 26, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Stranded in Minneapolis due to Delta's CrowdStrike outage struggles, The Jaxson took a brief early Sunday morning stroll through the streets of Downtown Minneapolis.
Read more
April 3, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city without actually leaving the city? A trip to Cedar Point on Black Hammock Island may be in order....
Read more
March 7, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A visual tour of one of the last intact Sea Island Gullah Geechee communities in the country accessible only by ferry.
Read more
February 14, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, AG Lafley served as the guest speaker at Scenic Jacksonville's fourth annual Great Cities Symposium at the Garden Club of Jacksonville. The former CEO and...
Read more
January 24, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A short drive from Jacksonville, Devil's Millhopper is a 120-foot deep sinkhole similar in appearance to the hopper of a mill. A geological anomaly and National Park Service designated natural...
Read more
August 10, 2023 | David Bulit of Autopsy of Architecture
This guest article by David Bulit of Autopsy of Architecture takes us on a tour inside of what's said to be one of the country's most haunted sites: Birmingham's Sloss...
Read more
June 20, 2023 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A virtual walk along the Atlanta BeltLine, one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment projects in the country. A 22-mile corridor connecting neighborhoods in Atlanta's urban core, the BeltLine...
Read more
December 27, 2022 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Paralleling Hillsborough Bay south of downtown Tampa, Bayshore Boulevard's sidewalk is considered to the country's longest continuous sidewalk.
Read more
December 6, 2022 | Ennis Davis, AICP
On December 8, 2022, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Ennis Davis of The Jaxson present Two Centuries of Jacksonville: The Evolution of Green Spaces
Read moreNovember 28, 2022 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Completed in late October 2022, Downtown Lakeland's Bonnet Springs Park is a $110 million public space funded one hundred percent through donations from local businesses, organizations and residents. The park...
September 13, 2022 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A night time walk through Central Florida's latest urban green space: Daytona's Riverfront Esplanade
May 5, 2022 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A virtual walk through Tampa's historic Ybor City.
December 16, 2021 | Article by Ennis Davis, AICP
A short drive from Jacksonville, Devil's Millhopper is a 120-foot deep sinkhole similar in appearance to the hopper of a mill. A geological anomaly and National Park Service designated natural...
December 8, 2021 | Guest article by Codey Stout
A guest editorial highlighting the unsurprising link between redlining and shade trees by Codey Stout at Treetriage.com.
December 2, 2021 | Article by Ennis Davis, AICP
A walk along one of Central Florida's most popular urban biking destinations.
November 23, 2021 | Editorial by Ennis Davis, AICP
A visual glimpse at the gentrification of Charlotte's Biddleville neighborhood and a lesson that Jacksonville can learn.
October 20, 2021 | Article by Ennis Davis, AICP
A walk through South Florida's beautiful Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
September 6, 2021 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A virtual walk along one of the south's most vibrant urban waterfronts: Savannah's River Street
September 3, 2021 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Sights and scenes from the streets of a downtown that is now home to the country's third tallest skyline: Downtown Miami.
August 23, 2021 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Sights and scenes from a historic central business district in the midst of a historic rise back to prominence: Detroit
July 20, 2021 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A summer walk through Miami Beach's South Pointe Park.
June 21, 2021 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Sights and scenes from a former industrial wasteland that has been transformed into a $5.9 million contemporary greenspace and regional stormwater facility: Gainesville's Depot Park
May 27, 2021 | Article by Ennis Davis, AICP
Sights and scenes of one of Central Florida's great public spaces: Lakeland's Lake Mirror Park
April 20, 2021 | Article by Ennis Davis, AICP
In honor of National Park Week, here are a few sights and scenes from the River of Grass.
February 4, 2021 | Bill Delaney
Featuring 300 acres of protected land and 5.6 miles of trails, the Egans Creek Greenway is a natural jewel right in the middle of Fernandina Beach.
February 1, 2021 | Ennis Davis, AICP
To kick off Black History Month, Modern Cities and The Jaxson takes a look at the sights and scenes of a historic Central Florida walkable African-American neighborhood: Orlando's Parramore.
January 29, 2021 | Ennis Davis, AICP
The Jaxson takes a walk through Ocala's Downtown Square, a district that is home to one of the largest concentration of 19th century commercial buildings in Florida.
January 22, 2021 | Bill Delaney
When he passed away 50 years ago last month, Willie Browne left Jacksonville one of the greatest gifts in city history: his family's 600 acres of wild, historically significant land....
January 20, 2021 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Largely razed as a result of mid-20th century discriminatory practices, Sugar Hill was Jim Crow era Black Jacksonville's version of middle class inner city living.
October 30, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Presently the site of Jacksonville's Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park, this land was once home to a vibrant community called Yukon.
October 22, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Recently organized by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, here is a digital walking tour and brief historical narrative of Florida's first orange grove plantation: St. Augustine's Fish Island
October 8, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
The Jaxson explores one of the Southside's most diverse neighborhoods: Englewood.
September 21, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A historical timeline of the rise of Jacksonville's historic Black communities and how the field of planning has played an institutional role in their destruction.
September 7, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Straddling Little Fishweir Creek, Boone Park is a 28-acre park located within the Riverside/Avondale Historic District.
August 12, 2020 | Bill Delaney
A little known nature preserve on Jacksonville’s Westside is home to a hidden natural treasure: one of Florida’s rare waterfalls. It’s also the source of two significant creeks and has...
August 5, 2020 | Editorial by Desiree D. Powell, MCRP
A guest editorial by Desiree D. Powell, MCRP about the role the planning profession has played in the disenfranchisement of marginalized communities. Powell is an urban planner focusing on placemaking...
August 3, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
An architectural movement that peaked during the 1960s, Mid-century modern (MCM) has increased in popularity within the preservation world in recent years. An American reflection of the International and Bauhaus...
July 31, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
All great cities have great parks. A new citizen-led initiative consisting of representatives from various non-profit organizations including Scenic Jacksonville, the Late Bloomers Garden Club, The Garden Club of Jacksonville,...
July 20, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Planned as a destination for everyone, the recently opened St. Pete Pier has instantly become one of Florida's premier urban waterfront public spaces. Constructed at the cost of $92 million,...
June 29, 2020 | Article by Scott Gann
Wouldn’t it be great to explore the wilderness a stone’s throw from the center of one of the biggest cities in Florida? It’s possible, but you have to embrace a...
June 24, 2020 | Article by Scott Gann
Where can you find a manatee, shopping carts, tons of bridges, 1926 architecture, the smell of fresh coffee, and a dead alligator? What if I told you I found all...
June 22, 2020 | Guest Editorial by Zuri Davis
It's Time to Celebrate Juneteenth, America's Other Independence Day. Though Juneteenth is first and foremost a celebration of the end of slavery, the day has evolved in the 21st century....
April 15, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
During the late 1960s, Ribault Scenic Drive was once called the new, sweeter Sugar Hill. In 2017, it was among the areas of the city most impacted by Hurricane Irma....
March 18, 2020 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Modern Cities takes a look at a popular urban trail system in Texas: San Antonio's Mission Reach
November 15, 2019 | Erik Hamilton
Fed by dozens of springs and running through several public parks and privately owned campgrounds, the Santa Fe River and its watershed make up one of Florida's greatest natural attractions....
October 7, 2019 | Ennis Davis, AICP
The vibrancy of cities comes in all shapes and sizes. Many believe that what works in internationally known cosmopolitan settings may not be applicable for cities in America that have...
September 30, 2019 | Ennis Davis, AICP
The Jaxson explores the remains of one of Jacksonville's forgotten ghost towns: Greenland
September 21, 2019 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Who says the widening of an interstate through the heart of a community has to be viewed as a negative? Orlando's proposed 9.75-acre Under I project sets the precedent on...
July 4, 2019 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Dating back to 1804, Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Paris, France and the most visited cemetery in the world with more than 3.5 million visitors annually.
July 2, 2019 | Ennis Davis, AICP
The Jaxson Magazine takes a visual walk through one of the world's most vibrant urban waterfronts: London's River Thames
April 9, 2019 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A walk through one of Jacksonville's long forgotten and abandoned early 20th century African-American cemeteries: Pinehurst
January 30, 2019 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Pilsen is a neighborhood of Chicago located on the Lower West Side of the city. Historically a first-stop neighborhood for American immigrants, following the Great Fire of 1871, Pilsen was...
December 24, 2018 | Ennis Davis, AICP
During recent decades, Savannah has become internationally known for its revitalized historic district. Attracting millions of tourist a year, most don't know that Savannah is a majority African-American community. With...
December 18, 2018 | Ennis Davis, AICP
As the City of Jacksonville and Groundwork Jacksonville embark on a long dreamed plan to build greenways along McCoys and Hogans Creeks, Houston's Buffalo Bayou Park Trail is one worth...
December 6, 2018 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Modern Cities takes a before and after look at the transformation of Memphis' South Main Historic District from a declining industrial district into a trendy pedestrian friendly urban neighborhood.
September 4, 2018 | Ennis Davis
Modern Cities takes a look at the rebirth of what was once called the richest African-American street in the world: Atlanta's Sweet Auburn Historic District
August 27, 2018 | Ennis Davis
With evening temperatures in the 70's, Chicago's riverwalk has become one of the most popular places to be in summertime.
August 2, 2018 | Melissa Hege, AICP
Melissa Hege, AICP of South Florida-based Melissa Hege City Planning LLC. explains why you should be jealous of this Miami Design District alley.
June 24, 2018 | Ennis Davis
You don't need Brad Pitt to make this river shine: South Florida urban planner Melissa Hege takes a tour of New York's Hudson River Park, 4-miles of waterfront park perfection....
June 3, 2018 | Ennis Davis
It can be argued that the revitalization of Gaines Street has been one of the most rapid corridor transformations in recent Florida history.
May 29, 2018 | Ennis Davis
Melissa Hege of South Florida-based Melissa Hege City Planning highlights Miami's new urban crisis.
May 10, 2018 | Mike Field
An obscure ordinance published by the Department of Commerce in 1928 has had arguably the largest affect on how U.S. cities are developed. But a new, simple, two-sentence subdivision ordinance...
May 6, 2018 | Ennis Davis
Located on the banks of the St. Marys River in Nassau County, White Oak Conservation is an internationally known premiere wildlife conservation facility 30 miles north of Jacksonville. The facility,...
April 30, 2018 | Ennis Davis
Located on the banks of the St. Marys River in Nassau County, White Oak Conservation is an internationally known premiere wildlife conservation facility 30 miles north of Jacksonville. The facility,...
April 12, 2018 | Mike Field
The National Park Service (NPS) recently commissioned a study to assess the integrity and condition of the Savannah National Historic Landmark District. That report recommends the district be categorized as...
April 10, 2018 | Mike Field
A new food-based destination is popping up on the Tampa Riverwalk.
March 30, 2018 | Ennis Davis
Located off the beaten path, Kraft Azalea Garden is the type of public space that the average visitor to Central Florida may not realize exists. Located on the shore of...
February 25, 2018 | Ennis Davis
It's one thing to talk about turning a suburban area into a walkable district. It's another thing to see the transformation actually happening. Here's a look at what's currently taking...
February 13, 2018 | Mike Field
Years of subtle changes to land use and zoning have slowly become the invisible forces that shape our behavior, whether we realize it or not.
February 9, 2018 | Mike Field
Don’t curb your enthusiasm. Curbsides– yes, curbs – have the power to transform cities.
February 8, 2018 | Mike Field
Will 2018 signal the end of the latest real estate cycle?
January 19, 2018 | Ennis Davis
Jacksonville has a history of implementing simple concepts poorly in its quest to revitalize downtown. In the rush to convert downtown’s one-way streets into two-ways, Jacksonville needs to avoid the...
December 28, 2017 | Ennis Davis
Central Florida is internationally known for Mickey Mouse and its grand assortment of theme parks. However, if you're willing to travel off the beaten path and explore, you'll discover the...
December 18, 2017 | Ennis Davis
Ever wonder what a rapid gentrification process resembles? Look no further than Charleston, South Carolina.
November 26, 2017 | Ennis Davis
Just outside downtown Jacksonville, a historic neighborhood's days may be coming to an end, due to the impact of flooding and sea level rise.
November 22, 2017 | Mike Field
The shipping container: an incredible tool to revitalize neighborhoods and urban centers.
October 19, 2017 | Ennis Davis
While urban renewal was primarily a mid-20th century phenomenon that decimated the cores of America's cities, here's a few disastrous failures that have occurred over the last 30 years.
October 17, 2017 | Ennis Davis
If you believe malls are going away, it may be time to reconsider that opinion. Here's a mall designed with 21st century consumer trends in mind.
October 2, 2017 | Ennis Davis
Hurricane Irma resulted in millions of Floridians fleeing the state. Here's a look into a trip to South Carolina's low country by Melissa Hege, AICP of South Florida-based Melissa Hege...
September 27, 2017 | Ennis Davis
Rob Steuteville, Editor-in-Chief of the Build a Better Burb, highlights the striking transformation of South Miami into a vibrant pedestrian friendly district, while identifying five revitalization concepts that may be...
September 6, 2017 | Mike Field
Seeking to create more clarity and public engagement on planning and zoning matters, the Atlanta Department of City Planning teamed up with the branding firm Matchstic to redesign the often...
September 5, 2017 | Ennis Davis
Central Florida isn't nationally known for being walkable and multimodal friendly. However, that doesn't mean that vibrant pockets of walkability don't exist. Just one commuter rail stop north of Downtown...
August 20, 2017 | Ennis Davis
When I-295 opened in 1970, Clay County was home to 32,059 residents. Today, an estimated 208,311 reside in the rapidly growing county just outside of Jacksonville. Here's a visual before...
July 20, 2017 | Mike Field
Are millennials the key to preservation? A new survey finds that millennials prefer to live, work and play in neighborhoods with historic buildings.
June 28, 2017 | Mike Field
New York's 'barge-to-table' floating farm gives city residents without access to farmland the opportunity to pick their own food.
June 21, 2017 | Ennis Davis
A look at a small coastal Florida fishing village that was once a major 19th century shipping port and railroad terminus: Cedar Key
May 17, 2017 | Ennis Davis
Modern Cities shares a Spring 2017 presentation by Ennis Davis, AICP to the board of City Beautiful Jax, highlighting a few cost effective options for stimulating market rate economic development...
April 12, 2017 | Ennis Davis
37 photographs and captions illustrating the 21st century renaissance of Norfolk, Virginia.
March 23, 2017 | Mike Field
By-Right Zoning seen as a critical strategy to help solve the affordable housing crisis, offering a streamlined approval process for developers. However, By-Right Zoning also acts as a better way...
March 15, 2017 | Ennis Davis
By 2020, an abandoned railyard on the edge of downtown Lakeland will be transformed into a 160-acre urban green oasis by a group of local philanthropists.
February 16, 2017 | Mike Field
Can our paved grid of roads and sidewalks evolve into an ecology of functions that benefit both residents and the environment?
February 9, 2017 | Mike Field
How a small town in Oregon used a data-driven, analytical approach towards putting policies in place to increase their economic and environmental resiliency.
January 25, 2017 | Ennis Davis
This article by Dr. Tim Gilmore of jaxpsychogeo.com explores the redevelopment of Jacksonville's Brooklyn neighborhood from the perspective of long time resident Les Paul Garner.
January 16, 2017 | Mike Field
Gainesville turns contaminated land into a contemporary public greenspace to serve as the city's “Central Park'.
December 12, 2016 | Mike Field
The George Kaiser Family Foundation shares the story of Guthrie Green: an amazing transformation of a contaminated truck loading facility in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma into a vibrant urban park that...
December 4, 2016 | Mike Field
Whether you're a city staffer, nonprofit leader or just a strong citizen who cares, there's something you can do to advocate for an end to parking minimums in your town....
November 28, 2016 | Ennis Davis
Faced with the reality of its Navy base being closed for good, the City of Orlando utilized the bad news as an opportunity to create an infill 1,100-acre new urbanist...
October 24, 2016 | Ennis Davis
Named in honor of German princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and incorporated in 1768, Charlotte is a city that has undergone dramatic change over the last decade.
September 28, 2016 | Ennis Davis
An editorial by Britney Broussard that questions if African American students who now have the choice of going to college would choose a Historically Black College or not. And if...
September 6, 2016 | Ennis Davis
Serving as a part of a network of waterways linking the Great Lakes with the Mississippi Valley, Chicago owes its existence to the Chicago River.
July 23, 2016 | Mike Field
DOT Art leads the way in demonstrating successful asphalt activation strategies using public art.
July 10, 2016 | Ennis Davis
A few miles north of downtown Miami, Wynwood is one of the largest open-air street art installations in the world. Here's a brief summary and photo tour of the district's...
May 2, 2016 | Mike Field
Stormwater drains are one of the most overlooked public landmarks, but the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has a plan to bring attention to them in a...
March 9, 2016 | Mike Field
Article by Michael Field
December 15, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Here is a trip down memory lane, highlighting five early 20th century...
December 8, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Surrounded by McCoys Creek and Interstates 10 and 95, North Riverside is...
October 23, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
The adaptive reuse of 927 West Forsyth Street in LaVilla into a...
October 14, 2025 | Editorial by Jerry Urso
Before Rosa Parks and Montgomery, a pastor on Ashley Street sat down...
October 9, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A brief history and look at the legacy of the Historic Eastside’s...
October 2, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
It’s been said that a city’s history is written on its tombstones,...
November 24, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Sights and scenes from the November 24, 2025 ribbon cutting at RiversEdge...
June 12, 2025 | Bill Delaney
A walk inside the former Neff House on Fort George Island. Built...
June 3, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Here are five facts about Milldale: A long-forgotten industrial mill town born...
March 19, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Located one hour south of Jacksonville, Ravine Gardens State Park is built...
September 9, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A natural getaway within the city limits of Jacksonville, Cedar Point Preserve...
July 31, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Located 20 minutes north of Downtown Atlanta, the Galleria Specialty Mall is...
November 10, 2025 | Editorial by Ennis Davis, AICP
As JTA's Ultimate Urban Circulator faces growing scrutiny from the Duval DOGE...
August 4, 2025 | Editorial by Marcus Nelson
I decided it was important to see what all these years of...
-70x60!.jpg)
January 20, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Once the largest train station south of Washington, D.C., more than fifty...
September 19, 2024 | City of Jacksonville Press Release
The City of Jacksonville has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from...
July 30, 2024 | Editorial by Ennis Davis, AICP
Consuming nearly 800-square miles of land area, the City of Jacksonville contains...
July 12, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Jacksonville and much of Florida owes a lot of gratitude to this...
September 4, 2024 | Photographs by Caron Streibich @CaronEats
The long awaited official ribbon cutting and grand opening of the Historic...
June 17, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
On Tuesday, June 11, Mayor Deegan filed formal legislation for the $1.4...
May 2, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
The heyday of the enclosed shopping mall in Florida is long gone....
April 9, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Regional enclosed shopping centers across the country are in decline. Charleston's Citadel...
February 27, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Located in Brunswick, Georgia, Glynn Place Mall is the only enclosed regional...
January 30, 2024 | Ennis Davis, AICP
For decades, Bradenton's DeSoto Square Mall was one of the most popular...
November 27, 2025 | Article by Bill Delaney
Five decades before the Pilgrims celebrated their feast at Plymouth, Massachusetts, French...
November 21, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Established in 1967, National Career Development Month is an annual observance promoted...
September 29, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
A brief history and look inside LaVilla's historic Maceo Elks Lodge #8....
September 22, 2025 | Article by Bill Delaney and Ennis Davis
Though less well known than those in South Florida or Tampa Bay,...
June 30, 2025 | Article by Sytonia Reid, Ennis Davis and Bill Delaney
June is Black Music Month, an annual national celebration of the ways...
June 29, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
While Jacksonville has long been associated with the pungent odor of paper...
December 15, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Here is a trip down memory lane, highlighting five early 20th century...
December 8, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Surrounded by McCoys Creek and Interstates 10 and 95, North Riverside is...
November 27, 2025 | Article by Bill Delaney
Five decades before the Pilgrims celebrated their feast at Plymouth, Massachusetts, French...
November 24, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Sights and scenes from the November 24, 2025 ribbon cutting at RiversEdge...
November 21, 2025 | Ennis Davis, AICP
Established in 1967, National Career Development Month is an annual observance promoted...
November 10, 2025 | Editorial by Ennis Davis, AICP
As JTA's Ultimate Urban Circulator faces growing scrutiny from the Duval DOGE...