Ocala's Historic Downtown Square

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.

Magnolia Avenue

For many decades a southbound one-way street, Magnolia Avenue is in the midst of a makeover. A portion of the roadway is being upgraded with a complete streets makeover.

The Spanish Colonial Revival Style Sovereign Building opened as the seven story Marion Hotel in 1927. It was Ocala’s tallest building for 60 years.

Inside the Sovereign Building.

The outdoor courtyard of Sayulita Taqueria.

Completed in 1941, the Marion Theater stood empty for 13 years before being renovated to its early Streamline Moderne style and feel.

S.R. 40 / Silver Springs Boulevard

State Road 40/Silver Springs Boulevard is the major east west thoroughfare through Ocala. With an average annual daily traffic count of 30,500, the busy boulevard splits the central business district of the city in half.

The five-story, $41 million Marion County Judicial Center is home to Florida’s Fifth Judicial Circuit Court.

In 2018, the City of Ocala adopted a form-based zoning code for the city’s central business district. As a result, this new development featuring Starbucks Coffee and Jimmy John’s on US 441/Pine Avenue, has been designed with parking in the rear of the property.