Jet Set Pilates Studio Coming to Pearl Square in Downtown Jacksonville

A pilates studio is coming to Pearl Square, the mixed-use project rising at the former Jacksonville Landing site on downtown Jacksonville's Northbank riverfront. Jet Set Pilates has announced plans to open a location in the development and is already building community presence with free weekly mat pilates classes at the adjacent Riverfront Music Garden every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

The fitness studio's arrival adds another confirmed tenant to Pearl Square, the Downtown Investment Authority's anchor project to activate the riverfront property that sat vacant for years after the Landing's 2019 demolition. The announcement came through Downtown Vision Inc.'s weekly newsletter highlighting downtown activity.

What's happening

Jet Set Pilates is establishing its presence in downtown Jacksonville ahead of Pearl Square's completion, according to the announcement from Downtown Vision Inc., the downtown management organization. The studio is hosting free mat pilates classes at Riverfront Music Garden on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. while the Pearl Square project continues construction.

The classes are open to the public and require participants to bring their own equipment. The programming allows prospective customers to experience the studio's offerings and connects the business to the downtown community before its permanent space opens.

Pearl Square occupies the 1.56-acre former Jacksonville Landing site at 2 Independent Drive on the Northbank riverfront between the Main Street and Acosta bridges. The Downtown Investment Authority selected Miami-based developer Tidal Wave Holdings and Lincoln Property Company in 2021 to redevelop the city-owned property demolished in 2019.

Impact on downtown activation and retail mix

Jet Set Pilates joining Pearl Square's tenant roster continues the project's strategy of mixing retail, dining, and service businesses to create riverfront activity throughout the day and week. Fitness studios typically generate consistent weekday morning, lunchtime, and evening traffic — foot traffic patterns that complement restaurants and retail shops in mixed-use developments.

The DIA has pursued an activation-focused approach at Pearl Square after the Landing struggled for years with vacancy and declining visitation before its closure. Projects anchored by fitness, wellness, and service tenants alongside dining can generate more consistent daily activity than retail-only developments, which concentrate traffic during shopping hours and weekends.

For downtown residents — a growing population as apartment projects like The Lofts at Jefferson, The Peninsula, and other DIA-incentivized residential conversions add housing stock — walkable fitness options eliminate the need to drive to suburban gym clusters. Downtown Jacksonville has historically lacked the dense fitness and wellness business mix found in more established urban cores.

The Wednesday evening classes at Riverfront Music Garden also serve as activation programming for the recently completed public space, demonstrating how Pearl Square development is already influencing use of adjacent riverfront infrastructure before the project's commercial spaces open.

Impact on Pearl Square's development timeline and leasing

Jet Set Pilates announcing its location and building brand presence suggests Pearl Square's construction timeline is advancing toward tenant fit-out and opening phases. Commercial tenants in mixed-use developments typically begin marketing and pre-opening community engagement six to twelve months before their doors open, allowing time to build awareness and membership bases before incurring full operating costs.

The studio's social media presence at @jetsetpilatespearlsquare indicates dedicated branding for this location, suggesting Jet Set Pilates views Pearl Square as a significant market or potentially a flagship location rather than a standard franchise expansion. That level of investment in location-specific marketing often signals confidence in the development's foot traffic projections and demographic mix.

For Pearl Square overall, landing fitness and wellness tenants helps fill the tenant mix the DIA sought when it issued the development agreement. Mixed-use projects require balanced tenant rosters — restaurants draw evening crowds, coffee shops and lunch spots serve daytime office workers, and fitness studios generate morning and after-work traffic. The combination creates the consistent activity that makes public spaces feel safe and vibrant throughout operating hours.

Fitness tenants also typically sign longer-term leases than retailers — studios make substantial investment in specialized flooring, mirrors, equipment storage, and sound insulation that isn't easily relocated. That lease stability benefits both the developer and the city as property owner.

Impact on riverfront access and programming

The free classes at Riverfront Music Garden demonstrate how Pearl Square's activation is expanding public use of Jacksonville's riverfront. The Music Garden, completed as part of the riverfront revitalization after the Landing demolition, was designed as a flexible public space for events and spontaneous use. Regular weekly programming like the pilates classes helps establish patterns of use that can attract additional casual visitors.

Successful activation of riverfront public spaces typically requires anchoring development nearby — restaurants, bars, shops, and activity generators that give people reasons to visit beyond the open space itself. Pearl Square's commercial tenants will function as that anchor, with the Music Garden serving as an amenity for their customers and a draw for the businesses themselves.

The riverfront location also positions Jet Set Pilates to capture both downtown residents and workers and the suburban visitors who drive downtown for dining and entertainment, particularly during peak seasons and events. Riverfront businesses typically see traffic spikes during Jacksonville Jaguars games, downtown festivals, concerts at Daily's Place and VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, and First Wednesday Art Walk.

For residents in adjacent neighborhoods — Riverside, Brooklyn, LaVilla, and the Southbank across the river — the Pearl Square tenant mix represents evolving riverfront access. The Landing's decline left the prime Northbank riverfront underutilized for years; Pearl Square's development returns active public space and commercial amenities to a site that was fenced off from 2019 through the early construction phases.

What happens next

Pearl Square's construction timeline and full tenant roster are managed by the DIA and the development team. The project's development agreement with the city included milestones for construction phases and tenant occupancy, which are tracked through DIA board meetings. Those meetings and agendas are public record and available through the city's transparency portal.

Jet Set Pilates' free Wednesday classes will continue at Riverfront Music Garden at 6:30 p.m. through the studio's pre-opening phase. Schedules and updates are posted through Downtown Vision Inc.'s events calendar at DTJax.com/events and the studio's social media presence.

As Pearl Square's commercial spaces near completion, additional tenant announcements are expected. Mixed-use projects typically release tenant rosters gradually as leases finalize and tenants begin fit-out work. The full tenant mix will shape how the development functions as a riverfront destination and what gaps remain in downtown's commercial offerings.

The Pearl Square project represents downtown Jacksonville's largest riverfront activation effort and a test case for the DIA's approach to city-owned property development. The project's success or challenges leasing space, attracting visitors, and generating sales tax and lease revenue will inform future DIA strategies for downtown development sites and incentive packages as Jacksonville's Northbank and Southbank continue adding residential and commercial density.