FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Laken Gudzak
904.634.0303
laken@dtjax.org
Downtown Vision Welcomes Laura Phillips Edgecombe as Vice President of Urban Systems
Apr. 10, 2026 — JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Downtown Vision (DVI), Downtown Jacksonville’s nonprofit business improvement district (BID), announced today the appointment of Laura Phillips Edgecombe to the newly-created position of Vice President of Urban Systems. The appointment comes as Downtown Jacksonville experiences exponential growth and increased development activity. Working closely with large-scale investors and anchor institutions, this new focus on Urban Systems will help align public, private and civic investments toward a unified vision for Downtown growth, including the new world-class public space being constructed along the St. Johns River.
A third-generation Jacksonville native, Edgecombe has more than two decades of experience in community development, placemaking, advocacy and built environment implementation to create meaningful, place-based outcomes. She brings a proven track record of cultivating public-private partnerships, advancing large-scale projects and delivering meaningful, measurable results across Jacksonville’s business, civic and philanthropic sectors.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Laura to DVI in this new and much needed position supporting Urban Systems,” said Jake Gordon, CEO of Downtown Vision. “Downtown Jacksonville is at a pivotal moment of growth, and we need to ensure the right investments, partnerships and people are all working together toward the same goal. Laura is one of the local pioneers in this work already, making her the perfect person to lead this work for Downtown Vision.”
Downtown Jacksonville is in the midst of a transformation, with major developments underway simultaneously across the Downtown landscape. The Vice President of Urban Systems role was created to align the people, places, policies and partnerships driving that growth toward a single, coordinated vision. Working closely with the City of Jacksonville, Mayor, City Council, Downtown Investment Authority, private developers, property owners, philanthropic organizations and community stakeholders, the Vice President of Urban Systems will help to ensure that each initiative advances the same goal: a vibrant, well-managed and thriving Downtown Jacksonville.
Named a Jacksonville Business Journal Women of Influence in 2024, Edgecombe has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of community development, public realm strategy and civic advocacy, building a reputation for turning complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives into real, measurable outcomes. She currently serves as Immediate Past President of the JAX Chamber Downtown Council Board, sits on the ULI North Florida Board of Advisors and the Executive Board of Directors of The Florida Theatre, and is an active member of the Blue Zones Built Environment Committee. A Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2024 alumna, JAX Chamber Hightower Emerging Leaders Fellow (Class V) and Urban Land Institute UrbanPlan Facilitator, she brings to this role a network cultivated across every sector the Vice President of Urban Systems is designed to connect.
“Downtown Jacksonville is at a pivotal point,” said Laura Phillips Edgecombe, Vice President of Urban Systems at Downtown Vision. “There is meaningful momentum across the Downtown landscape, and the priority now is aligning the people, places, policies and partnerships behind it to ensure long-term success. I look forward to working alongside our community and stakeholders to move this work forward in an intentional way.”
The Vice President of Urban Systems position is made possible through a strategic partnership with the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Build Up Downtown and Downtown Vision, reflecting a collective commitment to the coordinated leadership necessary to translate Downtown Jacksonville’s development momentum into lasting community benefit.
“Downtown’s public spaces are essential drivers of vitality with a number of interested entities involved, and it’s critical to have a dedicated resource to help align the public, private, and nonprofit sectors along with coordinated oversight and management frameworks,” said Sondra Fetner, Director of Place-Based Initiatives and Policy for the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. “The timing is critical, with more than $5 billion flowing into the urban core and major collaborative projects coming online in the next several years.”
“Downtown Jacksonville is experiencing a level of development activity that requires real coordination to get right. Private investment alone doesn’t create a thriving downtown. It takes alignment across public, private and civic stakeholders to ensure the pieces come together in a meaningful way. Laura understands that work deeply, and having her in this role at Downtown Vision gives developers like us a trusted partner who can help connect the dots and move the vision forward,” said Alex Sifakis, President, JWB Real Estate Capital.
For more information about Downtown Vision, visit DTJax.com/about-dvi.
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About Downtown Vision
Downtown Vision is a not-for-profit organization revitalizing Downtown Jacksonville through district services, stakeholder support, marketing, research, events and placemaking. Primarily funded by a self-assessment of Downtown property owners and governed by a board representing a diverse array of Downtown stakeholders and community leaders, DVI administers a 1.3 square mile Business Improvement District. For more information, visit DTJax.com/DVI.