Jacksonville, FL (February 9, 2026) – Scenic Jacksonville’s 6th Annual Great Cities Symposium delighted the full house of over 350 people with an engaging talk by architect and city planner Victor Dover at the Garden Club of Jacksonville on February 5, 2026.
Dover emphasized that design is at the center of successful cities, towns and neighborhoods, and that street design is the fundamental building block. He showed before and after examples – both successes and setbacks – including Jacksonville’s historic street grids and successful aspects within local neighborhoods. Dover emphasized that good design creates neighborhoods that people want to spend time in, thus raising property values, and the ability to support better services and programs.
“We have thousands of years of examples of how to plan neighborhoods and streets that work for people,” Dover said. “From Paris to Charleston to some neighborhoods here in Jacksonville, we know what works and what people prefer.”
“We must visualize change before it occurs,” Dover continued. “Strong cities don’t happen by accident. They are designed with intention, guided by patterns that ensure the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. The most important asset that any city has is the network of streets. Taxpayers pay for them and own them, and we can and should demand better.”
Bryan Moll, Gateway Jax CEO and presenting sponsor of the event, introduced the speaker, and JAX Chamber chair elect Abel Harding facilitated a Q & A following formal remarks.
Fred Jones, an attendee and Haskell’s Planning and Design director, commented, “We so appreciate Scenic Jacksonville for hosting this inspiring—and potentially transformative—event focused on raising the bar locally for something we seem to have forgotten how to do well: designing and building great neighborhoods and truly walkable streets. Victor Dover has been instrumental in advancing this movement. Hopefully, those in attendance last night will carry this message forward and continue to demand better.”
Scenic Jacksonville started the annual event six years ago, bringing ideas and compelling topics that show how Jacksonville can continue to improve our city and quality of life. “This program has become such a popular and engaging event for civic community, and I’ve been honored to be a part of, it along with our hardworking committee co-chaired by Bill Hoff and Ellen Cottrill,” said Nancy Powell, executive director. “We will start planning next year’s event very soon.”
About the Speaker
Victor Dover is principal-in-charge and co-founder of Dover, Kohl & Partners, where he leads groundbreaking efforts in planning enduring, vibrant places and spaces. Blending design excellence with professional pragmatism, his work spans five continents and has helped shape iconic cities, neighborhoods, streets, and urban centers that prioritize livability and quality of life.
About the Symposium
The Great Cities Symposium is an annual event hosted by Scenic Jacksonville which brings notable civic and business leaders from peer cities to share their successes, challenges and lessons for Jacksonville. The program aims to inform, entertain, and inspire discussions of how we can continue to improve our city for the benefit of future generations.
Previous speakers included Carol Coletta, former CEO Memphis River Parks Partnership and current Bloomberg Fellow, AG Lafley, former CEO Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati and The Bay Sarasota, Tampa’s former mayor Bob Buckhorn, Chattanooga’s former mayor, Ron Littlefield, and Mayor Joe Riley of Charleston.
Scenic Jacksonville, Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization whose mission is to preserve, protect and enhance the scenic character and beauty of Jacksonville, Florida.