Dr. Valecia Dunbar, founder and CEO of the New LaVilla Entrepreneur Center, is leading a $1.2 million redevelopment project aimed at restoring the legacy of LaVilla, a once-thriving African American neighborhood in Jacksonville, Florida. Once known as the “Harlem of the South,” LaVilla was a cultural and business hub during the early 20th century, home to Black-owned businesses, music venues, and strong community institutions. Today, Dunbar is seeking support from community-minded investors to bring it back to life.
A Historic Neighborhood with Deep Roots
During segregation, LaVilla supported a strong Black business district with barbershops, restaurants, and hotels. The area was also a cultural center, attracting legendary performers like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Ray Charles. Its decline began mid-century, accelerated by urban renewal projects and highway construction that removed businesses and displaced residents.
Dr. V’s Vision for Economic Revival
Dunbar, a leadership coach and organizational crisis researcher, envisions the New LaVilla Entrepreneur Center as a space that honors the past while supporting the future. The 6,300-square-foot building on Broad Street will include retail shops, meeting rooms, residential units, an event space, and a small museum. The goal is to provide a safe, collaborative environment for entrepreneurs while preserving the neighborhood’s heritage.
Crowdfunding for Community Ownership
To help fund the project, Dunbar has partnered with Vesterr, a Black-owned real estate crowdfunding platform. She is inviting investors to contribute, with a minimum investment of $10,000. In return, investors will become founding members of the center and gain access to its facilities and events. Dunbar emphasizes this model as a way to encourage collective ownership and long-term engagement.
Supporting Entrepreneurs Through Space and Programming
The New LaVilla Entrepreneur Center builds on Dunbar’s earlier efforts to support women and small business owners. In 2016, she launched the Center for Confidence, which offered free coaching labs. She later created CenCon CoWork, a shared workspace in Jacksonville. The New LaVilla project expands on this work, offering training, coworking space, and meeting areas to support entrepreneurs at various stages.
Part of a Larger Effort to Rebuild LaVilla
The redevelopment of LaVilla is part of a broader initiative across Jacksonville. Additional city projects include building heritage trails, restoring key landmarks like the Richmond Hotel, and constructing affordable housing. Dunbar views her center as one part of restoring historically Black commercial corridors, one building at a time.
Creating Pathways to Ownership and Wealth
Dunbar hopes the project can also help people consider new ways to build wealth. She believes crowdfunding allows for access to investment opportunities that were once out of reach for many. Her long-term goal is for LaVilla to become a working model of how communities can reclaim space, restore identity, and support one another through shared ownership.
More Than a Building
For Dunbar, the project is personal and rooted in her broader mission to develop confident, capable leaders through entrepreneurship. She sees the center as both a resource and a symbol—one that reflects LaVilla’s past and supports a more inclusive future.
About the Founder
Valecia “Dr. V.” Dunbar is the founder of The Center for Confidence and CEO of the New LaVilla Entrepreneur Center. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, she is an executive leadership coach, motivational author, and academic life coach. Her work focuses on building confidence and leadership capacity in individuals and organizations. Through her latest venture, she aims to expand access to business resources and support economic equity.
For more information, visit TheNewLaVilla.com. For media inquiries, contact: [email protected].
